Page 22 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

‘Yup. The painters are in this week and then it’s all systems go! We’ll be settled in the new place in a couple of weeks.’

‘Do you want some help with the packing? You’ll have a lot to do.’

‘Aw, thanks, Katja. But Zak is insisting we get the removals guys to do the packing as well. They offer that as an extra service. He’s worried that if we do it ourselves, I wouldn’t be able to just stand by and watching him working. I’d have to get involved as well.’ She patted her baby bump. ‘I guess it makes sense, really, although I do resent having to pay extra.’

I chuckled. ‘It definitely does make sense. Zak knows you only too well. You’ve got the best reason in the world for just sitting back and letting everyone else get on with it.’

She crinkled her nose. ‘The only thing I’m worried about is Mum’s precious vintage china. She gave me quite a lot of her collection to display on our dresser. Actually, some of it is more than a hundred years old so it’s antique. I’m not letting the removals guys touch that. I’m going to pack it all up myself.’ She grinned. ‘When I can find the time to do it.’

‘I can help you.’

‘Would you?’

‘Of course. Just let me know when, okay?’

‘You’re a star.’ She clasped her hands over her chest. ‘Oh, Katja, I still can’t believe we’ll actually be living in that lovely old house. I walked past it for years wishing it was mine. And now it is!’

‘Apparently dreams can come true if you wish hard enough.’ I smiled ruefully, feeling overcome with emotion all of a sudden.

A wave of sadness was washing through me.

Richard and I had talked about buying an older property and doing it up, just like Ellie and Zak.

But that would never happen now.

I pasted on a cheery smile. ‘Hey, you’d better go and see how your new island looks. Send me photos, will you?’

She stuck up her thumb and went out to the van.

‘And I’ll let you know about the cake deliveries tomorrow, okay?’ I called after her.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

In the end, it was an easy decision to make.

I loved working in the café, but I’d still be doing that for four days a week, and I’d be out on the road every Wednesday. I quite enjoyed driving and the idea of pootling around the local villages and selling from Ellie’s fabulously decorated and really eye-catching van was a very appealing one. Especially now that spring was on the way.

Once summer was in full bloom, it would be good to be outdoors in the fresh air on sunny days, chatting to customers about one of my all-time favourite subjects – cake!

But the main reason I knew I was going to say yes was Richard.

I couldn’t stop thoughts of him going round and round in my head. I was annoyed at myself for spending too much time dwelling on my New York disaster and especially for constantly comparing myself to young and pretty Emily – and always coming off worse. I reckoned the person who managed to invent a way of blocking out such self-critical thoughts would become a millionaire overnight.

I hated Richard for what he’d done. But my mind would keep tapping me on the shoulder and reminding me about all the good times we’d shared. And then a great cloud of loneliness and regret would settle over me, rendering me temporarily incapable of doing anything other than sulking on the sofa in front of the TV, making it all better with fast food takeaways, and dreaming up satisfying acts of revenge which I knew I would never carry out, but which made me feel better just for that moment...

Taking the Travelling Cake Van on the road could be the fresh start I needed. Hopefully, I’d be so involved in this fun newadventure, there would be no headspace left at all for scumbag Richard.

It was a nice theory, anyway . . .

*****

To my relief, Ellie announced that she would be coming with me on the first few cake runs.

‘Just until you’re happy doing it on your own,’ she explained.

I nodded gratefully. I’d been slightly nervous, not really knowing what to expect, so I was very glad to hear this. It would be fun doing it with Ellie.

We’d chatted to Fen and she’d thought it was a great idea, with the result that the Travelling Cake Van was to be a joint venture with the Brambleberry Manor Café. Any profit after deductions for petrol and the upkeep of the van would be spent on tins and toiletries for the local food bank.

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