Page 37 of Barging In
“Don’t worry. It shouldn’t take you more than about fifteen minutes a day. You’ll get quicker at it once you know what you’re doing, and your confidence grows. You just need to find your marketing voice.”
Clem went inside to retrieve her laptop from her bed and opened it on the table in front of him. With a few taps, she turned it towards him.
“Type in your email address and I’ll send it over.”
He typed with one finger, making Clem wonder if he was up to the task ahead. Maybe he was better on his phone. Eventually taking the laptop back, she opened the document and proceeded to walk him through each step of her plan over the next forty-five minutes.
“If you forget how to do something, just shout,” Clem urged her neighbour as they reached the bottom of it.
Max gave her a tight smile. “Thanks. I’ll do my best with it all.” He glanced at the screen again and took a deep breath.
“That’s all you can do. It will become second nature in no time,” Clem said gently, noticing the flicker of panic in his eyes.
“Right, I’d better get my skates on. Madam will be waiting.”
“Good luck. You’ll need it,” Max replied, already getting to his feet.
He left Florence with a speed that made Clem wince. A knot of guilt tightened her stomach. Maybe she’d thrown too much at him too soon. Whether he sank or swam was a worry for another day. Victoria’s problems were more pressing, and if Clem could help the woman, then nothing was going to stop her.
CHAPTER 11
Victoria grabbed her bag and left her office. Work was done, and all she wanted now was to go home and zone out — but the supermarket beckoned.
Damn Christine!
She wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for her former catering manager’s festering bitterness. If she’d realised just how deep it ran, she might’ve thought to double-check the order.
On the positive side, she was getting to spend time with someone who was… what, exactly? What was Clem to her, and why was there a bubbling excitement inside her at the thought of spending time together? She’d spent the last forty-eight hours worrying Clem wouldn’t be returning to her trading spot, and now she’d agreed to bake cakes for the party and help her at the supermarket. Having half-braced herself to be dragged into the canal again, Clem had turned out to be surprisingly agreeable.
Victoria had nearly cancelled the party when she discovered the entire food order was missing from theirdelivery. But deep down, she wasn’t ready to give up. Some things were worth the effort, and the wharf was one of them.
As she stepped into the courtyard, she spotted Clem checking out her car, holding what looked like a cake box. Was that a gift for her? Her mouth watered.
As she reached the car, Clem held it out to her. “Here. Lemon drizzle.”
Victoria’s cheeks bulged as she tried — unsuccessfully — to contain her happiness over what was, essentially, just a slice of cake.
“Thank you. That’s my favourite.”
“Really? Lucky guess on my part,” Clem said with a smug little shrug.
Unlocking the car and pulling her seat forward, Victoria carefully placed the box on the tiny seat behind it. Climbing in — with the usual groan from her body at how low down it was — she noticed Clem admiring the interior.
“You like?” Victoria asked, clicking on her seat belt.
“Yes, it’s lovely. You don’t see many of these around, not in this condition. How long have you owned it?”
“About ten years. It was a fortieth birthday present, from Drew — my husband.”
A sudden silence made Victoria regret mentioning his name.
“Wow, great gift, and I wouldn’t have put you at fifty,” Clem said, dissipating the awkwardness but leaving a burning in Victoria’s cheeks.
Having expected a comment about her wayward husband, this comment on her age caught her off guard in the best possible way. That Clem had looked at her and thought she was younger made her heart skip a beat.
“Well, I’m not quite fifty yet.”Give it a few hours.
Victoria started the car, then drove across the cobbles and out onto the road.
