Page 75 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
‘Now, that is a sight, I’d pay to see,’ she said, falling silent and fixing her gaze on his. For what felt like the longest time, neither of them spoke. Tori could sense the anticipation building as Leo took her by the hand and gently pulled her closer. He placed a hand on her cheek as she leaned in towards him and, this time, there were no interruptions and their lips met. As the kiss intensified, Tori threw her arms around Leo’s neck, pulling him nearer. All she could think about now was how right it felt.
‘Wow!’ he said, when they finally broke apart. ‘I wasn’t expecting that.’
‘Me neither!’
‘I’m glad, though,’ he said, gazing down at her.
‘Me too,’ said Tori. ‘We couldn’t let that frog spoil things for us,’ she added breathlessly.
‘No, I guess not,’ he replied.
She stared at him.
‘What?’
‘Just checking,’ she said, looking him up and down.
‘For what?’
‘Just making sure that you’re not going to turn into a frog on me,’ she laughed.
‘Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? You kiss a frog, it turns into a prince?’
‘Given my luck, I’d have the opposite effect.’
‘I think we’re good.’
‘Now thatisa relief.’
‘You know,’ he said, taking her hand in his, ‘I’m pretty glad you ended up back in Blossom Heath.’
‘Me too,’ Tori agreed. ‘Thanks for a lovely evening, the house is literally there; I’ll be fine walking from here.’
‘If you’re sure?’
‘I am,’ she said, letting go of his hand.
‘Tori?’ he called as she got further away. ‘Does this mean you’re finally going to agree to that date?’
She turned and pulled her phone out of her bag, typing out a message.Leo, would you like to have dinner with me next week?Within seconds she had his reply:Yes.
Chapter 25
The next few days felt like the calm before the storm. Angel, Norris, Daisy, Valentine and Mr Wiggles continued to settle in well, and Izzy had been to visit and was satisfied that they seemed happy and well looked after. Sunday had come around far too quickly, and it was time for Tori to host the soft launch with family and friends before the Cosy Cat Café officially reopened on Monday morning. Tori hadn’t had much chance to think about Leo in the last few days, although they’d been exchanging messages and she smiled when she thought about the kiss they had shared. She couldn’t wait to see him again this afternoon, but she wasn’t quite ready to share her news with anyone else just yet.
Joyce had been busy in the kitchen all morning, preparing platters of sandwiches, baking scones and tiny, delicate Japanese cakes, flavoured with matcha, sesame, cherry and red bean, which would make up the new special afternoon tea, blending the best of the Cosy Cup’s traditional treats, with a few extras from the Cosy Cat’s new menu.
‘Wow, Mum, this looks amazing!’ said Tori, as she walked into the kitchen. ‘I feel like I’m back in Tokyo! These cakes look unreal!’
‘Do you think so?’ replied Joyce, wiping her hands on her apron. ‘I want everything to be perfect today.’
‘What is it you always say to me?’ Joyce looked at her curiously. ‘There’s no such thing as perfect.’
‘Ah I know, love, but it turns out I’m better at giving advice than taking it.’
‘Everything looks fantastic – you’ve done a great job. Now will you come and sit down for five minutes before everyone arrives? You’re still supposed to be taking it easy, you know.’
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ said Joyce. ‘How do I look?’ she asked, smoothing down her new Cosy Cat branded T-shirt.
