Stirred with Love (23 page)

Kate perched herself on a stool and slid a coffee over to her. ‘I remember when I had my results. My hands were shaking so much that I couldn’t even open the envelope.’

‘At least I don’t have to do that. My results will go to my home address. But it does mean that either Ben or my dad will see them first. And if it’s my dad and I’ve failed, then I’ll be more disappointed that he had to open the envelope.’ Chloe picked up the mug but before it reached her lips, she put it down again with a thud and delved into her apron pocket as her phone began to vibrate.

Kate had opened up and was already preparing the first order of the day for the women at the post office when she disconnected it two minutes later.

‘I didn’t hear you squeal,’ she called over.

‘The postman hasn’t been yet.’ Chloe sighed, her feet dragging across the floor. ‘Ben’s going to ring me later.’

‘Patience, dear,’ said Kate, feeling powerless as she could do nothing to alleviate Chloe’s apprehension. ‘Help me with this order and then I’ll make you some toast before the rush starts.’

‘You’ve made an impression on a certain friend of mine,’ Serle informed Kate when he called in for his usual morning coffee and teacake.

‘Oh?’ Kate took a quick glance around the busy room. No one waved for her attention so she decided to question him. ‘Tell me more.’

‘The guy I met in here the other day.’ Serle raised his eyebrows suggestively. ‘His name is Will.’

‘Well, that’s an improvement on Laptop Man.’ Kate smiled. ‘How do you know him?’

‘We went to school together and kept in touch for years afterwards. But I reckon it must be a good ten years since I last saw him. He hasn’t really changed that much either – still as good looking as ever, the creep.’

‘How old is he?’

‘He’s the same age as me, thirty nine. We both have the big four-o next year.’

‘He doesn’t look that old.’

‘He wanted to know if there is a Mr Kate on the scene. Of course, I told him he’d have to join the queue.’

Kate’s hand moved to the open collar of her shirt. ‘You might have put him off,’ she scolded.

But Serle said exactly what she wanted to hear. ‘Oh, I don’t think there’s a chance of that.’

An hour later, the door to the coffee shop opened and a voice boomed across the room. ‘I’ll have the biggest slice of cake you have and a cup of your finest coffee.’

‘Ben!’ Chloe came from behind the counter and ran straight into her brother’s open arms. ‘You said you’d ring me!’

‘I thought I’d come in person and surprise you instead.’

‘Kate, this is my brother.’ Chloe moved to one side, taking hold of his arm.

‘I’ve heard so much about you.’ Kate delighted in watching him squirm as he grasped for himself how much damage his sister may have done.

‘I’ve only told them the gory details,’ Chloe claimed quickly. She frowned as Lucy moved across the room towards them.

‘Hi, I’m Lucy,’ she gushed, holding on to Ben’s hand for far too long. She turned to Chloe. ‘You certainly don’t take after your brother. He’s really good looking.’

Kate bit her lip to stop herself from giggling. It was laughable how alike Chloe and Lucy were really.

‘Lily’s in the kitchen,’ said Chloe, ignoring her. ‘I know she’ll want to meet you too.’

Ben stopped Chloe dragging him towards the door by holding up his hand to reveal a white envelope. ‘Don’t you want to see your results?’

Chloe's heart found her mouth and she gulped. This was it. The moment she’d been dreading for ages, yet waiting for too.

Anxiously, she took the envelope. Her mind played tricks on her as she swore it was burning her fingers. While Kate and Ben started and finished a conversation with Lucy hanging onto Ben’s every word, she put her thumb in and out of the seal at least a dozen times.

A minute later, Kate snatched the envelope from her. ‘For goodness’ sake, Chloe.
Open it
. We want to know how you’ve done, even if you don’t.’

As Lily came over, Chloe leapt on the opportunity to waste a little more time. ‘Lily, this is my brother, Ben.’

‘I’m very pleased to meet you,’ said Lily.

‘Customers, this is my brother, Ben.’ Chloe waved an arm around the shop. People at most of the occupied tables nodded a greeting. A couple even raised their cups.

‘Well?’ questioned Lily.

‘She won’t open the envelope,’ Ben explained with a shake of his head. ‘I think she’s scared.’

‘No, I’m not! Give it here, Kate. I’ll open it myself.’

‘Now?’

Chloe nodded and the envelope was back in her hands. Without hesitation this time, she ripped it open and pulled out the slip that sealed her fate. She squealed so loud that a young boy and his dog walking past stopped in their tracks and turned their heads.

‘I’ve passed!’ Chloe jumped up and down on the spot. ‘I’ve passed them all!’ Handing the slip to Kate, she hugged her brother again. A round of applause erupted from everyone.

‘Well done, you.’ Ben twirled her around before placing her back on to the floor. ‘What grades did you get?’

‘A in Sociology, A in Law,’ Kate read aloud. ‘And you’ve got a B in Business Studies.’

‘I’m so proud of you,’ said Lucy, giving Chloe a hug and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. ‘I can’t believe you’ll be leaving soon.’

Chloe realised the implication and opened her mouth to speak. But Kate’s stern look stopped her from erupting.

‘Time to celebrate,’ said Lily, feeling the tension too. ‘Free coffees all round, I think?’

As relief flooded through her body, Chloe felt light-headed and flung herself backwards onto the length of the nearest settee, much to the delight of the young man in front of her who plainly had a glimpse of red and white knickers when her short skirt flew up.

‘I’m so chuffed,’ she said. ‘I can’t believe I’ve got a B in Business Studies. That was my worst exam. I finished half an hour before the end of the time limit – I remember discussing it with Callum. Everyone else was still writing. Well, I must have written the right things. I must ring Manda, and Dad.’ She reached for her phone. ‘He’ll be dying to know too.’

‘Congratulations, my dear.’ Lily hugged her first before whispering in her ear. ‘I, for one, hope you won’t be leaving us yet.’

‘So, what’s next?’ Ben wanted to know. He and Chloe were sitting on one of the wooden benches in the square, drinking celebratory wine and eating chicken salad baguettes. A sole elderly gentleman sat reading a newspaper on the bench opposite them and a group of teenagers ambled towards the main road. Chloe had kicked off her shoes and was busy waggling her bare toes.

‘I don’t know,’ she replied. Her eyes flicked across to the place she’d grown attached to in such a short space of time. ‘I love everything about working in the coffee shop. Carrot cake and coffee aromas, the regular crowd of customers that have started to come in, a routine that I can handle blind-fold now if necessary. Even the deafening sound of the steamer exploding every thirty seconds doesn’t annoy me anymore.’ She picked up her glass and took a sip of wine.

Ben shook his head. ‘You can’t stay here, Chloe. It’s hardly a career, is it?’

‘You sound like Dad.’ Chloe placed her glass down carefully on the path. ‘What if I do want to stay here? He can’t force me to go to uni.’

‘He’ll try. You know he wants what’s best for you.’

‘But, how does
he
know what
I want? Even
I
don’t know what I want to do with my life yet.’

‘That’s precisely why you go to university.’ Ben reached across her knees for a paper napkin. ‘A degree gives you more options for the future.’

‘Not necessarily. There are plenty of graduates on the dole.’

‘Not any that I know of.’

‘Look, big brother. I’ve had enough of the third degree.’ Chloe picked up the sandwich box they were sharing and popped her used napkin inside before replacing the lid with a click. ‘I’ve passed three A levels. Let me enjoy my success.’

Ben grinned, screwed his napkin up into a ball and flicked it at her. It hit her full in the face. Laughing as she lobbed it back, he picked up his glass and raised it in the air.

‘Here’s to my brainy little sister,’ he toasted. ‘May she make the right decision about her career. To go to university – or not.’

Even from her place at the window seat, Lily could sense the deep love and admiration between the two siblings. She heard Chloe squeal, then slap her brother lightly on his shoulder before racing around the tree with him hot in pursuit

She sighed, her heart heavy after hearing the news. Chloe’s excellent exam results had come as a shock. Lily hadn’t even thought as far as her youngest member of staff getting good grades and leaving. But now she did, she realised that she didn’t want her to go yet. If she did, it would split up a fine team, although it might make her plan easier.

Trust you to get too close, she scolded herself.

‘What time is the taxi arriving?’ Chloe asked Lucy as she tottered around on new heels. She and Kate were going out to celebrate her exam results. Lucy had invited herself along too.

‘I haven’t ordered it yet.’ Lucy took another sip of her wine, not concerned in the slightest. ‘Kate wasn’t ready the last time I suggested it.’

But, unbeknown to Chloe, Kate was ready. She was looking through the living room window. Any minute now, she would see it.

Suddenly, she ran across the room, through the hallway and down the stairs like a shoplifter determined not to get caught. She gave Lucy a quick nod as she came into view. Lucy produced a tiny digital camera from her black clutch bag.

‘What the hell’s that racket?’ Chloe said, as she heard what could only be described as a foghorn coming from the square.

‘I’m not sure.’ Kate flung open the double doors. ‘Let’s go and see.’

‘Chloe! Surprise! It’s me! Chloe!’

Coming clearly into view, Chloe saw a white twelve-seater, stretch limousine. Manda was hanging out of the sun roof, flowers in one hand and a bottle in the other.

Chloe waved to her. ‘Manda! I’m here!’

The car blocked the street as it drew up level with them. Manda disappeared like a magicians rabbit until a chauffeur all dressed in white opened the rear side door and she jumped out.

‘What are you doing here?’ Chloe hugged her friend in delight. ‘It’s been ages since I’ve seen you. We have a lot of catching up to do.’

‘Couldn’t let this day go uncelebrated, could I?’ Manda grinned. ‘And I couldn’t celebrate our successes without seeing you.’

Chloe turned to face the others with probing eyes.

‘Erm…surprise,’ Kate smiled.

‘You!’ Chloe laughed and proceeded to jump up and down on the spot before hugging her too.

‘Come off it, Chloe.’ Manda handed her friend first the flowers and then the bottle, which turned out to be champagne. ‘You didn’t think your dad would let the day pass unnoticed, do you?’

‘Oh, but I thought –’

‘His idea,’ Kate admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. ‘He’s rang me more times than you this past week to get this sorted.’

‘Are you going to get in?’ Lily asked, joining them on the forecourt. ‘It’s rather an exciting car, something I’ve only ever seen in the newspapers or on the television. Shall I take some photographs?’

‘No, madam,’ the fine and dandy chauffeur interrupted, tipping his cap. ‘I have strict instructions to take you for a ride too.’ He waved her forward.

‘Oh, no,’ remarked Lily, her hand rising to her chest. ‘I won’t be able to get in that thing. It’s far too low for me.’

‘Lily, it has two settees,’ Chloe cried. She jumped in next to Manda who was hanging out of the sunroof again. ‘You can lie down, if you have to. We’ll only take you around the block, but you have to come with us.’

Lily didn’t have to be asked twice. Kate locked the coffee shop doors behind her and they all climbed in.

Lily had never been in a limousine before and was amazed to find out that it did in fact have settees either side of the darkened windows, as well as a television, a music centre, a mini-bar and…twelve bags of cheese and onion crisps!

‘They’re for me and Chloe,’ Manda explained as the chauffeur started the engine.

‘Right, ladies,’ he wound down the internal connecting window and pressed hard on his horn. ‘Get ready for the ride of your life!’

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Around two thirty, for about an hour every afternoon, was the quietest time in The Coffee Stop. Today, one of the tables was taken by a suited woman in her thirties, busy tapping away on her mobile phone. Another had a slightly teenage, slightly spotty boy with his slightly overweight girlfriend hell bent on getting it on right there at the table.

Chloe pointed over to where Lily and Alf were deep in conversation and had been since they’d arrived back from Hedworth forty minutes ago. ‘Just look at those two sitting over there.’

Kate looked across the room, pleased to see that she was talking about Alf and Lily.

‘They’d make a great couple, don’t you think?’

‘Hmm,’ Kate nodded. ‘It’s a shame Lily feels that sharing love again would betray Bernard’s memory.’

‘It was the same with my dad,’ Chloe added, casting her mind back to when her mum died. No one had expected Graham to stay single forever, but even she could tell by the way he acted that there had been much guilt on his part if he went out on a date. It wasn’t the dates that Chloe minded, though, more the long term relationship he had with Maddy.

Kate was behind the counter settling the bill for the suited woman when Will came in. Immediately, she felt her stomach squish around as he gave a slight wave before sitting down at table four.

‘Will’s back,’ said Chloe as she walked past. ‘It’s your turn to serve him.’

Kate smirked. ‘Why, have you gone off him all of a sudden?’

Chloe tried to look insulted but failed. ‘Come off it,’ she scoffed. ‘I never fancied him in the first place. He only has eyes for you.’

‘Oh, away with you,’ Kate brushed the comments off and picked up her notepad.

‘I’m serious.’ Chloe pushed the door into the kitchen. ‘It’s like you have a magnetic force around you. Hey, you’re blushing.’