Page 60 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

‘Hi, guys,’ the older man said. ‘We’ll take it from here. What time did you spot junior?’

Ginger looked at her watch. ‘About thirty or forty minutes ago. He may have been there longer, of course, but that’s when we first saw him. No sign of mum and he’s breathing quite heavily, although that could have been fright at seeing us. No one and nothing’s disturbed him since.’

‘Great job,’ the woman said. She peered more closely at Josh. ‘Hey. Are you…?’ She took a double take. ‘You can’t be! Are you Joshua Ralph? I saw you in the latest Zombie Space Pilots movie a couple of weeks ago. I’m a big fan.’

Ginger groaned inwardly. In all the various excitements of the morning, Josh’s Jim glasses had fallen off and he hadn’t bothered to put them on again. She held her breath to see how he’d play it.

‘That’s me,’ he said, cheerfully. ‘Busted!’

So he wasn’t going to play it anyway at all. Oh, Josh, she groaned silently. After all the effort I’ve put in to keep you secret.

‘I can’t believe this. I cannot believe I’ve met Captain Titan on Wheal Kitty Cove Beach! Would you mind’ – the woman flashed her phone – ‘would it be possible–?’

‘Of course,’ Josh replied. Ginger could have killed him. ‘You’re the heroes, after all. Not me. I just play one. Ginger, will you take it so we can get everyone in.’

She complied, keeping her mutinous thoughts to herself. The two men, obviously less starstruck, made their way to the seal pup.

‘Should be great publicity for you,’ Josh continued. ‘Ginger here has been telling me what good work you do. Let me know the outcome. I’m really invested now. What’s your name?’

Josh had turned the starry charm onto high voltage.

‘It’s Erin.’

‘Pretty name. Well, Erin, you make sure to let me know how the little one gets on. And can you do me a favour?’

‘Anything,’ Erin breathed, her eyes sparkling, a rosy flush staining her cheeks.

‘If it turns out to be a boy, name him Titan.’ He sent a mischievous look towards Ginger. ‘And if it’s a girl, call her Melissa.’

CHAPTER 30

‘You can’t give her cake,’ Chloe hissed at Hannah, her face close to her sister’s. They were standing in Dulcie’s kitchen, conducting a furious argument in hushed tones. Dulcie, an overexcited Ziggy, and Maddy and Isaak were in the front room. ‘She’s supposed to be following a strict diet.’

‘Oh hush. You the fun police, or something? And stop going on about diets in front of Maddy. Don’t want her getting an eating disorder; she’s at that age. Besides, Maddy made it at school. She’d be really upset if her granny couldn’t try it.’

‘She’ll be even sadder when her granny dies.’

Hannah reared back. ‘God, you can be really evil sometimes.’

Chloe filled the kettle and clicked it on to give her time to calm down and answer. ‘Sorry, that came out wrong. It’s just I’ve battled Mum over every meal. Thought I was winning her over with porridge and fruit and wholemeal sandwiches and you come along and sabotage my every effort.’

‘It’s one small slice of apple cake, Chloe,’ Hannah said, biting out her words. ‘What harm can it do?’

‘Nothing if you’re not suffering from angina and have the mindset that one small slice of apple cake can be added to half a packet of chocolate Hobnobs and a slice of cheese on toast so big it could roof this house.’

Hannah huffed and clattered about putting mugs on a tray.

‘And I’m worn out trying to convince Mum her life isn’t over just because she can’t have a pasty and an enormous bowl of chocolate ice cream for afters. I could do with your support, not siding with her.’ Chloe paused and sucked in a breath, trying to compose herself. ‘It would really help to have you onside. You know she listens to you more than me.’

Hannah gave up trying to be quiet, slammed down a mug and leaned back against the cupboard. ‘You have got to be kidding me. All she ever does is bang on to me about you.’ She affected a sing-song voice and made quotation marks with her fingers. ‘About how clever you are, how wonderful your career is, all the money you’ve got.’ She pointed an accusing finger. ‘You’re the golden child, kiddo.’

Chloe turned to her sister, her mouth dropping open in shock. ‘Me?’ She shook her head. ‘I’m the one she couldn’t forgive for getting out of Wheal Kitty Cove. And I don’t know why she’s telling everyone about my job, she knows bugger all about what I do. You’re the one who’s provided her with gorgeous grandchildren. You’re the one with the lifestyle she understands, can relate to. Think you’ll find it’s you who takes the golden child crown. Kiddo.’

For a heavy moment the sisters stared at one another, trying to decide if there was any point in carrying on the argument. Then a smile curled reluctantly at Hannah’s mouth. ‘She’s been playing us.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Work it out, sis, you’re the clever one, or so Mum always tells me. She’s been bigging each of us up to the other.’