Page 6 of Someone Like You

Raff expels a sigh. ‘Freya, if you’re positive you can find me a match without me having to go on any dates, then be my guest. I honestly don’t care.’

Freya emits a high-pitched, excited peep. Yup, she definitely thinks he’s serious. I’ll need to intervene before she starts lining up eligible women in the driveway.

‘Right,’ says CiCi, draping a dish towel over one shoulder, ‘have we sufficiently celebrated your crowning as Britain’s Best Baker?’ she asks Raff.

‘As in, this is your polite way of asking us to leave?’ he responds.

‘Exactly.’

And just like that, the topic of Raff’s love life is closed, and we’re being ousted. Gotta love a hostess who essentially says, ‘I love you, but please get out of my house.’ I wish I could be as forthright as CiCi. If she taught lessons, I’d sign up in a heartbeat.

As always, our offers to help clean up are met with pursed lips and a knitted brow from CiCi and a friendly, ‘No, thanks, we’ll manage,’ from Devin.

Freya and Freddie leave first to walk to the train station a quarter mile away. But as I’m a total wuss when it comes to walking through a torrential downpour, I’m springing for an Uber back toKingston. Although, it’s not that far – CiCi and Devin only live in Weybridge – and Raff will split it with me; his apartment is only a few streets away from mine.

I tell Raff when the app says our driver is three minutes away and we head to the foyer to say our goodbyes.

Stooping to land a kiss on CiCi’s cheek, he says, ‘Thanks again, Aunt CiCi. It really was lovely.’

‘You’re welcome, love,’ she replies. ‘And let’s talk next week, yes? You’ve been dodging me for far too long.’ She flashes a smile that takes the edge off her wagging finger.

Raff straightens to his full height. ‘Yes, yes, all right,’ he replies with trepidation. Something’s up but I’ll ask about it later.

When the car arrives, we dash from the front door to the driveway, getting drenched in mere seconds. I slide into the backseat first, then Raff climbs in, slamming the door behind him. The driver confirms that I’m Gaby and as we back out of the driveway, I ask, ‘What’s going on with CiCi? What have you been dodging?’

He sighs. ‘Aunt CiCi wants me to come work at Baked to Perfection.’

‘What, like part-time? How would you even fit that in?’ I ask with a laugh.

‘No, not part-time. She wants me to leave my job. She wants us to be partners.’

‘Partners— Wait,what?’

2

GABY

‘Are you considering it?’ I ask, and our eyes meet across the backseat.

‘You know how you can be completely oblivious to what you want until it’s presented to you and then you realise it’s all you’ve ever wanted but you’re terrified of taking the leap?’

‘Not really,’ I respond with a slight smile.

‘Well, it’s like that,’ he says.

‘So, you want to do it, but you’re scared?’

‘In a nutshell, yes.’

‘Happy to be a sounding board if you like,’ I offer.

‘Maybe later?’ he replies.

‘Sure,’ I say, faking a supportive smile even though my stomach is in knots.

Raff is not only one of my two best friends, he’s also my work husband. If he leaves to partner with CiCi, it will be far worse than when Freya left to become a matchmaker.

I’ll be on my own.

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