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At Oakhouse Foods, we pride ourselves on quality meals and excellent service. With over 350 dishes to choose from, our meals are all cooked with delicious ingredients and then flash frozen to lock in great flavour and homemade taste. Find something perfect from our range of breakfasts, lunches and dinners plus mini meals and desserts.
You don’t even need to worry about leaving the house as all of these delicious dishes will be brought direct to your door by a friendly, local Oakhouse Foods driver.
The traffic was moving slowly enough for her to note that he was very easy on the eye, slim and fit with broad shoulders.
Normally she would have stopped and offered him a lift, but the interview was preying on her mind.
She’d just decided to drive past him when the car stereo, which had remained obstinately silent when she’d tried to switch it on a few minutes ago, suddenly burst into life, volume on high.
“It’s raining men!” the Weather Girls bellowed, loud enough to deafen her.
Callie jumped. Her foot slammed on the brake as she frantically fumbled for the volume.
When she finally managed to turn it down and sucked in a breath, the neighbour was peering in at her.
She had no option but to roll down the passenger window.
“This is Bill’s car, isn’t it?” he asked. “Are you all right?”
She thought fast.
“Of course I’m all right. Er . . . I was just about to offer you a lift.
“I’m going through town if you want me to drop you off somewhere?” He frowned.
“Do I know you?”
“I’m Callie. Bill’s granddaughter. I’m living with my gran. I’ve seen you sitting at your desk on your computer late at night.”
Why had she added that? Now he’d think she was a stalker!
He hesitated, but the car behind tooted, making up his mind.
“Actually that would be a real help. Can you drop me off at the bus station, please?”
“No problem.”
He climbed in, glancing around approvingly at Blue’s interior
“This is a great car. I had some wonderful conversations with Bill when he was out tinkering with it. He was a real character.”
“He was,” Callie agreed. “Are you going to work?” He nodded. “Unfortunately my van’s currently off the road. I work on the Euro estate and it takes me two buses to –”
She swerved sharply and he grabbed the door handle.
“Sorry,” she said excitedly, “but that’s such a coincidence! That’s where I’m going!”
“Oh?” He looked wary. “I have a job interview,” she explained. “Which means I can take you all the way.”
“No. The bus station is fine. I couldn’t put you to any trouble.”
She noticed he hadn’t let go of the door handle.
“How can it be trouble when I’m going there anyway?” That was just silly.
“Well . . . OK, thank you.” “So what kind of work do you do?” she asked. “Wait! Don’t tell me.
“If this was a film you’d work for Heartfelt Greeting Cards and you’d be the person who’s going to interview me and we’d get on like a house on fire.
“Except maybe I’d have driven through a puddle at the bus stop and splashed you, and your trousers would be soaked and you would have to take them off and –”
The music came on again, playing one of Gran’s favourites: Barbara Streisand’s “Send In The Clowns”.
This time Callie easily found the switch and flipped the stereo off.
“I don’t work for Heartfelt Greeting Cards,” he said. “I work for myself, and I can assure you that I’m not interviewing anyone today or any other day.”
“Sorry. I babble when I’m nervous. It’s been a while since I had an interview,” Callie explained. “What’s the job?” “Data input.”
“Is that what you did before?”
“No. I was an admin manager.”
Callie knew he was just making conversation, but to her horror it all came pouring out – about Paul, losing her job, her car, everything.
When she finally drew breath, he was staring at her.
“Wow. You do talk when you’re nervous.”
She grinned at that. “Told you. So now you know my life story, tell me yours.”
His name was Daniel, and he lived alone apart from his dog.
He was a self-employed carpenter and rented a workshop at the Euro estate, and while he loved working with his hands, he hadn’t bargained for the sheer amount of paperwork that went with running a small business.
Hence too many late nights on his computer when he brought his work home with him.
“You just need a system,” Callie told him confidently, and recommended some free software that should help him keep on top of things.
Conversation came more easily after that and she was feeling calm and relaxed by the time they reached their destination.
“Thanks for the lift,” he said. “You’ll find Heartfelt Greetings on the next block. Good luck with your interview.”
Callie watched him walk away.
It wasn’t a bad view at all.
The next day she and Gran were driving back from the supermarket when they saw Daniel walking his dog.
They all waved to each other.
“How do you know Daniel?” Gran asked.
“I gave him a lift yesterday,” Callie replied.
“His dog is very disgruntled that he brings work home in the evenings when the pair of them should be on the beach.
“What? Don’t look at me like that!” Callie remarked at her gran’s raised eyebrows. “It’s called conversation. He seems nice.”
“He is,” Gran said. “Very nice.”
Callie didn’t like that glint in Gran’s eye, but luckily the car stereo chose that exact moment to come on, playing the old Motown classic “My Guy”.
“Any idea what’s wrong with this thing?” Callie asked, glad of the distraction. “It seems to have a mind of its own.
“The tape’s jammed, too. I can’t change it.”
“Your grandpa would soon have fixed that,” Gran said.
The quiet longing in her voice nearly brought Callie to tears.
“It’s nice being in Blue again,” she said. “It makes me feel closer to him.”
“Yes,” Gran said quietly. “It does, doesn’t it?”
On Thursday, Callie went out for her usual run.
When she returned, laughter drew her to the sitting-room, where she found Gran with Daniel, a tool box open at his feet and some planks of wood propped against the wall.
“Perfect timing!” Gran cried.
She had been sitting knitting and watching daytime TV when Callie left a mere half-hour ago.
“Daniel’s putting up those shelves I’ve always wanted, and I was just about to make some tea.”
Daniel looked great as always, whereas Callie was painfully conscious of her red face and hair plastered to her forehead.
“Hi, Daniel,” she greeted him. “Gran, can I have a word in the kitchen?”
“Just where I was going,” Gran replied. “Excuse us, Daniel.”
“You’ve always wanted bookshelves?” Callie whispered. “You’ve lived here for forty years and that’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“You don’t know everything about me,” Gran said placidly. “I bumped into Daniel yesterday and asked him about putting some shelves up.
“He came in and measured up and agreed to come back today.”
“And you didn’t think to mention any of this?” Callie demanded.
“I must have forgotten. Now, run
upstairs and have a shower.
“I’ve gone to all this trouble and I have to say you’re not really looking your best, dear. Shoo.”
Disgruntled, Callie shooed.
When she came down later, the work was finished, all the tools packed neatly away, and the pair were drinking tea.
“Don’t the shelves look lovely?” Gran asked, and Callie agreed that they did.
“Well.” Gran stood up. “I’m off.”
“Off?” Callie asked. “The library called. My books are in.”
“I can get them for you.” “No, no,” Gran told her dismissively. “I need the exercise.”
Daniel, too, stood up. “I should go –” “Don’t be silly. Stay and finish your tea. Callie will be glad of the company.” Gran looked pointedly at Callie as she left.
Honestly! She could not have been more obvious if she’d tied their wrists together and had them jump over a broomstick.
Callie poured herself some strong tea and offered Daniel a refill.
“Thanks for doing this. I think she’s missing Grandpa and is keeping herself busy.”
“No problem.” Daniel smiled. “Both your grandparents are real characters.”
“You have no idea.” “What was that song you were singing in the shower?” he asked.
“Singing?” She scrunched up her face, trying to remember.
Then she did.
“My Guy”. Had she really been that loud?
“Er, just something that seems to have got stuck on the car stereo,” she mumbled.
“It’s been playing the same song for days and I can’t get it out of my head.”
“I can take a look at it,” Daniel offered. “Not that I’m an expert or anything.”
Had he offered because he thought he could fix it or because he wanted to stay a bit longer?
Despite being mortified at Gran’s machinations, Callie found herself hoping it was the latter.
“That would be great. The car’s in the garage,” she added.
Together they trooped outside.
Daniel got into the driver’s seat and switched on the stereo. Nothing.
He began twiddling knobs.
“Have you heard about your interview yet?” he asked.
“I should know by tomorrow.”
He continued twiddling. Still nothing.
“It’s completely dead. I –” The music came on. Loud.
“If I were a carpenter . . .” Johnny Cash sang.
Clearly Daniel recognised the tune, too.
Their eyes met and locked in horror as they waited for the next line. “And you were a . . .” His hand shot out and he switched it off. Blessed silence prevailed.
Callie forced a laugh but her cheeks were pink.
“Well, at least Blue’s found a new tune.”
On Friday, Callie was in the driveway washing Blue when Daniel sauntered past with his dog, Harry, straining on his leash.
“Hello,” she greeted them both, wondering if he’d waited till he saw her outside before taking his walk.
She’d certainly waited until she’d seen him arrive back from work before filling her bucket and heading out.
“Have you heard about the job?” Daniel asked while she bent down to make a fuss of Harry.
“Yes, I got it. But they can only offer me part-time hours.”
“So you’ll have to look for something else, too?”
“Actually, no. You gave me a bit of an idea about that.”
“I did?”
Callie reached into Blue’s passenger seat and took out a box of flyers she’d had printed up.
“I remembered what you said about how much you hate paperwork and how time-consuming it is.
“I’m going to set myself up as a virtual assistant. There must be loads of people like you, running a small business and needing a hand with stuff like that.” He read the leaflet. “What a great idea. I can be your first customer.”
“You don’t have to do that –”
“Trust me,” he interrupted. “It’ll be a lifesaver. I might have some friends who’d be interested, too.
“I can hand some leaflets round the trading estate if you like.”
She grinned.
“That would be great.” Just when Callie felt as if she was finally taking back control of her life, a familiar car turned into the street and stopped in front of Blue.
Her ex-fiancé climbed out, all floppy blond hair and chiselled jaw.
“Paul?” Callie said in shock.
“Darling,” he said, ignoring Daniel. “Can we talk?”
He was wearing a designer shirt that had cost Callie an arm and a leg, but which perfectly matched his eyes. He looked fantastic. “Please?” Paul added. He suddenly seemed to notice Daniel.
“In private,” he said pointedly.
“Here is fine,” Callie said. Paul clearly didn’t like that, but didn’t argue. “Tonya’s moved out.” For all Callie’s outward calm, her heart was racing in her chest.
“Has she?” “Darling,” he said again. He reached for her hands but she swiftly tucked them behind her back.
“I can see now that I made a terrible mistake. Can you ever forgive me?
“If you’ll take me back I promise to spend a lifetime making it up to you.
“We might even be able to rebook some of the wedding venues. If you hurry.”
Just like that? After breaking her heart?
Callie was aware of Daniel listening. Aware, too, that Gran had come out to stand on the doorstep.
From somewhere Callie could hear a faint tune playing.
She must have bumped the switch when she reached into Blue for the flyers. Except she hadn’t.
The tune was familiar and the volume was increasing. She angled her head to listen.
“Did you hear me?” Paul asked. “I said I want you back. I want to try again.”
Now she could hear the music clearly, and identify it, too. “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon.
“Thanks for your very generous offer, Paul,” she said clearly. “But do you know what? I’m good, thanks.”
“But –”
“Bye, Paul.”
The music changed as he drove off, seeming to chase him down the street like a barking dog. “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair”.
The volume was on full now. Callie reached into the car and turned it off.
Daniel’s eyes danced with laughter.
“Your car definitely has a mind of its own, doesn’t it? If you still want it fixed, I have a mate . . .”
Callie smiled and patted Blue’s bonnet.
“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think it needs fixed,” she said firmly. “It’s just perfect as it is.
“Now, why don’t we go for a drink and we can talk about work?” ■