Epilogue
S unlight filled the living room as Clem led Lucas inside the cottage she was renting.
Reina was dancing along at his heels, her thick golden tail wagging.
She’d been so lucky to find this place, and had enough of a deposit and some savings left over to be certain she could cover the rent, even if there was an emergency.
They’d also signed the deal for the baking book, so they’d received their advances, and her mind was at ease when it came to affording this place.
The walls were cream and white, the main window tall, and she’d hung a set of silky pale gold curtains that shimmered slightly in the light.
With some of her prize money from Whisked Away , she’d splurged on a lovely plush sofa, scattered with decorative cushions, one of them fox-shaped.
She’d also managed to buy a beautiful oak bookshelf from someone online, now filled with some of her favourites – and her baking inspiration scrapbook.
‘It’s come along in here,’ said Lucas, as he took a seat on the sofa and attempted to coax Reina into a state of calm. ‘ Sit , girl.’ Reina obeyed, plonking herself down beside his legs, tail still swinging from side to side on the wooden flooring.
‘Thanks,’ said Clem, sitting next to him and snuggling into his side – one of her favourite activities.
‘Sorry for the mess,’ she added. ‘Planning chaos.’ Her laptop was wedged on the coffee table and a collection of papers were strewn on the floor and on one arm of the sofa. ‘It’s a little overwhelming.’
On top of their baking book, there was demand for her baking, too, people reaching out to ask if she could make cakes for weddings and birthdays, or for school events.
She’d agreed with Sylvie that she’d reduce her hours, so she could focus on her side projects and building up her own business, although this did mean she’d no longer be alone in the kitchen at the cat café.
Sylvie would be bringing on a second person to make up for her reduced hours and Clem needed to teach them some of her recipes.
Lucas squeezed Clem to his side, brushing aside her hair so he could kiss her forehead. Reina nosed his hand, eager to be in on the affection, and he patted her head.
‘Remember what an amazing, talented person you are, and that you deserve this,’ said Lucas. ‘And you’ll be alright. I’ll be with you the whole way.’
‘Aww. Thanks.’
‘And if you’re ever not alright, I’ve got you.’
‘Good,’ she said. Clem sighed happily, and Misha strolled into the room to see who the visitor was, her stripy tail high in the air.
When she spotted Reina, she sidled across to the dog, sniffing around her paws.
Reina kept still – respectfully still, as Lucas had taught her – until Misha sat down.
Reina sniffed the top of her head, and Misha nuzzled into it like she would if Clem had scratched her behind the ears.
‘I’m so glad they get along. Good girl,’ Lucas said, stroking Reina vigorously between her floppy ears. She lifted her head, enjoying the attention.
‘You’ve got her well trained. What did you want to tell me?’ Clem asked. He’d messaged her to ask to see her, though they hadn’t had plans to meet today – although he’d reassured her it was nothing bad. He apparently had good news to share and she suspected she knew what that might be.
He glanced at Clem and smiled. ‘My dad has a diagnosis.’
‘He does?’
‘Finally, yeah. Rheumatoid arthritis, and they think it was fairly young-onset, which is why he’s been struggling for so long.
Dad used to put it down to stress or overexertion at work.
Then they thought he had fibromyalgia and gave him painkillers.
’ He shook his head. ‘That fall, the dizziness? Down to the RA. We could have been waiting for an answer to this forever, if it weren’t for you. ’
‘I’m glad you have an answer now.’
‘He’s on new medication for the joint inflammation, different painkillers. Seeing a podiatrist for his feet.’ He smoothed Clem’s hair down, tracing the lines of her face. ‘We obviously can’t cure it, but we can manage it better now we know. He keeps calling you his guardian angel.’
She touched his arm. ‘I’m glad your family approve of me.’
‘I have something else to tell you . . .’ He hesitated. Misha leaped up onto the sofa, and he rubbed beneath her chin. Reina watched with shiny brown eyes.
‘What is it?’ Clem frowned – Lucas’s tone suggested this next part wasn’t good news.
‘You know the fire?’
‘Yes? Did they find out how it happened?’
Lucas heaved out a big sigh. ‘I didn’t want to tell you before.
I wanted her to do the right thing.’ He explained that Georgina had been smoking behind the tent, that she’d flicked the cigarette butt into the dry grass.
He’d confronted her about it because he’d seen her go behind the tent before the fire started. And he’d urged her to come clean.
By the time he was finished, Clem was scowling, a significant shadow cast over her day. ‘She did it on purpose? I can’t believe her! That’s completely—’
‘I thought so, at first,’ Lucas went on.
The words were tight, as if he regretted the accusation now.
‘Apparently, there was an oil spill in the grass behind the tent. It came from the generator. Whoever Ronan and the Whisked Away crew hired to do the electrics for the contest, they seriously messed up. He might be suing them.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘Georgina messaged me. She came forward about the cigarette because I told her she should do the right thing.’
Clem exhaled a long breath. ‘But she didn’t do it on purpose?’
He shook his head. ‘No. I feel bad, for thinking it in the first place. It was an unfortunate combination of the oil and the cigarette.’
Clem nodded. ‘I never knew she liked you, all that time, you know. She was so cagey about the guy in the bistro, the same one she’d grown up with. Didn’t give me any details. Like she wanted to keep you for herself.’
‘She did.’ He tugged Clem closer, pulling her onto his lap, and she squeaked, giggling as he held on to her waist. Reina pushed her snout towards them, but Lucas told her to lie down, and she obeyed, looking dismayed.
‘Too bad for her – someone else has me wrapped around her little finger instead. I already told her – it’s best we go our separate ways. ’
‘Are you sure you want to cut her off completely?’ Clem asked tentatively, adjusting her position in his lap, hands clasped around his neck. ‘You grew up together,’ she added. She knew it must be painful to break away from a person who had punctuated so much of your life.
‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Should have done it a long time ago. As long as we’re in each other’s lives, she’ll never move on from me – and she’ll keep trying to pull me towards her. She’s going back to London.’
In a way, Clem felt bad for her old friend.
At the same time, she thought this was for the best. Over a mere misunderstanding, Genie had caused so much hurt.
Moving on from that was the best thing for everyone.
Even if Clem wanted to, she didn’t think she could mend things with Georgina now, and it would be too awkward now she was seeing Lucas.
But perhaps she would ask Lucas for her number, to wish her luck and thank her for doing the right thing.
‘Anyway, forget that,’ said Lucas, a gruff edge to his voice. He nuzzled into Clem’s neck, kissing along the ridges of her throat until he reached her jawline, and making her shudder. ‘ You are my focus now.’
‘Good,’ she said, and allowed him to pepper kisses along her collarbone, ‘because I’m all yours.’
If this book warmed your heart, why not go back to where it all started with the first book , Snowed In at the Cat Café !