Page 78 of Cream & Sugar

“Well then! If you’re both consenting adults and you’re being as respectful as I know you will be, you don’t have anything to worry about. Goodness knows there’s enough badness in the world. You should let love blossom wherever it can!”

My turn to roll my eyes.

“Okay,loveis a strong word. We’ve had one date.”

Mum lets out a little whoop of glee. “So youhavebeen on a date with him! Okay, you have to tell me everything! Go.”

I can’t help but grin. “It was this morning. It wasn’t supposed to be a date, mind you. It just sort of turned into one by accident.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“Mum,” I sigh. “Yes. We kissed.”

She squeals. “Aww, that’s socute! You’ll have to send me a picture of him. Is he handsome?”

“Yes. Unbelievably so.”

Mum sucks her teeth. “Well, you have that in common.”

“You’re my mum. You have to say that.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not true!”

The next few minutes whizz by as Mum asks all sorts of questions about Freddie and makes me give her a blow-by-blow account of our accidental date. The more I talk, the better I feel about it all. If Nel Harrison, whose opinion is worth her weight in coffee beans, says it’s okay, then I guess it’s okay.

By the time conversation drifts to Christmas plans and Mum and Dad’s recent trip down to London, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to do it. I’m going to ask Freddie out. Properly. If I hadn’t already been through the most humiliating break-up ever this year, I’d be worried about the worst that could happen. Instead, for the first time in ages, I’m not worried about anything. All I want is to have him in my arms again. And for the first time, I feel like I can.

Mum and I say goodbye, making loose plans for them to swing by the café in the next week or two, and I hang up the phone. Immediately, I draft a text to Freddie:

Hey Freddie, hope your shift is going well. Do you fancy dinner tonight? I can cook us something. It’d be lovely to see you again, if you’re free. Let me know. X

Hitting send, I set my phone down on the coffee table and get up to make myself a caramel latte as a reward for being a big, brave boy.

I’ve hardly gotten the milk out of the fridge when my phone buzzes. Practically throwing myself across the room, I snatch up the device to read Freddie’s reply.

Only the reply isn’t from Freddie.

It’s from Lara.

Perfect! I’ll swing by Cream & Sugar on Wednesday. See you then, Shauny. Xx

23

Freddie

Timeflieswhenyou’regiving an impromptu concert. I’ve been playing for nearly an hour. Only once I’ve exhausted my usual repertoire, and the tinny sound of Ethan’s toy keyboard starts to hurt my ears, do I wrap things up to a final smattering of applause. A few folk approach me after to laud me with praise or, in the case of the table of young women, to ask if I’m single. Flattered though I am, I joke that unfortunately my heart is promised to Henry Cavill. They look a little disappointed, though they confess they can’t fault my taste. Or my ambition.

One of them asks to take a selfie and we pose for a quick picture.

“I filmed some of it, if you want me to send you the videos?” she offers, and I give her my Instagram handle.

Gradually, the café empties until it’s just Anna, Ethan, and I left.

“That was very impressive,” says Anna as we start to clear the dirty tables.

“It was Ethan’s idea,” I explain, shooting the kid a wink.

“Nuh-uh!” he says, mischief in his eyes.