Page 12 of Love in the Air at The Cornish Bakery

‘Oh, sorry to hear it didn’t end well. That was a long time ago though, he might have changed?’

‘Rowan’s new to the bay, but he seems a good chap. Genuine.’ Connor smiled.

‘Maybe he has then.’ Nina shrugged. ‘I don’t know, it still feels weird.’

‘Do you think chatting to him will help? Getting everything out in the open?’ Wendy pulled her arm away to pull her handbag strap further onto her shoulder before linking arms again.

‘Probably. I’m just not sure I want to.’ She probably sounded awful, but Rowan had broken her heart. She’d only ever truly fallen in love with one man, and that had been him. It had taken a long time and a lot of work to get over the relationship breakup, and she wasn’t sure if she had it in her heart to forgive him. Not fully.

‘Look, why don’t you just see how it goes? Try to put him out of your mind and enjoy the evening and, if you can’t, then you can leave, but give it a go first.’

‘I will.’ Nina nodded as they began walking up the hill. They were late, and it had been Nina’s fault. She hadn’t planned on going at all, not until Wendy and Connor had arrived to drop little Hudson off with Elsie and Ian and talked her into it. She still wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing by going, but she’d already held them up, and it wouldn’t be fair if she turned around now.

‘Here you go, ladies.’ Connor held the door open, letting Nina and Wendy slip inside the pub.

‘...question.’ Gerald paused, microphone in hand as he looked towards them. ‘It looks as though we have some latecomers. Come on in, don’t be shy. You’ve not missed much.’

‘Evening, Gerald.’ Holding his hand up, Connor grinned.

Focusing on Wendy as she led the way to a table by the window, Nina tried to ignore the fact that everyone was staring at them. She assumed Rowan would be too, so any hope of slipping into the pub unnoticed was well and truly gone now. She should have just been ready for when Wendy and Connor had arrived.

‘Hiya, here sit down and I’ll pour you guys a drink.’ Standing up, Teresa pushed her chair out of the way to let them pass.

‘Thanks.’ Nina waved at the group in front of her. Just as Diane and Brooke had promised, everyone from the BBQ on the beach was there. She slipped into a chair next to Freya as Wendy sat on her other side. ‘Hi.’

‘Hey, how’s everything going at the bakery?’ Freya whispered under her breath as Gerald began talking again, the focus finally being taken from the latecomers back to the landlord and quizmaster.

‘Good, thanks. Great, actually. I’m really enjoying it. Everyone has been really welcoming, the customers as well as everyone working at the bakery, I mean.’ Taking her glass from Teresa, Nina smiled. ‘Thank you.’

‘They really are, aren’t they? When I first came here to volunteer, I remember being really shocked at how nice everyone was. Yes, good people are everywhere, but I felt it was as though everyone was genuinely glad to talk to me and see me even if they were just buying a cake or a loaf of bread from me.’ Freya grinned. ‘I still feel the same.’

‘You’re a vet, is that right?’ Had that been what Elsie had told her, or was she getting muddled up? Nina looked around the table. There had been so many people to meet when she’d first arrived, and she was sure she’d soon get someone’s name wrong or mix up some fact about one person with another.

‘Yes, that’s right. I also help out at Chris’s sanctuary.’ Freya rubbed the shoulder of the man sitting next to her.

‘You okay?’ Turning, Chris smiled.

‘I was just telling Nina how I help out at your sanctuary.’

‘Ah, yes. And she does a fine job, too.’ Taking Freya’s hand, Chris squeezed it.

‘Is that a wildlife sanctuary?’ Nina took a sip of her drink, the sour taste stinging the back of her throat.

‘No, it’s for farm animals, although we do end up with our fair share of wildlife.’ Shrugging, Chris chuckled. ‘We just seem to be a magnet for any animal in need.’

‘I don’t think I’ve ever known you to turn any animal away.’ Freya grinned.

‘Well, I can’t really, can I?’

‘Aw, that sounds lovely. It must be a really special place.’ She remembered her gran taking her and her brother to a little wildlife sanctuary when they were younger. Although now she thought of it, they used to breed and sell rabbits and guinea pigs so how much of a genuine sanctuary it had been, she had no idea. Still, it stirred happy memories.

‘Eyes down, ears open, and get ready for your first question.’ The microphone screeched as Gerald picked up a sheet of paper that had fallen from his hands. ‘Question one; which UK confectionary brand produces the sweets Love Hearts, Parma Violets and Drumstick lollies?’

‘Ooh, is that Haribos?’ Diane stage-whispered across the table.

‘No, they make the gummy sweets, don’t they? You know, like the giant strawberry sweets.’ Molly stage-whispered back.

‘Ah, I should have known that. They’re my favourite.’ Diane licked her lips.

---