Never Too Late (26 page)

Chloe frowned. Too much was changing in her life just now.

I don’t want Mummy to go changing on me too. Surely the only changes are temporary, from necessity with Daddy being injured? Things will get back to normal once he’s well again – wouldn’t they?

“Come on,” she said, “let’s get this over with.”

The kennels were on the Chetmere road, only a few miles from Holmsford. It was easy to tell they’d found the right place as numerous big posters had been put up advertising the charity fun day and car boot sale, the pictured Heinz 57 dog quintessential cute on legs. It had even been mentioned on local radio. Dozens of balloons had been tied in the trees from the entrance all the way down the drive and were dancing gaily in the light breeze. At the gateway into the paddock, which was being used for both the car boot and for parking, Angela was waiting to take the entry money from the visitors.

“Hi Mum,” Adam called across as Chloe opened her window. “Where do you want us to take these cakes that Maggie made?”

It still felt a bit strange to him to be calling her Maggie after all these years, but that was a further change that had been insisted on since Deefor’s arrival. No more Margaret, everyone was to call her Maggie. Adam doubted whether she’d persuade Iain to change, though.

“Adam, Chloe, it’s good of you to bring them over. I’d have struggled to find time to do that too,” Angela greeted them, looking a bit flustered after a very busy morning helping get everything set up ready. “But you’re not going anywhere until you’ve paid,” she insisted, laughing, and brushing a stray wisp of hair out of her eyes. “Come on, out with your cash. It’s all in a good cause.”

With their ticket displayed on the dashboard Angela directed them to a parking space close to the gateway between the paddock and the courtyard.

“All the stalls for games and raffles and things are in the courtyard,” she told them. “I’ll send Schez over to help you get the supplies out.”

The paddock was filling quickly with car booters. It was always a popular way to spend a weekend and the sunshine, which had finally reappeared after a pretty miserable week, had definitely helped tempt people out.

Chloe glanced apprehensively at the dense, dark clouds massed on the horizon, trying to gauge the wind direction and speed. “I hope they were right with the forecast and it stays dry for the next few hours,” she commented. “I don’t even have an umbrella with me, and goodness knows what my sandals would make of the paddock if it gets any wetter.”

Opening the boot, Adam said, “Well, the sooner we get these sold the sooner you’ll be free to leave.”

“No way!” Chloe exclaimed. “You can’t be serious, surely? No-one told me we’d be selling the cakes too.”

He looked at her, amused. “All hands to the pumps today, Chloe.”

He felt a hand on his arm. “Are you Adam?” a very attractive, petite blonde asked.

“Hello,” he greeted her, his expression startled, bemused and appreciative by turns. “You must be Schez.”

“Yes, Angela asked me to come over and help with the cakes.”

Excellent, thought Chloe. I won’t need to stand there at a crummy stall like a cheapskate baker’s assistant. She can do it. She dumped a stack of three cake tins into Schez’s arms and smiled brightly. “There you go,” she said. “Lead the way and Adam and I will bring some more.”

It didn’t take long to set up the stall. Some of the cakes were to be sold whole, some in slices. Some were to be raffled, and some small ones were to be bought individually, with or without one of the drinks they had brought. Chloe’s artistic flair soon had the display looking very inviting. Chloe handed the raffle book to Adam. “Take these for a while,” she smiled at him. “I’m just going to have a quick look round the stalls.”

“But Chloe…” Adam started to say but was interrupted by Liz, who was progressing around the stalls in the courtyard at a rate of knots.

“That looks excellent,” she congratulated them. “Schez, here’s some change to get you both started.” She handed them a plastic tub with their float. “You look really nice today, Schez,” she told her. “Well done! See you later.” And with that she was gone.

It was now Schez’s turn to look more than a little startled. “I… I…,” she waved her hands helplessly. “I didn’t expect this,” she said faintly. “I thought I’d just be sort of background help.”

“You look far too beautiful to be hidden away,” Adam complimented her, and she blushed furiously.

She did, indeed, look lovely, with the sunlight accentuating the golden shimmers in her hair, her eyes the rich blue of a Mediterranean summer day. Her mid-calf length tie dyed skirt and plain white cotton sleeveless top suited her admirably – unfussy and very pleasing to the eye.

“Every female punter who comes through those gates will be attracted over by Maggie’s wonderful cakes and every male one by you and the booze. Win-win situation – we’ll be sold out in no time flat.”

He suddenly realised from Schez’s look of horror that he had probably not been as diplomatic as he might have been with this obviously very shy young woman. He fished in his pocket for change and asked in a much gentler tone, “Would you allow me to buy the first two cakes and cups of apple juice? I know a couple of stallholders who really ought to try out the quality of the wares they’ll be selling.”

Schez turned to the table, grateful to have something concrete to do with her hands. She felt all kind of fluttery inside, a most unusual and unsettling sensation, but rather nice, like the moments before you unwrap a longed for gift but are still not positive the paper contains what you have been hoping for.

He really is very handsome, and seems to be a nice person. But appearances can be very deceptive, as I know to my cost. Just remember two years ago. And women aren’t much better, judging by my so-called friends’ reactions back then. Where was the support I so naively expected, and so badly needed, from them? No, it’s much safer sticking with dogs. You always knew where you were with dogs.

Still, the thought of being in the ‘front line’ this afternoon didn’t seem so bad knowing that Adam would be beside her.

She handed him a plate with a butterfly cake and a couple of marchpane fancies.

“Oh, good,” Adam smiled at her, brushing her fingers with his as he took the plate. “You’ve selected my favourites.”

Schez felt herself blushing again and looked down at her feet so that her long, curly blonde hair, which for once she had left loose, swung down to hide her face. Adam felt a very strong urge to tuck it behind her ear, both to feel its promised silkiness and to be able to see her fine boned face again.

“You know, Maggie is the only person I know who still uses the traditional Elizabethan recipe and yes, I am talking of a four centuries old recipe. Goodness knows why it’s not more popular as they’re absolutely scrummy. Here,” he held one out to her, “try one yourself.”

Nervously she took it and nibbled a small corner. Like a timid little field mouse, Adam thought, and suddenly felt very protective towards her.

“Do you like it?” he asked her, and Schez nodded shyly.

“Then let’s cheat and hide ourselves some for later.” He put a ten pound note in their pot. “There, that more than covers it so don’t feel guilty about pleasure to come.” He selected more cakes and hid the plate in one of the cake tins under the table.

“Now, then, let’s get to work. Roll up! Roll up!” he called, calling on acting skills learned in university dramatics to play the showman. “The finest baked confections in all the land, here for your delectation and delight! Wines, beers and fruit juices to tempt the most discerning palates! Raffle tickets at very reasonable prices for the chance to win one of these wonders of the cake decorators’ art!”

Schez soon found herself far too busy to feel embarrassed or shy. There wasn’t a moment to stand back and think about the situation at all. Adam helped tremendously, with a ready quip and flattery for the crowd that seemed to be permanently milling around their stall. Within just a couple of hours the last cake had gone, as had all the wine, the bottles of beer and most of the fruit juices.

“That’s it,” Adam declared. “What’s left they can help themselves to. I’m pooped! Well done Schez.” All afternoon he had been intensely aware of Schez by his side. On impulse he leaned down and softly brushed he lips over hers.

Her fingertips flew to her mouth as she looked up at him, eyes immense and pupils widely dilated. He gently held her forearm, feeling she might bound away like a startled doe.

“It’s time to take this cash and the raffle stubs to Liz, I think, then we can tuck into our reward.”

He stacked up their empty cake tins and cooler bag while Schez took the raffle cakes to the prizes stand. Schez then showed him to the kennels’ office where Liz was masterminding her campaign to strip the visitors of much cash as she could. They waited outside while Liz finished helping a young couple fill out forms to sponsor one of the longer stay residents whose chances of ever finding a new loving home were slipping away week by week. Liz refused to ever have a dog put down if it still had a good quality of life, but it was an expensive option when food and vets’ fees were taken into account. Her idea of sponsorship meant people who could not otherwise have contact with a dog, be it from living in rented accommodation that specified no pets in the terms of the lease or just from the sheer expense of owning a dog, could come here and take ‘their’ dog out for walks and participate in its care.

When the couple, smiling and holding hands, left the office, Schez and Adam went in with the cash they had taken that afternoon.

“Loadsa money!” Adam said, grinning broadly. “Perhaps I should go into sales.”

“Excellent!” Liz congratulated them. “That is a very gratifyingly heavy tub I must say. Have you enjoyed it?”

“Well, it was certainly tiring, but yes, it was fun,” Adam told her. “Now, though, it’s our turn to have a look around, if anything is left to look at, that is.”

“If there is then make sure you buy it,” Liz ordered them.

“Will do, ma’am,” Adam saluted her, and they turned to leave.

“Schez,” Liz called, “don’t worry about getting in early tomorrow. I’ll sort things out here.”

Liz watched them go, hope in her heart for the lonely young woman who had come to mean so much to her. Angela had talked enough about her son for her to have confidence in Adam’s trustworthiness, and she trusted her own judgement of people, even if it was only based on gut instinct at first meetings. At bit like her dogs, really, she mused. They always knew straight away, too.

*

Chloe had only got as far as the gateway to the courtyard when she saw Adam kiss Schez. The sight literally stopped her in her tracks. The sudden jealousy that ripped through her took her totally by surprise.

My God he’s a fast worker. I only went for a quick look around the car boot sale – you never know what antiques might be lurking with so many people too stupid to know the worth of items passed down through the family. Well, OK, I got into conversation for a little while with some friends, but surely I can’t have been gone for more than an hour tops. And here he is snogging someone he only met on the way in. How could he? He’s supposed to be here with me!

She turned and retraced her steps to the far side of the paddock before he could spot her, feeling the need to sort out her feelings about what she had seen.

Has he got tired of waiting for me? No, of course not. How many times recently has he been trying to persuade me to think of him as a boyfriend? Admittedly without actually saying as much, but I know. He’ll always love me. Adam isn’t the kind to change his mind in a hurry, not when he’s set his heart on something. And he’s loved me for years and years – for always. No, Schez must be the latest choice to join his fabled list of conquests. Here today, gone tomorrow, no promises, no commitments.

She sat on a bench that was built around the trunk of a big chestnut tree.

What does it matter if he makes another conquest anyway? I live my life the way I like it, lots of friends and lots of light hearted dalliances. My relationships are like Adam’s. No promises, no commitment... It’s far too soon to settle down to anything permanent as regards romance and marriage. Life is still much too much fun for that – isn’t it?

Chloe started to feel much better about life. But then the sun was obscured by cloud. When she looked up she saw it was very thick, very dark, very threatening cloud. And she was at the furthest possible point from her car.

Shit!

She jumped up and started back across the paddock, fishing in her bag for her car keys as she went.

The heavens opened with rainforest intensity. The car booters were rushing to get their goods reloaded. People were running to get out of the drenching rain. Very soon almost everyone was soaked to the skin. A few women who had had the foresight to take telescopic umbrellas in their bags were trying without much success to huddle their children underneath the inadequate dimensions of their personal shelter. Chloe removed her sandals and carried them to enable her to sprint the last hundred yards but she, too, was wet through and through when she finally reached the sanctuary of her car.

This really is the last straw. Do someone a favour and just look what happens!

She finger brushed the limp strands of her wet hair as she looked around for Adam.

Where on earth can he be?

The cars parked around hers were leaving one by one as people’s thoughts turned to getting home and drying off in as short order as could be managed. Her fingers drummed impatiently on the steering wheel.

Come on Adam!

Getting home and dry was exactly what she wanted to do. She tried phoning him but as was often the case he had it turned off. She checked her dainty gold watch and decided she’d give him five minutes. Any longer and he’d have to walk back to his mother’s or get a taxi as she was going regardless. She shivered and decided to turn on the engine so that she could get some heating. She sent a quick text to Adam in the small hope he might pick it up.