Spring at The Little Duck Pond Cafe

by Rosie Green

  She bends to look at what Maisie has picked up. It must be something light, like a fir cone, because Mum puts it in her hair, behind her ear, making Maisie laugh. Then, of course, Maisie has to have it in her hair . . .

  Tears spring to my eyes, seeing them together. They’re like two playmates having fun . . .

  ‘They’re getting on like a house on fire,’ murmurs Zak. ‘I do think Sylvia is right. You should bring Rose here to live.’ He chuckles. ‘I’m sure Maisie could convince her to move.’

  I turn in surprise at his suggestion. ‘And what about you? Will you go back to London?’

  I’ve got a sick feeling of dread inside, waiting for his reply. I’d love to start afresh here, in Sunnybrook – but not having Zak here would take the shine off it, for sure. His absence would take the shine off everything.

  ‘I don’t think I want to bring up Maisie in the city. I’d rather she was here, with acres of grass to run around on and fresh country air in her lungs.’ He laughs ruefully. ‘Christ, I sound like an advert for the tourist board.’

  My heart lurches then takes flight. ‘So you’re going to be a full-time dad, then?’

  He nods and I can tell it’s absolutely the right thing, because he can’t stop smiling. In fact, he laughs out loud at the idea of it, and my heart soars with happiness. It’s the first time, since I met him, that I’ve seen pure joy radiating from his eyes.

  Then a thought lands like a boulder in my chest. If Zak stays in Sunnybrook with Maisie, what will he be to me? Just Sylvia’s great-nephew? A man I once shared a flat with for a few short weeks? Is that all?

  I’m not sure I can bear just being Zak’s friend . . .

  ‘Ellie?’ Zak clears his throat, the smile gone from his face. He looks oddly nervous and as I stare up into his dark eyes, I’m suddenly afraid of what he’s going to say. I don’t think I can stand another shock after everything that’s already rocked my world since the start of the year . . .

  ‘I just wondered what you thought of me being a single dad? A full-time single dad?’ He shrugs. ‘It’s not exactly a tempting prospect, is it? Being with a man whose main priority is his four-year-old daughter? I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with Maisie.’

  He’s gazing at me as if I have a decision to make. But there is no conflict in my mind. It all just seems beautifully simple.

  ‘I wouldn’t want to be with you if your priority wasn’t Maisie,’ I tell him, but he still looks unsure.

  ‘You’ve been hurt. I don’t want it to happen again,’ he says. ‘I just want you to be sure you understand what you’re getting into.’ He looks down. ‘That’s if you feel the same way about me as I feel about you.’

  My face breaks into the biggest smile. ‘Of course I feel the same way. Even though you were really mean and nasty to me when we first met.’

  He grins. ‘No, I wasn’t. You were trespassing on my land - ’

  ‘Sylvia’s land.’

  ‘Okay, Sylvia’s land. And even though I had this weird urge to wrestle you to the ground even then, on the other hand you’d interrupted my writing session with your pretty bizarre behaviour.’

  I laugh. ‘What writing session?’

  ‘Hey, you.’ He punishes me for my cheek by grabbing me by the waist, pulling me against him and kissing me so thoroughly my head spins.

  Maisie shrieks with laughter and we break apart and glance over. Mum seems to be showing her how to skim stones across the water.

  I lean happily against Zak’s chest. ‘She’s good at that. I remember her teaching me how to do it.’

  Zak chuckles. ‘I’m all for this bond they’re forming, the two of them, but I don’t hold out much hope for the poor ducks. That last stone nearly took the Mallard out.’

  ‘Oh dear, is it time to rescue them? The ducks, I mean?’

  I gaze up at him and he pulls me closer and murmurs, ‘Not quite yet.’

  A sudden rustling nearby makes us turn, and to my astonishment, out of a nearby bush walks a female mallard duck, closely followed by her three tiny ducklings. They’re heading in a line for the pond.

  My hands rush to my mouth in surprise. I’ve just noticed the mother’s distinctive blue-green beak and a laugh of delight escapes. Jessica!

  ‘You townie!’ chuckles Zak. ‘Haven’t you seen a duck out of the pond before?’

  ‘It’s Jessica.’ I shake my head. ‘You wouldn’t understand.’ I slide my arms around his waist and smile up at him.

  ‘You still haven’t answered my question,’ he murmurs. ‘How do you feel about being with a single dad who’s making up for lost time?’

  My vision blurs with happy tears as I look into his eyes. ‘Zak Chamberlain, you could have a hundred children and I’d still want to be with you.’

  ‘That’s all right, then.’ Tenderly, he smoothes a stray hair behind my ear and the touch of his fingers sends little sparks of desire shooting through my entire body.

  I mould myself against him, revelling in the feel of him, and he grips me against him as if he has no intention of ever letting go.

  Then he lowers his head and murmurs in my ear, ‘Now for God’s sake go and tell Rose that if she wants to live around here, she can’t go around murdering the ducks.’

  Laughing, we walk down to the duck pond, hand in hand.

  Dear Reader

  Thank you so much for choosing Spring at The Little Duck Pond Café!

  I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it – and if you did, I would appreciate it so much if you were to write a short review and post in on Amazon. Just a few lines would be wonderful and would make all the difference!

  You might be interested to know that you’ll have the opportunity to revisit The Little Duck Pond Café very soon. Summer at The Little Duck Pond Café will be published in July, followed by a really cosy festive story, Christmas at The Little Duck Pond Café, due out in October.

  In the meantime, happy reading!

  Rosie

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  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to my lovely family and friends who have supported me whole-heartedly in this latest adventure of mine. I might have been able to do it without you, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting or enjoyable!

  Special mention to Cara Armstrong, who edited the manuscript so brilliantly, and to the very talented cover designer, Berni Stevens, who turned my sketchy idea into something so perfect and eye-catching!

  The adventure is just beginning . . .