Chapter Two

‘ H ere we are, The Cornish Bay Bakery.’ Walking ahead, Debbie held the door open.

‘Thank you.’ Pausing on the cobbles outside the bakery, Robyn gripped on tightly to the dog’s lead so he had zero chance of making her run again and glanced across at the bakery windows. Christmas fairy lights were strung across the glass, and someone had painted a fake snow scene on the windows to border the delicious-looking pastries and cakes on display. ‘They look amazing.’

‘You wait until you go inside, and the aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies hits you.’ Debbie grinned as Trixie and Ava ran inside ahead of Robyn.

Stepping inside, she looked around. Yet more fairy lights were strung across the ceiling and red and silver baubles hung along the walls. A large Christmas tree stood in the back corner, adorned with what looked like handmade decorations. Her idea to get away from Christmas wasn’t going to plan then, but at least she was free from having to play referee to her parents. And there it was – just as Debbie had promised, the overwhelming aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies. Covering her stomach with her hand, she hoped no one else could hear it rumble.

‘I’ll pop this here for you.’ Richie dragged her suitcase into place beside a table positioned by the window.

‘Thank you.’ Unsure what to do, Robyn walked across to the table as a group of customers walked in and stood gazing through the glass screen of the long bakery counter as they discussed what to buy. There was another counter on the opposite wall displaying wedding cakes. Maybe they also specialised in catering for weddings or something? Tables and chairs filled the area between the counters, with a small counter at the back wall, likely for selling snacks to people sitting and enjoying the bakery’s bustling atmosphere.

‘I’ll just go and get Elsie. Hopefully she’d have some idea who he belongs to.’ Debbie nodded towards the dog before hurrying through the bakery and disappearing through a door.

Sitting down beside her, the dog looked as much in awe of the bakery as Robyn was. Leaning down, she fussed him behind the ears. He was obviously used to people and being taken to busy places as, although he was alert and interested, he wasn’t even attempting to pull towards all the food on offer. ‘You’re a good boy, aren’t you?’

‘Hello, Robyn. It’s so lovely to have you here.’ A woman with curled white hair and kind blue eyes rushed up to her before taking Robyn’s hands in hers. ‘I’m Elsie.’

‘Hi, lovely to meet you too.’

‘You’ve come just in time for the Christmas chaos.’ Elsie chuckled as she turned her attention to the dog. ‘What a lovely boy, you are.’

‘...AND SO, I WAS RATHER hoping you might know who he belongs to.’ After the introductions and explaining why Debbie and Richie had found her running headlong down the hill after this dog, Robyn was glad to get one step closer to hopefully reuniting him with his owner.

‘Oh, I must admit I don’t recognise him, but let’s see if we can find out.’ Kneeling down, Elsie fussed the dog behind the ears before carefully twisting his red collar around and reading the small bone-shaped tag. ‘According to this, his name is Dasher and there’s a phone number.’

‘Haha, no wonder he can run fast.’ Robyn sank into a chair by the window and looked around the bakery. Why hadn’t she thought to look at the dog’s collar for a tag? Probably because she was still worn out after her sprint.

Joining her and sitting down, Elsie chuckled as she pulled her mobile from her apron pocket before leaning down and checking Dasher’s tag again. ‘Too right, training for Christmas Eve, I should think.’

‘He’s probably faster than the reindeers.’ Robyn laughed.

Leaning back in her chair, Elsie held the phone to her ear as it rung before leaving a message and turning back to Robyn, ‘It went straight to voicemail so hopefully it won’t be too long until they get back to us. I’ll send a quick text too.’

‘Hopefully not. This one must be super confused as to what’s going on.’ As if to contradict her, Dasher flopped on the floor, his head on her feet and his tail wagging. ‘I take that back. He seems completely relaxed.’

‘Aw, he certainly does.’ Putting her mobile back in her apron pocket, Elsie smiled. ‘According to the message on the voicemail, the owner runs the Trestow Cidery so perhaps he’s used to meeting a lot of different people if his owner takes him around with him to meetings and deliveries.’

‘Ah, that would make sense.’ She grinned. ‘I wonder if there’ll be a reward paid in cider?’

Elsie chuckled and shook her head. ‘Now, wouldn’t that be nice?’

‘I’ll see you later, Elsie. We promised to take the girls to the beach.’ Debbie called over to them.

‘Hold on, love. I’ll set you up with a little goodie bag.’ Standing up, Elsie weaved through the few customers queuing for the bakery counter which ran along the lefthand wall.

‘You don’t have to do that.’ Debbie buttoned up her coat.

‘I know, but I will.’ Elsie waved away her protests as she joined Trixie and Ava at the counter.

‘So, you were pretending to be one of Santa’s reindeer then, were you, Dasher?’ Robyn grinned as the dog, still flopped at her feet, tilted his head lazily towards her. ‘Yes, I bet you feel about as tired as I do after that sprint.’

‘See you, Robyn. It was lovely to meet you.’ Debbie waved as she and Richie made their way outside, Trixie and Ava following behind, each holding a bulging paper bag full of baked treats from Elsie.

‘Bye, and thank you again for helping.’ Waving back, Robyn noticed a dark blue van pull up outside the bakery, the words Trestow Cidery – Delivering Premium Ciders Across Cornwall emblazoned across the side.

‘No problem. See you around.’ Richie pulled the door closed, shutting out the cold air.

‘It looks as though your owner got Elsie’s message, then. Shall we go and reunite you?’ Gently pulling her foot free from beneath Dasher’s chin, she stood up and patted her side, waiting until he’d jumped up before opening the bakery door. Stepping outside, Robyn grimaced as a man wearing a bright red jumper covered in green and blue baubles and a grey woollen hat came towards them.Biting down on her bottom lip, she tried not to laugh at his choice of attire. He looked cute, though, even in that jumper. Dark curly hair, stubble across his chin. Yes, cute in a naturally cute way.

‘Where did you get to?’ Dropping to his knees in front of Dasher, the man immediately began fussing him behind the ears.

‘I found him running down the hill.’ Stepping to the side, Robyn let the bakery door close behind her. ‘He’s a fast runner, he is!’

‘Yes, he is. Thank you.’ Standing up, the man held his hand out for the lead. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done if I’d lost him.’

‘No worries. Glad I could return him to you.’ Robyn grinned. ‘I’m Robyn.’

‘Jasper. And thank you again. Some idiot backfired their car, and it totally freaked him out and he was off running before I knew what had really happened.’

‘Oh.’ Robyn pulled her coat tight around her. Was he referring to the noise her car had made?

‘Andbelieveit or not, just as I’d caught up with him, the idiot only went and did the same thing again. Totally spooked him.’ A flash of anger coursedacrossJasper’s face. ‘At least they got what they deserved, their heap of a car is sitting halfway down the hill,brokendown by the looks of it.’

Robyn took a sharp breath in. Ithadn’tbeen her fault his dog had run off. He shouldhavebeen holding Dasher’s lead tighter. She tapped her foot, unsure of whether to saysomethingor to keep quiet.

‘An old banger like thatshouldn’tbe on the road, if you ask me. A completenightmare waiting to happen.’ He tutted as he shook his head.

That was it. Shecouldn’tjust stand here and say nothing. Cute or not, he was being obnoxious. And that was in addition to his poor choice of clothing. Her car might be an old banger, as he called it, but it was her old bangerandthe only car she had. Just because he drove around in what looked to be a relatively new van, itdidn’tmean her car was any less of a vehicle - it took her from A to B just as his van took him. She scrunched up her nose. She was sick and tired of people looking at the age and condition of her car and thinking nothing of whacking it with their own car doors in the car park or speaking about it like he was. It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t on. She took a deep breath before speaking. ‘Well, maybe you just need to keep better control of your dog. If you were holding his lead tight enough, then hewouldn’thave run off from you. There’re lots of noises about, you can’tblameone car backfiring for your lack of control over your animal.’

Stunned, Jasper blinked before a shadow swept across his face. ‘You’re the driver, aren’t you? It was you who backfired your car and then decided to repeat the same process over again.’

She went to open her mouth and closed it again. That hadn’t been an question, not judging by the tone of his voice and the way he was pointing his finger at her. No, that had been an accusation. ‘Yes, it is my car and, yes, it did backfire, but it doesn’t change the fact that if you’d been holding onto Dasher’s lead properly, none of this would have happened.’

‘I was holding his lead perfectly fine. Your car was so loud it would have startled all the dogs within a hundred mile radius.’ He pulled open the passenger door, letting Dasher jump inside before closing it and turning back to her. ‘You really should be more responsible. Anything could have happened to him.’

‘Me, responsible? You’re his owner!’ She stamped her foot, instantly regretting it as a slow smirk spread across his face. He likely thought she was childish, as well as irresponsible now. Not that she cared. ‘You should stop being so entitled.’

‘Ha! Entitled? You know nothing about me.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets.

‘I can see how you’re acting now and you’re just trying to push the blame for something that was ultimately your fault.’ Was this guy for real?

Sighing loudly, Jasper shook his head, his dark curls bouncing with the movement. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he turned towards his van. ‘I don’t have time for this.’

‘Good.’ Flaring her nostrils, she spun on her heels and pushed the bakery door open as she muttered, ‘And some people shouldn’t wear such stupid jumpers, either.’

‘Aw, did Dasher get off okay? I bet his owner was ever so grateful to you.’ Elsie swept past her, carrying two trays of freshly baked cookies towards the counter.

‘Something like that.’ Robyn forced a smile. The last thing she wanted was for Elsie to think she was trouble. She needed this escape from Christmas. She looked around the highly decorated bakery. Okay, she needed this break from Christmas at home. Besides, hopefully she’d never have to see that overly confident and entitled man again.

‘Oh good. One second and I’ll show you up to your room, love.’ Elsie disappeared behind the counter.

‘Thanks.’ Walking across to where her suitcase was still standing by the window, Robyn pulled it towards her. Spending a few minutes alone in her room sounded like bliss after the confrontation with Jasper. She needed to decompress and calm herself again before she began helping in the bakery.