A Wedding at The Cosy Cottage Café: A delightful romantic comedy to make you smile this summer Read online

  A Wedding at The Cosy Cottage Café

  A delightful romantic comedy to make you smile this summer

  Rachel Griffiths

  Contents

  A WEDDING AT THE COSY COTTAGE CAFE

  1. Allie

  2. Dawn

  3. Camilla

  4. Honey

  5. Allie

  6. Dawn

  7. Camilla

  8. Allie

  9. Dawn

  10. Camilla

  11. Honey

  12. Allie

  13. Dawn

  14. Camilla

  15. Honey

  16. Allie

  17. Dawn

  18. Camilla

  19. Honey

  20. Allie

  21. Dawn

  22. Camilla

  23. Honey

  24. Allie

  25. Dawn

  26. Camilla

  27. EPILOGUE - ONE SATURDAY IN JULY

  DEAR READER,

  Acknowledgments

  For my family,

  you are my inspiration and my world.

  Cover design by: Tom Quinlan - www.tq-creative.com

  Copyright © by Rachel A. Griffiths

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  A WEDDING AT THE COSY COTTAGE CAFE

  A delightful romantic comedy to make you smile this summer

  When Allie Jones’ daughter, Mandy, arrives at The Cosy Cottage Café in tears one spring morning, Allie is extremely concerned. She’s been worried about her career-driven daughter for a while, and she’s hoping she’ll finally get to find out what’s wrong.

  Dawn Dix-Beaumont has her hands full with three young children, a husband who works from home and the guinea pig family that lives in her garden. She’s happier than she’s ever been, but is it too good to last?

  Camilla Dix is madly in love with local vet Tom Stone. Being with Tom and cuddling her baby niece have stirred feelings she didn’t know she had, but it’s far too soon to be making long-term plans. Isn’t it?

  Honey Blackwell’s boyfriend, Dane Ackerman, has secured his teaching post at Heatherlea Primary School and they’ve decided to live together. Everything seems to be working out well, until a member of Honey’s household expresses a clear dislike for the handsome teacher.

  Plus someone has been planning a proposal…

  Join Allie and her friends this summer as cakes are baked, secrets are shared and surprises bring smiles and tears at The Cosy Cottage Café.

  This is the fifth short story in The Cosy Cottage Café series.

  Now available:

  Summer at The Cosy Cottage Café

  Autumn at The Cosy Cottage Café

  Winter at The Cosy Cottage Café

  Spring at The Cosy Cottage Café

  A Wedding at The Cosy Cottage Café

  A Year at The Cosy Cottage Café – an anthology of the first four books in the series

  1

  Allie

  ‘Okay, Mandy… sit there.’ Allie Jones gestured at the battered old leather sofa in the corner of the café but her daughter didn’t release her hand. ‘Mandy?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Sit there for a moment and I’ll be right back.’

  ‘Allie, tell me what you need and you can stay with Mandy.’ Chris Monroe, Allie’s boyfriend, placed a cool hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Thank you. Can you get the brandy from the kitchen? It’s in the top right cupboard above—’

  ‘I know where it is.’ He squeezed her shoulder. ‘I’ll be right back.’

  She nodded as he padded away in his rabbit feet, still wearing the costume he’d put on for the Easter party at the café. From the waist up, he was normal Chris, but his legs dangled over the shoulders of a giant rabbit. Well, they were fake legs meant to resemble his, while his real legs looked like they belonged to the rabbit that was supposedly carrying him around. She was also conscious of the fact that she was still dressed as a fluffy yellow chick, something that had been great fun for the party, but now felt rather ridiculous.

  Allie sat down next to her daughter. Mandy immediately buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she cried softly.

  ‘What can I do, Mum?’ Jordan, Allie’s son, was still standing in the doorway, his face pale and his blue eyes wide.

  ‘Sit down, love.’

  Panic crossed his face.

  ‘Or go help Max keep an eye on things outside.’

  ‘Yes… good plan. But… uh… will Mandy be okay?’

  Allie nodded, her heart aching, because even though Jordan was twenty-three — and now lived at the cottage attached to The Cosy Cottage Café with his boyfriend Maxwell Wilson — he was still her little boy.

  ‘Yes, Mandy will be okay; she’s home now. I’ll have a chat with her, then come and find you.’

  ‘Thanks Mum. See you later, Mandy.’

  Jordan let himself out of the café then closed the door gently behind him, shutting out the sounds of the villagers of Heatherlea enjoying their Easter celebrations, just as Allie had been doing just ten minutes ago, before Mandy had arrived. Her twenty-four-year-old daughter — who had a successful career in publishing at a big London firm — turning up on her doorstep in a ball gown, her hair a bird’s nest and her face streaked with tears, was something Allie had never wanted to see. In fact, it broke her heart.

  ‘Mandy, are you going to tell me what’s happened?’ Allie rubbed her daughter’s slender shoulders, exposed by the beautiful strapless damask dress.

  Mandy let out a sound like one of Allie’s cats might make. It was a pitiful squeak-come-sniffle.

  ‘Here you are.’ Chris was back and he handed Allie a glass of brandy. She looked at it, took a gulp, then patted Mandy’s shoulder.

  ‘I think you better drink this. It’ll warm you up if nothing else. You’re freezing, Mandy. Have you been out all night?’ Panic rose in her throat at the thought that her beautiful daughter had indeed been out all night, alone and vulnerable.

  Mandy didn’t answer; instead she accepted the glass and sipped the spirit, wincing as she swallowed. But she kept drinking until she’d drained the glass.

  ‘More?’ Chris was hovering at Allie’s side.

  ‘Please.’ She met his eyes and gratitude surged through her that he was there, that he’d returned to the village of Heatherlea last summer and that he loved her. Still. Even after all the years they’d been apart. Even after she’d married their mutual friend, Roger, and had two children by him.

  Chris gently stroked her cheek then took the glass and went back through to the café kitchen. Allie turned back to Mandy and found her staring into space, her shoulders hunched, her eyes red and puffy. But at least the awful crying had stopped. For now.

  ‘Mandy…’

  “It’s okay, Mum. Sorry to turn up like that but I didn’t know what else to do.’

  ‘How did you get here?’

  ‘Early train.’

  ‘Did you come straight from a party?’

  Mandy nodded. ‘It was an awards celebration for bestselling authors at a posh hotel with champagne, a sit-down meal and dancing.’

  ‘Sounds lovely. But I take it that it wasn’t lovely?’ Allie watched Mandy closely. Since she’d last seen her daughter, her features were sharper, her
arms more toned, as if she’d been working out and eating differently. Mandy had always been slim but she now had that gym-toned appearance that a lot of celebrities promoted.

  ‘It was… at first. Then it all went wrong.’ Mandy’s lip trembled and a fat tear escaped from her right eye, ran down her cheek then plopped into her lap, staining her dress.

  ‘How, love?’ Allie took her hand.

  ‘He’s been lying to me all along, Mum. So many lies and I… I loved him so much.’ Mandy’s eyes brimmed with fresh tears. “I really loved him!’ She flung herself at Allie and sobbed in her arms, and Allie held her tight, wondering who she had to hunt down and punish for what he’d done to her baby girl.

  2

  Dawn

  ‘Do you think they’re okay in there?’ Dawn Dix-Beaumont asked her husband, Rick.

  He glanced at the café then shook his head.

  ‘You don’t?’ Dawn’s voice rose with concern, so she coughed then made an effort to speak quieter as she asked, ‘Really?’

  ‘I didn’t mean that they’re not all right. What I meant was that Mandy did look quite upset but she’s in the best place. So we shouldn’t go interfering.’

  ‘What? I had no intention of interfering.’ She frowned at Rick but he smiled.

  ‘I know that, angel. We have enough to deal with as it is.’ He smiled down at their baby daughter who was fast asleep in her pram. ‘We need to give them some space and I know how close you, Allie, Camilla and Honey are. You’ll all want to rush to help Allie fix her daughter.’

  Dawn nodded. ‘You know me too well.’

  He was right; her sister, Camilla Dix, and friend, Honey Blackwell, certainly would want to help in any way they could. They were close friends and always there for one another. But Rick was right; this was something Allie needed some space for and besides, Chris was with her.

  ‘It might be a good time to head for home though.’ He pointed at the café lawn where their young children Laura and James were racing around, their faces red, sweaty and chocolate covered.

  ‘Oh goodness, yes. They both need a shower.’ She smiled, her love for her children filling her chest. She felt so lucky to have such a wonderful husband and three beautiful children. Just the previous autumn, she’d been worried that it was all slipping away from her, as Rick had seemed distant and she’d suspected him of having an affair. He hadn’t been, and had, in fact, been trying to protect her from his own worries, but now things were better than ever and they had a new baby too. Precious little Alison. She gazed at her baby’s peaches and cream complexion and a familiar tingling spread through her as the let-down reflex kicked in.

  ‘What is it?’ Rick wrapped an arm around her shoulder. ‘You’ve gone a bit flushed.’

  ‘It’s time for Alison to have a feed. Either that or I need to express.’

  ‘No problem, my love. I’ll round up the terrors and we can get going.’

  He headed across the lawn in the direction of Laura and James, and Dawn watched as James shook his head and stamped his foot, then giggled as Rick hoisted him onto his shoulder and tickled him. Laura skipped towards her, looking exactly like a mini Spanish flamenco dancer in her Easter costume, except for the chocolate around her mouth, that was.

  ‘Mummy!’ James gasped as Rick tickled him again when they arrived at her side. ‘Daddy… says…’ He squirmed. ‘Daddy… stop!’

  ‘Not until you say sorry for stamping.’

  ‘I… wasn’t… stamping!’ James squeaked between breaths.

  ‘I saw you stamp, James.’ Dawn said, then she reached under his arm pit and wriggled her fingers.

  ‘No, Mummy, no! Not you too!’

  When Dawn and Rick stopped tickling James, and Rick set him down on his feet on the grass, James caught his breath.

  ‘I wasn’t stamping, Mummy, I promise. I was showing Daddy how Laura’s supposed to do her mingo dancing.’

  ‘I’m not a mingo dancer, James, it’s flamenco!’ Laura scowled at her younger brother, suddenly eighteen not eight, and Rick met Dawn’s eyes.

  ‘Looks like it could be a long afternoon.’

  ‘Indeed. For you at least.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Rick kissed her cheek.

  ‘Well I need to feed the baby then take a nap. All the fresh air has worn me out.’

  Rick sighed then kissed her again. ‘You don’t think your mother will want them for a few hours do you?’

  ‘I have no idea… however…’ Dawn waved her sister, Camilla over. ‘Hey best big sister ever, I have a favour to ask.’

  Camilla smiled. ‘Anything.’

  ‘You think you could watch Laura and James for a bit.’

  ‘Pleeeassse, Aunty Camilla!’ Laura took her aunt’s hand. ‘We’ll be so good.’

  ‘Can I play with Hairy Pawter?’ James asked, pointing at the large British bulldog currently snoring at his owner, Tom Stone’s, feet.

  Camilla looked at her boyfriend, Tom, who was also the village vet, then back at her niece and nephew. ‘I don’t see why not. We didn’t have anything else planned.’

  ‘Yay!’ James ran over to Tom and Laura soon followed.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Dawn asked her sister.

  ‘Of course. You two look like you need a sleep. I’ll take them back, make them wash that chocolate off then give them some tea before bringing them back.’

  ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘What are big sisters for?’ Camilla wiggled her perfectly shaped black eyebrows. ‘You think they’re all right in there?’ She nodded at the café.

  ‘I hope so,’ Dawn replied.

  ‘Like I told my wife, Camilla, you need to give them some space.’

  Camilla’s eyebrows rose slightly as she evaluated what Rick had just said.

  Rick held up a hand. ‘I also told her that I didn’t mean to sound patronizing. I just meant that Allie has Chris and they probably need some time alone with Mandy. If we all go rushing in there, it’ll likely be too much for Mandy and right now, she needs her mum.’

  ‘You’re right, Rick. It’s hard to take a step back though.’ Camilla shrugged. ‘I’ll text Allie later and see if we can help at all.’

  ‘I’ll just grab the box of books the children won.’

  Rick went over to the band, who were set up in the corner of the café lawn, and picked up the box of books that James had won in the Easter egg hunt.

  ‘Are we ready to go?’ he asked when he returned to Dawn’s side.

  ‘Yes, let’s get some sleep.’ Dawn hugged Camilla. ‘Thanks, sis, and any problems, let me know straight away.’

  ‘We’ll be fine. Besides, Tom’s a vet so he knows first aid.’

  ‘What?’ Dawn blurted before she could stop herself.

  Camilla giggled. ‘Just teasing. Your children will be safe with us and I promise no first aid will be required. Now go and get some rest!’

  Dawn pushed the pram down the path and through the café gate, then out onto the street. She glanced back at her children, who were stroking Hairy Pawter as he lifted his front paws in turn, then at the café.

  ‘They’ll be fine.’ Rick hoisted the box of books onto his hip, then slid his free hand around her waist. ‘All of them.’

  ‘I hope so, Rick. I really do.’

  Then they made their way home to catch up on some much-needed rest.

  3

  Camilla

  ‘Aunty Camilla?’

  ‘Yes, James?’

  Camilla smiled down at her nephew as he tugged at her hand.

  ‘Is Hairy Pawter our cousin now?’

  Camilla glanced at Tom and he shrugged, clearly as puzzled as she was by James’s question. ‘Because Laura said that Tom’s our new uncle.’

  Camilla stopped walking and took a deep breath.

  ‘Tom is my…’

  What? Boyfriend? Partner? Lover? BAE?

  ‘We are a couple now, James.’ Tom jumped in and saved Camilla from her quandary. ‘So seeing as how HP i
s my… BFF, then I guess he’s now your cousin. If that’s how you want to think about him.’ Tom flashed a grin at Camilla and she smiled in return.

  ‘Yay!’ James hopped on the spot causing the brown towel pinned to his shoulders as a cape, to float behind him. ‘We have a cousin, Laura. James Skytalker has a cousin!’

  ‘Don’t be silly, James, HP can’t be our cousin. He’s just a dog. And you’re James Dix-Beaumont not Skytalker. That’s just your costume.’

  HP gazed up at them, his fat pink tongue dangling out the side of his mouth, then he lifted a paw and offered it to Laura.

  ‘I think he’s trying to tell you something,’ Tom said.

  Laura crouched down next to HP. ‘What is it boy?’

  ‘He doesn’t like being called just a dog, Laura, you silly billy.’ James blew a raspberry. ‘He wants to be our cousin.’

  Laura kissed HP’s paw then released him and stood up. She looked at Camilla and at Tom then rolled her eyes in James’s direction.

  ‘Okay, James, HP is our cousin. Whatever.’

  As Laura and James ran on ahead, Camilla tucked her arm into Tom’s.

  ‘Well that was interesting.’