The Cosy Little Cupcake Van: A deliciously feel-good romance

by Annette Hannah

  The wine had made her a little tiddly so she dialled his number, giggling to herself as she heard the ring tone. Just as she was about to hang up she heard a woman’s voice answer, ‘Hello.’

  Her stomach clenched and she could feel the prosecco about to make a reappearance. She pulled the phone away from her ear and checked the screen in case she’d dialled a wrong number but no there was his name as clear as anything. ‘Er hello, is Blake there please?’

  ‘I’m sorry no – he’s in the shower,’ came the husky answer with an unmistakable Canadian accent, emphasising the r in shower. ‘Can I take a message?’

  ‘No, thank you, it’s fine. Sorry, bye.’

  Camilla hung up, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to try and ease the pain in her heart. What an earth had she done that for? She must be a glutton for punishment.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Carrie and Lucy calling her, as it was apparently time to sing. Plastering a huge smile on her face, she shook off the negative vibes, re-entered the orangery and joined in with the singing, using the bottle as a microphone in between topping up her friends’ glasses.

  Chapter 23

  As she pulled up next to Ged in the gigantic car park on the old airfield just outside Bramblewood, she could feel the strain on the cupcake van’s engine as it croaked under the sheer weight she had packed into it. Boxes and boxes of cupcakes were stacked neatly in the back of the van and on the passenger seat in the front. Ged had warned her this was a remarkably busy day and great for business, so she had brought lots of flyers and business cards advertising her cupcake bouquets and celebration cakes as well as cupcakes.

  It was only eight in the morning and the car park was almost full already. There was a special area for the trades vans and stalls. Delicious cooking smells filled the air, from sizzling bacon to the aromatic spices from the street food stalls. The sound of excited chatter added to the atmosphere, as stallholders greeted each other and gave helping hands to those who were struggling with setting up stalls.

  Once again Ged seemed to know everybody and introduced Camilla to his friends who were all very welcoming. She set her table and chairs out at the front of the cupcake van and rubbed her hands together to try and warm them up. Ged had popped over to chat to another friend and came back with two steaming bags containing bacon rolls. She gratefully took one from him and held it with two hands to absorb the heat coming from it.

  ‘Now that is what I call good timing. Thank you so much,’ said Camilla as she sat on one of her chairs, peeled back the paper bag and took a generous bite, Ged went to his van and came out with two frothy cappuccinos in takeaway cups then sat next to her. They munched their rolls companionably.

  ‘It’s getting warmer already,’ he said. ‘Can you feel that sun on your face? It’s going to be a bit of an onslaught as soon as the crowds get going so I will try and remember to bring you hot drinks at least every couple of hours. How does that sound?’

  She washed down the final bite of her roll with the last of the cappuccino, tipping the almost empty cup so that the chocolatey froth slid into her mouth. Midway through the manoeuvre she noticed Ged looking at her. His face cracked into a wide grin, his friendly eyes teasing her. ‘Is that your favourite bit then?’

  She teased him back, patting the bottom of the cup till the last bit slid into her mouth.

  ‘If I’d known that I’d have just given you a babycino.’ He laughed.

  She looked puzzled and screwed up the empty cup ready to go in the bin.

  ‘You know it’s literally just milky froth with cocoa on the top,’ he clarified.

  Camilla screwed her face up. ‘Oh no that would be like me giving you just the buttercream and sprinkles. Although it might seem like the best bit, it goes much better with a delicious feather-light sponge, and anyway by the sounds of it I’m going to need plenty of caffeine to get through this busy day.’ He laughed then had to go as some customers began queueing for hot drinks. She hopped back into the cupcake van and took two cupcakes, a lemon meringue and an ice cream one. She climbed out again and popped to the side of Ged’s van.

  He noticed her whilst he was serving a customer.

  ‘Well fancy seeing you here,’ he joked. ‘See you later, Andy.’ He waved to the man he’d just served, then turned his attention to Camilla. ‘Your face looks so fresh and bright, I’m glad I told you about today as you seem to love getting out and about and meeting new people.’

  ‘I really do. It’s quite a solitary job making cakes all day so doing my deliveries and getting out and about in the cupcake van is exciting and it seems to bring about such joy in people, judging by the smiles I see when I’m serving customers.’

  ‘That’s because it’s such a novelty and really popular everywhere we go. There aren’t many cupcake vans about, especially not any as unique as yours where customers can choose their own toppings.’

  ‘I guess I’m just a unique sort of person. Anyway, I’ll swap you for another cappuccino,’ she said as she placed the two cupcakes on his counter,’ and smiled at him.

  ‘Oh my God, woman, what are you doing bringing me an ice cream in this weather?’ he joked.

  Another customer had appeared behind her, an old lady. ‘He’s right, dear,’ she said, ‘far too chilly for ice cream.’

  Ged turned away laughing to himself as Camilla tried to explain that it was in fact a cake.

  ‘Are you sure?’ she asked screwing her eyes up in disbelief.

  ‘Yes I’m absolutely sure. I baked them myself.’ She laughed. ‘Come and try one if you like.’

  She took the cappuccino from Ged and he winked at her cheekily as she made her way back to the cupcake van.

  No sooner had she opened up her hatch than she was inundated with customers, many of whom said they came to the market on a regular basis and were excited to have a new stall offering such unique goodies. The old lady had come straight over from Ged’s stall and was intrigued with the ice cream cupcakes, she asked Camilla how she made them.

  ‘It might seems strange,’ answered Camilla, ‘but you can actually bake the sponges directly into these flat-bottomed ice cream cones, then the topping is buttercream and I just add a chocolate flake and some sprinkles. I can even add strawberry or chocolate sauce too if you like.’

  ‘Oh they are just marvellous,’ answered the lady. ‘I want to get some for all of my grandchildren. Do you have a box or something I can carry them in?’

  ‘Yes of course.’ Camilla reached into the cupboard below the hatch and retrieved a box. ‘How many would you like?’

  ‘I’ll have ten please.’ She was joined by an old man who took one of the hot drinks from her. ‘Look at these, Alf, aren’t they delightful? I’m getting them for the kids.’ The man smiled wearily at Camilla. ‘They’re lovely, dear.’

  Camilla had been taken aback at such a huge order; she hadn’t expected that. She pulled out another box and put ten of the cupcakes inside, which left two spaces.

  ‘I tell you what,’ said Camilla, ‘as you’ve been my best customers so far I’d like to offer you and your hubby a cupcake of your choice – on me.’

  The old couple looked delighted. ‘Isn’t that lovely of the young lady, Alf?’

  Alf nodded in agreement with her.

  As Camilla reeled off the different flavours she had on board that day the lady seemed spoilt for choice but then decided on a lemon meringue one. Camilla had described it as a light lemon sponge filled with lemon curd and then instead of buttercream it was topped with a swirl of meringue, which had been baked to perfection. The ice cream cupcakes and the lemon meringues had been pre-made and the elderly couple and the others in the queue behind them, who had been listening carefully to what was on offer, seemed intrigued with the bespoke cupcakes.

  Today she had brought some vanilla and some chocolate sponges, one nozzle was for chocolate buttercream and the other was a new idea she was trying out. She had managed to put vanilla, chocolate and strawberry buttercreams
into one of the chiller boxes and as it swirled out of the nozzle it piped out the three separate colours perfectly. She made one up and some of the customers clapped as she held it up and showed them.

  ‘I call this one the Neapolitan,’ she said, and proudly put it in the box with the others. Looking at the smiles on the faces of her customers brought her even more joy than she seemed to bring them. Here there were people of all ages and every one of them was enjoying her creations. She seemed to absorb strength from every person whose face she brought a smile to. A cupcake may be just a little trivial thing in the grand scheme of things and yet they brought so much pleasure.

  The rest of the day passed in a blur. By the time she had tried to take a sip of her coffee it was stone cold and she had warmed up so much she’d had to take her coat off. Ged turned up at about three with a hot chocolate for her and she managed a sip every now and then between excited customers. She had given out all of her flyers already and only had a few business cards left. By three thirty she had nothing left and began to pack away her things. Ged still had a long line of customers, so she popped over to his van and offered to help.

  ‘Yes please.’ He opened the side door and reached his arm down to her to help her up. She took the order from the next customer, keeping an eye on how Ged used the hot drinks machines, and it didn’t take her long to get in the swing of things. As they worked together they were able to chat between customers and dance around each other to move around the van. It felt quite intimate but not uncomfortable. At one point she leaned out of the van to give a customer his forgotten change and she almost fell but Ged caught her, and they laughed. He still had his arms around her as he pulled her back into the van and upright when they were interrupted by a not very happy voice.

  ‘Well it didn’t take you very long to move on did it?’

  Camilla looked to see a pretty woman standing in front of them wearing a peaked cap, red curls bounced around her shoulders as her head moved up and down when she shouted at Ged. Camilla gently unhitched his hands from her and began to serve the next customer, causing him to look at her intently and not the spectacle that was playing out before them. Her cheeks were burning, which made her look much more guilty than she was.

  ‘Oh, Gina, you can’t keep doing this to me.’

  ‘You’re a user, Ged. I wish I’d listened when everyone told me what you’d be like. I hate you.’

  ‘You know I don’t do relationships. I told you at the beginning,’ he shouted after her as she stomped off. Camilla felt mortified and tried to pretend nothing had happened, which was extremely difficult given the close proximity of the van and the fact that some of the customers were winding him up.

  ‘Oh you’re in trouble, son.’ And: ‘You’d better watch him, love,’ they said loudly.

  Ged was looking very serious. ‘I’m sorry about that,’ he murmured into her ear. He continued to serve customers but the banter between the two of them had stopped abruptly.

  As the airfield emptied, Camilla packed up her van and sat in the driver’s seat.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Ged knocked on her window, she gasped, and her hand flew to her chest.

  ‘Oh you made me jump then.’ She wound down the window. Her heart rate returned to normal after the fright. ‘I was supposed to be having a girly night tonight but the girls can’t make it. What are you doing?’

  He leaned on the door of the van. ‘Nothing that can’t be cancelled,’ he replied.

  ‘Just wondered if you fancied joining a friend for a takeaway and a couple of beers back at mine.’ She flushed slightly in case it sounded like a come-on. ‘As friends I mean, of course.’

  ‘So, what you’re asking is would I like to join a friend for a takeaway as friends? Are you sure you’ve hammered the word friends down enough?’ he teased.

  She laughed. ‘Hey I know your reputation, you heartbreaker you. So, what do you say, Friendy McFriendface?

  He put his finger to his chin, his face serious as if in deep thought, then his mouth broke into that dazzling smile of his and he replied, ‘Isn’t that what friends are for?’

  She drove home with the music from the ancient radio blaring out loud, pushing unwanted thoughts from her mind.

  By the time she finally pushed the key in the door she realised how exhausted she felt. Her legs were aching and her back throbbed from standing all day. Ged had pulled up just behind her and followed her into the cottage. She put on the lamps, which instantly provided a warming ambience, reached into a drawer and pulled out the menu for the Chinese takeaway and handed it to Ged. She lit the fire whilst he perused the menu.

  ‘Do you want me to pop round and collect it?’ he offered.

  ‘No don’t worry, we can have it delivered. They don’t take very long.’

  She went through to the kitchen, turning the lights on as she went, and he could see her through the open beams. She opened the fridge door and took out a beer, flicking off the lid with a bottle opener that was attached to one of the kitchen cupboards. She handed it to him through the gap in the wall and he sat in the armchair, threw his head back and gulped down half the bottle in one glug.

  ‘Ah, that’s better. Are you not having one?’

  ‘No I’m having this.’ She held up a bottle of red, which had been stored near the boiler in the kitchen and was just the right temperature for her. Taking a wine glass from the draining board she filled it with the burgundy liquid, listening with satisfaction to the glug-glug sound it made.

  She rejoined him in the living room and flumped onto the sofa, placing the bottle of wine on the coffee table. She took the menu he proffered to her.

  ‘Ooh what are you having?’ she asked as her eyes scanned the page for her favourite.

  He smiled at her. ‘I haven’t had Chinese food for such a long time but it has to be mixed starters and crispy duck pancakes for me. After that nothing matters.’

  Camilla’s stomach almost answered for her, as it rumbled so loudly making her laugh and colour flood her cheeks. ‘Ooh yes, same for me and how about we share a fillet steak Chinese style with egg fried rice.’

  His stomach answered hers with a gurgle, which made both of them laugh. ‘I think what my stomach is trying to tell you is: add a chicken chow mein to that and it’s a deal,’ he replied.

  Camilla pulled out her phone. After she’d spoken to them, she turned to Ged.

  ‘Can you manage to wait half an hour, or do you want some nuts or something?’ She stood up to put a George Ezra CD on the stereo.

  ‘I’m sure I’ll manage,’ he replied before finishing his bottle and placing it on the table.

  ‘Can I get you another?’ she asked.

  ‘No I’d better not as I’m driving; I’ll have another when the food comes.’

  He stood up to flick through her small CD collection, groaning at the names of some of the artists.

  ‘What, you don’t like pop?’ she asked pretending to be offended.

  ‘I’m more into rock bands, I’m afraid. You can’t exactly air-guitar to George Ezra.’

  ‘Who says you can’t?’ She smiled as she played her invisible instrument. He laughed and shook his head. She topped up her glass too vigorously leaving purple blotches on the coffee table. ‘Are you sure I can’t get you a drink, a Coke or something?’ she said as she mopped the spills up with a tissue.

  ‘No, I’m fine; I’ll wait for my beer, thanks.’

  ‘Oh come on, you deserve a drink after the hard day we’ve had today. You can always leave your van and get a taxi or even stay over.’

  His eyes shot up to meet hers, his eyebrows raised, and then she continued.

  ‘I mean I know the couch isn’t huge but it’s big enough and very comfy. I always fall asleep on it and I guess what I’m trying to say is…I don’t really want to be alone tonight. I could really use a friend.’

  ‘Why didn’t you just say that then?’ He laughed. ‘Go on then I will, but only on one condition.’

  ‘Okay, try m
e?’ she said inquisitively.

  ‘That I can get my Queens of the Stone Age CD from the van and show you what real music is.’

  ‘I’m not sure what I’m letting myself in for but okay we’ve got a deal. You get the music; I’ll get the beer and plates.’

  The food arrived at the same time as Ged came back in from the van, so he paid for it and tipped the delivery driver. Camilla spread the packages across the coffee table, and they tucked in hungrily as they listened to Ged’s favourite band. Camilla was surprised to find that she liked them.

  ‘I expected it to just be loud noise and screaming but I’m really enjoying it,’ she said as she lifted a spring roll to her lips using the disposable chopsticks the restaurant had provided.

  ‘I’m glad you like it,’ replied Ged as he washed his prawn toast down with a swig of beer and picked up a chicken satay. ‘So are you going to tell me what’s wrong?’ he asked as he dipped the satay into the peanut sauce.

  ‘What makes you think there’s something wrong?’ she asked, not making eye contact with him as she watched the flames dance in the grate.

  ‘Oh you know, because you said you could do with a friend and didn’t want to be alone.’ He held both ends of the satay stick and tore the chicken off with his teeth.

  ‘It’s a long story, but basically I’ve realised I’m developing feelings for my ex – Blake.’

  ‘Is that the guy I met with the beard who came to the farmers’ market?’ he asked as he spooned some plum sauce onto a pancake. ‘Here, do you want some sauce?’

  She looked away from the fire and noticed he was offering her the teaspoon. ‘Oh yes, sorry. Thank you.’ She took the spoon from him and spread the thick sauce onto her pancake. He offered the spring onion and cucumber, which she took and arranged them over the sauce before continuing. ‘How did you know it was him?’