Page 49 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

THIRTY-ONE

THURSDAY

It had been a crazy busy day, starting off with a one-bedroom flat that needed a deep clean after a particularly scruffy tenant had vacated.

Thankfully, the landlord had forewarned Alice at Spick ‘n’ Sparkle and she’d sent Nuala, another one of her cleaners, along with Jasmine.

The two women had been appalled by what had greeted them.

‘How can anyone live like this?’ Jasmine had said when they’d peered into the bathroom.

Three hours later, the flat was gleaming, and Jasmine and Nuala were glowing with the satisfaction of a job well done, as well as feeling utterly shattered.

Jasmine barely had time to go home and get changed before it was time to head to the viewing at Ox Row.

After her conversation with Florrie about putting some of Enid’s bequest towards the rent of a better home, Jasmine had considered cancelling today’s viewing, but she’d thought better of it, just in case, since she still hadn’t made up her mind about accepting the money.

Her heart sank as soon as she turned into the street. It had been a while since she’d ventured into this part of town and from what she could see it had gone downhill if the graffiti and houses with boarded-up windows were anything to go by.

The interior of the tiny house was worse than she’d expected.

The whole place reeked of stale cigarette smoke, and the décor was basic at best. The hot tap at the kitchen sink dripped and there were holes in the lino on the floor.

And if she wasn’t mistaken, Jasmine was sure there were mouse droppings on the worktops.

She wondered what Lady Caro would think of having her wedding cakes baked in such a grimy place.

She turned to the landlord. ‘Actually, I think I’ve seen enough.’ She didn’t need to view upstairs to know that she couldn’t bring Zak and Chloe to live here.

She’d need to get something sorted sooner rather than later, especially since the niggle about Max being her landlord had mushroomed.

She only hoped she didn’t bump into him since she didn’t want to say something she’d regret.

It would be best for all concerned if she found somewhere new to live.

That way, if Max was only buying the property to help her, rather than it being a house he’d like to have in his property portfolio, then he still had time to withdraw his offer.

Jasmine was glad when her shift at the bakery came to an end.

Usually, she enjoyed her job there, and the banter between the rest of the staff, but the deep clean at the flat that morning had left her feeling more worn out than usual.

Of course, the lack of sleep didn’t help, and it seemed that each day brought something new to occupy her mind and fret over.

‘S’just me,’ Jasmine called as she opened the door of her parents’ home.

She followed the sound of voices to the kitchen, stopping in her tracks when she saw Max sitting at the kitchen table, cradling a mug of tea in his hands.

She felt a pulse of attraction, that quickly gave way to irritation.

She could’ve kicked herself for not spotting his car outside, alerting her to his presence and allowing her to prepare herself.

It wasn’t lost on her how twenty-five years ago, she wouldn’t have batted an eyelid to see him looking so comfortable in her home.

‘Hello there, lovey, how’s your day been?’ Judging by the cheerful note in her mum’s voice, she was inordinately happy to have Max there.

‘Hiya, Jingilby.’ Max’s smile reached up and made his eyes shine.

‘Hi.’ Jasmine did her best to muster up a smile, cursing her knees that had decided to go wobbly at his smile.

‘Your dad’s just getting changed out of his work stuff. He should be down in a minute,’ her mum said, oblivious to her daughter’s mood.

‘How are the kids? No problems with school?’ she asked, peering out of the window. Her heart filled with happiness as she watched Zak and Chloe tearing about the garden with Connor and Ernest. It was difficult to say who was having the most fun.

‘They’re all fine, having a whale of a time out there by all accounts.’

‘That’s good to hear.’ Aware that she was avoiding meeting Max’s eye, she headed over to the door and popped her head out, the scent of freshly cut grass floating under her nose. ‘Hiya, kiddiewinkles, having fun?’

A chorus of ‘Hi, Mum,’ mixed with, ‘Hi, Jasmine,’ rang out. Chloe ran over to her, her pigtails flying out behind her, Ernest not far behind. She flung her arms around her mum’s middle while Ernest nudged at her legs, his tail wagging happily as he looked up at her.

‘You okay, little love?’ Jasmine smoothed a hand over her daughter’s hair, following up with a kiss.

‘Yep.’ Chloe nodded, gazing up at her. ‘We’ve been having an awesome time with Ernest. He’s brilliant at dribbling the football. Zak says he should go to footie school with him and Connor in the summer.’ She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled at that.

‘I reckon the daft hound would be in his element there, wouldn’t you, buddy?’ Max said, as Ernest trotted over to him for an ear ruffle.

‘Now then, flower, had a good day?’ Jasmine turned to see her dad making his way across the kitchen.

‘Hi, Dad, it’s been busy. How about you?’

‘Can’t grumble.’ He flashed her a smile, his teeth looking extra white against his sun-kissed skin. ‘Are you stopping for your tea?’

‘Um—’ Her mind went to the christening cake she’d yet to cover in marzipan.

Before she could reply, her mum jumped in. ‘Max and Connor are staying, you might as well, too. I’ve made a massive quiche and some potato and chive salad so there’s plenty to go round.’

‘ Please , can we stay, Mum? We’re having the best time. Please .’ Chloe’s pleading look was all it took.

‘Okay then, thanks, Mum, that’d be really nice.’ Jasmine was known for not being able to hide her feelings, but for the sake of the kids and her parents she was going to have to keep a lid on her annoyance with Max. It wasn’t going to be easy.

Happy with her mum’s answer, Chloe skipped off into the garden. Ernest scrambled to his feet, his claws clicking over the floor as he followed her.

‘Looks like you could do with this, lovey.’ Heather pushed a mug of tea into Jasmine’s hands. ‘Go and sit yourself down, you look worn out.’

‘Thanks, Mum, I’m shattered.’

‘You okay, Jingilby?’ Max asked, his eyes roving her face. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. This cuppa should put me right.’ His comment made her bristle and she didn’t like herself for it. She knew he was trying to be kind. She just wished he’d stop or transfer his help elsewhere.

Max nodded, though he didn’t look totally convinced. It crossed Jasmine’s mind she probably looked as drained as she felt.

‘Actually, now you’re here, Uncle Steve, I’ve got something for you and Auntie Heather.’ Max reached down to a backpack by his seat.

‘Oh?’ Heather closed the fridge door, chives in hand.

‘Why have you got something for us, lad?’ Steve asked.

‘Jingilby mentioned you’re celebrating a special wedding anniversary this year, and are planning a trip away.’ Max glanced between them.

‘Aye, that’s right,’ said Steve. ‘Mind, we won’t be going away till next year on account of us having a few unexpected expenses recently.’

‘It’ll give us longer to look forward to it,’ Heather said with a chuckle.

Jasmine fixed her gaze on Max, wondering where he was going with this.

‘Well, you might be able to go away a little earlier than you thought. This is for both of you.’ He got to his feet and handed a large white envelope to Heather.

‘Whatever’s this?’ she asked, her face pink from the warmth of the potatoes boiling on the hob nearby. Steve moved beside her.

‘Open it and see.’ Max gave a mysterious smile.

Jasmine watched as her mum opened the envelope and pulled out a ruby wedding anniversary card.

‘Are you sure we should’ve opened it now? It isn’t our anniversary for a good while yet,’ Heather said, puzzled.

‘Yes, you definitely should open it now,’ said Max.

As Heather opened the card, a smaller envelope fell out onto the floor. ‘Oops.’

‘Ey up, what’s this, then?’ Steve bent to pick it up, handing it back to his wife.

Heather reached into the envelope and pulled out what appeared to be a voucher. ‘What’s… I don’t understand.’ Her face was wreathed in confusion. She glanced up at Max who was smiling down at her.

‘It’s an airline voucher for you to use to book return flights for you and Uncle Steve.

I have a little villa in Sorrento which you’re very welcome to use – I don’t want anything for it.

It’s tucked away from the busy part of town, but it’s within easy access of some great restaurants.

’ He was watching them closely, his expression uncertain.

‘Of course, you don’t have to go there, it’s entirely up to you?—’

‘Oh, Max, lovey, I don’t know what to say.’ Heather’s eyes brimmed with tears. ‘This is way too generous, isn’t it, Steve?’

Jasmine’s gaze flicked to her dad, observing his reaction. Her parents were proud people – a trait she was regularly told she’d inherited – and she wasn’t so sure Max’s gift would be well received by her father. She felt her annoyance stir.

‘I’m gobsmacked, lad. I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve such a gift.’

Jasmine was shocked to see her dad as choked up as her mum. It set a little niggle working away at her.

‘It’s just to say thank you for looking out for me when I was younger,’ Max said. ‘You’ve no idea what your care and kindness meant to me. It’s something I understand more now I’m older.’

‘Ah, it was the least we could do, sweetheart, and there’s no need for thanks.’ Heather smiled through her tears. ‘You always were a kind-hearted little boy, but this is too much.’

‘It isn’t at all. Please accept the tickets,’ Max said firmly.

Jasmine leapt to her feet, anger propelling her.

She’d heard enough. She opened her mouth before putting her brain in gear.

‘Don’t you think it’s enough that you’ve made yourself my landlord without coming here, lording it over my parents like some sort of flash git?

You haven’t even been back five minutes and you’re buying up the town or acting like some sort of benefactor to people.

You’re no better than Dodgy Dick!’ Her eyes glittered angrily.

‘Jasmine! That’s a horrible thing to say!’ Despite the rage pumping through her, Jasmine could see her mum was mortified.

‘That’s enough, Jasmine,’ her dad said, sternly. He looked equally stunned by her outburst. ‘Don’t be so unkind.’

‘Well, you two might be happy to bow and scrape and be beholden to him, but there’s no way I am.

’ She grabbed her bag, pushed through them and made for the door.

Spinning on her heel, she glared at Max.

‘And for your information, I’ll have left the house on Rosemary Terrace before you’ve completed on it, so don’t feel obliged to buy it on my account. ’

Max said nothing, but seeing the hurt in his eyes, it was as if someone had reached in and ripped Jasmine’s heart out before throwing it to the ground and stamping on it.

‘I’ll come back later for the kids, I’ve got a cake to get ready for the weekend.’ With that, she bolted for the door, slamming it shut.

Tears blurred her vision as she drove away and by the time she’d reached Rosemary Terrace her anger had subsided and she felt utterly ashamed of herself. Once inside, she threw herself onto the sofa and put her head in her hands. ‘What have I done?’

As she busied herself, smoothing marzipan over the fruit cake, all Jasmine could see was Max’s face, his wounded expression. She’d seen it before, many years ago, when they were children and he was being picked on. And she hated herself for making him feel that way.

She hardly dared show her face at her parents when she went to collect Zak and Chloe later. They looked at her in disbelief, their expressions betraying their disappointment in her.

‘I’m really sorry.’ She hovered in the doorway of the kitchen, uncertain if she was welcome to join them. She could hear Zak and Chloe who were still playing in the garden, but Max, Connor and Ernest had gone, much to her relief.

‘It’s not us you should be apologising to, it’s Max. He tried to hide it, but it was very obvious he was upset,’ said her mum. ‘It actually reminded me of how he was as a little lad, pretending everything was okay when it very clearly wasn’t. I’m ashamed of you, Jasmine.’

‘I’m ashamed of myself. I’m really sorry, Mum.’ Jasmine’s heart clenched. She didn’t want to be someone who made him feel like that.

‘It was totally uncalled for and unkind. I expected better of you, Jasmine. You had no right to speak to Max like that in our house.’ She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her dad look so cross.

‘I don’t know what came over me, all I can say in my defence is that I’ve been having a stressful time and I think it must’ve caught up with me.’ Even to her ears, her explanation sounded woefully inadequate.

‘It’s still no excuse to take it out on Max, you should’ve kept that temper of yours under control.

You need to apologise to him first thing in the morning when the kids have gone to school; I don’t want them getting wind of what you said.

’ Heather started gathering bits together on the worktop, as she seethed quietly, annoyance radiating from her.

‘I saved some quiche and salad for you. You can have it at home. Steve, can you give the kids a shout, tell them their mum’s here? ’

It bothered Jasmine that she was being dismissed by her mum, but all the same, she knew she deserved it.

She was going to have to work out what to say to Max in the morning, and only hope he’d find it in him to forgive her. She fought against calling at his house for fear Connor overheard and got upset. She’d just have to wait.