Page 42 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

I sighed irritably. ‘But why, Richard? So you could apologise to me all over again?’ At my raised voice, a customer glanced over with interest. ‘Because there’s no need,’ I hissed, lowering my tone. ‘There’s really no need, Richard. Because guess what? Just like you, I’ve moved on.’

*****

Driving home, my feelings were in uproar.

‘Why can’t he just get lost and leave me alone?’ I despaired to Ellie.

‘Because he obviously still cares about you.’

‘Yes, but he’s not entitled to, is he? He’s with someone else now. I can’t imagine Emily would be too pleased if she knew he’d come along this afternoon, knowing he might see me. That’s snakish behaviour of the very worst kind. Sneaking away to see your ex. I bet he didn’t tell Emily that’s what he was doing.’

‘Probably not,’ she conceded sadly. ‘But you put him straight.’

I grinned over at her. ‘I did, didn’t I?’

She chuckled. ‘I think you can rest assured Richard won’t be paying a return visit to the cake van after today. Your “customer service” was a bit dodgy there, from the bits I heard.’

‘He’ll get more than that if he dares to try again.’

We exchanged a smile of solidarity and drove on in silence.

It had really rattled me, Richard pitching up unannounced. But worse than that was the idea that he was now shacked upwith Emily in Hawksley Rise. Because that meant that now, every time I thought about the cake run, I’d be dreading our stop in the village in case I happened to bump into either of them. Or worse,bothof them.

I’d told him I was moving on – and hopefully that was true – but some things were guaranteed to set you back in your emotional recovery.

And spotting Richard and Emily strolling around the village together hand-in-hand was definitely one of them...

CHAPTER TWENTY

I’d arranged with Cheryl that the three of us would meet for fun run training the following Tuesday, straight after my shift at the café.

The evenings were lighter now and the colder weather had abated a little with the arrival of Spring, although there was still a sharp nip in the breeze. I was in good spirits as I changed into tracksuit and trainers and walked out onto the village green, over to where Cheryl and Ray were already limbering up together.

We’d decided to take it slowly for the first session as we were all feeling pretty unfit. But while Cheryl and I were out of breath by the time we’d done barely half a circuit, Ray was clearly in his element. By the time we’d finished a whole round of the village green, he’d managed to lap us slow-coaches not once but twice, and was looking rather smug and superior about it.

I was just congratulating Cheryl on making it once round (in between desperate gasps for breath) when the loud honking of a car horn reached us. And when we looked over, a large woman in a skimpy lime green crop top and leggings, sporting a bright pink headband to match her hair, was clambering out of a little red car and waving her arms at us.

‘Who on earth’sthat?’ breathed Cheryl in wonder.

I stared at the startling apparition bearing down on us.

It was Mo, our customer from Henley Green. The one who’d broken up with her boyfriend, Gaz.

I’d given her my number when she’d asked for it, and the next day she’d texted me wondering when the ‘support group’ was meeting up next. I’d texted her back but for some reason I’d never expected her to actually turn up!

I quickly explained to Cheryl.

‘Right. Gosh, she must befreezingin that skimpy sports gear,’ she muttered, her lips already smiling a welcome as Mo ran towards us.

She was being joined by someone else now, I realised, as I spotted a tall red-haired woman in a tracksuit locking up the car and following Mo.

That must be Mo’s friend, Dot? The one who’d escaped her controlling partner?

‘I hope you don’t mind,’ I murmured anxiously to Cheryl. ‘She’s had a tough time and she sort of invited herself along?’

‘No, no, it’s fine. Is she as colourful as her outfit?’

‘I think so.’ I beamed at Mo, who’d arrived panting after her sprint. ‘Hi, there! Nice that you could make it.’

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