‘I guess so. I didn’t think I did. I don’t think I’ve eaten this well, like, ever.’ She chewed the bread thoughtfully. ‘It’s not just soft. It’s nutty as well. Yeasty. The crust has so much flavour.’
Mark reached for a disc of local butter in a little foil wrapper that bore the name ‘Gordon’s’.
‘’Ere. To go with it.’
Ellie unwrapped the butter and spread it on the roll.
‘Oh. My. God,’ she murmured as she bit into it. ‘I think I might have died and gone to heaven.’
‘Best dairy in the south-west, Gordon’s.’ Mark grinned, watching her. ‘Lots of people come to Cornwall for the food. I’m a bit of a cook myself, actually. When I gets the time.’
‘You are? I can’t cook. Well, I’ve never tried, to be honest,’ Ellie confessed. ‘Beyond the basics, anyway,’
‘You should give it a go. Do a course or somethin’.’
‘Maybe. I just don’t ever have the time of that kind of thing, usually – what with work, and everything. I’d love to, though.’
‘Well, I could teach you, while you’re ’ere. If you wanted? Or not, whatever.’ He separated a large piece of the pie with the edge of his fork and ate it, as if looking for a reason not to have to say anything else.
‘Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that,’ Ellie said, quickly.
‘Happy to,’ he said, swallowing. ‘I got the weekend free if you want to come over. Make bread, if you want, since you like it so much.’
‘Oh. Maybe. Thanks!’ Ellie didn’t quite know what to say. Was Mark asking her out on a date? She wasn’t sure she was ready for that.
‘Just as friends, like. I’m not asking you out, if that’s the problem.’ He seemed to know what she was thinking. ‘I just like cookin’, bakin’, whatever. Be nice to ’ave a bit of company.’
‘Oh. Well, in that case, okay,’ Ellie finished eating the roll.What the hell, she thought.What’s the harm in making bread? And he’d said it wasn’t a date. It definitely wasn’t a date.‘That would be really nice. Thank you.’
‘Saturday? I might have to take Jamey’s kids Sunday.’ He glanced over at Fee, who had left her dinner on the table and was talking to a good-looking red-haired girl by the bar. ‘Anyway, lemme know. You got my number. I’ll let you get back to Fee.’
‘Oh… yes, I should go and keep her company. Or… not,’ Ellie added, realising that Fee and the girl were flirting. ‘Anyway, I should sit down with all this food.’
‘Right.’ He grinned. ‘You be careful, mind. Those plates can be deadly.’
Ellie rolled her eyes. ‘Very funny. You’re a comedian.’
‘No one’s ever called me a comedian before, but I’ll take it.’ He chuckled. ‘See you Saturday.’
