The Cornish Cream Tea Bus

‘Bumped into him here and there,’ Lawrence said vaguely.

Charlie shot him a perplexed look and Lawrence gave the smallest shake of his head.

The kitchen door thwacked open and Hugh approached, carrying steaming bowls of fish pie, and the tension was shattered as they soaked up the smell and the steam, the pies’ potato tops perfectly golden and crunchy. A satisfied quiet fell over them as they dug in, blowing on their forks as if that would cool the contents instantly. Marmite scrabbled onto the seat, put his paw on Charlie’s thigh and looked at her beseechingly. Charlie shook her head.

Hugh returned with bowls of peas, cauliflower and carrots. He laughed when he saw Marmite, and a couple of peas spilled off the dish before he’d put it down.

‘Oh God,’ Charlie said, ‘I’m so sorry! I didn’t even ask if dogs were allowed in here.’

‘I would have said if they weren’t,’ Juliette mumbled through a mouthful of pie.

‘It’s a dog-friendly pub,’ Hugh confirmed. ‘I’d get hardly any custom if I banned four-legged friends. D’you want me to see if I’ve got any treats out back? He’s clearly got FOMO.’

‘That would be brilliant. Thanks, Hugh.’ Charlie felt a flush of pleasure as he walked away. She hadn’t even been here a day and already, it seemed, she was making friends.

After they’d scraped their bowls clean and finished hero-worshipping Hugh’s pie, Lawrence nudged the conversation back to Gertie.

‘Do you want me to take a look at her?’ he asked. ‘Juliette said that after the fair she’s looking a bit banged up.’

Charlie sighed. ‘I was far too slapdash about the whole project. I got the alterations rushed through, and I didn’t stop to consider whether the Fair on the Field was the right place to launch the café bus. It wasn’t fair on Gertie, or the customers.’ She pictured Stuart fighting to rid himself of the banner, and then Oliver with his calm, concerned expression. ‘But I had an email today. The sale on my and Stuart’s flat is finally going through. I should get confirmation in the next couple of days. We had a bit of equity, so …’

‘You want to put that into the bus, rather than a new place to live?’ Juliette asked gently. She knew all the ins and outs of Charlie and Stuart’s doomed relationship. ‘What about a deposit on somewhere to rent?’

Charlie folded her arms. ‘I can’t live with Mum and Dad for much longer, and now I’m without a job for the next few months, I can spread my wings. Part of me thinks a fresh start, in every sense, would be best. But I know it’s too soon to decide that,’ she added when Juliette frowned. ‘What I do know is that I can’t sell Hal’s bus. And if I can somehow combine my baking skills with bus tours, pitching up at festivals, then I would love to give it a go. I won’t spend all the money on doing her up, but I think it’s worth investing a bit and seeing what happens.’

‘I know a guy in Newquay who converts old camper vans,’ Lawrence said. ‘He’ll have a good idea about pimping her up, and I bet he’s never done a double-decker before. He’d probably be thrilled to have it as a project.’

‘Thanks, Lawrence. See, wasn’t it a good idea bringing Gertie down here?’ She grinned at Juliette, and her friend punched her on the arm. ‘We could even—’

The door banged open, and Marmite leapt onto Charlie’s lap and started barking. Juliette looked up, and as Lawrence turned in his seat and saw who had walked in, he let out a low ‘Ooooh.’

‘What is it?’ Charlie asked. She followed Juliette’s stern gaze, to where a man was resting both palms on the bar, leaning forward as if anxious to be served. The sleeves of his grey shirt were rolled up, revealing tanned forearms, and his dark hair was cut short around his neck. Standing patiently at his feet, tongue lolling out, was a sleek German shepherd. Charlie couldn’t see the man’s face, but there was something commanding about the way he stood.

‘Hugh?’ he called, his deep voice carrying. ‘Hugh, are you there?’

Hugh bustled through from the kitchen, smiling when he saw who it was. ‘Ah, Daniel, owaree?’

‘Good, thanks,’ Daniel replied. ‘I don’t have long, I just wondered if you knew anything about a busthat’s parked in the beach car park? It’s a vintage-style double-decker, but it’s pretty shabby. I don’t think it’s been there long, but …’ He sighed. ‘I’m keen for it to be moved to somewhere more … appropriate. I’m worried somebody’s dumped it there.’

Charlie flashed Juliette a look. ‘Who is this joker?’

‘That,’ Juliette replied, ‘if you haven’t yet worked it out, is Daniel Harper. Esteemed owner of The Crystal Waters Spa Hotel. Isn’t he charming?’ Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, which was so unlike her that Charlie felt completely upended.

‘I’m not sure, Daniel,’ Hugh was saying. ‘I hadn’t noticed a bus, but I’ve been here all day. Mebbe …’ His eyes slid towards their table.

Anyone could have made the deduction. A new face in the pub, an unexpected vehicle in the car park.

Daniel followed his gaze, and Charlie was pinioned to her seat by a pair of very dark, very direct eyes. She thought she saw Daniel flinch, but that might have been her imagination, or maybe she was the one who had reacted. Her cheeks burned. Her consternation at his unkind words about Gertie, his imperiousness and his direct stare, in a face that was, Charlie was just about capable of noticing, seriously, sternly handsome, all combined to make her feel even more at sea.

Daniel Harper turned fully to face their table, leaned against the bar and folded his arms across a wide, strong chest. His hair was slightly longer at the front, a curl of it softening the line of his forehead. ‘Do you know anything about that bus?’ he asked, without any hesitation, any introductions, or an ounce of embarrassment.

‘Nice to meet you too,’ Charlie said, finding her voice. ‘Now, what is it that you think I can help you with?’

Chapter Six (#ulink_0a9c6fbd-b660-5f93-a282-da1a6ff29601)

‘So you do know about the bus? Is it yours?’ Daniel took a step towards their table, his dog following loyally, and Marmite’s yelps increased in pitch. Daniel looked in alarm at the Yorkipoo, who was now pawing frantically at Charlie’s jumper. It was not, she thought, the best way to start what was clearly going to be an uncomfortable conversation.

‘Yes, it’s mine. I’m Charlie, by the way.’ She half stood, keeping a firm grip on Marmite, and held out her hand.

Daniel leaned forward and shook it, then stepped back again. He glanced at Lawrence and then Juliette, nodding briefly.

‘Daniel,’ Lawrence said, in a low, serious voice that sounded very unlike him.

‘Hi,’ Juliette mumbled.

‘You were saying something to Hugh about me having to move it?’ Charlie said. ‘The car park is open to the public and free, unless I’ve read the signs wrong.’

‘It doesn’t look right there,’ Daniel replied. ‘I’m sorry, but it’s true. It almost looks abandoned.’

‘It doesn’t look abandoned! I had an accident last week and she needs patching up, but Gertie is a beautiful bus and she’s in very good condition, considering her age.’ His lips twitched at her impassioned use of the bus’s name, but she kept going. ‘It’s not like she’s taking up space that would otherwise be occupied, and unless you’ve got a bus phobia then I can’t see how it’s causing you a problem.’

‘It couldn’t be parked outside wherever you’re staying? For … how many days?’

Charlie rolled her eyes.

‘She’s staying with us,’ Juliette said, putting her hand on Charlie’s arm. ‘And our road’s far too narrow to park the bus. She’s going to be here for at least a couple of weeks—’

‘Probably longer,’ Lawrence added.

‘So that’s good, isn’t it?’ Juliette beamed, and Daniel’s eyebrows knitted together.

‘There’s nowhere else it can go?’

‘I don’t see why it has to,’ Charlie said. ‘Do you own the village? Are you the mayor or something? You certainly act like you’re in charge.’

‘No, of course not,’ Daniel said. ‘But my hotel is—’

‘More important than anything else?’

Daniel folded his arms and stared at her. In the ensuing silence, his dog took a few steps forward, angling his nose up towards Marmite. Marmite whimpered and burrowed into Charlie’s armpit.

‘You’re staying in Porthgolow for a few weeks?’ he asked eventually.

‘Possibly the whole summer,’ Juliette replied for her.

‘Great.’ Daniel’s gaze didn’t leave Charlie’s, and she knew that she couldn’t look away; she couldn’t let him win.

‘I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone here,’ Charlie told him.