Page 40 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

‘Sorry. Don’t mean to be insensitive. Go on.’

‘The moment I very nearly lost it was when I was massaging his–’

Chloe burst out in giggles again.

‘Chloeeeee! I need some support here.’

‘I’m really sorry. I’ve had a rough day, too. Not nearly as tough as yours, though. I think I’m decompressing and going all giggly. Sorry,’ she repeated. ‘Go on.’

‘It was when I was massaging Josh’s hands,’ Ginger said dreamily, remembering the feel of his long fingers beneath hers. ‘He’s got such beautiful hands. It felt far more intimate than touching the other parts of his body. And, once I’d done the left, I couldn’t very well not do the other, could I?’

‘Why didn’t you just stop the massage altogether?’

‘Do you mind! Got my professional pride at stake here. All it needs is for one person to give me a bad review.’

‘Doesn’t sound as if Josh will give you a bad review. But, oh, Ginger darling, you’ve really got it bad.’

‘I have and I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.’

‘Well, there are two solutions.’ Chloe ticked them off on her fingers. ‘One, you could jump his bones and get him out of your system.’

Ginger scowled. ‘Or?’

‘You could jump his bones and fall in love with him even more.’

‘Thanks a bunch. Oh, Chlo, how have I got to the great age of thirty-seven and succumbed to unrequited love with one of my guests? I feel about fifteen again.’

Chloe elbowed her. ‘It’s not that bad. At fifteen you had the hots for Karl Polkinghorn. At least a Hollywood movie star is a step above someone from the Polk clan.’

Ginger shook herself, sipped some cider and straightened her shoulders. ‘Enough of me. You said you’d had a tough day, too. What happened?’

Behind the bar Liam began yelling along to ‘I’m Too Sexy’ by Right Said Fred.

‘Who chooses this music?’ Ginger winced. ‘That man is one hundred per cent a plonker.’

‘Who? Right Said Fred or Liam?’

‘Both.’

‘Agreed. Right. Back to me. I dog sat Ziggy, who flashed a pair of my best silk undies at Nik.’

‘No! How did that happen?’

Chloe explained.

Ginger began to giggle. ‘Oh, Chloe, that’s classic. Did the Viking god drop at your feet in ecstasy?’

‘Hardly,’ Chloe replied drily. ‘He laughed and handed over the binoculars he promised I could borrow.’ She frowned. ‘I find him impossible to read. He’s a cool one.’

‘He is,’ Ginger agreed.

‘Then we did the scarecrow walk and had a burger in here. Wasn’t half bad.’

‘What, the Viking god’s company or the burger?’

‘Both, actually.’ Chloe took a thoughtful sip of wine.

‘And there’s you telling me off about getting involved with someone because they’re not going to be around permanently. That applies to you, too.’