Blind-Date Baby by Fiona Harper Page B

saying it was a mistake?
    She might not know what it meant, but it felt like betrayal.
    On the other hand, that love-song, only-in-movies kind of thing wasn’t the only kind of love. And perhaps, if that was what Noah wanted from her, she would have turned him down flat anyway. Love like that meant one thing—loss. Itwas as if the universe had to balance out the intensity by taking it away again. Too much perfection could not be good for a soul. And she couldn’t survive that again, losing the man she totally adored.
    So, on reflection, maybe Noah’s idea was the logical choice…
    Oh, she was going round in circles!
    She sighed, stood up and let herself into the flat, avoiding both the photo and the laptop sitting on the coffee table in the living room. She had no intention of logging in to Blinddatebrides.com tonight to see if Marissa and Dani were hanging out there. They’d want to know about the so-called date.
    She needed time to get her head round this before she shared it with anyone. She wasn’t even going to tell Daisy yet.
     
    Noah didn’t come to The Coffee Bean for a few days, although he sent her a couple of very neutral emails in the meantime. He was such a gentleman, giving her space, knowing she’d freaked out a little. It was such a relief that she didn’t have to explain it all to him, that he understood.
    She could do a lot worse than Noah Frost.
    Grace unpacked a batch of miniature chocolate tarts and pressed a single fresh raspberry into the smooth surface of each one before lining them up in the display case.
    Caz would know what to do. She’d been like a surrogate mother to Grace and a surrogate grandmother to Daisy in the last couple of decades. Grace didn’t go to her for advice often. Normally, because she didn’t like the advice she got and, even more frustrating, it usually turned out to be spot-on.
    But as she approached Caz, who was sitting in the corner table poring over a large accounts ledger, she realised that the older woman was staring off into space, not even looking at the web of figures on the page before her. It was the third time today Grace had spotted her doing this, and it just wasn’t like her. She was normally so down-to-earth.
    She pulled out an old wooden church chair—complete with hymn book holder on the back—and sat down opposite Caz.
    ‘Penny for them?’
    Caz sighed. ‘I’m not sure they’re worth it, but a couple of thousand might be more welcome.’
    ‘Problems?’
    Caz nodded and twisted the book round for Grace to have a look. Maths had never been her strong suit, unless it involved pounds and ounces rather than pounds and pence, and Grace was forced to nod without really knowing what she was looking at. She stood up again, walked behind Caz’s chair and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pressing her cheek against the side of Caz’s face.
    ‘Don’t give up. We’ll make it. We’ve always managed before.’
    Caz just patted Grace’s arm and stared off into the distance.
    Private IM chat between Englishcrumpet, Kangagirl and Sanfrandani:

    Englishcrumpet: Okay, girls. I have something to confess.
    Kangagirl: Ooh! Juicy!
    Sanfrandani: Ready and waiting.

    Grace took a deep breath. She’d kept this info to herself for a few days, but now she needed to let it out.
    Englishcrumpet: The day after we went to the awards, the date-that-wasn’t-a-date? Well, Noah kissed me.
    Kangagirl: !!!!!!!!!
    Sanfrandani: Wow!
    Englishcrumpet: I know.
    Sanfrandani: This would explain why, after a severe case of mentionitis where the author is concerned, you’ve suddenly gone quiet about him.
    Kangagirl: Grace? Why didn’t you tell us before?
    Sanfrandani: I can understand the need for a little privacy. Sometimes there are things you just need to keep to yourself. It’s not a reflection on our friendship that Grace wouldn’t—or couldn’t—tell us. Right, Grace?
    Englishcrumpet: Right! You know I think the world of you two! You’re my sanity in an