Chapter 11

Kate

So, I may have been a bit tense and standoffish with Will but I have an excuse.

Um….

Wait for it…..

No. I take that all back.

Anyway, my fingers were hovering over the keys of my phone. I was trying to think of the words to tell him I wanted to see him again over text.

Harder than it sounds, trust me.

Eventually I gave up and slumped down on the sofa. Anya glanced up at me from the armchair and curled a bit tighter with her book. The name Anna Karenina glared at me in black. That book was so thick I could use it as a weight.

"You alright?" She asked and frowned at me.

"Yeah, yeah. Just tired." I rubbed my eyes and thought of the early morning I had to pull at the bakery tomorrow.

"Who was that guy from yesterday?" She pretended to be non-interested but I could tell she was dying to know the details.

"New friend." I said simply and picked up a half-finished crossword.

King of England – Six wives (5-3)

Seriously? Did they make these for kids? I filled in Henry VII.

"He looked more than that." Anya looked at me and waited for my answer.

"Well, he might become more than that." I said and hoped the cryptic answer would pacify her.

Yeah right Kate.

"So, do you like him?"

"Yes, I do. But I don't know him well enough yet."

"But you're trying to text him."

I looked up at her and frowned. "How did you know that?"

She shrugged her thin shoulders. "You looked stressed when you were holding your phone." She went back to her book.

I suddenly remembered how little I actually knew about Anya. Her vague history but nothing else.

"What about you then? Any guys in your life?"

She concentrated on her book and I could have sworn I saw tears. I must be getting old, I told myself.

"No." She said quietly. "None at all."

I glanced down at the crossword.

Old folk hero outlaw. Also name of winter bird. (5-4)

Amateurs, I thought.

Robin Hood.

Carly was smiling as soon as I got in the next morning at 5am.

"This is definitely too early for any sane person to be up." She said. "But we are bakers! So, in the words of Sue Perkins. On your marks, get set, bake."

I rolled my eyes. "Been watching the Great British Bake Off have you?"

Carly stopped and stared at me. "I'm a baker. Who doesn't watch it?"

I laughed as she pulled her apron on and turned up the heat of the ovens.

"So, I saw that chap you were having tea with yesterday. What's going on there, missy?"

I shook my head. "Nothing Carly. We're just friends. He's from America."

"Ooh exciting. But sweetie, you didn't see the way he looked at you. And if you're just friends now that's fine. But I will bet my favourite slippers that you two will be Mr and Mrs American before two years is out."

I turned and put my hands on my hips. She mimicked my position and pursed her lips.

"I'll hold you to that." I said, trying not to picture Will in a suit and me in a wedding dress. Too soon! My brain told me.

"Please do hold me to that." Carly smiled and winked at me.

The was sunny but cold. There was frost on the cars.

England, I glowered. Sooner I could move to America where the winter was pretty the better.

I thought of Will straight away.

And caught myself smiling.

You're going soft. I thought.

Yeah I am. The other half said.

Shut up. I told it back.

I am now thinking of going into therapy for madness.

When I got back Sid and Polly were at the kitchen table flicking through magazines.

"Hi Sid, hi Polly, hi Baby!" I said and dropped my scarf over the back of the chair.

"You're in a good mood." Polly looked at me and frowned. "I bet you're in love."

I laughed and shook my head, turning the radio on.

"So who's the lucky guy?" She said.

"Why is everyone saying I've even got a guy?" I exclaimed and started looking in the fridge.

"His name's Will Benedict. He is twenty years old and lives in Colorado with his parents and six brothers." Sid said and turned the page of his car magazine.

"How do you know that?" I asked at looked at him sharply.

"I'm a kleptomaniac, Kate. It's my job to steal stuff. That means I grow good at searching." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bit of paper. He showed it to me. It was a list, written in neat handwriting.

Will, you must:

Phone Mum

Get Zed's b-day present

Check Xav hasn't forgotten

Look for ?

Check on all 6 of bros through Mum.

"Sid, you can't steal stuff." I said and looked at him imploringly.

He smirked. "It's not like its stealing if he won't miss it. He's too busy thinking about you."

"Oh shut up." I said and swatted him with the tea towel.

He laughed and got up to help me with lunch.