Page 54 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

Er, what???

I’d been so distracted by her head-band, I hadn’t actually noticed what was emblazoned on the front of her T-shirt.

Cheryl, who’d come over to join us, along with Ray, was grinning at my expression. Even Ray was trying to hide a smile. Neither of them, I noticed, had chosen to wear their bright pink garments, and I could understand why.

Mo’s anti-men crusade had apparently spread to slogans on the front of T-shirts.

I Don’t Suffer Fools Gladly And Men Are Fools. So Just F*** Off.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

‘I wouldn’t have agreed to Mo joining our little group if I’d thought she was going to radicalise us!’ I fumed to Cheryl, as we jogged along together. ‘She and her stupid war against the male population. I mean, yes, I was alittlebit anti-men after the way Richard treated me, but the idea that they’re the inferior sex and every last one of them is either an idiot or a nasty scumbag is absolutely ridiculous.’

‘Wild,’ agreed Cheryl in between sharp intakes of breath. ‘No way was I going to wear that T-shirt.’ She chuckled. ‘It was funny, though. That poor man couldn’t get away fast enough after he read the slogan on your chest. What was his name? Callum?’

‘Caleb,’ I muttered, my cheeks pulsing hotter at the memory. ‘Actually, he was probably rushing back to his girlfriend.’

‘Girlfriend?’

‘I think it’s his girlfriend. I’m not sure.’

‘Hmm.’ She looked across at me. ‘So how do you know him?’

I gave her a rough explanation, starting with Ivan the Terrible and my stand-off with the bulldozer and how Caleb had tried to calm things down. ‘He’s the boss of a building company. They’re building eco houses over at Lockley Meadow.’

‘Oh, I think I saw him on TV being interviewed about it,’ she said. ‘Ithoughthe looked familiar somehow.’

‘That’s him,’ I said bluntly. ‘A bit too full of himself if you ask me.’

Cheryl nodded thoughtfully. Then she pointed up ahead. ‘Dot looks as if she’s flagging.’

‘Oh, yes.’ Dot had stopped and was leaning over, hands on her thighs, trying to catch her breath.

We slowed down beside her and Cheryl asked her if she was okay.

Dot grinned. ‘Not used to this. I think I ran too fast off the starter blocks and peaked early.’

‘Me, too,’ I commiserated. ‘Why don’t we walk for a while instead?’

‘Great.’

‘I’ll catch Ray up,’ said Cheryl. ‘He looks a bit lonely running all on his own.’ She gave us a cheerful wave and jogged away.

‘Shall we walk this bit by the river?’ I suggested. ‘Then start running again when we get to the industrial estate?’

‘Sounds good.’ Dot nodded. ‘I... sorry about Mo. She can be a bit overbearing at times but she’s got a good heart.’

I smiled. ‘I’m sure she has. And I can understand her suspicion regarding men. Speaking from experience, if you’ve been badly betrayed in love it can hit really hard and affect everything in your life... including your attitude to the male sex.’ I stopped, remembering what Dot herself had been through at the hands of a controlling man. ‘I mean, you’ll know all about that,’ I said softly. ‘It must have been really bad. Thank goodness the women’s refuge was there in case you needed it.’

‘Sorry?’ She narrowed her eyes at me.

My heart sank.

She must have sworn Mo to secrecy. I’d just assumed that because Mo told me about Dot’s controlling relationship it must be common knowledge. But clearly, it wasn’t.

‘Sorry, Dot. Mo told me about it in confidence. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone else and I wouldn’t, I promise.’

She shook her head. ‘But why would I have needed a women’s refuge? Did Mo tell you I did?’

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