‘A dish?’ Nora’s tone was deadpan.
‘The man’s sexy, he’s fit, and he can bake. What’s not to like? If I was single, I’d be after him in a heartbeat.’
‘The baking bit is of no interest to me,’ Nora retorted.
‘But the sexy and fit bits are, right?’
‘Maybe; I’m not made of stone. But if you remember,he’sthe reason why I mightn’t be able to adopt Biscuit.’ Although she was still convinced that she was the more logical option to adopt the dog, nothing was certain. What if Elijah found some way of being able to take Biscuit to work with him? If that happened, her advantage would disappear.
Yes, she’d jump his bones in a heartbeat if the situation was different, but it was what it was. Nora hated that phrase, but it summed up the situation perfectly, and she really must stop thinking about Elijah that way, because no earthly good could possibly come of it.
Elijah was alarmed when Andrea hurried into the bakery’s kitchen, looking upset and flustered.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she began, ‘I’m going to have to dash off. My dad’s had a fall. I don’t like leaving you in the lurch but—’
Elijah stopped her there. ‘Just go, already. Don’t worry about the bakery. Christina will be in soon and I’m sure we can manage without you for a couple of days, or however long you need to be off work.’
Andrea lifted her jacket from the hook and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, her face suffused with anxiety.
‘Let me know how he is, will you?’ he asked. ‘And tell me if there’s anything I can do.Anything,’ he repeated. He watched her dash out, worry pricking at him.
He hoped the news wasn’t too bad. Andrea’s father was in his eighties and quite frail, and she’d been trying to persuade him to move into Honeymead Care Home in the village for some time, but the stubborn old so-and-so kept refusing to be swayed.
Elijah checked the timer on the oven, then washed his hands and stepped into the shop. Two customers were waiting patiently, and both expressed their concern as he served them.
He was in the middle of slicing and bagging a farmhouse loaf, when Kendra came in.
‘Can you wait a sec?’ he asked her, hearing the timer go off and sprinting into the kitchen. Cursing under his breath, he took the Bakewell tarts out of the oven and slid them onto a wire rack to cool, then hurried back to continue serving.
‘On your own today?’ she asked.
‘Andrea had to dash off and Christina isn’t in yet. What can I get you?’
‘I’ll have a choux bun and one of those, please.’ Kendra pointed to a jambon (a square pastry filled with cheese and chunks of ham) which was a new recipe he’d decided to trial, even though his heart wasn’t in it. It was good for business to have new products now and again, but he was finding it hard to summon the enthusiasm he’d once had for his craft.
He popped her purchases in a bag and as he was handing over her change, he asked, ‘Could you give this to Nora?’ He held out a paper bag. ‘I’ve been trying some new bakes, and I thought she might like a taste. It’s only a morsel of each, because… you know.’ He didn’t like to mention anything about her being on a diet, in case he came across as judgemental or unsupportive. In his experience, it was never a good idea to comment on awoman’s weight, or what she was, or wasn’t, eating. His ex had been forever on a diet.
Kendra peeped into the bag. ‘These look yummy, but please don’t be offended if she doesn’t eat them. Since her diagnosis, she’s been so good – apart from that blip on Saturday evening. I don’t think I’d have her willpower or determination, if I had diabetes.’
Elijah froze. ‘She’s gotdiabetes?’
‘Yes, she—’ Kendra stopped, let out a gasp and clapped a hand to her mouth. Her eyes widened, then she closed them briefly. When she opened them again, he saw the dismay on her face. ‘You didn’t know, did you?’
He shook his head.
‘Aw, hell. Nora is going to kill me. I assumed you knew. Bugger.’
‘I won’t say anything,’ he assured her.
‘I’ll have to tell her I let slip. Can you not say anything though, until I’ve had a chance to confess? I’ll try to catch her before she leaves to see Biscuit, but the salon is busy ,and I don’t want to tell her when there are clients around in case she gets cross.’
‘Is that likely?’
‘Ordinarily I’d say no, but these past few weeks, since she was diagnosed, she hasn’t been herself.’
She only found out a few weeks ago?Elijah was shocked. No wonder she’d burst into tears yesterday. And no wonder she wanted to lose weight. He used to know a runner who was diabetic – although in remission now – and the guyused to swear that maintaining a healthy weight, keeping his carbohydrate intake low, and doing loads of exercise was what helped him stay well and avoid the complications that the disease could all too often cause.
Deep in thought, he didn’t notice Kendra leave.
