Page 39 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

Jasmine was blindsided by a bolt of emotion, hitting her with such force it almost took her breath away. Despite all he’d been through as a small boy – the rejection by his mother and distinct lack of care from his father – hearing Max describe his love for his son was incredibly moving. It also struck a chord with her.

‘I get that, it’s the same for me with my kids, they’re everything to me.’

Their eyes met, a mutual understanding exchanged without words.

‘Listen, we’ve got loads of catching up to do, and some of it has the potential to be pretty heavy, so why don’t we save that for another day and haul out some happy memories instead?’ Max suggested, his tone upbeat. ‘We’ve got shedloads of those.’

‘What? You mean like the day you were leaning over the railings on the bottom prom and your ice cream fell right on top of that bald man’s head? That sort of thing?’

Max released a deep chuckle that was so full of mischief and mirth, she couldn’t help but join in. The memory that they’d regularly fallen about laughing when they were children bloomed in her mind. He’d had an infectious laugh as a little boy, and once he’d started with his throaty giggle that seemed to bubble up from his boots, he’d set her off, the pair of them unable to stop even though their cheeks and sides were aching.

‘How could I have forgotten about that? I’ll have you know I don’t class losing my ice cream in such a way a happy memory. Scarred me for life, actually.’ He tried to pull a serious face, but his laughter spluttered through.

‘I reckon it’s a happier one than it was for the bald fella it landed on.’ Jasmine was laughing so hard, she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

‘He was so cross his face went purple. We had to scarper. Don’t think I’ve ever run so fast in my life.’

‘It’s cos he thought you’d done it on purpose.’

‘D’you remember the splat sound it made when it made contact with skin?’ asked Max, sending them into further hysterics.

The two old friends were bent double with laughter, their shoulders shaking hard when a voice pulled them back down to earth.

‘Someone’s having fun.’

EIGHTEEN

They turned to see Sabrina standing in the doorway. She was wearing a pair of oversized sunglasses which meant there was no way of telling if her smile reached her eyes. Though, if her tone was anything to go by, Jasmine was sure she detected a note of disapproval.

Uh-oh!She really didn’t want to get on the wrong side of Max’s PA – or girlfriend, if that was the case – so soon.

‘Ah, Sabrina, we were just having a little wander down memory lane.’ Traces of amusement still lingered in Max’s words. ‘Jingilby and I go back a long way.’

‘So I see.’ Sabrina sauntered in and retrieved a glass from one of the overhead cupboards, setting it down firmly on the worktop before filling it with freshly squeezed orange juice she pulled from the fridge. There was a coolness to her body language that hadn’t been apparent when she’d called at Jasmine’s house that morning.

‘How are the lads doing? D’you reckon they’d like an ice lolly to cool down?’ Max asked.

‘I think they’d love that. They could do with calming down a bit, too, it’s sweltering out there, too hot to be racing around.’Sabrina pushed her glasses onto her head, apparently reluctant to make eye contact with Jasmine.

‘Great, I’ll give them a shout.’ Max slid off his stool and headed out into the garden, leaving Jasmine feeling suddenly awkward with Sabrina. She racked her brains for something to say, but the PA got there first.

‘So, were you just passing and decided to pop in?’ Sabrina asked, fixing Jasmine with her cool, blue gaze.

‘No, Zak forgot his backpack. I was distracted by my phone ringing when you were leaving so it slipped my mind. I found it when I went to get some washing from his bedroom.’

‘Ah. So, you thought you’d drop it off?’

Jasmine shrugged. ‘I did, yeah.’ Why was she being made to feel that she’d done something wrong? ‘I didn’t want Zak to fret about not having his stuff.’ She was beginning to regret accepting Max’s invitation into the house. Much as she was desperate to find out what he’d been doing all these years, she should’ve suggested a catch up at her home, or her parents’. They would be delighted to see him. That way she would’ve avoided this uncomfortable exchange.

A loaded silence stretched out. Jasmine wondered if every woman who entered Max’s home was given the frosty treatment.

‘So, have you worked for Max long?’ She regretted the question as soon as it left her mouth, hoping it didn’t sound like she was prying or trying to ascertain their relationship.

Sabrina lifted her glass to her mouth and took a slow drink, as if she was giving her answer some careful consideration. ‘I’ve worked for him for the last five years, known him for seven.’

‘Right, yeah, that’s good. I bet he keeps you busy.’What are you saying? Why are you talking such drivel, woman? Get a grip! Stop now!

Sabrina gave a thinly disguised snort accompanied by a small hitch of her eyebrows. ‘Oh, he does that all right.’

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