Page 107 of Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

Below her, remarkably, was her ‘I love you’ ploughed onto the hillside and she wondered if anyone had seen it as they passed through the country lanes in their cars. She hoped it had made someone else smile during their busy day. But she was so very glad that it was her message, and wow, looking across at Tom stood cooking at the coals, with his rather gorgeous body, warm smile and kind, kind heart, she couldn’t believe this really was her man. How crazily wonderful was that!

‘I didn’t know you had all these hidden talents,’ she called across. ‘Cooking, flower arranging, waiter skills.’

‘Oh, I have a whole lot more that you haven’t seen yet,’ he teased, and with those words he seemed to promise her a future, and new depths to their relationship, yet to discover.

‘I’m glad.’

You would think that you knew someone well after all these years as neighbours, yet in a way, Rachel realised she had only scratched the surface with Tom. A rather lovely surface in fact, and that was what was so exciting and wonderful. She walked across to stand behind him, reaching her arms around his waist as he cooked, and kissed him lightly on the back of the neck. He felt warm and strong beneath her touch, and smelt of barbecue smoke and aftershave.

‘Mmmn,’ he sighed, adding, ‘Now, don’t put me off. We don’t want me burning the steaks now.’

‘I’ll save this for later, then.’ She wondered just how long Jill would be all right until, or might she need to make a quick phone call …

Tom served the juicy steak along with potatoes he’d roasted with rosemary and kept warm in foil packets, with a side salad (quite MasterChef-like after all, Rachel mused!). The candle on the table between them, which he’d lit as she arrived, was flickering gently in the light breeze, glowing now that dusk was settling.

They talked and ate, and as they finished their delicious meal, Rachel reached a hand across the table, placing it over his.

‘Thank you, for all this, it’s amazing. No-one’s ever done anything like this for me, ever.’

He smiled warmly. ‘Well, it’s about time they did, then.’

She leaned across the table to kiss him. He tasted of red wine and steak, and him. Wow – she could carry on kissing these lips for the rest of her life. She didn’t need anyone else’s.

He then moved his chair to sit beside her, so they could both look out across the valley as night began to draw in. The soft bleating of their sheep provided the background noise.

‘Tom, about Maisy …’ Though this night was beautiful and promised so much, Rachel felt she had to clarify something. Maisy had to come first. It had to be right for her too.

‘Yeah?’

‘If we have a future together … she has to be a part of this.’

‘I know, I understand that.’

‘But how do we tell her?’ Rachel was thinking out loud.

‘Well, when the time’s right to tell her, I’m sure you’ll work that out.’

‘Yes, I suppose.’

‘And …’ he added, ‘knowing Maisy, I think she’ll work it out by herself very soon.’

‘Hah, yes, she’s as sharp as a tack, I think you’re right.’

And Rachel remembered the conversation with Maisy the night of her birthday party all those months ago, when her own father hadn’t turned up and she’d asked if Tom could be her daddy. Rachel gave a contented smile, feeling that it would all work out fine somehow. It was early days to tell Tom that little gem yet, but in time …

An hour later, they were still out in the field, but it was cooling dramatically now, with night falling in a heavy, velvety blanket around them. Tom went to fetch a rug from his truck. ‘This’ll be better.’

He sat back down, their chairs propped close, covering them both with the rug.

‘Perfect,’ said Rachel, as they snuggled together. ‘So, what’s for pudding?’ she half-joked.

‘Not very demanding, are you?’ he jibed.

‘No, not at all. But I can live in hope.’ She grinned, not really expecting him to have prepared any more food at all. The meal had been fabulous as it was.

‘Well, now you mention it … I have made something.’

‘Ooh, what is it?’