Page 12 of Match Point in Crumbleton
Cath shifted her weight, wondering why her knees suddenly felt a bit wobbly. She clearly needed the sugar hit more than she’d realised.
‘Anyway—I just thought I’d regroup and make a plan before diving in for the next round,’ said Cath.
‘Good idea,’ said Andy, nodding.
When he didn’t say anything else, Cath glanced over her shoulder, hoping that Heather would reappear and save her from the awkward silence. No such luck.
‘So… erm… how’s your morning going?’ she said.
Andy pointed at a patch of cobblestones enclosed within a ring of orange roadwork cones and striped safety tape. They’d clearly been re-laid. She’d almost face-planted over a couple of raised stones the previous day when she’d been unloading the van. Now though, they were back in position and the beautiful pattern of the road surface had been restored.
‘Nice work,’ she said. She instantly wanted to kick herself. ‘Sorry, that sounded like I was taking the piss… but they look brilliant.’
‘Cheers,’ said Andy with an easy grin. ‘I’ve had a good bit of practice with Crumbleton’s cobbles by this point, mind.’
‘Oh God,’ sighed Heather, reappearing at Cath’s side. ‘Don’t get him talking about the blasted cobbles. He’ll personally introduce you to every single one of them and give you a history lesson while he’s at it if you don’t watch out.’
Andy rolled his eyes at his sister, and Cath grinned at the easy sibling banter.
‘Here,’ said Heather, thrusting one of two white paper bags towards Cath. ‘Remember—seriously hot! I’m not sure how much of the icing will have stayed put.’
‘Ooh, thanks!’ said Cath, opening the bag and taking a deep sniff. Her stomach instantly let out a growl that was loud enough to shake the bakery windows. Her eyes went wide with mortification, but Heather just laughed.
‘Yeah—I think I’m going to like you if that’s the way you react to my baking!’
CHAPTER 6
ANDY
Andy couldn’t tear his eyes away from Cath as she blew on the hot fruit slice before taking a careful nibble from the edge. He grinned as her eyes lit up with delight.
‘Oh. My. Goodness!’ she murmured. ‘Heather, you’re a genius!’
‘Isn’t she?!’ said Andy. ‘See, I told you.’
‘You, little brother, are a cake pusher!’ laughed Heather.
‘Yeah, yeah!’ said Andy, popping the last piece of his still-steaming cake into his mouth. Why was it that the last bite was always the best?
‘I don’t mind him getting me hooked on something when it tastes this good!’ said Cath, taking another careful bite. She clearly wasn’t up for scalding the roof of her mouth like he had.
Heather opened her own bag and took a bite, leaning back against the wooden doorjamb of the bakery with a contented sigh.
‘Okay,’ she said, ‘not bad, even if I do say so myself!’
‘Now try saying that without steam pouring out of your mouth,’ chuckled Andy.
‘Not possible,’ Heather shrugged. ‘Anyway, Cath—has the state of the museum managed to scare you off yet?’
Andy frowned as he glanced at Cath, watching for her reaction. For some reason, he was flooded with relief when she shook her head.
‘Absolutely not,’ she said, and there was a hint of steel to her voice. ‘I mean… I like a challenge.’
‘Just as well!’ said Heather. ‘From what Andy said, it sounds like what’s-her-name from the council wasn’t exactly forthcoming about the state of the place when you had your interview?’
‘Well… maybe not,’ said Cath. ‘I mean, I guess I wasn’t expecting quite so much random junk… but I was expecting at least a couple of decent displays already in place that I could build on. Never mind. I’ll get it sorted. Somehow.’
‘Well, you’re a braver woman than me,’ said Heather. ‘I wouldn’t even know where to start.’
