Page 130 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
‘Yes, well…’
‘Actually, I could do with some help at the café now if you’re free?’
‘Help? From me?’
‘Well, yes. There’re some repairs going on and I’m worried the cats might get a bit spooked; Mum and I are both out, you see. I was wondering if you might be free to sit with them for a while, just for a bit of company?’
‘Oh, the poor loves. If you think that would help?’ said Violet, her eyes brightening.
‘It really would. It would be a huge weight off my mind. And you can help yourself to cake too. If there’s anything that takes your fancy, that is? I promise I haven’t baked it.’
‘That’s something at least. Just let me grab my bag.’
As Tori walked back across the green with Violet at her side, she couldn’t remember when she’d ever been happier than she was right at that very moment.
When Tori finally reached Jasmine Cottage, having settled Violet into the café and showed her how to work the coffee machine, she could see that Leo had already arrived. Scout, Tagg and Finn rushed out to greet her and she bent down to fuss them.
‘Are you guys in on this plan too?’ she whispered, before following the dogs inside. ‘Mum? Rose? What’s going on?’ she called.
‘Ah, you made it then?’ said Leo, engulfing her in a hug.
‘How are you feeling today?’ she asked, resting her head on his shoulder. He slid his arm around her waist, kissing her on the cheek.
‘I’m good. I’m more interested in why we’re here,’ he said.
‘You mean you don’t know either?’ said Tori.
‘No! You’re the one who invited me, remember?’ he laughed. ‘Hey, Rose, where are you? What’s with all the boxes?’
‘Oh yeah,’ said Tori, ‘what’s the deal, Rose?’ And where is everyone?’
‘We’re here!’ said Jake, descending the stairs balancing a huge box in his arms, with Rose, Joyce and Jean following behind him.
‘Ah good, you’ve arrived!’ cried Jean gleefully.
‘Tori, hello, love,’ said Joyce.
‘Will one of you tell me what’s going on?’ said Tori, resting her hands on her hips.
‘Ah, I guess I better explain,’ said Rose. ‘You’ve noticed all the boxes, yes?’ She pointed towards piles of boxes in the hallway.
‘They’re hard to miss,’ said Tori.
‘Well, Jake and I have some news.’ Rose took Jake’s hand and looked up at him expectantly.
‘Rose and I are moving in together!’ said Jake.
‘What? Seriously? Guys, that’s amazing news!’ squealed Tori.
‘I know!’ agreed Rose. ‘It’s not just me – Aunt Jean’s coming too.’
‘There’s plenty of room in the farmhouse and neither of us like the idea of Jean being on her own anymore,’ explained Jake.
‘Now I’m going to have three collies to fuss over,’ said Jean, bending down with the help of her walking stick to stroke Scout on her head.
‘We’d planned to move in together in a few months, but after everything that happened last night, it made sense to bring it forward, we don’t want to be apart anymore,’ said Rose.
‘But it does leave us with a bit of a quandary, Tori. What with me moving too, Jasmine Cottage will be sitting empty, and I don’t want that. This place is too special for it to just languish, unloved,’ said Jean.
