Page 79 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

‘Yes?’

‘So I think you should practise what you preach.’

‘Pardon?’

She shrugged. ‘You can’tplanwhen you’ll meet someone special. Life doesn’t work that way. It could happen at the most inconvenient of times.’

‘Okay...?’ I frowned, not quite sure what she was saying.

‘Well, just because you’ve met this nice guy at a bad time in your life, when you’re just through a break-up, why waste time pondering over whether to reject him or not, when he could actually turn out to be the love of your life?’ She shrugged. ‘If you wait for a better time, there might just be tumbleweed for the rest of your very lonely existence.’

I gave a snort of laughter. ‘That’s a very good point. Tumbleweed. I like it.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

It was the following Wednesday night and I was in a black hole and not even trying to clamber out of it. I just didn’t have the energy.

I heaved myself off the sofa to top up my wine glass and grab a family-size bag of crisps from the cupboard.

A famous saying flashed through my mind.

When life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.

Ha! What about this for a variation?

When life gives you lemons, get yourself a catapult!

Not that I would be pinging any lemons at anyone in the near future. Well, except maybe at Caleb and Loretta.

The day had started out so well, too...

*****

I’d been in a cheerful mood, setting off on the cake run – mainly because after my deep chat about love and life with Mo the week before, a plan had formed in my mind and I was now keen to carry it out.

That was all going to happen at Lockley Meadow farmers’ market, but before that, I was heading for my first stop of the day. Henley Green.

Mo was waiting as I pulled into my usual spot, right by the green, and she was beaming from ear to ear because Gaz was there with her. He had his arm tightly around her so I knew talking had taken place, and as they left with their bag of jam doughnuts, Mo turned and mouthedthank youand winked at me.

I smiled to myself.

Mo was happily back with Gaz. And hopefully this time, she might stay that way. I took it as a good sign.

Love was in the air!

Then I set off for Risley Common.

For once, Rosie wasn’t there when I arrived, in the queue of customers.

But then I remembered with a shock that of course, she wouldn’t be. She’d be at the Lockley Meadow market selling her wonderful Thai food from her very own stall.

As I got back in the van, I crossed my fingers that everything was going well for her so far. Then, with a flock of butterflies dancing around inside me, I set off for Lockley Meadow.

I’d arrived a little early specially – because the plan was to find Caleb straight away and tell him that I’d been thinking about things and I’d decided that contrary to the last time we argued, I really did want there to be an ‘us’.

I’d even bought a teddy bear with a large US on his chest to present to Caleb. I was hoping he would find it funny not cringy. (The bear was wearing a T-shirt bearing the American flag and the US actually meant the United States – but I’d thought it was quite witty.)

So anyway, I was all pumped up to make my declaration. And then I marched onto the site and asked Ivan where the boss was, only to be told he was in the portacabin with Loretta, and they’d been in there for a good half hour already.

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