Page 44 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

The rest of us started to laugh at this novel idea.

Mo shrugged. ‘It was an anti-Valentine’s Day offer and I’m thinking of taking them up on it.’

‘What? You’d really do it?’ I stared at her, thinking she must be seriously devastated by her ex’s betrayal to want to do something quite so vindictive. (Richard’s privates were quite safe.)

‘Maybe.’ Mo gave a truculent shrug.

‘I quite liked Gaz,’ murmured Dot, laying her hand on Mo’s arm. ‘He wasn’t that bad, was he?’

‘He was amanand they’re all the same. Disloyal, cheating bastards.’

Cheryl glanced apologetically at Ray. ‘Well, notallmen, surely?’

‘Gaz cared a lot about you, you know,’ said Dot softly. ‘He told me. Perhaps you should give him another chance?’

‘What? No way!’ Mo snatched her arm away. ‘I’m done with men for good now and nothing you can say will ever change my mind. They’re all no-good, lying scumbags.’ She glanced at Ray. ‘Sorry. Maybe you’re different but I doubt it.’

Ray shrugged good-naturedly. ‘I can take a joke against my sex. Here’s a joke. Why does it take a million sperm to fertilise an egg?’

‘I don’t know,’ chanted Cheryl obligingly. ‘Whydoesit take a million sperm to fertilise an egg?’

Ray shrugged. ‘Because they won’t stop to ask directions.’

‘Yes, because they’re all complete and utter dickheads,’ muttered Mo. ‘And by the way, I wasn’t joking.’

*****

‘Crikey, Mo’s hard work, isn’t she?’ said Cheryl, as the two of us chatted together on the high street before heading off in different directions. ‘But amusing all the same.’

I grinned. ‘I know. That girl needs to lighten up a bit on her war against the male sex.’

‘She’s obviously had some bad experiences but all men aren’t monsters. Ray’s a sweetie beneath his sometimes rather gruff exterior. He always was.’

‘Oh, yes?’ I smiled knowingly at her.

‘Get away with you!’ She rapped my arm. ‘Ray’s a good friend, that’s all.’

‘Of course.’ I nodded seriously, although I was interested to note the slight flush that had risen to Cheryl’s cheeks. ‘Yes, Mo and Dot have certainly stirred things up a bit. Especially Mo with her plan to cut off poor Gaz’s privates.’

Cheryl gave a honk of laughter, which startled an elderly couple walking by. She grimaced at me and that started me off as well, and soon we were clinging on to each other unable to stop giggling.

‘Oh, my goodness, stop it!’ gasped Cheryl, tears running down her face.

‘With all this talk of Mo’s revenge, poor Gaz’s ears are probably burning bright red right now.’

‘Hisprivates, you mean?’

And then of course we were off again...

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It was Wednesday, cake run day, and as we drove along to our first stop at Henley Green, Ellie was chatting happily about life in their new house.

They’d moved on Friday and apparently spent the entire weekend unpacking, although the utility room was still piled high with boxes.

‘But you love it, right?’

She nodded. ‘After all the dreaming and the planning and the dust and the upheaval, it’s wonderful to actually belivingthere at last.’

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