‘Something to sort out an afternoon energy dip,’ he says, surveying the cakes under the glass. His eyes light up. ‘Cherry and coconut. My favourite. Bit of luck it’s on the menu today!’
Warmth creeps into my cheeks. ‘Yes, how about that? It’s your lucky day!’ No need to mention that cherry and coconut cake has been available every single day – ever since that time he told me to keep him a slice of it!
‘And a large cappuccino, please.’
I cut him a generous piece that has four glacé cherries on top instead of the normal three. Unfortunately, my hand wobbles as I pick it up, which means it slides off the cake slice far too quickly and lands upside down on the plate.
Aaargh! Bloody typical!
Flustered, I abandon the disaster and reach for another plate. But before I can even pick up the cake slice, Theo gives a throaty chuckle and says, ‘Er, I’d like that one, please.’
‘No, I’ll get you another one.’
‘That one has four cherries on top,’ he says solemnly, pointing at the upside-down mess. ‘You’re not going to deny me, are you?’
I hesitate, smiling awkwardly.
‘I could complain to the manager. Oh, hang on, you are the manager.’ He grins and points to the splodge. ‘Just hand it over.’
With a shrug, I do what he says and watch in amusement as he casually picks up the cake and turns it the right way up. ‘There you go. No harm done.’
As I’m making his cappuccino, he says, ‘So when are you coming for this free training session?’
‘I don’t like gyms.’
He grins. ‘Or changing rooms?’
I gulp as a memory of my most embarrassing moment ever zips into my head. Theo, naked apart from a towel that only just covered his modesty. I turn to grimace at him and the froth-maker dips too low, making a horribly loud sucking sound that echoes around the café. ‘Better concentrate,’ I mumble, blushing to the roots of my hair.
‘Great, thanks,’ he says when I finally deliver a coffee I’m quite proud of. ‘Listen, you don’t have to work out in the gym. How about some stretches then a jog on the village green?’
‘Okay.’ This sounds slightly better. At least there’ll be no one there to watch me sweat my arse off. Apart from Theo, of course, which is bad enough. But as I’ve already decided I’d like to be fitter, I’d be a fool to pass up the chance of a free session, wouldn’t I?
‘I’m free tonight, actually. About seven?’
I glance outside. ‘It looks like it might rain later.’ I’ve been keeping a nervous eye on the sky all day. Over the past hour, it’s been growing oppressively darker in the distance over Lake Heath.
He shrugs. ‘A bit of rain won’t matter, will it?’
I swallow. ‘Er, no, I suppose not. As long as it’s only rain. I – um – I’m not a fan of thunder and lightning.’
He nods. ‘I promise we’ll retreat indoors the instant it starts to look threatening.’
‘Okay.’ I force a smile, trying to shrug it off.
It’s high time I got over my childhood phobia of thunderstorms. I’m told they’re really nothing to be afraid of, unless you happen to be hugging a tree or raising your metal club on a golf course! I just wish I could believe it.
‘Great. Seven it is.’ Theo digs his wallet from his pocket. ‘How much do I owe you?’
‘What? No, it’s free. In exchange for the training session,’ I remind him.
‘You sure?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Well, thanks.’ He smiles at me, deep blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he transports his cake and coffee off to a nearby table.
One of the mums, my old school friend Diana, winks at me and glances knowingly over at Theo, and I shake my head at her, blushing a deep shade of scarlet. She’s got the wrong idea altogether. Theo is just being nice and taking pity on me, that’s all. He’s probably never had such a challenge on his hands in his entire career as a personal trainer.
His slice of cherry and coconut cake disappears in a flash, I’m pleased to note, and so does the coffee. Not that I’m watching his every move. (Mind you, I wouldn’t be the only woman in here doing so, if I was.)
I do like to check how well my baking is being received …
I’m delivering a second round of coffees to the mums’ table when Theo gets up to leave.
‘Village green. Seven o’clock?’ he murmurs, as he passes me, and I nod, trying to look enthusiastic. What on earth have I let myself in for? I want to get fit, but do I really need a big, sporty, hard-muscled personal trainer like Theo Steel witnessing my shameful lack of fitness and flabby bits? I close my eyes, feeling quite sick at the thought.
‘He doesn’t go in for relationships, apparently,’ says one of the women.
Her neighbour sighs. ‘What a waste.’
‘Bit of a lone wolf. Gorgeous, though,’ says Diana. ‘Thanks, Twilight. You didn’t have to bring the coffees over.’
‘Hey, it’s no problem.’ I start placing the cups on the table, one by one, as it dawns on me they’re discussing Theo.
‘He was married, though, wasn’t he?’ says the first woman, just as I’m putting down the final cup. It rattles in its saucer and slops hot coffee onto my hand and onto the table.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ Flustered, I mop my hand with a napkin from my tray, then attack the spillage with a few more. ‘I’ll get you another coffee.’
‘No, honestly, Twi, it’s fine,’ says Diana, then she turns to her friend. ‘No, they were engaged, I think, and madly in love, but it all ended tragically.’
‘Really? How?’
I linger by the table, going over the spillage again and again, just to hear the reply.
‘I can’t actually remember. It was a good few years ago now. But the woman’s no longer on the scene and I know it didn’t end well.’ They exchange a frown.
