Page 89 of Go Cook Yourself

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Chapter Forty-Four

Garett

Flora slips into my passenger seat. She wrings her hands as soon as she’s clicked in the seatbelt.

“It’s going to be okay. They want you there, Flora.” My stomach bubbles with excitement and anxiety for the Christmas Cloud Burst.

“I know, but I’m not used to being welcomed by a family. Aside from you, I haven’t had anyone in years.” Her parents barely recognised her presence above their business adventures, and Clive is a chip off the old block. “I’ve never had a proper family Christmas celebration before.”

“It will be great, and you’ve brought something.”

“Who doesn’t love Christmas biscuits?” She opens the tin, and I chuckle. Father Christmas is missing an eye, and the Christmas tree looks drunk. She explains each messy biscuit to me and retells all the incidents that brought them to their present state.

“They’re awesome, Flo.”

“You haven’t called me that since Clive ruined you. So you’re moving to Ireland, then.”

Driving helps me because I can focus on the road and not her puppy dog face, which she’ll make, though she doesn’t want to. “Yes. I have to. I handed my resignation letter to Amberthis morning. She asked me to stay, but she understood when I explained my new job.” I tap the steering wheel and clear my throat. “As the cookery school isn’t opening in January, and I’ve got the contacts for them, there shouldn’t be much upheaval.” I didn’t give my Ruby-related reasons. I promised I wouldn’t

“Does Ruby know she’s one of the reasons why?”

A tractor pulls out in front of us, and I remember the day I met Ruby. I wanted her out of “my” cookery school, and yet she’s the best person for it. As much as I want her to win Clive’s competition for the money, I hope she doesn’t. Although her skills are in baking, she’s fantastic at the school and she should have her own baking business.

We crawl behind the tractor, and I glance at Flora. I owe her so much, and avoiding her pain isn’t the action of the man I want to be. “She knows I’m going because we can’t be together. She also knows it’s because I want to work in a restaurant, and I can’t do that here because of a former business partner.”

“And does she know that business partner is my brother?” I grind my teeth. The tractor takes its time. “I’ll take that as a no.”

The chugging vehicle finally turns into a field, and I continue driving to the school.

We pass the pub. It looks like someone knocked the For Sale sign down. I pull into the school’s car park. Candles lead to the doorway. Once darkness comes, they’ll give the place a fantastic atmosphere. A giant inflatable penguin that’s had half the air knocked out of it bounces, too. It wouldn’t surprise me if that were done on purpose. I love this family.

Neither of us moves after I turn the van off. I make a mental note to hand over the keys to it tomorrow. Ruby has promised to care for Cookie until I can arrange to bring him to Ireland.

“You’re setting Ruby up to be used as brutally as Clive used you,” Flora says, taking my trembling hands. “What if he steals her ideas?”

I stare out of the windscreen at the pub. Seeing that place was a catalyst for my decisions, but they’re choices I wouldn’t have to make if it wasn’t for Clive’s betrayal. But as much as I hate the guy, I wouldn’t have met Ruby without him.

“I’m going to tell her after the competition and before I go so that she can make her mind up for herself. And don’t forget that she has support. There are people around her ready to protect her at any point, and some of those people know about Clive even if she doesn’t. I’ll speak to her parents when I say goodbye to Cookie tomorrow, and then once she wins, which she will do because she’s a baking revelation, I’ll tell her.”

“But—”

“She won’t be alone,” I reply firmer. “She has people. I didn’t have anyone.”

“You had me.” Flora’s voice wavers and tears brim her eyes.

“Shit. Of course I did, and I still have you, and you have me.” I pull her into my arms and she cries against me. “You’ll always have me, and I hope you feel the same. You can live with me in Ireland if you want. You’re my family, and I love you, Flora.”

“I love you, too,” she replies her tears stilling. “No one knows me like you do.”

I squeeze her tighter. “I wish lots of people knew the real you and saw how amazing you are.” I don’t know what it will take for Flora to fully let people in. Hopefully, one day, she’ll be surrounded by friends and understand how incredible she is, if that’s what she wants.

I sense movement outside the car. Ruby waits for me. The silver jewels on her navy blue jumpsuit sparkle in the sunlight. Her waves crowd her shoulders, the gold ribbons adding to her angelic look. She’s a vision.

I love her.

I’ve thought it before, but I’ve never been more certain of anything. She steps back. She knows I’m needed at this moment.

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