Chapter Thirty
Lara’s answer to stress was, as ever, to immerse herself in work, which wasn’t difficult now it was the week before Christmas.
There were tours and festive afternoon teas at the Castle Café until Christmas Eve, plus a host of events to finalise and organise for February half term, Easter, and then Mother’s Day.
Magazines needed features several months in advance and Lara had to help supply details to the castle’s part-time PR officer, even though blossom festivals and egg trails were the last things on her mind, what with Christmas tunes and fairy lights surrounding her.
She was meant to have a day off, but she had so much catching up to do that she spent it hidden away in her cottage where no one would disturb her.
She only emerged to meet Jazz for coffee at the Waterwheel Café. With Molly working there, it felt strange, but it was convenient for Jazz, who was on her way to see her youngest in the school nativity play.
Jazz had just got out of her car when Lara parked next to her in the Landy.
Her heart skipped a beat and sunk simultaneously when she spotted Flynn talking to Molly near the entrance.
He was holding Esme and making faces at her.
He didn’t look totally comfortable, but he was obviously making a good attempt at entertaining her.
Lara climbed out of the Landy and the expression of amazement on Jazz’s face didn’t surprise her. ‘Flynn seems to know Molly very well,’ she said to Lara from the shelter of the open car doors.
‘You have no idea …’ Lara said. She heaved a sigh. ‘I need to tell you something and I don’t want it to go any further. And I think I should tell you before we go inside the café.’
Acknowledging Flynn was unavoidable, so Lara raised her hand to him and threw a smile at Molly. At first, she thought that they would say their goodbyes and part, but her heart beat faster again as he walked over to her with Esme in his arms and Molly alongside.
‘Oh, God, they’re coming over. Jazz – help.’
‘Why help?’ Jazz asked with a puzzled frown.
‘Because … because … he’s Molly’s dad and the baby’s grandad.’
‘What the—’ Jazz cut off the expletive. ‘No. You’re joking! He can’t be. He’s too young.’
‘He isn’t and it’s true, and I only found out a couple of days ago, and it’s all been very awkward and stressful – please, just act dumb for now. I mean, just nod and smile. I’ll tell you everything after they’ve gone. Promise.’
Leaving a stunned Jazz standing next to her, Lara steeled herself and pasted on a smile. She wasn’t even sure if Molly knew that she knew about her.
‘Hello!’ Lara trilled when Flynn, Molly and Esme reached them. Her voice was far too shrill. She tried to take a breath.
Flynn gave a very awkward smile, holding Esme in his arms. The child stared at Lara most disconcertingly, as if she could see right into her mind.
‘Hello,’ Molly said, nervously Lara thought. It made Lara suspect that Flynn had told her that Lara was aware of the situation.
Flynn finally found his voice. ‘We – er – met up here for coffee.’
‘That’s nice,’ Lara said. ‘It’s a lovely café, but you know that because you work here. Obviously.’
Molly laughed nervously and Flynn just looked pained.
‘I don’t like meeting friends here normally because it’s work, but it was convenient for Flynn. He has to go back to the castle. He says you’re all very busy.’
‘It’s a busy time of year,’ Lara said. ‘Isn’t it, Jazz?’
‘Er – yes. Very.’ Lara dared not even glimpse her friend’s face. Was no one going to mention the elephant in the room?
A few wet flakes of snow had started to fall, and one landed on Lara’s nose. Esme let out a little moan.
‘It’s cold and it looks like sleet,’ Molly said. ‘I should take Esme home.’
‘Good idea,’ Flynn said. ‘I should get back to work.’
‘OK,’ Molly said, taking Esme from him. ‘Grandad’s so busy at the moment but we’ll have more time to see him after Christmas.’
Jazz had a coughing fit.
Flynn was grinning in a slightly hysterical way.
‘See you soon. Wave to Grandad,’ Molly said, but Esme buried her face in her mum’s shoulder.
‘I’ll message you,’ Molly said.
‘Great,’ said Flynn. ‘Take care on the roads.’
‘I will,’ Molly said, although she seemed amused at his concern.
She walked back to her car, but Flynn was momentarily frozen to the spot.
‘Have a nice lunch,’ he said, his eyes telegraphing agony and regret to Lara. ‘See you later, I’m sure.’
‘I’m sure.’
‘Bye Jazz,’ he said, then walked away, got on his bike, and rode off before Jazz could manage to speak.
‘Well,’ she said, with a huff of breath. ‘That wasn’t awkward at all, was it?’
Lara heaved a huge sigh. ‘It was awful! Shall we get back in the car so we can talk before we go in the café?’
Inside the vehicle, Jazz swore softly. ‘Sorry, but this is the last thing I’d ever have expected. Flynn – well, he doesn’t look like a dad. I mean, he’s such a cool guy, I can’t imagine him as a grandad.’
‘He’s thirty-nine and Molly’s only nineteen. Flynn and Imogen – Molly’s mum – had a one-night stand when Flynn was on holiday up here at his grandparents. He was only a teenager himself then.’
Jazz’s contorted expression seemed to reflect the whole tangled situation. ‘But – but is that why he came up to Ravendale? To find her?’ she asked.
‘No. He had no idea Molly existed until she confronted him at work. Apparently she’d known who he was for years but only decided to get in touch when she became a mum herself – and then she found out Flynn was coming to work here.’
Jazz exhaled sharply. ‘Wow. That’s a turn up. One hell of a shock for Flynn, and you.’
‘Yes, you could say that.’
‘How do you feel about it? Seeing a grandad?’
‘Well, I’m not seeing him at the moment. Flynn’s finding the situation all a bit overwhelming and I can’t blame him, so I decided that we should cool things for now.’ And Flynn had – reluctantly – agreed, which was what she wanted … wasn’t it?
Jazz’s eyes widened. ‘You did?’
‘I felt I had no choice. Flynn’s life has been turned upside down, and starting a new relationship is too much on top of finding out he has family he never knew about. And after Rob, I don’t want to be part of any kind of tangled relationship.’
‘I understand, but this is different. How does Flynn feel about you backing off?’
‘I—’ Lara felt a stab of regret. ‘He said he was gutted but I think he also feels torn between his new family and me. I don’t want him to feel like that and so I thought it better for both of us, all of us, to take a step back.
’ A huge step back, Lara thought. She already felt there was a gaping hole in her life.
‘I’m so sorry. Have you two talked much about it?’
‘Not that much. He’s still processing the bombshell of Molly and I suspect his way of dealing with it is to shut himself off. I think he feels it’s his problem to handle, all alone.’
Jazz snorted. ‘Typical man.’
Lara was inclined to agree but she’d also been out – briefly – with a guy who’d spent their dates unloading all his angst about his previous relationships, his job, even his problems with his unruly dog, who had ‘severe separation anxiety’.
Lara had never been able to get a word in. Flynn had taken the opposite approach.
‘I think Flynn’s also used to dealing with stuff himself. He’s been on his own, or at least without any ties, for a long time. Now, a huge load of responsibility has been dropped on him in one go.’
‘Hmm. No wonder he’s feeling like a rabbit in the headlights.’
‘Or a wounded one who’s run away to lick his wounds,’ Lara said, remembering the misery of telling him they should back away from each other. ‘Shall we go inside and have a coffee? Now you know why I didn’t want to tell you this inside the café.’
‘If I’d known, I’d have chosen somewhere else.’
Lara steeled herself. ‘Well, we’re here now, and Molly is clearly happy to share the news, so I’d better get used to the new normal.’