Free Let's Call the Whole Thing Off by Jill Steeples

to sea, munching on my supper, listening to the waves as they crashed into the rocks, watching as people meandered past in no hurry to get wherever it was they were going. When I’d finished I deposited my wrappings in the bin and that’s when I spotted the café on the other side of the road, The Rocky Road Café. The fine rain that had started less than five minutes ago was becoming more squally and my thin denim jacket was next to useless in protecting me from the elements. I picked up my bag, ran across the road and bundled through the door.
    ‘Hello, love, sit anywhere you like.’ The blonde curly-haired woman gestured around the near empty room. ‘As you can see we’re not very busy.’ She laughed and picked up a menu from a neighbouring table, handing it to me.
    ‘Could I just have a tea and maybe one of your rocky roads, please? They’re my absolute favourites.’
    ‘Ah, a kindred spirit!’ She lifted the dome of the plastic cake box and pulled out a chocolate marshmallow bar and popped it on a plate, placing it on the table in front of me. ‘So are you here on holiday, then?’
    ‘Um, not exactly. Well, it wasn’t planned or anything, if that’s what you mean. I just came on the spur of the moment. Just to get away for a few days. I’ve got to get back for my wedding at the weekend.’
    ‘Really?’ The woman’s face lit up expectantly. ‘Oh, how lovely. Let me have a look,’ she asked, lifting my left hand and inspecting my finger. We both looked at the empty space where a ring should have been. Instead, all you could see was the slight red imprint of where a ring might once have been.
    I gave her a sheepish shrug as she looked at me for an explanation.
    ‘Well, that’s one of the reasons I came away,’ I said, desperately avoiding her sympathetic gaze. I’d made a promise to myself to stop all the moping and the navel gazing and the crying, but I could feel those pesky tears forming under the watchful gaze of this woman who I didn’t know, but who was being far too kind for my liking. I looked her straight in the eye. ‘There was a bit of a last-minute hitch.’
    ‘Bob!’ she called out to the back kitchen. ‘Bring the tea through when it’s ready, would you? I’m going to take a bit of a break myself.’ She didn’t ask, she just pulled out a seat and sat down opposite me. ‘What’s your name, love?’
    ‘Anna. Yours?’
    ‘I’m Mandy. Bob’s my other half,’ she said, gesturing to the balding rotund guy who’d arrived at the table bearing a tray with a teapot and cups and saucers. ‘Oh, don’t worry,’ she added, seeing my startled expression as I looked around the empty café. ‘We’re not busy and if we get a rush on, Bob can always take over, can’t you, love?’
    Bob nodded and gave a wry smile, looking as if he was used to acting under Mandy’s orders.
    ‘So, tell me to mind my own business if you think I’m intruding, but what sort of last-minute wedding hitch makes you ditch your engagement ring and come running away to Hollisea.’
    I took a sip of tea along with a deep breath.
    ‘Oh, it’s a long story,’ I said, uncertain whether I wanted to rake over all the details. In some ways yesterday’s events were still so vivid in my head, too painful to think about; and yet in other ways it seemed like it had all happened a lifetime ago.
    ‘Well, I’m all ears if you want to offload. I’m a very good listener. You have to be in my line of work.’ She clasped her hands on the table in front of her, resting her chin on her fingers and waited.
    I sighed and looked into her eyes, which were twinkling at me, the brightest blue I’d ever seen. She had faded blonde hair that curled onto her shoulders and looked to be about forty-five, I reckoned. Attractive in a weary, washed-out way.
    ‘A last-minute wedding hitch of the “I’ve just found out my boyfriend has been playing away with my best friend” variety.’
    ‘Oh.’ She grasped my hand. ‘I thought