Page 56 of A Recipe for Romance in Brambleton

Bella hugged him effusively. ‘You’re a star. Thank you so much for letting me and the crew invade. I promise we’ll get this done as quickly as we can.’

‘And don’t worry about making yourselves scarce,’ Samira added. ‘It’s your house, after all. We only need this very gorgeous part of it.’

Marc’s glow of pleasure at her words turned into something a little more self-conscious as Samira gave him an appraising stare. She, herself, was certainly a gorgeous-looking woman, with her long dark hair tied back in a messy plait, and her warm brown eyes that were ringed dramatically with eyeliner.

‘Well, shall we seal the deal? Who wants a coffee?’ Marc, suddenly keen to put some distance between himself and the glamorous director, hurried out to the kitchen before Bella or Samira could confirm whether or not they wanted a caffeine hit. As he was briskly scooping ground coffee into the percolator, he heard the thump of two pairs of little feet on the stairs, and two high-pitched voices in the hallway.

‘Hey, you two,’ Bella’s voice emanated from the living room. ‘How’re you doing today?’

Liam replied, but then the coffee percolator kicked in, and he couldn’t make out anything else for a minute or two. Thinking he should go and check in on the boys, he walked back out to the hallway and caught his breath when he heard Bella singing snatches of her new single, completely unaccompanied. Her voice, sweet, melancholy, only at half volume, still made the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

It’s hard to say goodbye

When all I can see is tears in my eyes.

Sometimes, when I’m all alone

I can feel you here, still, baby…

Christ, Marc thought. Talk about on the nose. He shook his head. Ninety per cent of hit songs were about break-ups or loss. Why would Bella’s be any different? All the same, her words hit home. Then, bringing him back to the present, a small hand slipped into his.

‘Hey,’ he said gently, looking down at Luca. ‘Aunt Bella sounds great, doesn’t she?’

Luca nodded solemnly. ‘She sounds sad, though. Is she sad, Daddy?’

Marc smiled. ‘No, she’s just pretending for the song.’

Luca looked relieved. ‘Good.’ He held Marc’s gaze, unblinking. ‘Are you feeling sad, Daddy?’

Marc hesitated. Was he? That gap in his heart would always be there, and some part of him would always yearn for what he’d lost. But did that make him sad, now?

‘No,’ he said, giving Luca’s hand a squeeze. ‘I’m definitely not sad.’

Luca smiled back at him, and Marc’s heart lifted. ‘Where’s your brother?’

‘Listening to Aunt Bella, I think.’

Bella was still running through snatches of the song, and in between lines, Marc heard her brainstorming ideas for the blocking of the video with Samira.

‘I think this is really going to work!’ Bella’s excited voice met Marc as he strolled back through to the living room.

Samira, who was making notes on her phone, looked up and smiled. ‘It’s a great space. And it shouldn’t need too much in the way of lighting. I’ll call the studio and get them to deliver the equipment next week. Is Thursday good for you?’ Turning her attention to Marc again, she gave him a winning smile.

Marc nodded and found himself smiling back. ‘Sounds good.’

As Bella and Samira wound up some more of the details, Marc was content just to listen to them talking technicalities. This was an unexpected intrusion, but the prospect of being paid for the shoot, and the reassurances from Samira that it wouldn’t be too intrusive, were winning him round.

The two women left shortly after, and Joel, who’d taken himself off sightseeing again, arrived back. ‘Are the boys all set for the trip tomorrow?’ he asked. ‘Anything I can do to help?’

‘Not that I can think of.’ Marc, who’d still been thinking about the video shoot, was suddenly reminded that he had the next whole day to himself.

46

At a loose end and needing to take her mind off the dinner date with Marc the following day, Lauren had decided to open Hope’s Café for a few hours. It had been a busy morning, and she was just about to take a breather when Bella walked through the door with a stunning-looking woman in tow. She tucked the tea towel into the waistband of her apron and gave the two of them her best welcoming smile.

‘Hi, Lauren!’ Bella exclaimed. ‘I thought I would introduce Samira here to the best café this side of Bristol. We were both feeling a bit peckish.’

Lauren laughed. ‘You’re always so kind. What can I get you?’