Ivy Lane: Winter: Read Online Free

Christine.
    ‘True.’ She nodded thoughtfully. ‘Although I don’t know if selling cakes to the other plot holders will make us much money and there aren’t many people around at this time of year.’
    ‘I do love home-baking, though.’ Nigel sighed wistfully. ‘I remember the cakes my wife used to make. Shop-bought ones aren’t the same at all.’
    My heart twisted for him. It was easy to forget sometimes that I wasn’t the only one who had lost their special someone.
    ‘Well, I think this should be a cake sale with a difference,’ I said, patting his arm. ‘And to make it more exciting, why not introduce an element of competition? We could make it easy for everyone to enter – even you, Nigel. There can be all sorts of prizes so that it’s not all about baking skills. We could have a category just for men, or does that sound sexist? Perhaps a beginners’ category, to be fair? How about one for the most unusual flavour? Ooh, I know, we could have a theme . . .’
    I was off. All sorts of ideas were popping into my head. We could invite the whole neighbourhood, it needn’t just be the Ivy Lane community. This would bring us all together again before Christmas. I felt a shiver of excitement. Oh yes, this was going to be such fun.
    Peter chuckled. ‘I can see you’ve got it all worked out, Tilly.’ He flicked through his diary and scribbled himself a note. ‘What about the last Saturday in November, how does that sound?’
    Three weeks from now. I clapped my hands and managed to restrict my excitement to an acceptable small squeak.
    ‘That’s perfect.’ I grinned. ‘We’re going to make loads of money, I promise, and then Ivy Lane will have the best Christmas party ever.’
    The following Saturday I met Gemma for lunch in the café on Shenton Road. The café was a short walk from my house, but I had picked up my new car from Mike’s garage a few days before, so I decided to drive. Having my own car was a huge milestone, if a little scary at times, but I’d done it and I was proud of myself. And it felt so good to be able to jump in the car and just drive whenever and wherever I wanted to.
    I parked right outside the café and spotted Gemma straightaway through the glass in the prime spot by the window.
    I tooted the horn until she noticed me and we waved excitedly at each other.
    ‘Tilly! How’s the new set of wheels?’ she squealed as I joined her at the table. She struggled to her feet to give me a hug.
    ‘Amazing! It’s a bit weird driving again, but oh, the bliss of taking shopping home in a car instead of stuffing everything in the panniers of my bike. I think I bought up half of Tesco’s stock in my excitement last night!’
    ‘I’m so pleased for you, babe,’ she said softly.
    ‘I’ll take you for that baby clothes shopping spree I promised you soon, if you like?’
    She nodded and we stared at each other knowingly for a long moment until I felt myself going a bit teary.
    ‘Anyway, you look fantastic,’ I said, planting a kiss on her cheek. Gone were the dark circles and pale complexion from a few months ago and in their place: bright eyes, glowing skin and an inner calm that made me feel positively pasty by comparison.
    ‘Don’t be daft,’ she giggled, flicking her curls off her face as she sat back down. ‘I’ve ordered us both bacon sandwiches and a pot of tea, hope you don’t mind?’ She pulled a face. ‘I’m starving. I was even contemplating eating the ketchup just before you walked in.’
    I laughed and shook my head. ‘This might not help matters then.’ I plonked myself in the chair next to her and pulled a poster from my bag.
    Gemma took it out of my hand and read aloud. ‘Ivy Lane Great Cake Competition? Now I definitely need food,’ she groaned and rubbed her rotund belly with one hand. ‘Ooh, thank goodness,’ she hissed, looking over my shoulder. ‘Here it comes.’
    ‘Bacon sandwiches and tea for two.’ The waitress set our order down on the table