Page 52 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

I gave him another awkward smile. ‘Look, I’m going to leave you to it. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ellie.’

‘There’s no need to leave on my account,’ he said with a casual shrug, hunkering down to make a fuss of Maisie-Moo. ‘I’ll have a look around and I’ll be gone in ten minutes or so?’

I watched him running his hands over the dog’s silky fur and patting her. It was obvious he loved animals and the little collie was lapping up the attention. I liked his hands. They were a little roughened by hard work but the nails were clipped and clean.

I was suddenly transfixed, watching him stroking Maisie-Moo and imagining how those hands would feel smoothing my hair... running his fingers through it... brushing his fingertips against the side of my neck...

I was vaguely aware of Ellie speaking but I was far away.

‘Katja?’

‘Yes?’ I snapped back to attention.

I swallowed hard.

Had I really just been fantasising about being stroked by Caleb?

Crikey. I must over-tired. Yes, that’s what it was. I hadn’t been sleeping properly since the break-up. Not having a sex life probably wasn’t helping, either...

Ellie was looking a little bemused. ‘I was just saying I’m going to make some coffee for Caleb, so why don’t you stay and have some with us?’

‘Oh. Right.’

Caleb gave Maisie-Moo a final pat and stood up. They were both looking at me expectantly but it was Caleb’s eyes burning into mine that were giving me the weirdest sensation, as if my head was suddenly stuffed full of cottonwool instead of brain.

It didn’t help that the scent of him close up seemed to be messing with my hormones, like I was back in my young teen days, when modern history was my favourite lesson because I got to sit next to gorgeous Gav Blake, the class heart-throb.

I smiled apologetically at Ellie. ‘I’d better go. But thanks.’ I dashed out to collect my bag from the kitchen. ‘Things to do and all that,’ I called back.

Ellie followed me to put the kettle on. ‘Thanks so much for helping with the china. It’s such a weight off my mind. You won’t stay for just five minutes?’

‘I’d better not. See you tomorrow.’

‘Okay.’ She came with me to the door.

Caleb was coming out into the hall, so I raised my hand at him. ‘Bye. Thanks again for sponsoring me.’

I made good my escape, hurrying to the van, feeling the night air cooling my reddened cheeks.

I was past thirty but I was still blushing in awkward situations?

What the hell waswrongwith me?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The morning of the fun run in Sunnybrook dawned bright and breezy, and we were in good spirits as we gathered – Cheryl, Ray and me – on the green at eleven, waiting for the starting whistle.

‘No Mo and Dot, then?’ Cheryl did something funny with her eyebrows, waggling them about.

I chuckled. ‘Apparently not. I’m quite relieved, to be honest. Mo kind of takes over.’

‘She doesn’t like men, does she?’ said Ray.

‘She definitely doesnotlike men,’ agreed Cheryl.

‘I liked Dot, though.’

‘So did I,’ said Cheryl, as we limbered up for the run with a few stretches. She looked over my shoulder. ‘Uh-oh. We spoke too soon. Here comes trouble.’

---