Page 11 of Love in the Air at The Cornish Bakery

‘Great, thanks.’ Passing it across, Diane turned to a couple who had just walked in.

Pushing the kitchen door open, Nina stifled a yawn.

‘Elsie’s just popped upstairs; shall I take that for you?’ Looking up from a steaming mug of coffee, Ian held his hand out.

‘Thanks. I was just going to get a quick glass of water too, if that’s okay?’

‘Of course it is, love. Here, I’ll get you one.’ Pushing his stool back, Ian stood up.

‘Don’t worry, I can get it.’ Making her way to the sink, Nina poured herself a glass and looked out of the window into the small courtyard at the back of the bakery. Should she speak to him now? They were alone. This would be the perfect time. Taking a long gulp of cold water, Nina placed the glass down and turned around. ‘Brooke said she found out she was related to you not long ago.’

‘That’s right. Her mum was my daughter. Although I hadn’t even known I had a daughter.’ Ian rubbed the palm of his hand across his face.

This was what worried her. Did he resent her gran for not telling him? He’d have every right to. ‘That must have been a shock.’

‘Oh, it was, it really was. A bolt from the blue, as they say. I feel very blessed to have Brooke in my life now, though.’ He shrugged. ‘The past is the past and I can’t change it, unfortunately. It would have meant the world to me to have met my beautiful Heather, but I’m so blessed to have Brooke in my life now.’

Nina picked up the glass again, gripping it tightly, and swallowed. She could see Ian’s eyes glistening, the telltale shimmer of tears threatening to fall. It must have been so hard for him. It had been for her gran to discover that the child she’d given up all those years ago would never come to look for her, that she would never have the opportunity to share why she put her up for adoption, but for Ian to have found and lost a child he’d never even known he’d had within the space of a few seconds must have been devastating. She cleared her throat and placed the glass back on the draining board. ‘Actually, there was a reason I came to Penworth Bay, I...’

‘Sorry about that, Ian, love. Now, what was I doing?’ With the kitchen door swinging shut behind her, Elsie tied her apron strings behind her back. ‘Hello, Nina, love. Is everything okay?’

‘Yep, I was just getting a glass of water.’ Nina indicated the glass.

‘Right, love. I’ll get baking then. I’ll try to bring out some bits as soon as I can.’

‘Okay.’ Nodding, Nina glanced across at Ian before heading out into the bakery. She’d have to talk to him another time. But soon. He deserved answers soon.

Chapter Seven

‘Come on, it’ll be fun. It always is.’ Linking arms with Nina, Wendy waited for Connor to lock the bakery door before linking his arm, too.

‘Umm, I’m sure it will.’ Nina looked down at the cobbles and listened to the clip-clip her boots made as they walked towards the bottom of the hill.

‘Is this about Rowan? Diane mentioned he was your ex.’

‘No, yes.’ Nina shook her head. ‘It’s just strange seeing him after all this time. The relationship didn’t exactly end well, and he was the last person I expected, or wanted, to run into down here.’

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