Page 39 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

‘And you’ve been keeping all this to yourself?’ Rachel tried not to spiral, focusing on the problem right in front of them for now.

‘I didn’t want to mention it, not in the lead-up to our wedding. You should be having fun, enjoying all the last-minute plans. But Christ, it’s been feeling like a huge weight …’

‘No bloody wonder you’ve been like a bear with a sore head.’

‘Yeah, sorry. I guess I wasn’t so good at keeping the emotions under wraps.’

‘Tom Watson, if we are getting married, it’s all about supporting each other, being there for each other.’ She took a step closer towards him. He really needed to let her in if they were going to be Team Watson going forward.

He gave a cautious nod, and then took her into his arms. It felt good to chat, to feel like they were reconnecting. After a few precious moments, Rachel remembered that Mum and Eve were manning the fort at the Pantry. ‘Tom, I’d really better get back over to the barn to help out. It’s busy … and I know Eve had an awful lot on her plate today.’

‘Yeah, that’s okay.’ He sounded a little disappointed, but not quite as despondent as before. ‘Shall we catch up this evening? Maybe you could come over and I can cook?’

‘Now that sounds perfect.’ Rachel smiled broadly. ‘Ah sorry,’ she said distractedly as her phone started vibrating in her jeans pocket. ‘I’d better just get this …’ Rachel stepped back, fishing the phone from her pocket.

‘No worries.’ Tom lingered for a while, seeming reluctant to leave.

Rachel looked down at her phone. Glancing at the screen she saw the Caller ID; it wasn’t Jill, oh no … it was Jake, Maisy’s mostly missing father. Oh, good lord, talk about timing. She was tempted to let it ring out, but he was Maisy’s dad, after all.

‘Jake?’

She saw Tom frown out of the corner of her eye.

‘Hey babe, how’s it going?’

Babe? Really. It had been many a year since she’d been his babe, and even back then she’d hated the pet name.

‘You okay?’ he continued.

‘Umm, yes, fine.’ Try to be polite, Rachel, she told herself, for Maisy’s sake.

‘And how’s my gorgeous little girl?’

‘Yes, she’s fine too. At school, right now.’

Tom stood watching. Rachel pulled a face, and mouthed, ‘Sorry.’ She wished Jake would get to the bloody point.

‘Well, I thought I’d come up and see Maisy.’

‘Right, okay …’ But he was coming up for the wedding in three weeks’ time anyway. Shite, she hadn’t yet mentioned that to Tom either. All this was such a mess. ‘So, when were you thinking of coming?’

‘Uh, well, today.’

‘Today?’ Was she hearing right? Jake lived two hundred miles away.

‘Yep, thought I’d take a trip up. See my little princess, you know.’

Rachel didn’t know. What had happened to arranging things in advance? Letting them know first? Asking if it might be convenient just three weeks before her wedding? Grrrrr.

She saw Tom turn on his heels and head for the door. She held the phone away and called to him. ‘I’ll see you later, yeah?’

But Tom didn’t turn around. Damn it. Jake sure knew how to spoil a moment.

‘So, where are you?’ she resumed, wondering what on earth was going on with her ex now.

‘Here.’

‘What do you mean, here?’ She felt a little surge of panic.