Innocence of Love (16 page)

He stared around noticing Sophie, scanning the delicious cakes and the continental confections, the extensive range of tea and gifts.

“Hello there, welcome to Betty’s Tea room, how can I help?” The pretty young woman asked as she’d arrived from the rear of the café. He smiled.

“Table for two if possible, please,” he indicated.

“Please follow me, sir and madam,” she said.

Calvin reached for Sophie’s hand, she took hold, much to his surprise. They were led through a corridor up a flight of winding stairs into a cosy café with modern beams, a fireplace which would be wonderful in the winter months with wicker chairs and small tables.

“Is this okay, sir and madam?” the woman checked. The table being set to the far side of the room had no view as such, however he’d be happy just to stare at Sophie

“Perfect,” he added.

The café has always been a popular tourist attraction visiting from around the world.

The waitress set about giving them the menus for them to choose from a vast amount of different sandwiches. Calvin gave her the tea order and off she went. He inspected around to see all age groups enjoying the café with the walls holding collection of prints, advertisements, and paraphernalia, telling the story of the remarkable tea rooms. He smiled, liking where he had brought her, betting she struggled in the past to visit.

The waitress soon arrived back with the pot of tea and began pouring into the tiny dainty cup.

“What do you think?” he asked, sat opposite pouring a trickle of milk into his cup liking his tea strong. He noticed her eyes wandering around the establishment— clean, tidy, and smelling of delicious mouth-watering cakes.

“Amazing, I have been here with my parents when I was a girl, but clearly it’s been decorated since then,” she scoffed.

“I would certainly say so. I love coming here, sometimes I call in when visiting the York branch at lunchtime or even after a daunting shopping trip. I like to come here occasionally when it’s less busy and read the papers or a decent book, or I sit and people watch.” He chuckled.

Sophie smiled. “You read?”

“Yes. I like mystery and action, that’s when I have the time. Do you read?”

“I use to read all the time when I was younger, but unfortunately I haven’t picked up a book in years.”

“You should, I enjoy getting lost in the character and plots, takes me away from the stresses I sometimes suffer.”

Sophie smiled at him.

“It is beautiful here and I can see how you could come here to relax. You like people watching, I always think of people staring at me and thinking what a mess I look, not posh enough to be in here,” she explained taking a sip of her tea while he poured them another cup adding the milk. “Do you come up regular to York, to your family?”

“I try to come up every other month, depending on my work schedule.”

“So I assume you have been visiting more since…well since meeting me at the bridge?” she inquired.

He lifted his head to gaze at here watching her swallow hard.

“Well, you have been a reason to visit,” he proposed longing to take hold of her hand and have his moment to declare his love.

Their orders were taken. He sat gazing at her, there was nothing else he wished to look at. He could tell she knew he was watching her as she kept turning her head away glancing around for distraction. She looked back at him. He still gazed at her. She stole his breath, only Sophie lowered her head and started playing with her fingers. Hypnotised by her, yet fearing he made her nervous. Calvin watched her roll her tongue over her teeth followed by scratching the back of her head. She deliberately moved her hair in front of her face, blocking his view, but saw her cheeks blushing, finding it cute.

Calvin wasn’t all too concerned about eating anything as long as Sophie ate something and had a nice time, after all that was one of the main reasons he brought her out.

“Can I ask you something?”

Sophie lifted her head to finally make the all-important eye contact.

“Do I have to answer?”

He scoffed, “No, but I would prefer you to.” His heart trembled, but needed to get the matter off his chest, knowing if he was to think about moving his career up north, he needed to understand her future plans. He sucked in a deep breath. “Do you hate what happened to your life and how it spiralled out of control and there was nothing you could do.”

Sophie stared directly into his eyes. Her eyes ogled him whilst he observed her hitching her breath. She gulped. “Yes, I hated everything that I had become, there was nothing to be proud of.” She lowered her head. He watched her wrap her arms around her upper chest.

“I know now,” she stammered continuing to stare down at her cup. “My future could have gone in a different direction, but I didn’t know. I feared everyone and what I would be called, when after all, I had sex. I went with you. I was a young girl,” she admitted lifting her head to make eye contact with him. “I would be called so many names. My head was all over the place and I did what I thought was right for our son. I am sorry, Calvin…”

“Hey…don’t…” He reached across the table to take her hand, tears filled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I just wished to know if you longed for your life to change, give you direction and stability.”

“Of course, I would wish for nothing more. I have dreamed about having my old life back and having a warm, clean, secure roof over my head and food in the kitchen. I want the best for Kacey…she is what matters, I need her protected and loved.”

“I know. I do. It must have been hell for you.”

“It was…I hated it. I hated not knowing what would be happening from one day to the next, whether I’d.” He watched her scrunch up her nose.

“I bet you cannot wait to push Kacey around in a pram?”

She lifted her head to smile at him. “It’ll be the best feeling ever. I just hope I can take good care of her by myself.”

“Of course you can! You’ll be a great mum.”

“I’m not convinced.”

“Now when I first met you and your state of mind, I might have agreed with you, but now…no, you both look perfect together. I’m sure once she’s with you full time, you’ll do her proud. I can see so much love is in your eyes for her, but then a baby is precious,” he said in panic hoping she didn’t take offence to the last comment, after all the reality was she gave their son away.

“It’s a pretty scary thought to be looking after a tiny little baby on your own.”

“I don’t doubt that, but you’ll be great at it. I can see the sparkle in you.”

The waitress soon arrived with the tiered tray full of delicious dainty sandwiches and cakes. His mouth watered. He noticed her eyes perked up. He needed desperately to take her mind off Kacey, if only for a short while. She deserved a break and a break he craved to give her.

He bit into his roast Yorkshire ham sandwich watching Sophie bite into her egg mayonnaise, having the filling spill out making him chuckle, but not one to waste anything she wrapped her tongue around her lips cleaning herself up.

“How are you feeling?” he felt compelled to ask.

“Brill, this is so cool.” She smiled, biting into a chicken breast sandwich appearing more relaxed. He was just pleased he managed to get a question answered from her that had bugged him, after all, the thought of her possibly going back to her past frightened him. He needed to know for sure she longed for a change. It was clear she’d lost her routes and craved for nothing more than to have them back.

“Good. I am delighted you like it here.”

“I just don’t feel dressed right for such a place,” she stated shuffling her body appearing uncomfortable

“Don’t be daft, you look great, no-one is thinking that at all. I have told you to stop pulling yourself down, you’re great, and wonderful company,” he gladly told her.

His heart ached deep inside his chest, wondering if now was the time to tell her how he felt. He watched when she took a bite of another sandwich. He could sit and watch her forever, there was a glow about her, betting the trip out had done her the world of good, it wasn’t good to always be cooped up in the hospital.

He waited for her to empty her mouth, watching her use the napkin to blotch her mouth.

“I bet, your apartment in London is glorious,” she announced.

“It’s okay, nothing to scream about. Two bedrooms with en-suites, kitchenette with a diner and a large lounge and a Galloway, that’s it and overlooks a busy street, not quiet and certainly not relaxing to say the least. I believe Ross is still looking after the place,” he added, scratching the back of his neck anxious.

“Wow, sounds lush,” she replied, smiling, taking another sip of her tea.

“No, not really. Your new home will be perfect for you and little one,” he said despite, his feelings toward the small place, he’d compromise for now.

“I think so.”

“It will, I mean you hardly need a mansion to clean when Kacey will keep you busy, and then you would want to enjoy her and not spending your days cleaning the house all day,” he scoffed.

“No, that is true and not sure really if she will have any health issues. I know she is a fighting little girl, but you just never know,” Sophie mentioned in a worried tone.

“Hey, she will be great and make you proud,” he cheered, reaching across the table to take hold of her hand noticing her lowering her head drifting miles away with her thoughts. “You’re doing a great job with Kacey, so special to see you finally holding her,” he reminded her as he rubbed her hand to give her extra comfort.

“Yes, yes, it’s the best feeling in the world. Words fail me to be honest. I love her with all my heart and it’s weird how things have turned out. A month or so ago, I was losing my battle, alone and fed-up, I had nothing. I had lost everything, Calvin, and now here I am enjoying my precious little girl and struggling to take my eyes off her,” she said lifting the corners of her mouth to smile.

“You’re doing great and you should be proud of yourself. We all have mad moments in our lives thinking we cannot go on, and then of course the night in shining armour appears and makes the world wonderful…” He chuckled. “Or not,” he mocked.

“What you like?” She giggled.

He saw her face shine, he loved to see her smiling, happy and relaxed, a combination he hadn’t seen all that much of on her.

“Hey, takes some talent you know to show up and stop a beautiful woman from doing a daft thing. But I’m not going to go over that, it’s the past and you need to think about the future, which is why,” he corrected. He licked his lips and swallowed hard, preparing to tell her…

“Was everything all right?” the waitress asked.

He turned his head to stare at her.

“Perfect.” He wanted to growl at her for interrupting their conversation, hell it had taken him ages to gain the courage, he was just there…when…doom not happening.

“Would you like to order dessert?” she asked, clearing away their plates and tray.

He looked at Sophie. “Yes, please…can I?” she asked excited.

“Of course,” he insisted, his heart crippled in pain. “Anything you wish.” Calvin tried to hold himself together, however struggled badly.

Calvin watched her pick up the menu to start reading it.

The waitress took the plates. He inhaled a deep breath, whilst his stomach swirled.

The waitress soon came back holding a pen and notepad.

“Could I have the chocolate raspberry bombe please and another pot of tea?” Sophie ordered. She smiled and glanced in his direction, happy, lifting her shoulders.

“And you, sir?”

“Make that two, sounds delicious,” he added, grinning at Sophie with her smiling back, so strikingly beautiful. He inhaled a deep breath trying to calm his breathing down, but all he wished to do was throw himself at her and suffer the consequences later, then again…he did that ten years ago and look at the result.

“You’re enjoying yourself?” he asked just longing to make a conversation with her.

He watched her intently licking her luscious lips imagining his lips pressed softly against them.

“It’s cute,” she replied, placing her hair behind her ear and gazed around the establishment. “Oh, I spoke to Caroline the other day, about Sabastian,” she mentioned staring directly into his eyes.

His chest tightened, hoping it wasn’t bad news, he really couldn’t take it, not now, not ever!

“I told her about me losing my bag with all my belongings and details unable to contact her, and she kindly gave me her number. I also mentioned you, I am in contact with Sabastian’s father,” she announced and paused.

Calvin tensed, his throat filled with a large lump, struggling to breath, anxious to hear reply, while shaking like a leaf.

“And?” The suspense killed him.

“And she was going to talk to Mike her partner and discuss whether to talk to Sabastian about you,” she told him.

“Oh, and have you heard anything back?” He became tongue tied.

“I have spoken to them about bringing Sabastian to see his little sister and that was all,” she told him as his stomach tensed.

“Oh right, well at least you remain to have close contact with them and Sabastian wants to see his little sister.” He trembled trying not to get emotional. A lump dominated his throat. “That is great,” he said his voice disappearing.