Seeing my surprise, she frowns. ‘Sorry, Ellie mentioned it?It must have been on your CV?’
‘Yes. Yes, of course.’Stupid of me to think it wouldn’tget out.‘Well, it was... exciting. But quite stressful.’I smile ruefully. ‘I want a quiet life now. So working here suits meperfectly.’
‘Great. Well, see you later.’ And she whisks out.
I busy myself cutting the cakes into slices and arrangingthem on the plates, and then Madison pops her head round the door.
‘Ah, this is where you’ve got to. There’s quite a queue inthe bakery. Could you go and help Katja, please?’
‘Of course.’ Feeling sick with apprehension, I leave thekitchen, knowing I’ll have to walk through the café to get to the bakery nextdoor.
But when I glance around the room, there’s no sign ofRosemary and her friends.
The relief is so great, my legs feel quite weak.
She’s gone...
*****
I make it through my shift, which finishes at one. Then Iwalk over the village green and along the high street, back to the safety of mylittle house on a modern estate on the outskirts of Sunnybrook.
My mind is still reeling at seeing Rosemary again.
I shouldn’t be surprised, of course. Not really. It’s not asif I’ve moved to another country. Torminster is only twenty miles away. I’msure to bump into people I knew there.
But Rosemary of all people!
I make myself some salad for lunch but I’ve lost my appetiteand end up leaving most of it on the plate. And even when I take refuge in myhappy place – my pottery summerhouse – I can’t relax properly. I have an urgeto go back to the house, draw all the curtains and escape from the darkthoughts and memories Rosemary’s sudden appearance has stirred up...watch my go-to movie, the one Poppy loved that always has a calming effect onme.
But that will have to wait, because right now, I need todrive over to Hannah’s gift shop with the replacement mugs I promised her.
*****
As I load my carefully packed boxes into the car, I can’thelp thinking of Mystery Man... colliding with him inHannah’s gift shop. He’s been dancing around the corners of my mind ever sincethen, if I’m honest. Even now, as I recall how he tried to make things betterby buying up the rest of my mugs, I can feel my cheeks blushing withembarrassment.
What if he’s in Torminster today as well?
But, slipping behind the wheel and starting the engine, Itell myself not to be so ridiculous.
I shake my head with a chuckle.
Ofcoursehe won’t be there.
CHAPTERFIVE
I was right, of course.
Mystery Man was nowhere to be seen when I delivered thetwelve new mugs to Hannah. I felt oddly disappointed, but I consoled myselfwith the thought that at least that ruled out another collision and moresmashed crockery!
I was thrilled, though, to find out that a woman had comeinto the shop that morning and bought two of my mugs as a birthday gift for herdaughter.
And then on Wednesday, I get a call from a gift shop inBrighton.
The woman is brief and to the point. She thinks the mugs andthe piggy banks will be a real hit with customers and she wants to trial themin her shop. My heart jolts when she says she’d like to take an initial twodozen of the mugs, in a variety of colours, as well as three of the piggybanks. And she wants them by the weekend!
‘Y-yes. Yes, of course,’ I stammer in a state of shock. ‘Noproblem at all. Would Saturday afternoon be okay?’
‘Perfect. I’ll see you then.’
