Page 65 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

‘I could run you over to my place, if you like,’ Caleb was saying. ‘Then at least you’d be somewhere comfortable until the van was ready.’

‘Really?’

‘It’s in the village here. Just a few minutes’ drive away.’

‘Right. Very handy for work, then.’

He nodded and ran a hand through his chestnut hair, which made it stand up rather adorably. ‘Do you... want to do that, then?’

‘Go to yours?’ I swallowed. This was a bit too close for comfort but what choice did I have? ‘Well, that would be great as long as you don’t mind.’

He shook his head. ‘Come on. I’ll drive you over there and I’ll get Ivan to speak to the garage, okay?’

‘Okay,’ I said faintly, feeling quite overcome with gratitude that Caleb was taking charge like this. I would have worked something out myself but right this moment, I was just grateful for the help.

It crossed my mind that Mo would be so disapproving of me for showing my weakness and allowing a man to take over.

But wasn’t it just one person being kind and using their knowledge to help another person who was in a fix?

I smiled sadly to myself as I followed Caleb over to his car. I doubted that Mo would see it like that, and it was such a shame. She was missing out on so much with her prickly attitude to men and her fear of being hurt...

*****

Caleb’s place turned out to be a charming, old-style, two-up-two-down terrace house a few streets back from the village green.

‘I’ve earmarked one of the new eco houses for me,’ he told me, as he ushered me through the gate and up the path in the tiny front garden. ‘But this has been my home for the last two years.’

‘Where did you live before that?’ I asked curiously. He obviously lived on his own now, but maybe he was once married or living with someone?

‘Erm... we had a house over in Henley Green.’

I nodded, taking in the ‘we’ – and also the fact that he was now walking straight into the kitchen ahead of me, clearly not wanting to give out any more information on the subject.

Ofcoursean attractive man like Caleb would have had his share of romantic relationships. Perhaps the blonde woman he was with at the charity run was looking forward to sharing his new eco house with him once it was ready?

We drank coffee while waiting for Ivan to call about the garage, then Caleb went into the kitchen to make some business phone calls, leaving me watching an antiques programme on TV. Then an hour or so later, Ivan phoned about the van.

Hearing Caleb talking to him, I went through to the kitchen to find out what was happening. Caleb was still speaking, standing by the kitchen window, looking out over the back garden. At last, he turned. Apparently, the garage had located the problem with the van and it was an easy fix, but it would have to be done first thing in the morning as they were busy at the moment doing MOTs.

‘You’re welcome to stay over,’ Caleb said casually, pocketing his phone. He picked up a leaflet advertising a curtains and blinds sale that was lying on the table and started glancing through it as he spoke. ‘Then I could drive you over to pick the van up in the morning.’ He looked up. ‘Or I could just drive you home now.’ He shrugged as if he didn’t mind either way.

My mind was racing.

If I took him up on his kind offer to drive me back to Sunnybrook, how would I get back to Lockley Meadow to pick up the van the following day. I’d have to look at times of buses or get a taxi.

Seeing me hesitate, he said, ‘I’ve got a spare room. It’s no problem at all.’

‘Are you sure?’ It actually made much more sense to bed down here so I was handy in the morning to collect the van.

He dropped the pamphlet back on the table. ‘Of course. I’ll look out some clean bed linen and change it when I get back.’ He disappeared and I heard him opening drawers upstairs, thenhe came back into the living room where I’d gone to sit on the sofa. ‘Right, I’m heading back to work but just help yourself to anything you need. TV remote.’ He picked it up and set it on the arm of the sofa next to me. ‘Coffee, tea, food from the fridge. Wine?’

‘It’s a bit early for that.’

He chuckled. ‘It’s always six o’clock somewhere.’

‘True.’

‘I was going to make pasta carbonara for dinner. Is that all right?’

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