Page 34 of No Kind Words

“He’s not too stressed. Everything is well locked up. They seemed happy and left, telling us to look out for anyone unfamiliar hanging around,” she says, but she doesn’t look convinced. “I’ve told him he should call Drew and get some security screens for the windows.”

“I think Drew’s going to be getting a lot of calls.” Should I be looking into shutters for the wide windows here? I can’t imagine they would be cheap. The café is doing well, but can I justify the expense? I doubt I’m a target.

“The weird thing is nothing was taken. They didn’t get into the doctor’s, and they only took some food from the staff room, no petty cash. It’s more like whoever it is needs help. They must be desperate,” Maeve says sadly.

There isn’t anything more to say about it, and I switch on to easier topics. “Is the practice a success? Jethro only nods and says it’s fine.”

“He’s being too modest. It’s better than he expected. People are coming in from other towns to see him. If the numbers keep rising, he’ll need another vet. Even the animal shelter has asked for him. He’s an amazing vet, and it shows in his work.”

Pride for him swells in my chest. I knew he’d be good. It’s all he ever wanted to do, a bit like me. I always loved to bake and wished to do something with it. It took me a little longer to reach my goal, but here I am.

I’ve got a busy week with a wedding coming up. The cake is made, but I still have the icing and artwork to do this week. I doubt I’ll see much of Jethro unless I go over later in the evening. We haven’t agreed on anything.

By six o’clock, the café is closed, cleaned, and ready for tomorrow. The lights are all off, and it’s just me in the kitchen collecting the cake to take it home and start. My phone ringing startles me. I’ve already spoken to Jethro this evening. Am I that sad I don’t speak to anyone else in the evenings? All our friends use a WhatsApp group to arrange to meet up. I grab my phone from the counter but don’t answer. Jamie’s name on the screen leaves me stumped. What’s he calling me for?

“This is a surprise. What do you want, Jamie?” I haven’t given him a single thought for a long time and can’t imagine why he thinks it’s okay to call me after all this time.

“I wasn’t sure if you would answer, so thank you.” He sounds sad, troubled. I can imagine what it is but still don’t see what it has to do with me. I stay quiet. Will he tell me? He doesn't.

“I wasn’t sure either. It’s been two years. What do you want?” I don’t have time for this. I’ve got too much to do, and I need to get back to Hope. She’s been on her own for a few hours, and I don’t like to be late for her dinner time.

Jamie sighs. “You were right. I was stupid to believe anything Duncan said.”

I exhale slowly, unsurprised by his words. “I’m sorry, Jamie, but why are you calling? I doubt you want me to do the I-told-you-sos, and anything else has nothing to do with me.”

“I know, I know. I made a mistake and should’ve stayed with you. Is there anything I can say that would change your mind? Could we meet up, have a coffee or something? I think about you a lot, about how good we were together. Maybe we could have that again?”

I do not need this tonight—or any time—but I can stop this conversation. “No, Jamie. We can’t meet up. There’s nothing you can say to change my mind. And anyway, I’m with someone. He’s good and kind, and he loves me.”

“Really? I thought you’d still be obsessed with that boy, the elusive Jethro. I had to compete with a fifteen-year-old memory.” He sneers.

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Jamie, I don’t know why you thought calling me after what you did to me was a good idea. You said yes to his proposal, so I’m guessing you’re married now. Which makes you wanting to meet me wrong.”

“The bastard cheated on me.” He chokes out, a sob following it.

“So, I’m the backup, right? I’m sorry he did that to you, but you let him. Good luck for the future, Jamie.”

“Are you really with someone?”

“Yes. Jethro came back home.”

“I don’t believe you. There’s no way there was something still between you. He left you in a spectacular manner. He didn’t want you.”

“Goodbye, Jamie.” I end the call.

The desire and peace I need to decorate the wedding cake have gone. I feel wrung out. A five-minute phone call from a man I never want to hear from has left me jittery. The audacity of the man! I’m pissed off and want to talk to someone, but I don’t think Jethro would appreciate me moaning about my ex. We haven’t spoken specifically about past lovers or relationships. Jethro said he never stayed long with any one partner. I was the same until Jamie, and even though it lasted less than a year and ended long before Jethro came back, I’m not comfortable talking about it.

I take a deep breath, load the cake into the car, and get home to Hope. She won’t mind if I talk shit about Jamie.

There’s huge satisfaction in watching the blank surfaces of the cake turn into a work of art. Flowers with the palest pink, almost translucent sugar petals become flowers that sweep across the three layers. I try to keep the conversation with Jamie out of my head, but it creeps back in. How could he have thought calling me would be a good idea? I can still bring up Duncan’s smug, satisfied smile like he’d won a game. That was what he thought it was. He’d made sure he was still on Jamie’s mind. The texts testing his resolve to stay away from him would appear in the middle of the night, waking us both up. I thought Jamie was seeing through his game, but ultimately, Duncan got his way, only to continue playing with him by cheating.

Another thought crashes through me. What if I was still with Jamie when Jethro came home? What would’ve I done? My hands still, the petal in my fingers falling onto the table. It’s something I can’t even imagine because the moment I saw him again, I wanted him.

Stop! That’s not what happened, and I have Jethro.

With a creak, I lift my arms above my head in an attempt to stretch out the aching muscles in my back and neck. When I see the time on the kitchen clock, I groan. It’s almost quarter to two. How did it get so late? It’s time to stop working. I should have wrapped it up two hours ago. I’m going to be dead on my feet at work.

I look at the progress I’ve made on the cake and smile at how good it looks. The bride and groom will be thrilled. “Come on, girl,” I call to Hope.

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