You May Now Eat The Cake by Cressida McLaughlin

Author:Cressida McLaughlin [McLaughlin, Cressida]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2021-03-26T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

After the perfection of the night before, the following day threatened to test Ellie’s optimistic outlook from the very beginning. She was woken far too early by the buzz of a lazy bee that had flown in through the open bedroom window, and had to spend ten minutes coaxing it out, by which time she was too awake to go back to sleep. She met Rose in the kitchen, and proceeded to burn a piece of sourdough bread.

‘Glad you spent all that extra money on the sourdough loaf now?’ Rose asked smugly. ‘Do you want me to poach you some eggs before I go?’

‘You’ve got an early shift,’ Ellie said, ‘and I should be able to make toast.’

‘That toaster has always been temperamental, but we’ve got a good relationship now, so I don’t see the point of getting a new one.’

‘Could you give me the key to your relationship, then?’ Ellie scraped black bits off the toast to reveal more black bits, then cut herself another slice.

‘What’s got your goat? I would have thought you’d be floating on air after last night.’

‘Why?’ Ellie turned. ‘Because you very generously offered to drive Arthur home, giving Jago and I some alone time, and then came back just at the wrong moment?’

‘Ah, so it’s frustration that I’m on the receiving end of, is it?’ Rose didn’t seem remotely perturbed by Ellie’s accusations. ‘Go round there this morning and jump his bones, then.’

‘I’m not …’ Ellie sighed. ‘It’s not like that.’

‘What do you mean, not like that? There is an undeniable sizzle, and he is perfect for you right now, Elowen. I meant what I said last night.’

‘Yes, but I don’t want to just sleep with him and then say see you later.’ She stared at the toaster, desperate for her second piece of bread not to burn, because it felt like a sign of her competency as an adult. She really had got out on the wrong side of the bed. It took her a few moments to realize that Rose hadn’t replied. ‘What?’ she asked, popping the release button on the toaster. She was relieved to see that she had a piece of golden sourdough toast.

‘You don’t want to just sleep with him and then say see you later?’ Rose repeated.

‘No, of course not.’ Ellie spread butter on her toast.

‘Of course not?’

‘Stop repeating everything I say. What is your problem?’

‘But Ellie,’ Rose said, ‘that’s all you’ve done since Mark. Not that you’ve done it very often, but when you’ve found a guy it’s been no strings attached, a bit of fun and then move on. But now …’ She shook her head. ‘You really like Jago, don’t you? It’s more than just physical attraction.’

Ellie took a bite of her toast. ‘It would make sense,’ she said evenly, when she’d finished her mouthful. ‘I’ve spent quite a bit of time with him. Of course we’re going to build up some kind of rapport.’

Rose shook her head. ‘No no no. You really like him.

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