Page 61 of Choosing Hope

She peers up at me, the excitement popping in her eyes. I nod down at her plate, and she instantly scoops the food off her plate, pushing them both in her mouth together.

I frown; she knows better than to stuff too much into her mouth at once.

The moment she’s finished chewing, she swallows and says, “Thank you for lunch, Mummy; it was very nice. Please may I get down now?”

I smile. She’s so cute when she wants to be.

“Yes, baby.” I lean over and pick up her plate. “Can you go wash your face and hands? I’ll come up and help you with your dress in five minutes.”

She pushes her chair back, running toward the stairs.

“No running in the house,” I call after her.

As soon as she’s out of sight, I turn to Carlo.

“We have a problem,” I announce.

“Tell me.”

“Her cake was supposed to be delivered at 12. It’s an hour late.” I pull my phone from my pocket and call the bakery.

Carlo clears the table while I chat to them. They explain that their delivery driver has called in sick and left them in the lurch. They are trying to catch up with the orders but are running late.

The woman I spoke to was very apologetic and sounded harassed.

“If I send someone over to collect it, will that be okay?”

“Let me just make sure your order is still here,” she says.

I glance up at Carlo; he must see my stress.

“Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out,” he murmurs.

“Hello, Mrs. Barton-Jones?”

“Yes,” I reply hopefully.

“It’s right here.”

“Oh, thank goodness. My friend, Carlo Moretti, is going to collect it,” I say, looking up at him with a question on my face.

He nods.

“No problem. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll throw in some cupcakes as a gesture of goodwill.”

I end the call and turn to my friend.

“You don’t mind, do you?”

He moves toward me, grabbing my jaw gently as he raises my face to his, before dropping a kiss on my lips.

“You know I’ll always do anything for you; you don’t even have to ask.”

He strides to the door, grabbing my car keys enroute.

“Text me the address; I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Chapter Fourteen