Page 53 of A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton

The boys beamed. ‘Which is your favourite?’ Liam asked slyly.

‘Difficult to say,’ Marc hedged. ‘Perhaps I’d better try Lauren’s one, as well.’ He reached out a hand to the top of the cake stand. After a pause to drink and swallow, he shook his head and looked back down at his plate. ‘I can’t decide between you all.’

Liam groaned, but Luca beamed. Lauren just smiled. Parental diplomacy at its best.

They chatted together, and Lauren wasn’t surprised that the combination of sugar and caffeine seemed to perk Marc back up. So much so, that when they’d finished clearing away, he even suggested a game of Twister.

‘The boys haven’t forgiven me for smashing it on Christmas Day and have been demanding a rematch ever since. What do you reckon?’

Lauren giggled. ‘I’m not sure I’m good for much contortion after all that cake!’ Despite the butterflies in her stomach, she had managed to eat some of the boys’ creations.

‘Boys, why don’t you play each other for the first round, and then we can join in for the second?’

Needing no further encouragement, Liam and Luca shot off to the living room, and Marc and Lauren followed in their wake.

‘Look,’ Marc said quietly, once the boys were out of earshot, ‘I just wanted to say thanks for this afternoon. You didn’t need to do any of that, and they look like they had a great time. I really appreciate it. And that you let me have a quick snooze.’

‘You’re welcome.’ Lauren smiled up at him. ‘They’re such sweet kids, and I had a lovely time, too.’

‘They’re sweet, yeah, but it was sweeter of you to do it.’

That pause, so heavily loaded in the kitchen, descended between them again. Neither of them had mentioned the kisses or had the chance to repeat them. Perhaps now was the time? Lauren opened her mouth, screwing her courage to the sticking place.

‘Before we go in there and get stuck into Twister, there’s something I wanted to say,’ she said, trying to sound more self-assured than she felt.

‘Yeah?’ Marc’s eyes were warm, and as she looked up at him, she could see them softening with affection.

‘I, er, really liked kissing you the other night, and on Christmas Day. And, if you wanted to kiss me again… well, that would be all right. More than all right, in fact.’

‘Would it now?’ The teasing tone in Marc’s voice belied the smile on his lips. ‘Well, that’s all right, then. If you promise not to headbutt me again!’

‘I promise.’

Lauren saw Marc glancing in the direction of the living room, then, when he’d assessed the coast was clear, he moved towards her. Taking that as her cue, Lauren reached up and rested a hand at the back of his neck, as Marc slid an arm around her waist. She gently pulled him towards her until their lips met. The kiss was as sweet as the icing on the cupcakes.

43

In the end, Liam and Luca played three games of Twister before entreating Lauren and Marc to join in. Marc, full of cake and tea, was more than happy to sit on the sofa beside Lauren and watch his sons try to contort themselves into all kinds of ridiculous positions in the name of fun. Lauren had fitted beautifully into all three of their lives, this afternoon. He wondered what it would be like if she spent more time with them. He tried not to overthink it; it would be so easy to place too much emphasis on this lovely afternoon, to make it seem like much more than it was. But then, everyone had to get back on the horse sometime.

As the boys were about to start their fourth game, Marc heard the front door open. He’d given Joel the spare set of keys so he could come and go as he pleased while he was staying here. Seconds later, his youngest brother poked his head around the living room door.

‘Hey kids, I’m home!’ Joel’s megawatt I’m putting on a show for the guest smile beamed around the living room, and Marc sighed inwardly. He’d been more mellow on Christmas Day, having had a few glasses of champagne, but now he was in full flow.

‘All right?’ Marc replied. ‘How was your afternoon?’

‘Cool, thanks.’ Joel flumped down onto the second sofa opposite the one that Marc and Lauren were sitting on. ‘I drove up to Roseford in the end, had a pint and lunch in the pub and then looked round that old house that’s opened to the public. Cute place. I’d forgotten how much I’ve missed the sights of good old Merrie England in the years I’ve been in the desert!’

Marc did his best to ignore the rather patronising tone in his brother’s voice. ‘I’m glad you enjoyed it,’ he said evenly. ‘Lauren and the boys have made some amazing cakes this afternoon. There are some left in the kitchen if you want them.’

‘Thanks. I’ll go and grab one.’ He stood up again and meandered out to the kitchen.

‘He’s decided he’s staying here for a little while.’ Marc rolled his eyes as soon as Joel was out of earshot. ‘He is fun, but he’s also exhausting!’ He shook his head.

‘Mum can be a bit like that,’ Lauren said. ‘When she’s having a good day, she’s a whirlwind of energy, but when she’s not so great, it can be just as exhausting trying to stop her from doing too much.’

‘But she’s doing all right on this trip?’

‘Yeah.’ Lauren glanced away from him. ‘It sounds awful, but after I’d got used to being alone in the house, I sort of started enjoying it.’ She shook her head. ‘That makes me sound like a terrible daughter, doesn’t it?’