Page 61 of The Second Chance Supper Club

Tonight was the night, Supper Club at Will’s, and as Cath got changed into her floaty-floral summer dress, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. If they could get through this one, take those steps to re-build their friendship, then there might be hope for the future, fingers crossed.

On the group chat, it was agreed that everyone would take something to help out, with Will making the main supper dish.

Andreas and Dan had given him a couple of cooking lessons to boost his skills and confidence, bless them.

Lily and Nikki were on puddings, and Cath said she’d do the starter – a baked goat’s cheese salad, served with homemade red-onion chutney.

The ingredients were all ready to take over in her basket.

All she had to do was give the rounds of cheese a light toast under the grill, and assemble them with some salad leaves and the relish – easy-peasy.

The cooking was the simple part, it was trying to maintain a natural approach with Will that would be tricky.

‘Hello.’ She tried to smile, but everything was feeling pretty difficult already. And, damn, why was there was no sound of chat or laughter coming through from the rest of the house? In fact, it sounded ominously quiet in there.

‘You’re the first,’ he acknowledged. ‘Oh, and Andreas and Dan have had to pull out. Something about Dan having a terrible migraine, and Andreas not wanting to leave him as Dan was feeling a bit sick with it, too.’

‘Ah no, that’s such a shame.’

‘Andreas did pop in with some homemade olive bread and a salad dish earlier though, so that was good of him.’

‘Ah, that’s nice. They are always so kind, the lads. And of course, you’ve been having some cooking lessons, too.’ Cath chivvied the conversation on, as she hovered on the step.

‘Yeah, the lads have been great. We had a bit of fun when they came and showed me how to make a couple of dishes. And hey, it actually wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared. Oh, sorry … come on in.’ It suddenly dawned on him that he was keeping her waiting.

She followed him to the kitchen which was filled with aromas of chicken … and peppers, she thought. ‘Well, something’s smelling good, anyhow.’

‘My secret supper.’ Will managed a small smile at that. ‘So, can I get you a drink? A glass of wine, or a gin and tonic?’

‘Ooh yes, I’ll have a G supper for the two of them, but hey, maybe they’d get chance to talk some more. It might even help move the friendship back on to more stable ground. One small step at a time.

‘Thank you.’

Sat in the lounge five minutes later, gin to hand, and a bowl of cheesy nibbles that she was diving into far too often – she was putting it down to nerves – they chatted about Adam being a lot better, and the latest from the bicycle shop, there being nothing of particular note, mostly services and broken chains …

and broken hearts, thought Cath. Wishing things might have turned out differently for the two of them, back then and now.

They were trying their best, but it all felt slightly laboured between them.

Was this really such a good idea, her staying?

She glanced out of the window for a few seconds, catching a glimpse of a blonde-haired lady with a pink baseball cap on, who happened to be walking by.

Suddenly the woman ducked down, tying a shoelace or something perhaps.

Oddly, she’d had the look of Nikki, just for that split second.

Must be someone who looked a bit like her – there were always people staying in the village on holiday, especially at this time of the year.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Lily called in. That helped break the tension, at least.

‘Hi, guys! I’m so sorry to have to let you down. But here it is, pudding for you.’ She passed over a delicious-looking meringue and cream dish. ‘Passionfruit pavlova.’

Was that a little smirk Cath saw drifting across Lily’s lips? ‘Oh, that looks amazing, Lily. Thank you,’ said Will. ‘Are you staying for a drink, or perhaps some food?’

Please, thought Cath. Anything to help ease the atmosphere in here.

‘Ah, sorry, guys, I’m gonna have to dash.

Mum and Dad are ready to go to Grandma’s …

’ She made a show of checking her watch.

‘In around five minutes, so I’m going to have to head back right away.

Soz. But have a lovely evening.’ She gave them both a big smile, and was already turning on her heels and heading off for the doorway, Will following to see her out.

Wow, how could the two of them keep this up?

The conversation had been stalling for the past ten minutes, as it was.

Cath took another large sip of her gin and was up on her feet.

She needed to keep busy. And, despite the fact her hunger had disappeared entirely, she told Will she was going to the kitchen to prep the starter.

Her head was beginning to thrum, and she was already wondering at what point it might be okay to leave.

A swift exit straight after the main seemed like the best option.

Cath was head down purposefully prepping food in the kitchen. She’d popped salad leaves onto two plates, taken from the original stack of six left ready on the side.

Now to cook the goat’s cheese. She’d brought baking parchment and laid it out on the grill pan, placing two rounds of the cheese on it. Grill on, warming up … Will was now stood at her shoulder, watching – close, a little too close.

‘Ah, so that’s how you stop it melting away into the grill pan,’ he commented.

‘Yep, simple when you know how.’

‘I’m picking up tips all the time.’ He smiled then.

‘We’ll make a chef of you, yet,’ Cath responded.

The act of cooking was thankfully thawing the atmosphere between them.

It gave them something else to focus on at least. She was keeping a close eye on the grill, as the cheese could cook very quickly.

And then, she could feel his breath somewhere near her shoulder.

Was he watching that closely, too. Oh. A charge of electric raced between them …

well, in her imagination, of course. She couldn’t like him anymore, not in that way.

And if she bloody well did, she could never show it now.

It was only friendship on offer. Suddenly she felt way too hot.

It was the grill, must be the grill. To keep the Supper Club intact and ongoing, the two of them merely needed to muddle through politely.

But, here, having to pretend she felt nothing, this was just excruciating.

A delicate bubbling sound and gorgeous cheesy aromas were filling the kitchen.

Thank heavens, it was ready. The cheese rounds toasted and lightly golden.

It was a miracle she hadn’t burnt it, to be honest. Time to serve them with the chutney and salad leaves, and to sit down and eat …

if she could manage to. She gave herself the smallest of the two pieces, and took a deep breath, before she turned around to face Will.

‘Ready.’ The food might well be, but she didn’t feel ready for any of this at all.

‘Thanks, that was delicious.’ Will sat back on the kitchen bar stool.