Chapter 16
Carrie was up early on Saturday, eager to make the most of her day off and absolutely not to think about Michael — though she couldn’t completely stop her mind from returning to the memory of their kiss.
And it had simply been a taster, she knew, of what could potentially have been between them had circumstances been different.
Taking a deep breath she forced herself to refocus. It was funny to think that technically this was her last day in charge of the bookshop. It would be closed on Sunday and Auntie Mary was due back on Monday.
Part of Carrie felt that she should probably be in the shop, ensuring it stayed absolutely perfect for her aunt’s return and that none of those pesky customers messed anything up.
But she knew Seren and Layla would do a great job running the place and it looked fantastic.
Plus, Poppy’s birthday was on Tuesday and she really needed to get organised.
She left Poppy to sleep while she had her coffee and wrote out a shopping list for when they went to the huge Tesco Extra later. She wanted to get a few bits for Aunt Mary to come back to as well as food for herself and Poppy.
Poppy eventually wandered downstairs at nine and Carrie sorted her out with some Rice Krispies and a crumpet. She made herself a second coffee in the Nespresso machine; it was the weekend after all and she’d be back to instant soon enough.
“We need to make some decisions about your birthday, don’t we, Pumpkin?” She took a seat next to her daughter at the kitchen island.
“Yes,” agreed Poppy. “I know what I’d like to do now.”
“Well, that’s handy!”
“I’d like to go bouldering with Michael and Layla and then we can all have pizza.”
“I can take you bouldering, but Michael will be working on Tuesday,” Carrie explained, choosing not to overthink the fact that her daughter wanted to spend the whole of her birthday with Michael and his daughter.
“You’re not very good at bouldering though, Mummy . . .”
“I know, but we’ll still have fun! And maybe Michael and Layla can join us for pizza afterwards. Did you want to go to a Pizza Express?”
“No, Michael said he knows how to make proper Italian pizza.”
“He might not be free, Pumpkin.”
“Can we ask him?”
“Well . . .” Carrie really didn’t know what to say.
She didn’t want Michael to feel obliged to cook her daughter’s birthday dinner!
“Let me have a think,” she finally said.
“Are you finished? Why don’t you hop upstairs and brush your teeth and get dressed so we can go out?
I thought we could go swimming. There’s an inflatable session at a pool nearby that we can go to and then we’ll get groceries. ”
Carrie cleared away the breakfast things and loaded them in the dishwasher before putting on the washing machine as she waited for Poppy.
Poppy should have the birthday she wanted, but she could hardly instruct Michael to cook for her daughter.
And Poppy was right; she wasn’t very good at bouldering, and she’d be nervous watching Poppy climb without Michael’s calming presence, which would definitely spoil things.
They really would have so much more fun if Michael and Layla were there. Maybe Layla would like to come . . .
Going over what she needed to do for Poppy’s birthday, she found herself messaging Tony: Don’t forget it’s Poppy’s 7th birthday on Tuesday!
She was then furious with herself that she’d not only felt the need to remind Poppy’s father of her birthday but had also thought it sensible to add in how old she was going to be!
Then again, he’d only spoken with his daughter twice since they’d been in Cornwall, and both were when Carrie had got Poppy to call him, so she there was some reason to her actions.
They got ready and went downstairs into the shop. It was almost time for it to open for the day and Seren was already in and tidying up the counter. Carrie gave everything a quick once-over before they headed out into the garden and out of the back gate to the car.
Unfortunately when Carrie went to start the car, nothing happened. She waited a moment and turned the key again, but it still didn’t start.
“Why isn’t the car starting, Mummy?” asked Poppy.
“I don’t know, Pumpkin,” Carrie replied.
She should probably ring a garage . . . maybe they’d come out to look at it. She certainly had no idea why it wasn’t starting. Why hadn’t she taken up her mum’s suggestion of getting break-down cover?
“I’m sorry, Poppy. We’d better go back inside and I’ll try to call someone who can help us.”
They got out of the car and were removing the empty shopping bags from the boot when Michael and Monty came walking down the lane. Michael waved when he saw them and Carrie felt the colour rise in her cheeks at the memory of last night’s kiss.
“Hey there,” he said. “Where are you two off to?”
Poppy crouched straight down to make a fuss of Monty.
“We were going swimming with inflatables, but the car is broken and now we’re going to miss it,” said Poppy.
“Oh no, what’s wrong with it?” asked Michael.
“I have no idea,” Carrie said, grateful that he was acting so normally around her. “It won’t start but it was fine last time I used it.”
“Borrow mine for now,” said Michael. “I won’t be using it until later. I’m just going to open the shop. Are you insured to drive any car with the owner’s permission?”
“Yeah, I am. Mainly so I can borrow my mum’s car when mine breaks down . . . but . . .”
“Seriously, it’s fine. I’ll just need it back by five. I’m dropping Layla at her mum’s for a couple of days after she finishes work and I close up. Is that OK?”
“Yes, of course. We’ll be home long before then.”
“Great, I’ll go and get the keys.”
Michael was back a moment later. “The booster seat’s still in there for Poppy. If you leave your car keys with me, I’ll take a look at it if I have a chance.”
Carrie opened her mouth to protest and received a shake of the head. “Don’t be daft. I’ll see you later,” he said firmly.
She ended up saying “thank you” instead.
“Michael, will you make me pizza on my birthday, please?” Poppy said suddenly.
“Poppy!” exclaimed Carrie. “I’m sorry, Michael.”
“Of course, I will,” he said. “As long as you help.”
“I will!” declared Poppy.
“You really don’t have to . . .” She couldn’t believe what her little madam had done — how embarrassing!
“Carrie, it would be my absolute pleasure. Layla and I love spending time with you both and we were hoping we’d be invited to join in with Poppy’s birthday celebrations. In fact, Layla was wondering if she could make Poppy a birthday cake.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s so sweet of her,” said Carrie. “That would be wonderful.”
“Can it be a chocolate cake?” asked Poppy.
“She can manage that as long as you like it super chocolatey,” Michael said.
“I do,” confirmed Poppy.
“That’s all sorted then,” said Michael.
“Hooray!” said Poppy. “Mummy said you were too busy working to come bouldering on my birthday but at least we can have pizza and cake.”
Carrie wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
“I can close the shop on Tuesday if you’d like to go bouldering,” said Michael.
“Michael . . .” began Carrie.
“If you have something planned just the two of you it’s fine, but Layla and I would be thrilled to go to the bouldering centre with you.”
Poppy looked absolutely ecstatic.
“Poppy, hop in the car, would you? We need to get going or we’ll be late for the swimming session,” said Carrie.
Poppy got in and closed the car door.
“Michael,” Carrie said quietly. “You don’t have to close your business for the day to come out with my daughter for her birthday.”
“I’m not meaning to intrude . . .” he said.
“No, no, it’s not that.”
“Carrie, you and Poppy mean a lot to Layla and me. One of the reasons I work as I do is so that I can not work if there’s something that’s more important for me to do. Poppy’s birthday definitely counts as this.”
“OK,” said Carrie, with a nod.
“But honestly, if you have other plans, I completely understand.”
“No . . .”
“Hey,” Michael said gently. “We’ll chat about it later. I’m not wanting to butt in or take over. Layla and I would just really like to spend Poppy’s birthday with her. And Layla would love to have you both at her birthday party on Friday.”
“Thank you,” said Carrie. For some reason she felt a little teary.
She got in the car and watched as Michael went into his garden. He was so perfect — he didn’t even hang around to watch while she was reversing.
* * *
Carrie and Poppy had a great time at the swimming pool and then grabbed lunch from Gregg’s which they ate in the park near the leisure centre before heading to the supermarket.
They stopped off at Aunt Mary’s cottage on their way back and used the key she’d left Carrie to go in and put the food they’d picked up for her in the kitchen. Carrie figured it was the absolute least they could do after all she’d done to make the flat so welcoming for them.
Carrie had visited the cottage a few times before Poppy was born.
It was adorable, painted white with an actual thatched roof and a garden that wrapped all the way around it, full of flower-beds which were a riot of colour.
Aunt Mary had a gardener who came twice a week; he was the only person she trusted to touch her roses, and she lived in perpetual fear that he would retire. The garden certainly looked beautiful.
Inside was cosy and, of course, full of books.
The main bedroom with an en suite was downstairs, which was what had made it so perfect for Carrie’s uncle when he began to struggle with the bookshop’s flat.
Then there was a sitting room, leading through to a conservatory and a large kitchen.
Upstairs were two more bedrooms and a bathroom.
Poppy investigated the garden while Carrie aired the house a little and put the food away.
It began to rain and Poppy came running back in.