Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights (Little Duck Pond Cafe #36)

CHAPTER EIGHT

I couldn’t believe it. My day had started so well with that lovely phone call from Mum and Dad. But then I’d spotted my ex-best friend in Guildford and it had gone speedily downhill from there. Coming face to face with this guy Josh again was just the latest disaster.

Happy birthday to me!

He did a double take when he saw me, and I acknowledged his surprise with an attempt at a smile, which on reflection was probably more like a dog baring its teeth.

‘Thanks, Josh.’ Marcus took the carrier bag. ‘Are we all set for the show?’

‘Yup. You’re on in...’ Josh glanced at his watch. ‘Twelve minutes.’

‘Right, Laurel, shall we go and get you some petrol?’ said Maddy.

‘Petrol?’ Marcus queried.

Maddy nodded. ‘Laurel’s tank’s empty. She had to abandon her car in Guildford.’

‘I’m not having the best of days, to be fair. And it’s my birthday as well!’ I glanced at Josh. ‘I’m really, really sorry about your shirt.’

‘Oh, this?’ He shrugged. ‘It’s fine. Threw some water at it when I got back.’

‘As opposed to coffee.’

He grinned. ‘Exactly. Once it dries it’ll hardly be noticeable.’

It was a blatant lie. But I appreciated his effort to make me feel less guilty.

Marcus was looking confused. ‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. Anyway... really nice to see you again, Laurel, but we need to get this show on the road or I’ll be sacked.’

‘I didn’t know it was your birthday, Laurel,’ Maddy reprimanded me. ‘You should have said.’

Marcus kissed Maddy on the cheek. ‘See you soon, love,’ he said, before dashing out, still carrying the waistcoat in its bag.

Maddy cursed and ran after him.

Josh lingered at the door. ‘I thought I’d seen you before when I bumped into you but I wasn’t sure.’

‘You mean when I bumped into you .’ I smiled ruefully.

‘Sorry about your bad day. Is it really your birthday?’

‘It really is.’

‘To be fair, you looked like you needed a birthday drink quite badly when I saw you earlier.’

Laughing, I nodded.

‘I hope you’ve got plans for later.’

‘Er . . . well, not so far.’

He nodded and we exchanged a slightly awkward smile. Then he said, ‘Well, better go. It was really nice to – um – bump into you.’

‘You, too.’

He glanced briefly at his feet, as if he was going to say something else. ‘See you, then,’ he said. ‘Happy birthday!’ And he disappeared after Marcus.

Maddy reappeared with the bag containing the dastardly waistcoat and we went out to her car.

‘So what were you talking to Josh about?’ she asked, her lips twitching into a smile. ‘Was he chatting you up?’

I laughed. ‘No, of course not. We were just talking about... well, bumping into each other.’

Maddy nodded thoughtfully. ‘Bumping being the operative word.’

‘Yes.’

‘I think he liked you. There was a definite twinkle in his eye when he was talking to you.’

‘Rubbish.’ I felt myself blushing, which was really irritating.

Maddy gave me a knowing look. ‘And something tells me the feeling was mutual.’

‘No!’ I protested. ‘Look, he was just being nice. And anyway, I’ve got no intention of liking anyone. For a decade at least!’

Instead of laughing, she looked sad. ‘That guy, Gavin, really broke your heart, didn’t he?’

I swallowed hard. ‘He did, yes.’

‘You shouldn’t let a scumbag like that stop you being happy, though.’

We both turned at the sound of feet behind us. Josh was jogging across the tarmac. When he reached me, he held out a business card.