Page 70 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

‘And there’s me thinking the old cynical Chloe had gone. Had disappeared in her shiny designer jeans up country to that there London.’

‘Trust me,’ Chloe answered, looking fondly around her at the crowds of people, their faces glowing with the cold and rough cider. ‘I’m a whole lot less cynical than I was when I arrived.’

Ginger put her arm through Chloe’s again. ‘It’s Cornwall and its magic,’ she said simply. ‘It does that to you.’

‘Oh God, you’ll be blaming the piskies next.’

Ginger looked horrified. ‘Don’t say anything bad about the piskies. They have more power than you know.’

Chloe chuckled, not sure if Ginger was being serious. ‘Get your money out, Guppy. For that comment, you can buy the burgers. I’ll have extra onions.’

The Morris dancers turned out not to be men in tight white trousers but a mixed side in black rag jackets, top hats, the women in punky ripped fishnets and Dr Marten eight-hole lace-ups. Music from the fair temporarily paused, they danced to their own band of fiddles and drums.

‘They are so cool,’ Chloe admitted as the side bashed sticks together expertly and with violent force. She licked the last of the ketchup from her fingers, then wiped them on a tissue. ‘They look like punk crows. I’d love to have a go.’ She sipped cider from her plastic glass.

Ginger eyed her. ‘That the cider talking? You’ve had two.’

‘S’not strong.’ Chloe peered into her glass. ‘Is it?’

‘No one truly knows,’ Ginger answered blithely. ‘But I’d have something else to eat before you have another pint. You’re the wuss who usually drinks wine.’

‘Spoilsport.’

‘And who do you keep looking for?’

‘No one. Just thought Nik might be here.’

‘Oh yeah. How goes it with you two?’

Chloe winced. ‘Not wonderful. I was a bit stroppy the last time I saw him.’

‘Oh, Chloe, why?’

‘It was in The Smugglers. You’d just left having told me about Josh leaving and I think I went on a bit of a rant about men being bastards. Took it out on him.’

‘What happened?’ Ginger asked, aghast.

‘I got called up to receive Scarecrow of the Year from ruddy Liam and, by the time, I could escape his clutches, Nik had disappeared.’

‘You need to apologise. You know it’s not all men and it’s definitely not men like Nik. He’s one of the good guys. He’s lovely.’

Chloe scuffed the grass sulkily. ‘I’ve always wondered why you and he, you know–’ she let the sentence trail.

‘Me and Nik?’ Ginger looked astonished.

‘You always seem to get on so well.’

‘We do. He’s a friend.’

‘But nothing more?’

‘No,’ Ginger answered vehemently. ‘Nothing more.’

‘Why?’

‘Well, I suppose I was with Ryan for a long time. And Nik had been seeing someone in Sweden for a while. Long distance but it didn’t work out. Long-distance relationships can be tricky, can’t they? And then we just stayed in the friend groove. I like him. I like him a lot. He’s one of the kindest, gentlest men I know. Love him, I suppose, but as a friend.’

‘He’s very difficult to read.’