Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
Claudia
“I’ve connected with two of our suppliers this morning. You have a brilliant network here.” Claudia sat in a corner of the kitchen with Hattie, going through plans for the week.
“It really mattered to me that we kept things local as far as possible. And it’s a way of supporting and becoming part of the community.
We all need each other.” Hattie took a sip of her coffee.
“This cappuccino is delicious, by the way. And the chocolate Christmas tree on top is art. Did you do it?”
“I have hidden talents.” Claudia opened a file and pushed it to Hattie. “I was thinking that we should make more of what you’re already doing. Tell people about it. At the moment we tell people where their food is coming from, which is great, but we could do more.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have said we. After all, the inn belonged to Hattie, not her.
She held her breath as Hattie picked up the file and turned the pages.
“You’ve done a detailed background of each supplier. Photographs. Their story. It’s so human. Real.” She turned another page. “A map of how to reach their farm.”
“Only the ones who offer tours and sell to the public,” Claudia said quickly.
“I’m not suggesting we encourage stalkers.
And obviously, we would need to check with them first. It would be collaborative.
I thought maybe in the summer we—you,” she corrected herself, “could have evenings when you showcase the produce of a particular supplier. And maybe offer cookery classes to small select groups. Just an idea.”
“It’s a brilliant idea.” Hattie flipped the page and smiled. “You’ve included the Petersons.”
“Good photo of Noah, don’t you think?” She saw Hattie’s cheeks turn pink.
“Yes.”
Claudia didn’t probe. It really wasn’t her business and she was the last person to offer advice on relationships.
“Are we inviting suppliers to dine in the restaurant? Because we should.”
“Involve them more?” Hattie was scribbling frantically. “You’re right. This is all great, Claudia. Can I ask you another favor?”
“Of course.” Claudia finished her coffee. “Anything.”
“I’ve written a job description for the head chef job. Would you take a look?”
Claudia felt her bubble of enthusiasm deflate.
She hated the idea of someone else taking over the kitchen at the Maple Sugar Inn, which was ridiculous because she was on vacation and leaving in a few days.
“Sure. Email it to me. I also thought maybe we could—” She broke off as her phone rang.
“Sorry. I thought I’d switched it off.” She picked it up and saw “John” on the caller display.
John?
Her mouth dried and her fingers shook slightly. They hadn’t spoken since the day he’d walked out on their shared life six months earlier.
“Take it. We can finish this later.” Hattie stood up. “I’ll give you privacy.”
Claudia didn’t ask how Hattie knew that this phone call needed privacy.
She waited for Hattie to leave and then took the call.
She said nothing, because she honestly didn’t know what to say.
“Claudia? Claudy?” His use of his pet name for her made her wince. Pet names were for people who cared for each other, and he’d made it clear he didn’t care for her.
“What do you want, John?” All the misery and insecurity she’d spent six months blocking out came rushing back.
“It’s good to hear your voice.”
Her knees shook and she felt a rush of longing and immediately hated herself for it. This man had treated her with no respect. “If you’d wanted to hear my voice, you could have contacted me at any time.”
“I’m sorry. I behaved badly and I know I have a lot of work to do to persuade you to forgive me. How are you?”
How was she? She’d been doing just fine until she’d answered this call. And what did he mean, forgive him? What made him think she’d forgive him? And why did he want her to?
“What do you want, John? Why are you calling now, after six months of silence?”
“You’re angry. I can understand that. I wasn’t expecting this to be an easy call. I deserve everything you throw at me.”
If he’d been in the room there were plenty of things she might actually have thrown at him. “I’m busy. Can we make this quick?”
“Where are you? I expected you to be in the apartment when I arrived, and my key isn’t working.”
She tightened her grip on the phone. “You’re in the apartment?”
“Outside our apartment, which apparently, I can no longer access. Is there a problem with the locks?”
“I had them changed.” She sent silent thanks to Erica, who had arranged it.
“And the apartment ceased to be ours when you moved out with no warning and stopped contributing to the rent.” For the past six months it had been a roof over her head, nothing more.
“As for where I am—I’m away with Erica and Anna. Book club.”
She had no idea why she’d told him that, except perhaps to prove that she was still living her life. That his actions hadn’t broken her.
“Doesn’t that happen in the summer?”
“We couldn’t arrange it in the summer.” You left me. I was a mess. “You still haven’t told me why you’re calling.”
And suddenly she wondered. Was this about Trudy? Was he calling to say he was getting married? Her stomach lurched.
“I want you back, Claudia.”
The room spun. She must have misheard, surely? “Sorry?”
“I want us to be together. And I know this is probably a shock.”
A shock?
She wanted to say something cutting but her mind was blank.
“Claudia? I know you’re mad with me. I don’t blame you. I don’t know what happened to me, but I’m going to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you.”
The whole conversation was unbelievable.
“Where does Trudy fit into this little arrangement?”
“Trudy was a mistake. But maybe I needed to be with Trudy to realize you were the one for me.”
Was she supposed to send Trudy a thank-you note?
“Claudia? You’ve gone quiet. I’m saying that I want us to be together again. Forever.”
Forever.
She was being offered her old life back. She could move back into their apartment, get another job and settle down to California living. With John. Her John.
She stared out the window. Except he wasn’t her John, was he? The past few days with her friends had made her realize that their relationship had been far from perfect. She’d mistaken the length of a relationship with quality, but now she could see all the ways in which it had fallen short.
She thought about him slamming the front door on the day that he’d left, ignoring her entreaties that he at least talk to her. Despite their years together, he hadn’t even shown her that basic courtesy. Respect, affection, consideration—where had they been on that day?
Where were they now? Surely he didn’t really think that all he had to do was make a call and she’d come running back?
“I’m sure you’re overwhelmed,” John said. “Take a moment. I love you, Claudia. We’re good together.”
“You love me?” She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “When did you decide that?”
“I’ve always loved you.”
Anger mingled with incredulity. “You cheated on me. You betrayed everything about our relationship.” And she knew now with absolute certainty that she didn’t want him back.
She didn’t want to reconstruct her old life.
She was excited about her new life. The one she’d tentatively started living.
And John wasn’t part of that. She’d had no choice in any of the things that had happened to her this year, but now she had a choice.
She pressed her fist to her mouth, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She felt ridiculously powerful for the first time in her life.
“Claudia?”
“Ellen and Tilda in the apartment above us have a spare key. I’ll message them and tell them to give it to you. Do what you want with the apartment, John. Keep it. Don’t keep it. Whatever. I don’t care. I won’t be coming back there. I’ll send someone to pack up my things.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“I do mean that.”
He made an impatient sound. “Is this some kind of petty revenge because I did the same thing?”
“No. This will no doubt deliver a bruise to your ego but I’m not even thinking about you right now.
I’m thinking about me.” She stood up, smiling.
“I don’t want to fly all the way to California simply to leave again once I’ve packed up my things.
I can outsource that, but thank you for giving me the idea.
You taught me how to take all the emotion out of a breakup. ”
“I made a mistake, Claudia, I admit it.” He sounded desperate now. “And I wish I could explain why I did it, but—I don’t know,” he breathed. “Maybe it was hitting forty. Shook me up a little, you know?”
“Age isn’t a reason to cheat on your partner.”
“I regret that deeply. And I don’t expect you to forgive me overnight. I know I’ll have to work hard to earn back your trust.”
“Don’t bother. I really don’t care what you do or who you do it with. Sleep with who you like. We’re not together.”
“Is there someone else? Are you in love with someone?”
It was typical of John to assume that the only reason she wouldn’t want to be with him was because she’d found someone else.
“There’s no one else. I’m not in love.” Or maybe she was, in a way.
She thought about the past few days, the fun she’d had with her friends, the excitement of stepping in and working in the kitchen, the buzz she felt discussing ideas with Hattie.
The hope she’d felt when she thought about the future.
She was in love with the idea of a new life.
“But you wanted to get married—”
“I’m pleased we didn’t. You weren’t the right man for me. I should probably thank you for making me see that. Now I have to go—I have a job to do. Don’t call again.” She ended the call and blocked his number. Then she read the email she’d been waiting for and went in search of Hattie.
She was talking to Chloe, but excused herself as soon as she saw Claudia.
“Are you okay?”
“I really am.” She felt as if she’d taken a massive step forward. “I need to talk to you about that job description.”
Hattie studied her face. “You don’t think it works?”
“It works.” Claudia took a breath and channeled all her newly discovered energy and confidence. “I’d like to apply.”
Hattie stared at her. “You?”
“I realize that you’ll want to see who else is interested,” Claudia said, “go through an interview process, although I do advise that whoever you consider offering the job to, you ask them to cook something for you because the proof of the pudding really is in the eating in this case. But I’d like to be considered. ”
“Wait—” Hattie rubbed her fingers across her forehead. “Your home is California.”
“It’s not my home. I have a rented apartment, which is easily dealt with.
I’m free to go anywhere I’d like to go—” she paused “—and I’d love that to be here.
And I don’t want you to feel pressure. It’s important that this time around you hire exactly the person you think would be right for the job.
Someone who can make your vision for this place come alive. ”
“Claudia—” Hattie interrupted her. “If you’re telling me you’d like the job—that you want our arrangement to be permanent, then the answer is yes.” She gave a disbelieving laugh. “A big yes.”
“Really? You probably want to think about it.”
“I don’t need to think about it. I’d love you to join the team.
How could you doubt it? We think alike. We want the same things.
We’re both excited to try new things. I can’t wait to brainstorm more ideas with you.
” Hattie’s eyes shone. “You coming here is the best thing that has happened to me in ages.”
Claudia felt a lump form in her throat. She hadn’t been anyone’s best thing in a long time.
“You need to get out more.”
“I intend to.” Hattie gave a smile. “My big date is tomorrow.”
“Right. Hair and makeup time.” Claudia straightened her uniform. She felt energetic and ready to go, as if someone had changed her batteries. “So you’re interested in making this permanent?”
“More than interested. I’ll sort out a contract right away.
What about accommodation? After you and your friends check out, we’re fully booked but you’re welcome to stay in the Sugar Shack behind the inn.
It’s not fancy, but it’s warm and comfortable.
Brent intended to do it up and turn it into a rental to give us another strand of income, but Chef Tucker insisted that we provide him with accommodation as part of his package, so he was living there. You’re welcome to it.”
“I don’t want to deprive you of an income generator.”
“For now it’s sitting empty. I’d love you to use it. I’ll ask Chloe to make sure it is cleaned and stocked.”
“Chloe has enough to do. I’ll do it myself this week. It will be fun. Thank you.” She was already planning what she could do with it to make it feel like home.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you.” Hattie sighed. “You’ve saved me.”
Claudia thought about the kitchen, with its gleaming pans and spotless work surfaces. She thought about the first moment she’d seen the inn, cloaked in snow and dressed for the holidays.
In a way, she hadn’t been honest with John. She was in love, but not with a man. She was in love with a place, this special, wonderful place and the people who worked here. She was in love with the promise of a future, a future that excited her.
She took a breath and smiled at Hattie. “I’m completely sure that you’re the one who has saved me.”