The Second Chance Tea Shop

by Fay Keenan

  Anna’s knees weakened. His merest touch was always enough to make her senses reel. She brushed her lips against his, but although he returned the kiss, his mind seemed elsewhere.

  ‘What is it?’ Anna asked as they broke apart.

  Matthew sighed. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come round here just to chew your ear.’

  ‘Hey,’ Anna said gently. ‘Isn’t that part of the deal?’ Turning back to her kitchen worktop, she grabbed the bottle of Chablis she’d bought at the supermarket earlier that day. ‘As it happens, Charlotte was going to come over tonight for a glass or two but Simon’s blotted his copybook and she’s stayed at home to give him a piece of her mind. So there’s a drink going begging if you want it.’ She reached up to the top shelf of the cupboard to get two wine glasses down.

  ‘Let me get those.’ Matthew edged closer to Anna and she felt the warmth of his body. Steeling herself against the urge to melt against him again, she busied herself by taking the cork out of the bottle.

  ‘So what’s new?’ she asked when they were finally sat at the kitchen table.

  Matthew hesitated. He didn’t like the idea of dragging Anna into the situation with Tara and Meredith, and he still couldn’t bring himself to discuss Jonathan at all, but he suddenly felt the urge to unburden himself of at least some of it. Gradually, the story of Tara’s latest plan came out.

  ‘It feels like she’s taking Meredith away from me,’ Matthew said. ‘And part of me knows I need to let Meredith make this decision for herself, but the bigger part of me wants to lock her in her room and throw away the key.’ He gave a small smile.

  Anna moved from the table to stand behind Matthew at the kitchen table. She put her hands on his shoulders and felt the knots of tension under her fingers.

  Matthew let out a long sigh. ‘You are so good at that.’ He lifted his head and leaned back into Anna’s soothing hands. Surrendering, he allowed himself to forget all about Tara and her plans. The ache in his head ebbed away as she continued massaging his neck and shoulders, and an overwhelming sense of calm and rightness washed over him. ‘God, I wish I didn’t have to go home tonight.’

  ‘The course of true love… or parenting, never did run smooth,’ quipped Anna. She froze. Had she really just said that out loud? Her hands seemed glued to Matthew’s shoulders.

  ‘Is that what you think this is?’ Matthew said softly. Carefully, mindful that she was behind him, he stood up and turned to face her.

  ‘Um, well, er, I – I don’t – that’s not what I meant…’ Anna stuttered. Her arms flapped helplessly at her sides.

  Matthew’s eyes were deep, dark and unreadable. Just as Anna thought she would die of mortification, he took her hands in his.

  ‘You’re a breath of fresh air in my life,’ he said. ‘And it’s been such a long time… for both of us. This thing with Tara… it’s throwing me off balance.’ Tenderly, he tucked a stray strand of Anna’s hair behind her ear. ‘Give me time, OK?’

  Anna nodded, unable to speak for embarrassment. She felt Matthew’s lips on her cheek, the warmth of his breath as he kissed her flaming face.

  ‘I should go,’ he said, stepping back from her slightly.

  ‘Matthew…’ Anna was relieved her voice, if not her thoughts, was at least under her control. ‘I didn’t mean to put pressure on you. I, of all people need to take things slowly.’

  Matthew’s smile held just a trace of sadness. ‘Goodnight, Anna.’

  As his broad back disappeared out of the door, it was Anna’s turn to put her head in her hands. Just when things were starting to go well, she’d had to put her foot in it.

  Even when she went to bed that night, she couldn’t help replaying the scene over and over again in her head, cursing her own stupidity at letting slip her true feelings. Curling up in total mortification in the darkness, she eventually fell asleep.

  *

  ‘Shit, Charlotte, I really messed up last night.’

  ‘You didn’t dump him, did you?’ Charlotte was instantly alert. ‘Or fart in front of him? Belch? Scratch your arse? No? Well, it can’t be that bad, then!’

  Anna laughed despite herself. ‘Worse. I might possibly have mentioned the “L” word.’

  ‘Darling,’ Charlotte admonished, ‘just because you go to bed with someone, doesn’t mean you have to tell them you love them. Have I taught you nothing by my example over the years?’

  ‘Calm down. I said I mentioned it, not that I got down on one knee and proposed.’

  ‘So what’s the problem, then?’

  Anna heard a thump in the background and a wail. ‘Everything OK at your end?’

  ‘Yup – Evan’s just pulled out the contents of my saucepan cupboard and is wearing a colander as a hat. Carry on.’

  ‘I made some stupid joke about true love, and he totally freaked out. I feel like such an idiot.’ Anna could feel her face growing hot again as she relived the previous night for the thousandth time.

  ‘Wait, wait. When you say “freaked out”, what exactly do you mean?’

  Another thump. A louder wail.

  ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’

  ‘Yes, don’t worry – he’s just discovered the knife block.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’m joking. Now get on with it, will you.’

  Anna slumped back in her chair and sighed. ‘He told me to give him time. The thing with Tara is throwing him off balance.’

  ‘Well, there you go then. Believe me, darling, the less you have to do with lady East Coast Bitch Face the better – she’s utterly poisonous.’ There was a muffled scratching sound at Charlotte’s end of the phone and suddenly Anna heard a small, shrill voice.

  ‘Off the fucky phone, Auntie Anna – we going out soon!’

  ‘EVAN! Naughty step!’ Charlotte snatched the phone back from her foul-mouthed offspring.

  ‘Sorry about that – he’s obviously been listening to his father a little too much. Listen, I’ve got to go and wash this child’s mouth out with coal tar soap, but don’t panic – it sounds like Matthew’s just trying to keep you out of what could potentially be a very sticky situation. And you know what men are like – even suggest that they might be feeling something and they get all tetchy. Simon used to run a mile when I told him I loved him until he finally twigged he felt the same about me. Don’t get your knickers in a twist.’

  ‘I hope you’re right,’ Anna muttered. ‘It was all starting to go so well. And now I’ve come off as some needy cow who can’t even shag someone without going all mushy on them.’

  ‘On the contrary, you’ve been the epitome of patience and understanding, considering there are two children in the equation. Not to mention Matthew’s tendency to go all Mr Darcy on you when you least expect it. Keep calm and carry on, darling, that’s what I say.’

  ‘And don’t ever mention the dreaded “L” word again?’ Anna said.

  ‘Just go with the flow, babe, and don’t let it get you down. Now I really must go and sort out this child of mine. I’ll brain Simon when he gets home.’

  Despite herself, Anna grinned. ‘Go easy on them – you never know when they might come in useful!’ As Anna ended the call, she heard the beginnings of Charlotte’s scolding of her errant son. Talking to her best friend always made her feel better, but she still couldn’t help the continuing feelings of unease.

  26

  After a couple of days of alternately wishing Matthew would call and then praying he wouldn’t, and generally hiding in the tea shop kitchen when she’d seen to her customers’ needs, Anna decided something had to be done. Punching out the number to Matthew’s private office line, she prayed he’d answer quickly before she bottled out.

  ‘Carter’s Cider, how may I help you?’ Jen’s clipped, efficient tone made Anna’s heart sink.

  ‘Oh, hi Jen, it’s Anna. Hemingway.’ She cursed herself for sounding so gauche. Jen was sleek, composed and ever so slightly frightening, even with the phone line between them.

/>   ‘Hi Anna,’ Jen replied. ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘Is… um… is Matthew around?’ Anna cursed. Why hadn’t she just phoned his bloody mobile?

  ‘He’s out at the moment, said something about checking over the keggery.’ Anna heard a rustle of papers at Jen’s end and wondered if she was the one shifting them, or whether Matthew was actually standing right next to her in the office, shaking his head.

  ‘Oh, OK. Well, would you mind asking him to call me when he gets back?’

  ‘Sure thing. Any message?’

  Yes, I’m sorry I suggested that I might be falling in love with you. ‘Um… no, I don’t think so. Thanks.’

  Anna ended the call, and as she pressed the button to turn her phone off, she wandered over to the tea shop’s kitchen window. Staring blankly out at the small back yard, she got the fright of her life when the back door of the shop creaked open and Matthew stepped into the room.

  ‘Christ!’ Anna squeaked. ‘You could have warned me you were coming!’

  ‘Sorry,’ Matthew glanced at the empty worktop, the cold oven and then looked quizzically at her. ‘Were you in the middle of something?’

  ‘Only torturing myself,’ Anna muttered. ‘And being a complete idiot on the phone to Jen.’

  Matthew grinned. ‘I wouldn’t worry about the latter, Jen’s worked for me for years so knows how to fend off any idiotic behaviour, especially from me. And as for the former…’ Drawing closer, Matthew placed a tender kiss on her lips. ‘I should be apologising to you.’ He pulled back to look at her again. ‘I don’t know why I got so worried by what you said.’

  ‘I might be out of practise at this dating game, but even I know the signs that someone’s freaking out,’ Anna replied.

  ‘Anna,’ Matthew cocked his head to one side, ‘I’m not freaking out. I promise. And you’re so sweet when you’re flustered.’ Grinning at her, he reached forward and tucked her ponytail back over her shoulder. ‘Just because you mention your feelings for me it doesn’t mean I’m going to run screaming to the hills. You just happened to mention it when my head was so full of other things, I didn’t quite know what to do.’

  ‘So we can forget it? What I said?’ Anna still felt foolish, but was prepared to let it go, if at all possible.

  ‘On the contrary,’ he said gravely. ‘That’s the last thing I want to do.’

  ‘Wh-what?’ Anna started to tremble. ‘What do you want to do, then?’

  Matthew fell silent.

  ‘Are you dumping me? Because of that? Oh god, I’m such an idiot, can’t we just forget it…’

  Matthew pulled Anna closer to him and cut her off by planting a firm kiss on her lips. ‘For goodness sake, just listen to me,’ he said as he released her.

  ‘I’m listening,’ Anna said in a small voice.

  ‘What I was going to say, before you started wittering on and interrupting me, is that you totally pre-empted me. I’ve been trying not to admit it to myself, let alone you, but the truth is, Anna…’ he ran a hand through his hair, playing a little for time. ‘The truth is… I’m falling in love with you. And I don’t know if you feel the same way, although I’m assuming from the way you’ve been reacting that you might go some way to feeling the same, but even if you don’t, I just thought you should know.’

  Anna took a step back, stunned. ‘You know what,’ she said slowly, a smile beginning to play over the lips that Matthew had kissed so fervently, ‘I was always told solicitors had an awfully roundabout way of putting things.’

  ‘Should have started seeing a barrister, then,’ Matthew replied. ‘Or perhaps… a cider maker?’

  Anna’s smile turned into a grin. Matthew’s uncertainty was irresistible. ‘Well,’ she said softly. ‘I’d certainly like that.’ She knew he was giving her control over this moment. She brushed a stray lock of silvery black hair from his eyes. Matthew, enthralled, leaned into her touch as her fingers stroked back from his forehead and tangled slightly in his unkempt locks. ‘I’d like that very much. Because the truth is… I think I’m falling in love with you too.’

  With that, Anna found herself swept off her feet again as Matthew gathered her up in a tight embrace. ‘I’m glad,’ he whispered.

  When they parted again, Anna felt a touch unsteady on her feet. ‘This is so weird,’ she said wonderingly. ‘If anyone had told me a year ago I’d be standing in a tea shop with a man I’d met once, eighteen years ago, and kissing him, I’d have laughed them out of the door.’

  They stood for a while, just holding each other, surprised, delighted and mildly unsettled by the revelations. Then, with an air of reluctance, Matthew disentangled himself from Anna’s arms. ‘I really have to get going,’ he said. ‘I snuck out of the office and told Jen some rubbish about going to check on the kegging plant. Knowing my luck, she’s called the floor and knows I’ve gone AWOL.’

  ‘Will I see you later?’ Anna asked.

  ‘I should think Sefton might be making a detour tonight, if you’re OK with that?’ Matthew grinned. ‘He seems to like lying by your fire, even when it’s too hot to light it!’ Kissing the tip of her nose, he turned for the door.

  ‘I’ll save him a biscuit,’ Anna replied. ‘Send Jen my regards… and my apologies!’

  ‘Will do!’ And with that, he was gone.

  For a moment, Anna just stood in the kitchen, still slightly stunned by the speed by which her emotions could be so conclusively turned upside down. Matthew loved her. He loved her. And she loved him. Half of her wanted to lock up the tea shop, race around to Charlotte’s house and squeal like a teenager; the other half wanted to run screaming for the hills in terror. Somewhere, in the intervening years between adolescence and maturity, in the comfortable, homely years of marriage, she’d forgotten the spontaneity and scariness of a new relationship. It was with a not entirely steady hand that she turned on the cold tap and drew herself off a long glass of water, before choking on it as the imperious tones of Miss Pinkham echoed through the space between the tea shop and the kitchen, enquiring if she was ever going to get the second pot of tea she’d requested. Jumping guiltily, Anna bleated the affirmative, and set to brewing.

  *

  After an afternoon spent thinking more about Anna than his work, Matthew admitted defeat and decided to be at home for once when Meredith came strolling through the door. As sod’s law would dictate, he found a note on the kitchen table from his daughter, saying she was going to be eating dinner at school, and staying later to meet with the other Model UN team members.

  Smiling ruefully, Matthew poured himself a glass of early evening Scotch and ruminated on the day’s events. Telling Anna how he felt had been a huge risk; one he never thought he’d take, but when faced with her serious green eyes, his heart had had no option. He felt like a teenager again, and just for a while he’d forgotten all about Tara, Jonathan and the FastStream deal. He knew it would all encroach back onto him in time, but for now he was content to wallow in the waves of wellbeing and rightness that had washed over him the minute he’d declared himself to Anna.

  Just as he was about to sit down and allow himself the luxury of a few minutes’ peace and quiet, there was a knock at the front door. For a split second he was tempted to ignore it; it was bound to be Jehovah’s Witnesses or someone of that ilk, and he was in too good a mood with earthly delights to consider the heavens.

  The knock came again.

  Sighing, he ambled to the door, hoping whoever it was would be brief. For the umpteenth time he wished he’d had a window put into it, or at the very least a spyhole. Opening the door, blinking in the early evening light, for a second he couldn’t make out who it was. Then, as his vision cleared and his eyes came back into focus, his whisky glass slipped from his fingers and crashed on the flagstones.

  Standing there, an unfathomable expression on his face, was his brother Jonathan.

  27

  Promise I’m not going cold on you, but something’s come up. See you tomorrow? M xxx

>   Anna smiled and put her phone back down on the coffee table. Although she was rather disappointed Matthew wasn’t going to be dropping by on a late evening visit, it did give her the chance to mull over the afternoon’s revelations in peace. Ellie had crashed out in bed, exhausted from nursery, and so Anna opened a bottle of Chardonnay, brought it to the sofa and switched on the television.

  Just as she was about to settle in for the evening, her phone buzzed again.

  Heard a rumour that might interest you. Can I come over? C x

  Texting a quick reply, Anna went to get another glass from the kitchen.

  Five minutes later, Charlotte took the glass that Anna had poured for her. ‘So, Jen, Matthew’s oh-so-efficient PA, let slip to Vern the pub landlord that Matthew’s not going to be the only Carter brother in the cider business very soon.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. Apparently, Matthew asked her to pencil in a few provisional dates for an extraordinary general meeting of the Carter’s board for some time next month. Looks like the prodigal son is returning to the flock!’ Charlotte leaned back against the cushions of Anna’s leather sofa, and closed her eyes. ‘Christ, it’s been a hard day.’

  Anna winced at Charlotte’s mashed metaphors. ‘Evan playing up again?’

  ‘Not particularly, but he will keep asking “why” all the time and even my infinite patience is waning.’ Charlotte grinned.

  ‘Ellie’s doing that, too,’ Anna replied. ‘And it’s not so much the pointlessness of the questions, but the worry that one day I’m not going to come up with a creative enough answer! I mean, why is the sky blue, for goodness’ sake?’

  ‘But back to the notorious JC,’ Charlotte said. ‘Has Matthew mentioned anything to you about his little brother getting involved in the family firm?’

  Anna shook her head. ‘He hasn’t. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening; Matthew can be a little… parsimonious… with information when he doesn’t want to talk about something.’