Clemmie nodded, her heart already aching in a way she hadn’t anticipated. ‘For now,’ she replied, trying to muster a smile.
Oliver leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. ‘Enjoy the rest of your party, and, just for the record, you are incredible. Don’t ever doubt that.’
‘I won’t.’
He tilted her chin up towards his face and kissed her, a kiss that was soft and tender, but full of unspoken promises. Clemmie melted into him, her hand resting lightly on his chest as her heart beat fast. The kiss ended too soon, but the feeling lingered.
As Oliver pulled back, he smiled. ‘See you very soon,’ he said, squeezing her hand one last time before releasing it and walking towards his car, which was parked a little further down the lane.
‘You do know you can’t park there!’ she said, lightening the mood.
He looked back, giving her the most heart-melting smile, before he got into the car and started it up. She watched as he pulled away, the cheers and laughter from inside the café reaching her ears and reminding her that the night wasn’t over. But as she turned to rejoin her friends, all she could think about was seeing Oliver again.
Back inside, the celebration continued, but Clemmie couldn’t shake the feeling that a piece of her heart had just driven away. Betty bustled over and wrapped her in a loving hug. ‘You allright?’ she asked, her sharp eyes studying Clemmie’s face. ‘This is your night.’
‘Of course! It’s not every day you win a Royal Baking Competition. I need more champagne!’ By the time the glass was poured, Sam and Pete had brought out their guitars and started to sing. Amelia and Dilly had their arms around the life-sized cutout of the Queen, and Verity was standing next to Clemmie.
‘I saw you outside with Oliver. You okay?’
Clemmie forced a smile and nodded. ‘I will be,’ she replied. ‘Right person, wrong time… again.’
Verity touched her arm. ‘If it’s meant to be it won’t pass you by.’
‘I hope you’re right.’ Whatever was happening between her and Oliver, she wasn’t ready to let it go, not yet.
Chapter Sixteen
The next morning, Clemmie woke up with a pounding headache and a dry mouth that felt like she’d been sampling meringue dust all night. She groaned, rolling over in bed. The sunlight was sneaking through the curtains, sharper than it had any right to be. She had the hangover from hell and it wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. Thankfully, a comforting sight greeted her on the bedside table: a steaming cup of tea, a packet of headache tablets and a neatly folded copy of thePuffin Island Gazette. Beside them, in Granny’s neat handwriting, was a note.
Drink this, take these and look at that headline! You deserve a lie-in, so don’t even think about coming downstairs. The café is under control!
Last night had been a whirlwind, celebrating her win, toasting with friends and dancing around the café until the early hours. They hadn’t crawled into bed until nearly threea.m. Shereached for the tea and swallowed the tablets. Picking up the newspaper, she noticed the front-page headline in bold letters:
Clemmie Rose Takes the Crown at the Royal Puffin Island Bake-Off
In a stunning display of culinary mastery, Clemmie Rose has risen to fame, securing victory at the highly anticipated annual Royal Baking Competition, held aboard the Royal Yacht docked in Puffin Island.
Clemmie’s winning creation, a decadent chocolate and clementine torte recipe passed down from her great-great-grandmother Beatrice, captured the hearts of both the judges and the audience. The torte, a family recipe dating back to 1917, was hailed as a perfect balance of rich chocolate and refreshing citrus, an elegant treat worthy of royalty. The judges were quick to praise the delicate sponge and velvety texture, with Margot Hastings declaring that Clemmie’s sponge was the best she’d ever tasted, the ganache ’smooth as silk’, and the citrus bringing ‘a brightness that made the whole thing sing. It’s the kind of dessert that could grace the table at any royal gathering.’
As Clemmie’s victory was announced, the emotion of the moment hit her hard. The sweet taste of success was made even more poignant by the memory of a scathing review that nearly ended her career before it even began. She bravely shared her story in her winner’s speech, recalling how the harsh words of an early critic nearly shattered her confidence. ‘It’s about knowing you’re enough, even when you stumble. It’s about having the courage to keep going, to keep learning, to keep dreaming. And it’s about surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, even when you can’t believe in yourself,’ she said, inspiring everyone in the room.
In the end, Clemmie walked away with the coveted Golden Whisk Trophy, a recipe fit for royalty, and the honour of a royal garden party invitation. The moment was made even more special as Clemmie and her beloved grandmother, Betty (pictured far right), proudly held the trophy together, smiles wide with joy and pride.
As Clemmie flipped through the newspaper and drank her tea, her heart swelled with pride. This was just thebeginning for her. A cookbook deal was already in the works, and her dream of becoming a household name in theculinary world was now one step closer to reality. The island was buzzing with excitement, but Clemmie knew one thing for sure: she had baked her way into the hearts of the world.
Folding up the newspaper Clemmie snuggled back under the duvet.
Two minutes later, Betty’s voice cut through the quiet of the morning. ‘Clemmie!’ she shouted, her tone a mixture ofurgency and bubbling excitement. ‘Clemmie, you need to get up!’
Clemmie groaned, still half-buried under her quilt. She had planned a slow, easy morning after the celebrations of the night before, but it seemed now Betty had other ideas. ‘You said I could have a lie-in!’ she shouted, pulling the duvet over her head.
Her granny’s hurried footsteps were soon pounding up the stairs though, and moments later there was a brisk knock at her bedroom door. Before Clemmie could respond, Betty burst in, her face flushed with excitement and a letter clutched in her hand.
‘Granny! What’s going on?’ Clemmie asked, sitting up groggily.
‘I’m not sure but I think it’s something incredible!’ Betty declared breathlessly, waving the letter like it was a winning lottery ticket. ‘This is for you!’
Clemmie blinked as Betty thrust the envelope towards her. It was thick, cream-coloured and embossed with gold detailing. Her name was written in elegant, swirling calligraphy on the front:
