Chapter 37
37
The kitchen at Boathouse Cottage, St Aidan
Classic fml
Saturday
‘S carlett!’
‘Betsy, how’s it going?’
As Miles kills his music and my voice echoes around Tate and Scarlett’s kitchen my loyalties feel strangely compromised. If Tate hasn’t told Scarlett about Fudge being here, I don’t want to be the one who dobs them in. And if she doesn’t know about Fudge, telling her about my ruined shoes is off the table.
Then I see Miles giving me a thumbs up as he takes the baking trays out of the proving drawer, and I leap into action. ‘Miles and I are having an evening at the cottage working on his pastry development.’
Her voice goes high. ‘You’re spending Saturday night hanging out with the enemy?’
I’m trying to speak in code. ‘There’s more than one way to crack an egg, Scarlett.’
There’s a moment’s silence, then she gets it. ‘While simultaneously gaining an insight into the other side and their tactics!’ She sounds falsely bright. ‘I’ve said this before, I hope Miles isn’t taking advantage.’
It’s my turn to shriek. ‘I have absolutely nothing he could want or make use of.’
She sniffs. ‘Seriously, you wouldn’t be there if you hadn’t.’ She has every reason to be bitter, but it’s a shock to hear her this cynical. ‘I rang to tell you I’ve pulled in my Ground Force team to overhaul the exterior spaces at the cottage.’
I’m shocked at that too. ‘I thought the garden was maintenance free?’
‘With what’s coming next, I need to ensure every asset is at its best. The team is flat out, but they’ve agreed to fit me in some time this coming week as a special favour.’
‘Fine. I’ll look out for them.’ I expect her to ring off immediately, but when she doesn’t, I tiptoe in with a question. ‘How are things with you?’
‘I couldn’t be better. The singles scene here is buzzing, and I’ve got dates queuing up around the block.’
‘Well, good for you.’ Of everything I wanted to hear, it wasn’t that. ‘You don’t think it might be better to wait?’
‘I haven’t had loads of wild and wonderful sex like you have, Betsy. I’ve been with the same person since the second week at uni.’
I’m trying to put it gently. ‘People say when you come out of a long relationship, it’s best not to jump into another.’
She lets out a cry. ‘But I can’t be on my own! I haven’t been single for more than four days since I was eleven!’
I wouldn’t be borrowing from Miles, but I’m desperate. ‘If you’re seriously looking for a long-term partner, sleeping your way around New York might not be the best idea. You need to be more… strategic.’ I’m thinking back to what I was told. ‘If you rely on chance encounters, you’ll waste time. It pays to do your research and plan your selections carefully.’
I can hear her interest sharpen. ‘You might be on to something there, Betsy.’
I feel guilty for taking any credit when they’re not my ideas. ‘It’s also a great time to focus on the advantages of not being part of a couple.’
She groans. ‘I can’t think past how tiny the mortgage would be if I applied as a single person.’
At times she makes me want to give up. ‘But think of the upsides! When you’re on your own there are no arguments and no fitting in with someone else. You simply decide what’s going to make you happy… and do it.’
There’s silence, and then a murmur. ‘You’ve really thought about this.’
I’ll go a bit further. ‘A lot of people find pleasing themselves is a revelation. Once they get a taste for it, they don’t want to give it up.’
‘If it truly is that great, what’s the catch?’
I pull a face. ‘You’ll miss the support of a partner at first, but in time you’ll get to know which of your friends you can lean on. When you learn to rely on yourself that makes you a stronger person.’ I pause to think. ‘That’s why you shouldn’t rush into a new relationship. The recovery will change you, your priorities will be different.’
She sighs. ‘I’m certainly wanting different things in a partner than I did when I was eighteen.’
I have to ask. ‘What did you look for back then?’
There’s no hesitation. ‘Good jeans, wheels, a term-time job with some kind of perks, a course with a decent career at the end, and a shared love for Snow Patrol and the Kaiser Chiefs. Tate was way ahead of the field– he did shifts at the Union bar and he had use of his granny’s Lupo.’ She stops. ‘And I reminded him of Florence and the Machine. That was it.’
‘You’re nothing like Florence.’
Scarlett’s laugh is more sour than sweet. ‘Fourteen years on it hits Tate I wasn’t what he’d ordered, and here we are.’ She blows into the phone. ‘When did you get so wise?’
I can’t help laughing. ‘My hundred and nineteen relationship disasters haven’t all been a waste of time.’
She almost laughs too. ‘I’ll let you know how my dates go. I’m seeing an art director, an orthoptist, and a company president next week.’ There’s a pause for breath. ‘All friends of friends, all pre-approved, all scorching, straight, available and loaded.’
‘Let’s hope they like Snow Patrol.’ It’s as if the last five minutes never happened.
‘I’ll settle for them sitting through Puccini’s La Bohème.’
This is the point when I give up all hope. ‘I’ll report back when the garden guys come. Good luck with your week.’
‘Back at ya, as they say here.’ Her smile passes straight into her voice. There’s a moment when I think she’s ended the call, then she starts again. ‘Thank you, Betsy.’
This time she does go, and I wipe my forehead with my apron and turn to Miles. ‘That was Scarlett, calling about gardeners.’
Miles pulls down the corners of his mouth. ‘And sleeping her way around New York?’ He gives a shrug. ‘I’m sorry. I couldn’t help overhearing. I wanted to tell you I had.’
I hold out my hands. ‘She’s a free agent. All we can do is hope she finds her happy place before she self-destructs.’
He frowns. ‘Does Scarlett know about the shop?’
‘Not yet.’ I haven’t found the courage to tell her. ‘With everything going on over there, it hasn’t come up.’ I may as well go for it. ‘She doesn’t know about Fudge yet either.’
‘I’ll talk to Tate.’ He raises one eyebrow. ‘Back to the loud music?’
I nod. ‘Knock me out, Miles.’