Page 36 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

‘Well, fancy seeing you here.’ Dodgy Dick hadn’t waited to be invited in, and made to come inside, forcing Jasmine to take a step back, squashing her behind the door as he passed. Wendy had stepped in, her overpowering perfume catching in Jasmine’s throat and making her hold her breath.

She hadn’t been given the name of the people who were booked for the viewing, and seeing who had arrived, made Jasmine wonder if the omission had been deliberate. And, if so, why?

She’d hated every second of showing the obnoxious couple around. As well as being critical of the condition of the house – something she had to agree with – they’d wandered around, picking up her personal items, sniggering as they’d made derogatory remarks. What was worse, they’d taken their time over it, taking pleasure from her obvious discomfort.

Once they’d gone, she’d puffed out her cheeks, and leant her back against the door, praying they wouldn’t ask for a second viewing. Next, she ran around, opening the windows in a bid to release the cloying smell of Wendy’s perfume that clung to everything. The little house wasn’t big enough to tolerate such a powerful smell.

The bakery had been crazy busy which meant the afternoon had gone quickly. Despite Alice telling her she could use the Spick ‘n’ Sparkle van whenever she needed, Jasmine still felt uncomfortable about it, so, not wanting to look like she was taking advantage, she’d walked to and from the shop in the square. It wasn’t far, but the air was muggy and she was in a lather by the time she got home.

After downing a glass of cold water, she headed upstairs for a cooling shower.

Feeling refreshed, she stepped into a clean pair of utility shorts and T-shirt, then headed into the kids’ bedrooms, gathering up clothes for a wash. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted Zak’s backpack full of his sleepover things on the floor by his bed. ‘Zaky,’ she said, using the nickname he’d declared himself to be too old for. He must’ve been so excited about Connor’s party, he’d left without it. Normally, Jasmine was fastidious about making sure her children had everything they would need with them, but she’d been distracted by her phone ringing when they were leaving.

She glanced at her watch, deliberating if she should drop it off. In the end, she decided she should; she didn’t want Zak to realise he’d forgotten it when it was time to get ready for bed. And she didn’t have to hang around, she could just hand the bag over to Sabrina and bid a hasty retreat. She had a christening cake design to plan, but she could do that when she got back since she had the evening to herself as Chloe was staying at her parents’ house for the night after a trip to the cinema in York.

It was years since Jasmine had last been along the track on this side of the cliffs. It was well-worn by dog walkers and precipitous in parts, with the sound of the waves crashing below, the salty tang of seaweed hanging in the air. The views out to sea were spectacular, affording a panoramic view of the bay, reaching right along to Thorncliffe. You could literally see for miles. She headed left and crossed a grassy stretch of land that led to the road and eventually the entrance to Njord’s View – so named after Njord, the Viking god of the sea – a welcome breeze gently ruffling her hair. She felt a tingle rush over her skin and she couldn’t help but think the area had a magical feel. “Mystical”, would be how Lark would no doubt describe it.

‘Wow!’ She stopped in her tracks, her gaze sweeping over the clean lines of the impressive art deco building that loomed before her, circular turrets sitting at each end. It hadn’t looked like this when she’d last set eyes on it. Then, the white-painted walls had been peeling, the metal window frames rusting and weeds had peppered the driveway. The word “unloved” sprang to mind. But now… Now it had benefited from an exquisitely tasteful makeover. Before it was a newly laid gravel drive, upon which sat a gleaming sports car and equally shiny four-wheel drive. Wide, neatly kept lawns stretched out either side. Beyond that, a broad flight of steps led up to a large front door that featured elongated panels. It had been painted a soft blue that matched the sky perfectly. The walls had been painted a chalky white, while the elegant metal-framed windows had been finished in the same blue as the front door, their panes glinting in the sunlight. Everything about it exuded understated style. It was a far cry from her little home that Dodgy Dick and his wife had taken such pleasure in ridiculing earlier that day.

As she drew closer, the sound of young voices reached her ears, laughing and cheering. She detected Zak’s in amongst them, full of its usual enthusiasm. The low bark of a dog joined in, making her smile.

With a hint of trepidation, she headed through the large double gates that had been flung back, and made for the front door – she half-wondered if she should look for a tradesman’s entrance, which she felt would probably be more fitting for her.

She set Zak’s backpack down on the step, and pressed what appeared to be the original doorbell. Standing back, she smoothed her hands over her pixie crop, thankful at least that it was freshly washed and would have no trace of icing sugar or glitter.

A moment later, the door swung open and a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark auburn hair filled the frame. He was wearing an aquamarine linen shirt and navy-blue cotton shorts.

‘Max!’ Jasmine didn’t have time to stop the loud gasp from escaping her mouth as she tried to make sense of her old friend answering the door of Njord’s View. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Jingilby!’

She looked on, speechless, as his face broke out into a smile, a twinkle in his hazel eyes that sent her hurtling back over twenty years.

SEVENTEEN

‘It’s good to see you again.’ Max’s smile widened.

Her mind raced as she processed the information her eyes were sending to her brain.

‘It’s good to see—’ Before she had the chance to say anything further, he’d scooped her up in a hug and was spinning her round in a cloud of his mossy cologne.

‘Argh!’ Jasmine gave in to the overwhelming urge to laugh out loud.

‘Oh, Jingilby, it really is fantastic to see you. I wanted to give you a hug the other day, but with you taking a bit of a tumble, I thought better of it; didn’t want to hurt you,’ Max said, his face buried in her neck, making her thankful she’d had a shower. She’d have hated to smell like the hot steak and onion pies that had been popular with customers that day, despite the warm weather. The aroma had a habit of clinging to the bakery staff’s clothes and hair, with them complaining it had the unmistakable whiff of sweaty armpits. It wasn’t the ideal smell to have lingering on you at the best of times, never mind when you had an unexpected close encounter of the male kind.

When he finally set her down, Max held on to her shoulders, giving her a thorough appraisal.

‘Well, that was some welcome,’ she said when she’d caught her breath, the scent of his cologne clinging to her clothes.

‘Can you blame me? I’m ecstatic to see you, Jingilby. You look fantastic! I thought so the other day when we met,’ he said, his eyes roving over her.

‘I’m not so sure about that.’ She gave a self-conscious giggle.

‘It’s true! You do.’ He beamed down at her, his expression telling her he meant it.

She resisted the urge to ask when he’d last had his eyes tested, which would be her standard reaction to receiving such a compliment, especially since she had Stella’s voice ringing loud in her ear from the last time she’d come back with a similar comment, telling her to stop putting herself down.

‘Sorry about the other day, you know, with the phone call. I’d been waiting all day for it,’ he said.

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