How to Bake a New Beginning: A feel-good heart-warming romance about family, love and food!. Lucy Knott
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Sabrina yelled. But Louisa was blissfully unaware of giving her sisters a mild panic attack as she wrapped her arms around their grandpa. Amanda turned off the engine. Seeing the joy on her grandpa’s face, now that all three of his granddaughters were with him, melted away any twinge of annoyance at her little sister.
She walked over to Grandpa and kissed his forehead. ‘I love you,’ she whispered.
‘Anche io,’ he replied, kissing her cheek.
Sabrina opened the front door, calling to Nanna to inform her of their arrival as Amanda and Louisa helped Grandpa up.
‘Now, let’s get inside for some coffee and cake and to warm you up,’ Amanda suggested.
***
The afternoon brought with it an icy nip. Amanda rubbed at the sleeves of her grey jumper. Shopping with a puffy jacket on was never a good idea. Being hot and stuffy while trying to weave in and out of bustling crowds and undressing in a tiny changing room with a million layers on never produced a successful shop and so she had left her teddy coat in the car. However, the jumper she was currently sporting was not ideal when the breeze picked up, causing Amanda to shiver. The only thing keeping her from aborting the shopping mission was a happy stomach full to the brim with Cantuccini and birthday trifle.
Amanda let out a deep sigh as Louisa linked an arm through hers, warming her up slightly. She felt a little lighter, and colder, than she had done in days; no doubt the pure happiness she felt spending the weekend with her family, and Sabrina being home, had everything to do with that. She navigated the crowds with Sabrina to her left and Louisa clutching on to her right.
Manchester was jam-packed, the Christmas Markets in full swing. The giant Santa proudly sat on display front and centre. Amanda was taking it in, enjoying the freedom of having a weekend off. She had no Jeff to contend with and no hot and tense kitchen to see to. As much as she loved her job, a weekend off every so often was rather wonderful. If she just had Dan here with her too, it would be perfect.
***
Dan carefully placed a cup in Amanda’s hands, his own hands then wrapping around hers, so she didn’t drop it. She had her eyes closed and a bright smile on her face. The tip of her nose was red from the frosty night air.
‘OK, take a sip, but be careful – it will be hot,’ Dan said, his warm hands guiding the cup to her lips.
Amanda felt something cold touch her lips first. She licked them, and the delicious taste of vanilla whipped cream danced on her taste buds. She knew it was a hot chocolate of some kind, but she didn’t want to spoil the fun just yet, and Dan was smarter than that – he knew not to make it that easy.
She blew in the direction of the cold whipped cream and slurped to get past it. She could taste a rich coffee, with a smooth blend of chocolate and something she couldn’t put her finger on. Damn it, she thought, her pride not wanting to let Dan win.
‘Any guesses?’ Dan asked. He still hadn’t removed his hands from on top of hers. Though Amanda kept her eyes closed, she knew he was smirking. Her brain tried to come up with the right answer. She took another sip, stalling for more time, but she could not place the mystery ingredient.
‘Ooh should we have Nutella crepes next?’ she said, to change the subject.
‘You have no idea what it is, do you?’ Dan questioned as she opened her eyes and looked down at the cup. ‘You are a cheat,’ he added, removing his hands from around hers and placing them in his coat pockets.
Amanda blinked a few times to ease the glare of the lights. ‘No, I’m just hungry for crepes,’ she teased, shaking her head at Dan’s mock disappointed look.
‘You call yourself my best friend and you can’t even recognize eggnog,’ Dan scoffed, a playful grin playing at his lips. Dan liked his eggnog because he loved all things Christmas. Amanda knew this, but still, she never would have guessed eggnog.
‘I said eggnog,’ she noted, batting her eyelashes and taking another sip. Dan laughed and put an arm around her shoulders and started walking in the direction of the crepes.
The Manchester Christmas Markets felt magical this year, having Dan by her side. He loved the food huts the best, just like Amanda did, but he also enjoyed the details and craftsmanship of the many homemade gift stands. He was an artist through and through.
Amanda’s toes were numb by the time they headed for home. She hadn’t been able to get Dan away. They had to see every stall, drink another chocolate eggnog – the man was obsessed – and explore every nook and cranny of Manchester city centre before he agreed that the toastiness of Amanda’s house was calling his name too. It was safe to say Dan liked the place, Amanda thought to herself as they walked arm in arm, and for some reason that made her feel good.
***
Amanda cleared her throat and shook her head, angry with herself for letting Dan seep into her thoughts. She had been doing so well to keep phone calls and texts to just once or twice a week over the past few months. She wasn’t about to let the romance of Christmas ruin her efforts of keeping thoughts of her best friend just that, simply thoughts of a best friend and nothing more.
‘Ooh, that’s gorgeous,’ Louisa said, pointing at a piece of clothing that looked more suitable to adorn an art gallery wall than an actual person.
‘If you say so,’ Amanda said, sarcasm dripping from her tongue. She laughed, glad of the distraction when Louisa hit her with her handbag.
‘Can we go in?’ Sabrina asked, eyeing the sales sign. ‘I bet they’ve got tons of dresses on sale now that summer is over,’ she added, excitement in her voice.
Amanda was about to tell her that she needed to stock up on warmer clothes now she was in England, then it hit her that it wouldn’t be long and Sabrina would be back in LA, no doubt needing a floaty dress for every day of the week. ‘Lead the way,’ she said instead, with a forced smile.
Amanda absent-mindedly flicked through the dress racks. It wasn’t that she disliked shopping, she quite enjoyed it. Though she didn’t have Louisa’s flair or guts for exquisite pieces or Sabrina’s penchant for floaty ensembles, she knew a knockout dress when she saw one. Her work outfits weren’t much to be desired, so she enjoyed making an effort when she was out of the kitchen, but effort for her still had to be comfy. She was a boots and pants kind of girl and couldn’t say no to an oversized slouchy jumper.
No, it wasn’t that she disliked shopping, it was more that she kept getting the itch to pick up her phone. As they weaved in and out of the racks, it was like a battle was going on in her brain. She was starting to get on her own nerves, with this whole inability to live without Dan. When had she become so dependent? She needed to get lost in a book or some music or something because shopping clearly wasn’t doing the trick. Then again books and music would be pointless too, she realized. Why did he have to like all the same books she did? And why did Dan have to be a bloody rock star?
‘Are you OK over there?’ Sabrina asked, peeking at Amanda from over a rail. ‘You look like you’re trying to solve an algebra equation in that brain of yours and we know maths isn’t your strong suit,’ Sabrina added with a laugh.
Amanda hastily looked down and focused on the dresses before her, spotting one she knew Sabrina would adore. She grabbed it and held it up, which immediately changed the subject.
‘Oh, that’s beautiful,’ Sabrina gushed, moving in to claim it.
‘Wow, that’s perfect for you,’ Louisa said, surveying the peach floral number and giving it her approval. ‘Good job, Amanda.’
***
A few hours later, weighed down with bags of clothing, they walked through Amanda’s front door. They deposited their bags in their bedrooms and made quick work of getting into their comfiest