Poppy's Recipe for Life: Treat yourself to the gloriously uplifting new book from the Sunday Times bestselling author!

by Heidi Swain

  I let his hand go before it felt too awkward, but kept my eyes firmly fixed on his, my eyebrows raised in expectation of an answer.

  ‘That’s putting it mildly,’ he said darkly, thrusting his hands deep into his trouser pockets, no doubt fearing that I would try to make contact again.

  ‘Well, I can promise you that everyone will be in for a quieter time now.’ I smiled again.

  ‘Good.’

  Clearly, he wasn’t in the mood to chat.

  ‘So,’ I said, swallowing, ‘apparently Lisa here has something exciting to tell us.’

  The look he gave me was withering.

  ‘I very much doubt it,’ he muttered.

  ‘Haven’t you, Lisa?’ I said, urging her on.

  I was keen to find out what was in store for the garden even if Jacob wasn’t and something told me this little tête-à-tête could spiral even further away from friendly if I didn’t keep Lisa focused and on track. Jacob obviously wasn’t the sort of guy who would take to reclining on a blanket, so I pulled my friend to her feet – and then what I naively thought was an inspirational idea struck.

  ‘Look,’ I said, ‘I know it’s early, but I’ve got some fizz in the fridge. How about I run back to get it and then we can toast . . .’

  The words died in my throat as Jacob rubbed his eyes and let out a long breath.

  ‘I really have nothing to celebrate,’ he said sharply.

  Clearly the fact that I had didn’t enter his head.

  ‘And if it’s all right with you, I just want to get back to my micro meal and go to bed.’

  For a moment I had thought some fizz would loosen him up a bit, but he had knocked the wind out of my sails and I didn’t have the heart to fight for it – or share my beloved bottle with someone who’d prefer to sit and eat his sad little dinner alone and without the addition of bubbles.

  ‘In that case,’ Lisa began, ‘I’ll cut to the chase and let you scoot off, Jacob.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he huffed.

  ‘Okay, so the news is about the garden,’ she said, smiling at me, ‘obviously. Now that it’s been up and running for a year, we’ve decided—’

  ‘Which garden?’ Jacob cut in, looking about him.

  ‘The community garden,’ said Lisa. ‘In the grounds of Prosperous Place.’

  Jacob sighed again.

  ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know about it,’ said Lisa with a frown. ‘I’ve put flyers about it through your door myself.’

  ‘And I’ve ignored them because I’m not interested in it,’ Jacob scowled back. ‘Did you not get the message after Christmas when I didn’t take up your offer to dig in?’

  Lisa looked outraged.

  ‘You should at least take a look, Jacob,’ I chimed in, trying to defuse the tension. ‘It’s a really special place. Everyone from Nightingale Square plays a part in helping out and maintaining it.’

  ‘Except me,’ he cut in.

  ‘There’s a rota,’ I carried on, ‘and, in exchange for the hours you put in, you can take a share of what’s produced. A chap called Luke Lonsdale owns it.’

  ‘The Luke Lonsdale?’ Jacob frowned.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘It’s a wonderful space,’ said Lisa, sounding somewhat mollified. ‘Rob, the chap who lived in the house before you, Jacob, was part of the team.’

  ‘We’re all part of the team,’ I reminded her.

  Pride swelled in my chest knowing that I was now an integral part of the community who ran the garden rather than an occasional visitor who just popped in.

  ‘Well, I’m sorry,’ said Jacob, sounding even grumpier than before, ‘but you can strike my name off your list of unpaid workers.’

  ‘What?’ Lisa and I chorused.

  ‘I’m not interested,’ he told us firmly.

  Surely he didn’t mean it?

  ‘And I’ll stick to buying my food, thanks.’

  ‘Are you serious?’ I gasped.

  The thought of him living on a diet of microwave meals literally turned my stomach.

  ‘Deadly serious,’ he told me, ‘and I’m not interested in socialising either, so you won’t need to waste your time issuing invitations in my direction.’

  ‘Well,’ said Lisa.

  For once she was lost for words.

  ‘Well, what?’ Jacob demanded.

  He sounded as if he was almost willing her to contradict him or try to cajole him into changing his mind. He was the angriest person I had come across in a very long time. He was spoiling for a fight. Thankfully, Lisa decided not to rise to the confrontational bait being paraded in front of her.

  ‘Well, do you have a partner?’ she eventually asked him. ‘They might be interested in coming along.’

  ‘I can assure you that you needn’t worry about that either,’ he told her. ‘Now if you don’t mind—’

  ‘At least stay and listen to what Lisa has to tell us,’ I said quickly. ‘It might turn out to be something you consider worthwhile thinking over.’

  He shrugged but didn’t move, so Lisa carried on.

  ‘There’s a competition that’s just been launched,’ she explained. She sounded less excited now and I was annoyed that Jacob had stolen her thunder. ‘It’s to find the most community-spirited garden in the area. The council are particularly interested in unusual places where folk have pulled together to create green spaces to grow and socialise in.’

  She was describing our garden to a T.

  ‘Is this part of the campaign to highlight the mental-health benefits of gardening?’ I asked.

  The topic had been hot news for months now and I was all for doing whatever I could to help keep the momentum going.

  ‘That’s it,’ said Lisa a little more enthusiastically. ‘And there’s going to be some funding available for the winner to spend on setting up another project somewhere else, like in a nearby school or youth centre or something.’

  I risked a quick glance at Jacob. He still didn’t look even remotely interested, which was a shame because I was sure getting his hands in the earth would be just the thing to help soften his sharp edges.

  ‘What a fantastic idea,’ I said, ignoring his sour expression and wondering how I could encourage him to change his mind.

  ‘Ideally,’ Lisa continued, ‘in order to make the entry really stand out the whole community that has access to the space should be on board.’

  ‘Well, I’m sorry, ladies,’ Jacob muttered, taking a step back and looking every bit as belligerent as before. ‘Manipulation, subtle or otherwise, isn’t going to tempt me to join in.’

  ‘I wasn’t trying to manipulate you,’ Lisa snapped, drawing herself up to her full, but still not very impressive, height. ‘I was merely explaining our plans.’

  ‘Of course you were,’ said Jacob, smiling for the first time, although it wasn’t a very striking effort.

  I really couldn’t see why everyone thought this guy was in any way attractive.

  ‘I was,’ Lisa reiterated.

  ‘Well, good luck with your entry,’ he said, turning properly away. ‘I’m sure you’ll all be able to manage to pull it off without my help.’

  Lisa looked at me open-mouthed.

  ‘And as you’re so environmentally minded, Lisa,’ he added as a parting shot, ‘you can save yourself some trees by not shoving any more flyers through my letter box.’

  Chapter 4

  The weather continued to be glorious and I was more than happy to shut myself away and give the house the thorough spring-clean it was crying out for. Suddenly, not having much in the way of material possessions was a godsend rather than a concern; I was able to give the place a really good going-over without having to shift too much around, meaning Lou’s concerns had been unfounded.

  The square’s resident male blackbird woke me just after five every morning and I was happy to thank him with a handful of raisins before throwing open all the windows and getting to grips with the grime.

  Snow White had nothing on me, but
I knew domestic chores would eventually lose their charm and my thoughts strayed across the road to the exciting ingredients I knew were growing there, which I would soon be able to incorporate into a whole host of new recipes.

  ‘I can’t believe you still haven’t been over there,’ said Lou, laughing, when she called to tell me that I had better get back to the pub with her and Colin if I didn’t want to give up my regular spot. ‘Have you not been tempted at all? I thought it was what you moved to the square for.’

  ‘Of course I’ve been tempted,’ I told her, ‘sorely tempted, especially when I can practically see the place from my bedroom window, but I haven’t wanted to rush. I want to take my time and enjoy everything here first.’

  ‘Even cleaning the windows?’

  ‘Even that.’

  ‘And what about your mysterious brother?’ she asked. ‘Has he been to visit yet?’

  I knew Ryan’s continued absence had my friends doubting he even existed.

  ‘No,’ I said sadly. ‘He hasn’t. I’m still waiting for a reply to my last text.’

  Our always infrequent text messages had become even more of a rarity and I had to admit, if only to myself, that my plan to establish a sibling connection after Mum’s request for finance had failed miserably. I had tried to offer my support but it had been ignored and now I didn’t know whether to back off or push harder.

  ‘And what about Mr Grumpy?’ Lou carried on, unaware of my confusion. ‘Have you seen anything more of him?’

  ‘Haven’t seen him,’ I told her. ‘Haven’t heard him. I don’t think he’s been out since the day I moved in. He’s probably terrified Lisa’s going to accost him with a trowel.’

  ‘You’re wrong there,’ said Lou smugly. ‘I know for a fact that he has been out.’

  ‘Has he?’ I asked. ‘And how exactly do you know that?’

  Aside from the details I had given her about the disastrous ‘getting to know you’ moment on the green, I didn’t think Lou knew anything about him, other than him being a miserable bugger, that is – but perhaps I was wrong.

  ‘Come to the pub tomorrow night,’ she said before ringing off, ‘and I’ll tell you.’

  *

  Colin had bagged our usual spot and already got a round in by the time I arrived the following evening, but there was no sign of Lou.

  ‘Well, that’s about right,’ I huffed, having kissed Colin, accepted a drink and squeezed myself into the seat between the wall and the table. ‘She demands I come out and then she doesn’t show.’

  ‘She’ll be here,’ he said, ‘but it’s good to know that I was worth the walk.’

  ‘Oh, you know what I mean.’ I smiled. ‘What’s she up to?’

  ‘Some chap has driven down from Yorkshire to take a look at that pinball machine she’s been trying to flog to free up more floor space.’

  ‘He must be keen,’ I said, thinking how sorry I would be to see it go. ‘That’s quite a trek.’

  I had whiled away many a lunch hour playing the thing and had been almost tempted to put in an offer for it myself when I moved into the square, knowing I now had the room to accommodate it.

  ‘Keen on Lou no doubt,’ said Colin glumly. ‘I offered to act as chaperone but she said I’d be better off here entertaining you.’

  ‘Does she need a chaperone?’ I frowned. ‘Don’t tell me she doesn’t know the bloke?’

  I didn’t like the thought of her meeting a stranger after hours, even if she had graduated top of the self-defence classes she’d dragged me along to last year.

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about stranger danger,’ said Colin, taking off his glasses to clean them. ‘She knows him. They met at some trade sale last year, apparently.’

  ‘Well then,’ I said, a little impatiently, ‘I’m sure there’s nothing more to Lou dismissing you, Colin, than her wanting some space to strike a decent deal.’

  Lou was always keen to share the details about any bloke she was interested in and I had no recollection of her blathering on about a Yorkshireman, so Colin was fretting over nothing. Clearly this guy wasn’t a threat on any front. Although he might be in danger if Lou got her hands on his wallet.

  ‘But you really do need to stop mooning over her, Colin,’ I said robustly. ‘If you suddenly lost interest she’d probably fall straight for you. You know what she’s like.’

  Colin put his glasses back on and I took a pull at my pint.

  ‘So, what have you been up to then?’ I asked, keen to change the subject. ‘How’s business in the Reading Room?’

  ‘Slow,’ he said, nodding, ‘although I have had a few unexpected sales this week, but Lou said I should wait until she gets here before I tell you about those.’

  ‘I’m intrigued,’ I said with a laugh, ‘and pleased for you. I know you’ve been worried about footfall.’

  ‘I still am,’ he said taking a deep breath, ‘so I’ve decided to screw my courage to the sticking place and go with the makeover idea she keeps harping on.’

  ‘That’s fantastic!’

  Colin flushed and shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Well, whatever happens business can’t get any worse, can it?’

  I smiled. ‘I very much doubt it.’

  I was really pleased he had finally come round to the idea. I was sure lightening the decor and adding some sofas and the top-of-the-range coffee machine Lou had been championing would make all the difference.

  ‘Lou has drawn up some plans,’ Colin said, grinning, ‘and I have to say, they do look amazing. She’s even on about using some of her stock to help make book-themed window displays.’

  ‘That’s wonderful.’

  ‘The idea she had for A Christmas Carol was inspired,’ Colin carried on, ‘and as you know, I have plenty of copies of that to shift. She thinks an improved shop layout and rearranged displays will appeal to a completely different clientele.’

  I looked at him over the top of my glass. He relented. ‘Not that I have a specific clientele at the moment, of course.’

  I leant across and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

  ‘And I’m even thinking about starting a monthly book club or reading group,’ he went on. ‘Maybe even a writing circle if there’s any interest. I thought I could ask Lisa what she might think of that, now she’s about to be published.’

  Lisa was poised to realise her dream of becoming a published author and was the toast of the square.

  ‘My goodness, Colin.’ I laughed, feeling slightly taken aback. ‘You really have been busy.’

  ‘It’s all down to Lou,’ he said shyly. ‘She’s the one who’s got me fired up.’

  We were all well aware of that.

  ‘What’s all this?’ said the woman herself as she rushed in, sending the door flying. ‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ she carried on before either of us could answer, ‘but I’ve just made the most amazing sale.’

  ‘The pinball machine?’

  ‘Yep,’ she said, her eyes shining with excitement, ‘it’s heading up to Yorkshire as we speak and, thanks to my cutthroat negotiating skills, I’ve made a healthy profit on it. Cheers, guys!’

  ‘So,’ I said, once we had toasted her success, ‘what’s all this about Colin’s mystery sales and you being in the know about what my new neighbour has been up to this week?’

  Lou put her finger to her lips and shook her head.

  ‘What?’

  ‘He’s right there,’ hissed Colin. ‘Did you not see him when you came in?’

  I glanced over his shoulder and spotted a man I guessed could be Jacob sitting alone at a table with his head tucked behind the local newspaper. There was an empty plate and a half-full pint glass set to one side and the guy looked as if he’d been ensconced for some time.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about my neighbour, if indeed it was him, moving in on my turf. It no doubt shouldn’t have mattered, but I went to the pub for a laugh so I hoped his humour had improved.

  ‘Are you absolutely sure that’s him?’ I squint
ed.

  I still wasn’t convinced, but I did recognise the leaflet on the table next to him.

  ‘Of course, it is,’ said Lou. ‘I met him when he was in the Reading Room yesterday.’

  ‘Was he your mystery buyer?’ I asked Colin as I began to put the pieces together.

  ‘Yes,’ Lou said on Colin’s behalf.

  ‘And was he in a happier mood then?’ I ventured.

  Surely he had to be. Surely it couldn’t be possible for him to maintain such a miserable mood for so long, could it?

  ‘Well, he wasn’t rude,’ said Colin, ‘but he wasn’t the life and soul either. I barely got six words out of him, but he was civil enough.’

  ‘He didn’t apologise for bawling me out though,’ said Lou, before thoughtfully adding, ‘but I don’t think he recognised me. I tried to get him to chat but it was like trying to get blood out of a stone.’

  I was surprised she hadn’t gone out of her way to help him remember who she was. When it came to settling scores and making waves Lou could have given Lisa a run for her money. I hoped I wasn’t going to end up acting as the calming go-between for the pair of them. If that was the case I would have to enlist Colin to the cause.

  ‘What did he buy?’ I asked, before Lou had the opportunity to feel further outraged about Jacob’s poor memory and lack of conversational skills.

  ‘Practically every book in the young adult section,’ Colin whispered.

  ‘Personally, I would have thought blood-curdling crime and dark thrillers would have been more up his street,’ said Lou, looking at him over her shoulder, ‘but there’s no accounting for taste I suppose.’

  It was a surprising choice and stirred my interest in him a little, but for now I was more concerned about how I was going to try to get him on board when it came to joining in with the garden. I knew Lisa wouldn’t relax until he had a hoe in his hand, and I felt my tactics might be a little subtler than hers.

  ‘I’ll be back in a sec,’ I told my friends as I drained my glass and quickly levered myself out of my chair and round the table before I chickened out.

  ‘You aren’t going to talk to him, are you?’ gulped Lou.