Page 40 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

‘I’m in the village … in Kirkton. I’ve driven up this morning and checked into a B & B for a couple of nights. Needed a bit of a break, to be honest.’

She really didn’t want to know what was happening in his life at the moment; there was enough going on in her own.

So, Jake, her irresponsible, wayward, commitment-phobe ex was here, and would no doubt be appearing on her doorstep very soon. Oh Jeez, that was the last thing she needed right now.

Just as she and Tom took one step forward, life pulled them another three steps back.

20

Jake’s little grey van revved up the farm track, pulling to a stop outside the Pantry. Rachel gave a sigh, clearing the plates and cups from the table she was tidying with a bit too much gusto. A teacup went clattering to the floor. It was almost three thirty and she’d be going to collect Maisy from the school bus at any minute. Damn it, Jake would probably have to come too. This would be some surprise for Maisy – she hadn’t even had a chance to warn her little girl yet.

‘Hey.’ Jake strolled into the tearooms with a big smile, slicking back his blond hair with his fingertips. His vivid blue eyes were still striking. But Rachel was immune to his boyish charms; she knew they were coupled with some very juvenile behaviour.

‘Hello, Jake,’ she said a little coolly.

‘Hi, Rach, Jill. Good to see you.’

‘Hello there, Jake.’ Jill managed an awkward smile.

‘So, where’s my princess?’

‘Ah, not quite back from school yet. I was about to walk down and fetch her from the minibus. I suppose you could come too.’

‘Brilliant. I’ll surprise her. She’ll love that, won’t she.’

Rachel hoped so, though she feared it might also prove a bit of a shock. Seeing a father who was mostly missing, out of the blue, could also be a bit overwhelming when you were only six years old.

‘I’ll head on down then, Mum. If that’s okay?’

‘Yes, get yourselves away. You won’t want to be late.’

Rachel hung her spotted pinafore on the kitchen hook. ‘Okay, let’s go. It’s just a short walk down to the farm entrance,’ Rachel explained.

They fell into step alongside each other.

‘So come on Jake, spill,’ she hissed. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Rachel wanted to get this over with before Maisy joined them. With Jake there was always an ulterior motive, and she needed to know what it was this time.

‘Coming to see Maisy, like I said.’ He sounded affronted.

‘And …? It’s just so out of the blue, and you’ll have to be back for the wedding in just a few weeks. That’s if you’re not crying wolf and backing out on Maisy.’ Though she didn’t particularly want him there herself, she knew her daughter would be mightily disappointed if he didn’t make it for her starring flower-girl moment.

‘I just needed a bit of time out, and seeing Maisy seemed a good way to spend it.’ He did sound strangely genuine. In fact, he was almost deflated, not his usual full-of-bravado self at all.

‘Oh, so, how have you been keeping then?’ she asked.

‘Ah, just great.’ But it came out a little flat.

‘And Chelsea? How is she?’ On their last visit to the farm back in the autumn, the pair of them had been all loved-up. But there had been no mention of her yet.

‘Well, that’s a bit tricky just now.’

Well, that was no surprise. Jake wasn’t good at long-term relationships. ‘You two still together?’

‘Guess so. We’ve just had a couple of barneys … and that kid, Kelvin … man, he’s been doing my head in.’ Kelvin was Chelsea’s nine-year-old son from a previous relationship.

‘She hasn’t chucked you out, has she?’ The jigsaw seemed to be piecing together.

‘Nah, nothing like that. Just needed a bit of time out … you know, sort my head space. Had a couple of days off, thought it’d be an ideal chance to come and catch up with my princess. Enjoy some quality dad– daughter time, you know.’