Just then, the tinny tone of a video call rang out from her phone and she almost dropped it with surprise. She quickly pressed accept to cut off the noise and her mum’s familiar face appeared.
‘Frannie!’ Her mum waved at her.
‘Mum? I wasn’t expecting a call this morning.’
‘I know, sweetheart, and—’
‘Oh God, is everything all right? Dad? Nonna?’ Fran tensed.
‘We’re all fine, Frannie. It’s just that I… I heard something and I wanted to ask you about it before it worried me. You know how I build things up if I don’t get them out in the open and… well… I found out last night and it’s been going round and round in my poor head.’ Her mum’s dark blue eyes peered out of the screen.
‘Okay…’ Fran didn’t like the sound of that. Her mum could be a terrible worrier and for her to video call early in the morning, rather than at their customary time of after six in the evening, showed how concerned she must be.
‘Frannie, how are you feeling?’ Her mum’s dark brows met above her nose in a frown.
‘I’m good, thanks.’
‘Do you want me to come home?’
‘Hi, Fran.’ Ethan sat opposite her. ‘Oh, sorry, you’re on the phone!’ He pressed a finger to his lips.
Fran flashed him a smile. ‘Hi, Ethan.’
‘Fran?’ Her mum’s voice rang out from her phone.
‘Yes, Mum?’
‘Who’s that?’
‘It’s Ethan Clarke. He’s the new chef at Rosewood Tea Shop.’
‘Is he the father?’
‘What?’ Fran stared at her mum then slowly moved her gaze up to Ethan.
He was staring right back and had obviously heard what her mother had said.
‘I asked if he’s the father. Frannie, we know you’re pregnant. Why didn’t you tell us? We’re delighted, obviously, but it’s such a surprise.’
‘No… uh, Mum. It’s not like that. See…’ Fran could feel Ethan’s gaze fixed on her face and heat crawled up her neck and around her ears, making them hot and itchy. She should have spoken to her parents about the fake pregnancy before now but she’d been delaying, hoping they wouldn’t hear about it, aware that even though they’d understand why she was doing it for Holly, they’d be concerned about the effect it could have upon her if it spread around the village.
‘But you are pregnant?’
Fran sighed inwardly. How was she going to get away with this? If she told the truth, Ethan would know she’d been lying and Holly would be exposed, meaning it would all have been for nothing. But if she lied, then she’d be lying to her mum.
‘Look, Mum, it’s complicated and I’m at the tea shop right now, so I’ll call you back as soon as I get home. I don’t really want to discuss this in public.’
‘Of course, Frannie.’ Her mum nodded. ‘Call me as soon as you get home. Immediately! Promise?’
‘I promise. Speak to you later—’
‘Before you cut me off, just turn your phone around, so I can see Ethan, will you?’ Her mum pointed left as if she knew where Ethan was sitting from her position in Italy.
Fran grimaced at Ethan but he smiled.
‘Okay, Mum. Gwyneth, meet Ethan. Ethan, my mum.’
‘Hello, Mrs Gandolfini.’ He smiled and it lit up his handsome face.
‘Hello, Ethan, darling, and welcome to the family.’
‘Muuuum!’ Fran grimaced, feeling like she was a teenager and her mum had just embarrassed her in front of her school friends.
Ethan’s eyes widened but he didn’t say anything. Fran turned the phone back around.
‘Mum, I have to go. Speak later.’ She ended the call quickly before her mother said anything else that would mortify them all.
She tucked her phone in her bag then placed her hands on the table, fingers splayed, as if to ground herself.
‘I am so sorry about that.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s fine. We’re family now apparently, so anything goes, right?’
‘Thanks for not shooting her down.’
‘Why would I? It seems like she’s worried about you and so she should be. Fran… yesterday I found out that the father of your baby isn’t around. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe someone would do that to you.’
Fran shook her head. ‘No… it’s not like that. Please don’t worry.’
‘Will your parents be upset when they find out?’
‘Ethan, I’m thirty-one years old. It’s not like I’m sixteen, jobless and homeless. I’ll be fine.’
He nodded but there was concern in his gorgeous eyes.
‘Anyway… I came here to ask you a favour.’
‘To pretend to be your baby’s dad?’
‘No! Of course not.’
‘What then?’ His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled at her.
‘I…’ Would he have done that for her if she’d asked it of him? Was he that generous? She pushed the thought away; it wouldn’t matter anyway because she wasn’t really pregnant. ‘I wanted to ask if you would consider helping me out with something. See… Holly is getting married on New Year’s Eve but Rich’s mum was meant to be making the wedding cake, and I know it’s short notice but Lucinda slipped a few days ago and hurt her wrist so she can’t do the cake now and…’ She stopped talking because Ethan was nodding and smiling.
‘Of course I’ll make it. I’d be happy to. With such short notice though, sponge would be better than fruit cake, as it won’t have the time to mature. Unless we use one of the Christmas cakes or…’
‘Sponge will be fine. Anything will be fine, actually. As long as they just have a cake.’
‘I can do that for you. Get Holly to text me some images of what she likes and I’ll have a think.’
‘You are wonderful!’ Fran reached across the table and grabbed his hands.
‘Uh… thanks.’ He smiled shyly, his cheeks flushing.
‘You really are, Ethan. How many men would be so accommodating? In just ten minutes you’ve offered… well, asked if I want you to pretend to be my baby’s father to stop my mum worrying and now you’ve agreed to bake my best friend’s wedding cake. You are one of the nicest men I’ve ever met.’
A tiny line appeared between his brows and his smile dropped.
‘Ethan? What is it?’
He shook his head.
‘I’ve upset you?’
‘Not you. Just… what you said about being nice. It hasn’t always worked in my favour.’
‘Well, from now on it should do.’ She squeezed his hands. ‘You are truly nice in the best possible way.’
‘Thank you.’
They stayed that way for a while, until Fran realised that Audrey was gazing at them from behind the counter, grinning at their clasped hands, so she released Ethan and made a show of eating her mince pie. Ethan pulled out his phone and started searching for some images of cakes, showing them to Fran and making her laugh at the more ostentatious ones. When she finished her coffee, he got her another and one for himself, and they sat together, using the excuse of looking at cake ideas to spend the rest of the hour together.
It was one of the loveliest hours that Fran could remember ever spending at the tea shop.
Chapter 14
Ethan took his seat in the school hall and looked around. So far, he was alone, but he needed to keep four seats, so he spread his coat, hat, scarf and gloves out on the chairs either side of him. The play was due to begin at ten thirty and he’d been waiting outside the school gates from nine thirty, worried that he might not get seats together. He’d purchased three tickets (the amount allotted to each pupil) as soon as they’d gone on sale then waited to see if there would be spares. There were, and he’d snapped up another two. It was surprisingly stressful wondering if he’d get enough tickets to please everyone and quite different to wishing that he had someone else, even just one more person, to come and see Tilly’s plays with him. He definitely preferred this to coming alone and was looking forward to havi
ng company.
The hall filled up slowly; mums and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunties and uncles, guardians and carers were all filing in and removing hats, gloves and coats. Aromas of mints, perfume and cologne, and cigarettes smoked hastily before entering the school grounds filled the air and mingled with the school scent of chips and paint.
Ethan kept glancing at the doorway behind him, until finally, he saw Audrey, Harper and Scarlett bustling in, their cheeks and noses pink from the cold, their eyes scanning the room. He waved and they came and took their seats. All he needed now was for Fran to arrive then he could relax and enjoy the show.
* * *
Fran ran a hand over her hair, trying to flatten it after her hat had created static, as she hurried into the hallway. The last thing she’d wanted to do was to be late but the new dog had experienced a toilet emergency just as she’d been about to leave and she’d spent precious time cleaning it up then waiting to check that it wouldn’t happen again. Most likely, he’d been nibbling at rabbit droppings in her garden or, as he seemed wont to do, licking bird poo off the bench. It wasn’t his fault, but it did make her squirm whenever she caught him doing it. She hoped that with time and care he would grow out of those habits, but there was no way to be sure because she had no idea what he’d been through before he’d come to her.
She looked around the hall for Ethan and was relieved when he waved her over.
‘Sorry I’m a bit late,’ she whispered as she sat next to him. The chairs were very close together and she found her leg pressing against Ethan’s almost immediately. She tried to inch over on the seat but the shape of it meant that she couldn’t manage to balance on one bum cheek, so she gave in and let her leg rest against his. He was warm and solid next to her and it was a relief after the cold outside.
In jeans and a blue and white checked shirt with the top button undone, Ethan looked gorgeous. His hair was shiny and his skin clear except for the stubble that he always seemed to have, as if it grew within hours of him shaving. Fran had an urge to run her hand over it just to feel it tickling her palm. She knew from their kiss that it would tickle her face and a tingle spread through her at the memory.
It wasn’t fair that he was so nice and so darned attractive. How was she supposed to keep her mind from straying to thoughts of kissing him and holding him close? As it was, she could gaze at him all day long and never get bored. His rejection had stung but she knew why he had put a stop to their intimacy and the fact that he continued to be so kind to her made her hope that it was indeed because of Tilly and the fake pregnancy and not because of any other reason.
‘No worries. Just glad you’re here. Tilly really wanted you to come.’
He smiled at her and she could have plunged into the green pools of his eyes and stayed there.
Suddenly warm, she shrugged out of her coat and tucked it behind her then ran a hand over her hair again, wondering if it was still sticking up. Glancing at Ethan, she saw that he was grinning.
‘Static.’ He reached out and gently smoothed her hair down. As his fingers reached her ear, they sank lower and brushed against her neck and she gasped at the bolt of desire that shot through her. Ethan’s lips parted and he seemed to be as shocked as she was by the impact of their physical connection, as if during the time since their kiss, their attraction had continued to grow, and the air between them seemed filled with the anticipation of things to come. Ethan released a shuddering breath then folded his hands together in his lap and stared straight ahead. Fran glanced around, wondering if anyone had seen what had just transpired, but parents and grandparents, aunties and uncles were all reading their programmes and their phones, excitedly chatting about their little ones’ starring roles.
Fran took a few slow breaths and focused on the details of the hall, from the large Christmas tree in the corner with its twinkling lights and colourful baubles to the tinsel draped around the stage and the high windows. Colourful paper and foil streamers hung from the ceiling and carols drifted through the air from speakers above the stage, creating the perfect background to the conversational hum.
Then Ms Jowanet Tremayne walked, or rather marched, along the centre aisle and climbed the steps to the stage. The hall fell silent as if she’d rung a bell or raised her voice. She commanded respect and she knew it, but there was no arrogance about her, merely acceptance of her position in the community.
‘Good morning to you all!’ Jowanet smiled broadly at the crowd. In her heels, the tall woman was positively statuesque, and Fran realised that she must seem like a giant to the youngest children. She had a severely cut white bob, small square glasses and beady hazel eyes and she was wearing a grey two-piece suit over a white blouse, her sturdy calves encased in thick flesh-coloured tights. Fran didn’t think she’d ever seen the head teacher wearing anything else, certainly nothing more casual. ‘It is a delight to be able to welcome you to our annual Christmas performance. This year, we have a play written by the children themselves. It’s called The Lonely Star, and having seen the dress rehearsal, I can tell you that it is a magical, festive delight. Please refrain from using your cameras during the performance for safeguarding reasons, but afterwards there will be the opportunity to have photographs with your children in front of the stage. And now… enjoy this wonderful play that will carry us all into the Christmas holidays!’
There was a round of applause and some cheers, then Jowanet padded down the steps and took a seat at the front. The hall fell silent again and a spotlight appeared on the stage. Fran sneaked a look at Ethan and her heart squeezed, because she could see a tiny muscle in his jaw moving, as if he were struggling to deal with the emotion of the situation. She moved her hand over her leg so it rested next to his, and without looking at her, he moved his hand over so that their fingers touched.
Fran swallowed hard. These feelings and emotions were so new to her and she had no idea how to react to any of them. All she knew was that when she was with Ethan, she felt good, and when she wasn’t, she missed him. She knew that she couldn’t be with him, but it didn’t stop her wanting to be close to him. And right now, their little fingers were entwined; they were connected, and she suspected that their connection ran a lot deeper than a physical one.
* * *
‘That was just about the most emotional hour I’ve ever had,’ Fran said as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Her throat was tight and her eyes burned with unshed tears that she’d tried to hold back to avoid full on sobbing in the hall.
Next to her, Ethan was smiling, but his eyes glistened and on the other side of him, Audrey was openly crying.
‘I’m so proud of her.’ Ethan sniffed. ‘She was so confident.’
‘She was wonderful. You’ve done such a good job of raising her.’ Fran squeezed his arm.
‘It hasn’t been easy at times but it’s always been a pleasure. She’s an amazing little girl.’
‘I’m… so… glad… you… came home.’ Audrey clung to Ethan’s arm and cried on his shoulder. Mascara ran down her cheeks and her foundation was streaked but it was clear that Audrey didn’t care; she’d enjoyed the play too much to be concerned about her appearance.
‘Hey, Audrey, it’s okay. I’m glad we came to Penhallow Sands too.’
Audrey blew her nose then composed herself. ‘It reminded me so much of when my two girls were little and I know that if your mum was here, Ethan, she’d be proud too.’
Ethan seemed to freeze and his Adam’s apple bobbed furiously. Fran slid her hand through his arm and held tight. He was silent for a few moments, as if he’d gone somewhere in his mind to escape, then he seemed to return to the room as he took a shaky breath. Fran wasn’t used to dealing with men and their emotions, but she knew from things her mum had said about her dad and things Holly had told her about Rich that some men struggled to express their grief, their pain and feelings of vulnerability. Culture often taught little boys to swallow their fears and to put on a front and that could run into adulthood too. She
could see that in Ethan now, see how he battled his emotions, and she wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was okay, that it would be all right from now on. She wanted, she realised, to comfort and support him; her feelings for him were deepening, spiralling out of her control in spite of her attempts to reason with her heart.
‘Mum would be very proud. I wish she was here to see things like this. It’s such a shame.’
He glanced at Fran and she offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘I’m sure that in some way, she knows.’
‘I hope so.’ He nodded. ‘It’s comforting to think that she might be able to see Tilly doing so well.’
‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ Ms Tremayne was back on the stage. ‘If I can just have your attention for a moment?’
The crowd had already fallen silent.
‘The children will return to the hall for photographs, then they will need to go back to their classes with their teachers. When they have gathered their belongings, they will be released to you ready for the Christmas holidays. And on that wonderful note, the staff and I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.’
With that, the Christmas carols began again, filling the hall with festive cheer, and parents lined up to have photographs done with their children.
Ethan stood up. ‘Better get in the queue or we’ll be last.’
‘Okay. See you in a bit.’ Fran smiled.
‘Come with me?’ he asked.
Fran blinked. ‘Sorry?’
The Christmas Tea Shop at Rosewood Page 17