‘OK, outside,’ said Austin, looking stressed.
‘Oh, can’t he stay?’ said Issy, without thinking. ‘We’re just doing some baking …’
Austin looked at her. It was almost impossible to believe. Here she was, in a flowery pinny, her cheeks pink, her eyes sparkling, with a bunch of rug rats, baking cupcakes. She didn’t look anything like an evil property developer. He tore his gaze away.
‘I told him he couldn’t come,’ Austin muttered, feeling disgruntled, with everyone’s eyes upon him.
‘I vite mah fren Dahnee to mah pahtee,’ came a small voice from down by his knees. Austin glanced down. Oh great, this was all he needed. No one could refuse Louis anything.
‘Is mah birfday. I free, not five!’ said Louis. ‘Not five, no,’ he said again wonderingly, as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself. Then he added, ‘Dahnee give me bown arrs.’
Austin blinked while he translated this. Then he glanced at Darny in some surprise.
‘Did you give him that bow and arrow?’ he asked in surprise.
Darny shrugged his shoulders. ‘He’s my friend, innit.’
‘Don’t say innit,’ said Austin automatically. ‘Well, well done. Good. That was good.’
‘Does that mean he can stay?’ said Caroline from behind the counter. ‘Oh good. Hello, Austin darling, can I get you anything?’
Darny skipped off to the end of the long tables where Pearl was helping everyone spoon their cake mix into the cupcake baking cases.
‘Now you guys are going out to play Ring a Ring o’ Roses round the tree,’ she was explaining, ‘and when you’ve finished the games and come in again, the cakes will be ready.’
‘Yay!’ yelled the little ones.
‘No thanks,’ said Austin, then reconsidered. ‘Yes, get me a latte. Last chance of a decent cup of coffee for a while.’
Issy was surprised by how jolted she was when he said this.
‘Why?’ she said. ‘Going somewhere?’
Austin stared at her. ‘No,’ he said. ‘You are.’
‘What do you mean?’ said Issy, conscious that down the other end of the table one of the children had dropped their cake mix and Oliver was licking it up like a dog. She felt for Oliver’s mother.
She refocused. ‘You mean, you’re not going anywhere?’
That was such a relief. Why did she feel it was such a relief? And why was Austin staring at her like that? It was a strange look, full of curiosity, but also something a little like contempt. She stared back at him. It was odd, she thought, how little she’d noticed him when they first met – beyond seeing how scruffy he was, but she’d rather got used to that. Whereas now, when he looked a little fierce, she noticed what she’d missed: he was gorgeous. Not man-in-a-razor-blade-advert gorgeous, like Graeme, all sharp lines, Action Man jaw and perfectly gelled hair. Gorgeous in an open, honest, kind, smiling way, with a wide forehead, those shrewd grey eyes always narrowed as if thinking of a private joke; the wide, dimpled grin; the tousled, schoolboy hair. Funny how one didn’t notice these things always, not at first. Well, there you go. No wonder she wanted – had wanted, she told herself firmly – to kiss him at her party.
‘Unbelievable,’ said Austin, turning round. ‘Forget the coffee, er …’
‘Caroline!’ trilled Caroline.
‘Yeah, whatever. Darny, I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour. Meet me outside.’
Darny waved vaguely, as excited as the three-year-olds by the enormous oven Pearl was leading them down to see, with many dire warnings as to what would happen if they so much as wiggled a finger near it.
‘That man,’ breathed Caroline by Issy’s left ear as Austin moved towards the door, ‘is unbelievably hot. Smoking hot.’
‘Smoking hot?’ said Issy, cross. ‘Have you been watching those shows about cougars again? Cougars aren’t real, you know.’
‘I’m not a cougar!’ said Caroline, sounding hurt. ‘I’m a modern woman who knows what she wants. And when it comes down to it, he’s still a banker. You know, for introducing at dinner parties.’
‘Well, you seem to have it all worked out,’ said Issy absent-mindedly, trying to figure out why Austin was so upset. Could it be because he’d seen her with Graeme? Her ego couldn’t help being a little excited by the idea; that he actually did like her, that it wasn’t just a drunken flirt at a birthday party. But if that was the case, what should she do? She couldn’t avoid him for ever.
As she was thinking this, the door was pushed open, almost into Austin’s face. He had to jump back. Graeme didn’t give him as much as a second glance as he stormed into the café.
Graeme looked around in consternation. Who were all these people? Normally there was nobody here on a Saturday afternoon. He looked at Issy, who looked horrified to see him. Austin found himself trapped between the door and a crocodile of tiny children in aprons, who were now being shepherded out into the sunshine by Pearl and the postie, en route to playing Ring a Ring o’ Roses around the tree. Seeing Issy with children, reminded Graeme of his mission. Then he caught sight of Austin.
‘You,’ he said.
Austin shoved the door closed. ‘Our meeting’s not till Monday,’ he said quietly.
‘What meeting?’ said Issy. ‘What are you talking about?’
Austin turned to Issy. The entire room was watching what was happening intently.
‘You know,’ he said. ‘The meeting on Monday. When you come to borrow money for the development.’
‘What development? What the hell are you talking about?’
Austin stared at her for a long time. Issy felt panicky and confused.
‘What’s going on?’
‘You mean you don’t know?’
‘I don’t know. Do I have to start throwing cakes at people to get some answers round here?’
Austin looked back at Graeme. This man was even more of an arsehole than he’d taken him for. Unbelievable. He shook his head.
‘You haven’t told her?’
‘Told me what?’
There was silence in the café.
‘Um,’ said Graeme, ‘can we go somewhere quiet and discuss it?’
‘Discuss what?’ said Issy. She found she was shaking. Graeme looked so strange – both men did. ‘Tell me here. Tell me now. What is it?’