‘Nobody did.’
He shrugged a cardigan-clad shoulder and put his cutlery back to work. ‘Then there’s nothing you can do.’
Regan decided to change the subject. She should have known better than to try to discuss such an emotional subject with her father. ‘I’m getting better at the jam making.’ She knew she sounded a bit too pleased with herself, but it did feel like a real achievement.
‘There was really only one direction for that to go,’ said Graham, giving a hard stare at his kitchen.
She felt instantly deflated by his words. ‘I’ll see if we can get some more paint and redo that wall.’
‘And the ceiling.’
‘Okay.’ Regan’s shoulders slouched ever downward. He didn’t mean to make her feel bad about things; he just had an uncanny knack for it. She took a breath and straightened up. No, she was proud of what she was doing, and she wasn’t going to be pulled down by her father’s unemotional approach. ‘I’m really excited about starting on the market. I’ve made loads of different flavours of jam, so I’ve got a good amount of stock and I’m going to make two batches a week to start with, unless Jag is chucking away something I can’t resist.’ It was more liketalking to herself when she got going, because her dad just nodded occasionally.
A thought seemed to strike Graham and his face brightened. ‘Did I tell you I got marmalade from Lidl for fifty-nine pence? You can’t beat that, now can you?’
He had a point.
Penny appeared uncomfortable when she opened the coffee shop doors to let Regan in on Wednesday morning. ‘You all right?’ asked Regan, already sensing that she wasn’t.
‘I spoke to Kasia last night.’
‘How’s the leg mending?’ asked Regan, going through her usual morning routine. Penny didn’t answer for a moment, making Regan pause to look at her.
Penny scratched her head. ‘Her tendon has pretty much healed. The doctor says she can come back to work next week.’
‘That’s great news,’ said Regan, and then the penny dropped. ‘Oh … I’m out of a job.’
‘I’m so sorry, Regan. I’ve loved working with you. But—’
‘Hey.’ Regan slapped a smile on her face and held up her palms. ‘Penny, it’s fine. I knew this was temporary. I’m mega grateful to you for giving me the job at all. Anyway, I need to focus on making serious amounts of jam so it’s all good.’
‘Really?’ Penny was hesitant.
‘Yes. Come here.’ Regan spread her arms for a hug and Penny stepped in to it.
Regan had always known this was coming, but it didn’t make the blow any softer when it landed.
Back in the studio after a busy last day at the café, Regan was sitting in the chair of doom surveying her growing jam stocks. She felt a little like Scrooge in his counting house. Pride was rippling inside her at what she’d achieved. None of it had been plain sailing, but then nothing worth having ever was. A reticent tap on the door had her jolt to attention. She threw a blanket over the jars and, in case it was the landlord, picked up the keys so it would look like she was leaving.
She opened the door to see Charlie and her heart soared higher than it should. ‘Oh, hi,’ she said, tucking her hair behind her ear and trying too hard to be nonchalant.
‘I got you this,’ said Charlie, stepping out of view and returning to thrust a very large white mass at Regan.
‘Wow. A mattress!’
‘It’s an old one off the bunks we have at the station. They’re not that great but it was being chucked out and I thought of you. Not the chucked out part … You know what I mean.’ He coloured up a bit.
Regan hugged the mattress like an old friend. ‘It’s bloody brilliant.’ She could feel her neck relaxing just at the thought of being able to sleep horizontal. ‘Thank you.’
She went to kiss him and he stepped back, the movement tearing at her heart just a fraction.
‘I also wanted to check you were okay.’ He lowered his gaze.
She’d only seen him a few days ago, but it was lovely to think he’d felt the need to check on her, even if he couldn’t bear to kiss her. At least he cared, and that meant a lot.
‘I’m good. I finished at the café today. First day on the market tomorrow. Do you want to celebrate with me? Maybe get a bottle of wine?’ But Charlie was alreadyshaking his head. ‘That’s okay.’ She waved it away with what she hoped was a casual air.
‘As long as you’re all right,’ he said, turning to leave.
