Page 57 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
‘But I still feel as if I ought to tell you the truth.’
‘About what?’ Livia’s smile slipped, and the sight unnerved Eden. Would what she was about to say change things, despite what Livia had just told her?
‘About what happened before I left London. Why I…I suppose I ought to be more honest about that too. I didn’t just leave London; I ran away. From something I did.’
‘Something you did?’ Livia was frowning. ‘Not something…illegal?’
‘God, no! Not that, but…well, it was…’
Why had she started this conversation? Why couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut? This wasn’t going to end well. Just as Eden had feared, Livia would see her in a whole new light, and any friendship they’d had would be over.
‘Listen, Eden, I don’t know if I want to hear?—’
At that moment, Julia came in, wiping her hands down her apron.
‘The bloomin’ bin bag just burst all over the place! Stupid cheap muck! Eden, I think we’re going to have to get better quality ones next time.Is there something I can use to clean the back yard? A spare brush or something?’
‘Oh…’ Eden glanced at Livia. While part of her was thankful for Julia’s interruption, she was also tired of keeping her past away from everyone. But it would have to wait. She wanted to share it with Livia but not with Julia, and, besides, it felt as if the perfect moment had gone.
Livia went to the supply cupboard. ‘I think I’ve seen a yard brush here somewhere…ah!’ She pulled out a wooden broom and handed it to her mum. ‘That do?’
‘Perfect,’ Julia said.
Livia turned to Eden, and before anything else could be said, she shook her head with a smile. ‘I know you feel like you have some big reveal and that it might make everyone hate you, but I don’t see how that could possibly happen. If you want to tell me, then you can tell me, but let’s wait until we’ve got the proper time, eh?’
Eden nodded. ‘Thanks, Livia.’
‘No problem. Let’s get finished here. I don’t know about you, but I’m gagging for a drink!’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cam had come back for the next volunteer dinner, and the one after that too. He arrived at the beginning of the second week not long after Eden herself. This was the first time she’d be here without Livia and Julia, who had important things to take care of at the ice-cream parlour, things they’d put off until they could do so no longer, and then Livia had a shift at the pub. Eden had expected this day to come – they’d always been open about their ability to commit long term – but knowing that didn’t make her feel any less cut adrift. Julia especially had become her right-hand man – or perhaps the reality was that Julia had actually taken charge, leaving Eden to be her right-hand man.
With two members of the team down and Eden running the ship, she’d gladly taken advice from Ralph about the best menu to go with, one that would cut work down to a minimum while still offering three wholesome and nutritious options. They’d settled on a Moroccan-style one-pot chicken stew with bulgar wheat; simple fish and chips that could be oven-baked; and a vegetable lasagne, prepared by one of Ralph’s chefs as a favour earlier that day so it would be ready to go into the oven with the fish and chips. Eden had been grateful to Ralph; while she still felt nervous about running the kitchen, she was hopeful it wouldbe enough to ensure things ran smoothly. All she really needed to do was to prepare the ingredients for the stew – something that she could do herself if she allowed enough time. She’d arranged for the rest of her volunteers to arrive later once she’d prepped everything and put it into the crockpot to simmer, and so was surprised to look up from dicing peppers to see Cam’s car pull up in his usual spot. Wiping her hands, she went to open the door.
‘You’re early,’ she called as he got out of his car. ‘I don’t need anyone for another couple of hours. I thought I’d said last time?—’
‘You did,’ he said, locking up and striding over anyway. ‘I was just at the ice-cream place, and Livia said you were here on your own.’
‘Oh,’ she said with a wry smile. ‘And you thought it was a good opportunity to do me in and get your competition out of the way?’
‘If only it were that easy,’ he replied with a wry smile of his own. ‘Livia said she and Julia couldn’t make it tonight and you had to start early to make up for it. I had a spare half hour, and I thought you might want help.’
Eden frowned. ‘That’s noble of you.’
‘You think there’s an ulterior motive?’ he asked, his smile widening.
‘Of course I do. You’re trying to tell me there isn’t?’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it. Regardless of any motive, are you saying you don’t want my help? If you’re accepting it with your eyes wide open, then you have nothing to lose by accepting it, do you?’
‘So there is a motive?’
His hands went to his pockets, and something in the way he looked at her now was so unexpected, she hadn’t a clue what to make of it. His smile faded, and he simply nodded slowly, all thewhile holding her in that strange, unfathomable gaze. ‘I suppose there might be.’
‘What?’
Whatever had been going on in his head, he seemed to shake himself free of it and the wry smile returned. ‘I didn’t think you needed reminding. Don’t we both have the same motive? To win the bet?’
