Page 71 of Go Cook Yourself

Even as I debate this, I pick up little candy canes and sparkling foil–covered truffles that I brought for Ruby foranother evening. The items will make the wreath pop with colour, which will make Ruby happy.

All I want is her smile.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ruby

Neil takes me to the side as everyone packs up. “You just have to say the word, Ruby, and I’ll take you back.”

I suck in my cheeks. “You’re engaged to Viv, or have you already forgotten her?” I snap. I should have known that engagement meant nothing to him and his wandering eye.

He dismisses my comment with the flap of his hand. “I don’t know what that chef arsehole thinks he knows about you, but I know the real you. We were together for years, and I saw you change and helped you develop into the woman you are now.” I hold back both my laughter and the fist I want to hit him with. “No one knows you like I do.”

The irony is that Neil was with me all those years but never knew me. The story about the fake first date shows Garett understands me better than Neil ever could. The kiss I gave him was to hide my shock of emotion.

Garett watches as he tidies up the remnants of the mince pies from his demonstration counter. I give him a wink, not to annoy Neil, but because I want to. This is what I’d do if my boyfriend were here, and for one glorious night, I was lucky enough to learn how it felt to be Garett’s girlfriend.

“So what do you say?” Neil asks.

“Go fuck yourself, Neil,” I reply with no anger or bitterness. “And never come near me again. I’m happy without you, happier than I thought possible.”

“Car, Neil. Right now,” Viv yells from the doorway.

Neil stares at me longingly. “Bye then.”

I turn away, which seems to be the hint that Neil needs. I talk to the stragglers, who tell me their first date stories and ask more about Garett. He’s their new romance hero.

“And have you seen his forearms?” one of the pensioners asks. I have seen them, kissed them, been held by them as he does the filthiest things to me.

I wave them off ten minutes later. Should I suggest a hookup tonight with Garett? All those kisses and the care have made me hornier than a frat boy during rush.

But Garett has gone.

“Have you got a second to help, Ruby?” Kath asks. “We need to set up for tomorrow. We’re fully booked with wreath making and Christmas classes for the next three weeks.”

“It’s great, isn’t it? Amber’s hard work over the last few years has made a difference. There’s so many return customers.” I glance around the cookery school. “Is everyone staying on to help?”

“Everyone except Garett. He said there was somewhere he had to be. All that fake boyfriend work must have exhausted him.” She chuckles.

Did he run off because of something I did? I can’t message him to check if he’s okay, because that’s against the rules. I know he’s not seeing anyone, but that doesn’t explain his disappearing act.

I’ll check in tomorrow night, all casual. I don’t know how because I don’t do hookups, and it’s not like I can speak to anyone about it because that’s against the rules, too.

I grimace as I walk up the stairs to the mezzanine.

“You doing okay, Ruby, love? I couldn’t believe it when Amber told me you were caught here in the snow on Saturday,” Kath says as we tidy the hideaway. “How is Amber?”

The scents of oranges and firs from the wreath making fill my lungs. Christmas will be good this year. I catch a whiff of cinnamon. My gaze is drawn to the sofa bed, but I shake my head.

“She’s been better. The pregnancy is going according to plan, but she’s frustrated that she had to go on maternity. She’s missing being involved. She knows it’s not safe for her or the babies, but it was so sudden.”

Kath clucks in agreement. “I do miss her. I bet your grandma would have loved to have seen her pregnant and blooming.”

“She adored Amber and wanted a good future for her. It’s nice she got to meet Kalen before, well, you know.”

Kath perches on one of the chairs brought up to make wreath making accessible for those who struggle to stand. “She was ecstatic to meet him. It’s a shame we don’t know when he’ll return.”

I nod, unsure what else to say. With Kath, you can never be sure what her angle is.

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