‘About what, love?’
‘I knew you were daydreaming again. Have you got the hots for that Dracula man?’
Caitlin almost choked on her drink. ‘Dracula man?’
‘Yeah, Evin said that Bram Stoker wroteDraculaand that he wondered if your Bram might be a vampire.’
‘You and Evin have some bizarre conversations,’ Caitlin observed.
‘Aye, we do. That’s why I’ll probably marry him some day. He makes me laugh and we always have stuff to talk about. Even if it’s weird. You should always have stuff to talk about with the person you marry.’
She definitely had a point. ‘You certainly should.’
‘You and Archie always seem to have lots to talk about. But you didn’t seem to speak much to that vampire man. Are you going on another date with him?’
Caitlin shook her head. ‘Oh… erm… probably not, to be honest, love, and maybe stop calling him vampire man, eh?’
‘You should just marry Archie. I’d love him to be my dad,’ Grace said wistfully.
Caitlin closed her eyes for a moment. ‘It’s not really that easy, Grace.’
Grace shrugged. ‘It should be though. If you love someone and they love you, why not cut out all the middle bit and get married and start your lives together?’
Caitlin narrowed her eyes. ‘Grace, Archie and I don’t love each other,’ she insisted. What was that phrase about protesting too much? ‘Anyway, where on earth has all this come from?’
‘Me and Evin were talking about Jules and Reid getting married. I’m hoping she asks me to be a bridesmaid. I’d love that. Maybe now I’m not wearing a violet dress for yours and Lyle’s wedding and you and Archie aren’t getting married either, I’ll get to wear one at Jules and Reid’s,’ Grace said wistfully.
Caitlin rolled her eyes and shook her head, but in her mind, her brain had conjured up the image of Archie in a suit standing under an arch of flowers smiling affectionately as she walked towards him…
* * *
The following day was a little quieter and although it meant business wasn’t quite so good, Caitlin was relieved for the reprieve, no matter how temporary in nature.
Archie and Sophie called in just before lunch and Caitlin found herself unnaturally flustered on seeing him.Damn you, Bram, for making me notice things I was happy to ignore.
‘Good morning, folks, what can I get you today?’ she asked with a wide smile and the hope that her embarrassment wasn’t visible in her expression.
Sophie tugged on Archie’s T-shirt, and he bent to see what she wanted to whisper. ‘Aye, of course, sweetheart,’ he replied to her with a smile. ‘Sophie would like a chocolate cupcake please and I’ll have an apple pie for after dinner and… make that three chocolate cupcakes, eh?’
Caitlin wondered who the third was for and guessed the blonde woman Grace mentioned would be the recipient. At first, she had presumed the woman was probably the social worker.But surely, he wouldn’t be buying cupcakes for her? Perhaps he’d been in touch with another of his adoring fans from the singles event? He had seemed quite popular, despite him laughing the interest off as work-related; from the looks on the women’s faces, it wasn’t work they were thinking of.
‘Coming right up. So, Sophie, are you having fun with your d— with Archie?’
Sophie nodded and Archie told her, ‘You can talk to Caitlin. She’s not a stranger, remember? Sorry, Cait, we’ve had a wee talk about stranger danger today.’
Sophie chewed on her finger and pulled her toy pug closer. ‘Yes, thank you,’ she whispered.
‘Good lass,’ Archie said with a wide, beaming smile.
‘That’s good. Maybe I can send Grace round to play sometime?’ Caitlin suggested warmly.
Sophie’s eyes lit up as she nodded and tugged at Archie’s T-shirt again. Once more he bent for her to whisper to him. When he straightened, he said, ‘Sophie would like to know if you and Grace would like to come camping with us at the weekend.’
Caitlin’s heart skipped. ‘Oh! Erm… No, that’s okay, you two should go and have some quality time together. Thank you though.’
Grace appeared in the doorway. ‘Did someone say camping?’
‘Aye, I was just asking your mum if the two of you would like to join us on an expedition at the weekend, but—’
