Page 75 of Black and White, Twice the Might

The lady leans over the counter, and Patty meets her halfway, sharing a quick kiss.

They pull back, and Patty laughs. “You can stop by more often. Have you met Ebby and Enoch? This is my wife, Melody. She’s Justice’s doctor partner.”

“Hello, welcome to Cadenbury,” Melody says.

“Thanks. I’m Ebby, and this is my brother Enoch.”

Melody smiles at him. “I would stay and chat, but I’ve patients to see. It was nice to meet you both. See you later, love,” she says, looking at Patty before rushing out.

I hear Patty sigh and turn to look at her. “I’m such a lucky woman,” she gives her head a shake. “Sorry, what can I get for you both?”

“Two hot roast rolls, please, with everything,” I order. “A latte and lemonade as well, thanks.”

“Are you eating in or taking away?”

“We’ll eat in the garden,” Enoch says before I can.

“Really?” I ask because it’s still cold outside.

“Yeah, we’re wearing coats and you have a hot drink, plus the roast is hot,” my brother points out.

I laugh and look at Patty. “We’re eating in the cold, cold garden.”

Patty laughs. “There are space heaters dotted around out there,” she replies, putting our stuffed-to-the-brim rolls on the tray and fixing our drinks and finally adding two large colourful cupcakes. “The cupcakes are my treat.”

“Thank you, Patty,” we both say, as I pay and pick up the tray.

“Space heaters will be your friend,” she says, laughing as we walk away.

“Thanks,” I call back.

The space heaters do help,and we eat our lunch in semi warmth and alone, as no one else is mad enough to be sat out here.

We’re finishing our lovely cupcakes when my phone pings. It’s a message from Sly saying they are back at the B&B and he misses me.

I always feel a flutter in my stomach when he says something like that, the same as when he says he loves me.

“Gah, you have that sappy Sly look on your face,” Enoch huffs out.

“Sorry, I can’t help it. You’ll be the same when you meet your special someone,” I assure him.

“Yay,” he says, totally unenthusiastically.

I laugh and message back that we’d be there soon, and I miss him just as much. Also, that we’d been invited to dinner at the manor and to carve pumpkins.

“Shall we go?” I ask, collecting our things up.

“Yeah, come on. I know if you’re away from Sly for too long, you’ll grump,” my oh so delightful little brother says, jumping up and laughing.

“I don’t grump,” I grump out, picking the tray up.

Enoch just laughs at me.

CHAPTER 27

Dinner at the manor, as always, was fun with Enoch, telling everyone about the animals he helped. They were suitably impressed, especially John and Jodie, who, along with Callum and Clarence, had joined everyone for dinner and the competition.

“And now for the main part of the evening, our family pumpkin carving competition,” Ernest says, once everyone has finished eating. “I’ve got everything ready outside. There is a strict half-hour carving rule, magic is not allowed, and if needed, there are templates to use. So, chop chop.”