Page 31 of The Second Chance Supper Club

The end of the evening came around all too soon.

It was great that Dan and Andreas had made it for the supper, despite the difficult time they were having personally.

Cath had asked about Maria earlier, learning that she had settled back into the care home, but was still quite frail.

They had all made the most of this fun and relaxed evening.

Nikki admitting that her cooking still needed a little help from her friends, but the Seventies idea had been a huge hit.

As Dan and Andreas were about to leave, Andreas swept Nikki up in a warm embrace.

‘What a wonderful night. And thanks so much for putting a smile back on our faces. You’ve done fabulously with the Seventies theme.

’ The lads turned to the gathering in the hallway then.

‘Thank you, everyone, thank you so much. It’s been a really tough couple of weeks for us.

’ Dan was nodding with an emotional tear glistening in his eye at this point.

‘And, this group, this gorgeous supper club … well, it’s been like a great big hug, getting together again with you lot. ’

‘Ah, you’re very welcome, lads. And it’s all thanks to you two and Cath. It’s you who brought us all together, after all.’

‘Aw.’ Cath felt a lump in her throat.

The two lads then set off down the street, Tom Selleck with his flared-corduroy-hero partner, arm in arm and slightly wobbly on their feet, after the Blue Lagoons, Babycham and several top-ups of Merlot.

‘Oh, it’s been nice to see them enjoy themselves.’ Nikki closed the door after them.

‘Yeah, bless them. They’ve had such a rotten time lately,’ agreed Cath.

‘Now, then, can I walk you two ladies home?’ offered Will, addressing Lily and Cath.

‘Oh, thank you.’ Lily smiled.

‘Ah … yes, that’d be good, thanks.’ Cath sounded slightly hesitant.

It wasn’t far, and it was nice that Will was looking out for them both. But as Cath lived at the far end of the village, it was likely, she realised, that she and Will would be alone for some of the walk. The pit in Cath’s stomach did a little stupid flip. Get a grip , she told herself.

She spotted Nikki giving her an eyebrow raise at that point, with what looked to be a smug smile.

Why had she ever confessed on their hike that she agreed he was good-looking?

And surely, Nikki hadn’t got wind of Cath’s teenage-style dizzy emotions that were going on this evening.

Bloody hell, she’d never hear the last of it.

The lid needed to be kept on this crazy little crush, and firmly closed.

She silently vowed not to say anything else at all about Will to Niks, however many Proseccos down they might be.

The air was cool and calm as the trio strolled down the village street in the velvet-dark of a midnight summer sky.

Will was in the middle of them, with a gentle arm supporting the ladies each side .

Cath’s high leather boots gave an echoey clonk at each step.

A smattering of stars twinkled above them, the occasional street lamp lighting their way, as they chatted about what a fun evening it had been.

It had been a late night and a great night. The supper club group gelling even more, with the delightful Lily fitting in like a breath of youthful fresh air.

First drop-off – as anticipated – was Lily, at a converted barn, which was set back slightly from the main street. She found her key, thanking the pair of them for seeing her home. The young girl gave Cath a warm hug, saying she was grateful for her advice earlier that evening.

‘Any time,’ Cath replied. She’d enjoyed being able to chat things through with Lily.

The cloak of teacher and at times ‘life coach’ to her students had slipped back on easily, and it felt good.

Even with the unavoidable stresses in her last years of teaching, with the role constantly changing, the core of it had always been to try and help, to open minds and inspire.

Learning wasn’t just facts and figures, and maths wasn’t just equations, life skills were part and parcel of that, too.

It felt good to be able to help someone again.

‘Night, Lily, and no need to rush those big decisions,’ added Will sagely. He had two grown-up daughters too, of course. ‘And hey, remember that sometimes there’s no real right or wrong way. It’s just about finding the best fit for your life, and giving it your best shot.’

Cath gave him a heartfelt look. His words were so right.

‘Thanks, Will.’ Lily paused, adding, ‘You know, I thought it might be a bit boring tonight, what with you lot all being, like, my parents’ ages.’ She gave a cheeky smile. ‘But it’s actually been pretty cool.’

‘Hah, I think we’ll take that as a compliment.’ Will grinned, as Cath shook her head whilst laughing.

‘Good night, Lily.’

‘Night, you two.’

They watched her safely in, waiting to hear the lock click securely on the door behind her. Then they set off once more, Will’s hand gently resting in the small of Cath’s back, two pairs of feet walking in time to a rhythm that echoed down the little main street of the village.

‘She’s a great girl, isn’t she,’ said Will.

‘Yeah, so vibrant and enthusiastic. And I do think she has every chance of succeeding in a catering career. Her baking was wonderful. And with an attitude like hers, she’ll go a long way.

’ ‘Yep, and I can understand her parents’ concerns, too.

We were all sent the sensible route, back in the day.

Well, I certainly was … I wasn’t really that academic.

So, the fire brigade it was for me. A good steady job. ’

‘And I did the uni thing. Got a good degree, and then became a teacher.’ Cath half-sighed, thinking … And got married, had a son, brought him up. And then, it all went horribly wrong.

‘Too sensible?’ Will questioned.

‘Umm, I don’t think so. Well, not career-wise anyhow. I always loved teaching, still do. Keeping my hand in with the online tutoring just now,’ she explained. ‘I always felt I made a difference, well most of the time. And yeah, it was great chatting with Lily tonight.’

‘Yeah. You two seemed to get on well.’

‘Oh, what it is to be young. You have the whole world ahead of you, and yet it feels so very confusing too.’

‘Not much different now, really,’ mused Will wryly. ‘Just as confusing … with a bit less time.’

‘Hah, you’re so right. Didn’t we learn anything?’

She was exquisitely aware of his arm held gently against her back.

Cath glanced across at him in the half-light.

He must have gone through so much, having to cope with losing his wife.

And for her, there was her mess of a marriage.

Did it ever get any easier? Did you ever know what life was about? Or which way you were meant to go?

He caught her gaze, slowing his steps, then suddenly switching tack. ‘Hey, you know you said you used to come up this way on holiday, back in the day … ?’

‘Yeah, yeah. We used to hire a caravan over at the site at Belford. Of course, you must have known that place, if you lived there.’

‘Ca-th.’ Will’s voice softened, sounding serious.

He stopped walking, and looked right at her in the silver shadows of the street light.

‘Back then …’ There was a second’s silence, and a flash of angst crossed his face.

But when he spoke again, all he said was ‘Hah, all that stuff from the Seventies tonight … I’ve just remembered, didn’t Twix bars used to be called Raiders?

’ ‘Oh … yeah.’ Cath felt like that was a bluff, that it wasn’t what he had been about to say at all.

‘Yeah, I think they were.’ She wanted to ask if he was all right?

What was he remembering? Something to do with his wife?

His childhood? But she didn’t really know him that well, and she didn’t want to spoil what had been a lovely night so far, by prying too much.

‘Yep, it was a fun night, wasn’t it? Despite her fears, Nikki did us all proud.’ Will slipped the conversation back to safer ground.

Now they were back at Cath’s cottage. Stood on the doorstep, just a foot or so apart, Cath once again felt unable to stop that teenage-style rush of emotions. What was wrong with her tonight? Her defences felt dashed.

Will gave a careful smile, which she returned. The night air between them feeling strangely charged.

‘Ah, well … thanks for walking me home, Will.’

DO NOT ASK HIM IN FOR COFFEE. GO INSIDE, RIGHT NOW, CATH TAYLOR , rang in her head like an alarm bell.

The gap between them closed as Will took a slow step forward. OH SHIT … might he be about to … did she want that? What would his lips taste like, feel like, against hers? She hadn’t kissed anyone in an age, not even her husband in those past couple of years.

Panicking a little at the prospect, her fingertips fumbled for her house keys.

They dropped to the ground with a metallic clang.

Flustered, she crouched down, rummaging about on the dimly lit front step.

The moment broken, no chance to find out now.

He’d taken a step back. Oh well, it was all for the best. She said a polite goodnight and went in through the door.

But inside, stood with her back against the wall of the hallway, catching her breath, she wondered if in fact that was what she really did feel? That it was for the best. Or had a special moment just slipped through her fingers?

Upstairs in her bed, tucked under the white cotton covers, the realisation hit her. Dammit, she did want to find out what his kiss felt like. Ah, dear God, I like him, I really like him.

Well, that was no good, that was no good at all. And some things were indeed best kept under wraps. After the stress and hurt of the past few years, the last thing she needed was to dabble in a new relationship.

Friends, that was the best way to stay. No need to change things, to find out how it might go horribly wrong, risking messing up the supper group in the process.

And hey, she reminded herself, after recently seeing her middle-aged body in the cold light of a changing room mirror, the fear of revealing any of it was enough to stall any lustful inclinations she might have and stop them dead in their tracks.

It was time to sleep, to stop this silliness.

Yet, she was still mulling it over in the morning, with the aid of a strong cup of coffee. Will – to be or not to be?

Nope, I’m NOT going there. It’s NOT going to happen .

It’s just a stupid crush.

Who knew you could still feel like this in your fifties? But the crux of it all, was that there was absolutely no point jumping from the frying pan into the bloody fire.

She absolutely did not want to risk the wonderful ambience of the supper group by messing things up with some romantic notion that might all too soon go horribly wrong.

They just had to stay friends, and that was that.