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‘I hope so. He loves gingerbread, so I’m hoping if we make our own and decorate them, it’ll tire him out before bedtime.’

‘Do you look after him overnight too, then?’

‘Yes. Just as much as the pub quiz is a tradition for all of you lot, babysitting Hudson for the evening is a tradition for me and now Ian, too. We’ve not always looked after him overnight, but now he’s getting that bit older, it’s good to get him used to it. That way, Wendy and Connor can always go away somewhere nice for the weekend or something.’ Elsie grinned.

‘I think someone’s at the door. Shall I go and answer it?’

‘Oh, that would be lovely, thank you.’ Elsie glanced at the clock. ‘It should be Ian, I think.’

Brooke nodded and made her way downstairs, the hairbrush still in hand. As she walked through the bakery, she looked across at the wedding counter and gripped the hairbrush tighter. Where had all the happy couples met each other? By chance? Through friends or family, as Max had suggested, or through a dating app after going on endless soul-sucking dates? She shook her head. She was going to enjoy the rest of her time here. Just as Diane had suggested. She pulled the front door to the bakery open. ‘Hi, Ian.’

‘Evening, Brooke. Are you off to the pub quiz this evening?’ Stepping inside, Ian wiped his boots on the doormat.

‘Yes.’

‘Aw, lovely. You should have a great time then. They’re a good crowd, this bakery lot.’ He smiled as he followed her up the stairs.

‘Yes, I’m looking forward to it.’

‘Good, good.’ Ian paused on the stairs and looked back as the doorbell went again. ‘That’ll be Wendy and little Hudson. I’ll go and let them in, love, you finish whatever you’re doing.’

‘Okay, thanks.’ Running up the last few steps, Brooke walked through to her bedroom, threw her hairbrush on the bed, and picked up her lip gloss. She looked at it and perched on the edge of the bed. Who was she making an effort for? What was the point of putting lip gloss on? All the bakery lot would no doubt be there with their partners, possibly with the exception of Teresa, whose partner, Gavin, usually stayed at home to look after the kids, or from what she remembered Diane had said earlier. So there really wasn’t any point. It wasn’t as though they’d be mixing with any other groups of people. It was a pub quiz. People stayed sitting with their teams.

Placing it on the bedside table, she looked down at the letter from her gran. She really would have to open it at some point. And she knew she couldn’t leave it until the last minute to open it. There must be a reason her gran had asked her to read it in Penworth Bay. She might be asking her to find some famous landmark or something. She’d loved exploring. Brooke’s childhood had been filled with holidays all around the UK. There had always been a reason they visited a certain place; a place of interest, something historical, a natural phenomenon. Something.

She picked up the letter, letting it sit in the palm of her hands. Apart from Cornwall. They’re never ventured to Cornwall. She’d asked to. Her best friend from primary school had spent the summer in Newquay and Brooke had begged and begged for her grandparents to take her on holiday to the same place, but time and time again she’d been told Cornwall was too far. That their old Fiesta wouldn’t manage the journey. It hadn’t made any sense, not even to her ten-year-old self. Their Fiesta had made it to Scotland, and that must have been further than Cornwall. Surely?

Switching the bedside lamp on, she held the letter above the bulb, trying to catch a glimpse of what secrets were inside. Just as she had many times before and just as she’d discovered the first time and each subsequent time she’d tried, the envelope was too thick to allow her to read anything.

She tapped it against the palm of her hand. Whatever the reason her gran had insisted she travel down here to read it must be worth it and Brooke wasn’t ready to lose the feelings of excitement and anticipation just yet. No, she’d wait until her last week here. That way she’d have enough time to visit whichever landmark or ruined castle her gran had wanted her to.

‘Brooke, are you ready?’ A quiet tapping on the bedroom door followed Wendy’s quiet voice.

‘Coming.’ Turning the bedside lamp off, Brooke lifted the alarm clock and placed the letter back underneath.










Chapter Thirteen

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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