Chapter 15
Knowing it was the first weekend of the school summer holidays and having checked the weather forecast, which was set to be sunny and hot, it didn’t take me a second to work out that Wynmouth, and especially the beach, was going to be busy that Saturday. Consequently, I was up with the lark and waiting at the café even before Penny had appeared.
I heard her before I spotted her, rushing along the path and muttering under her breath. She didn’t sound particularly happy and I hoped my presence and the offer I was about to make was going to make her day, rather than ruin it.
‘Good morning!’ I said, jumping up the second she came in sight and relieving her of a large cardboard box she was struggling to manhandle, while rifling through her pockets for the café keys. ‘I’ll hold this while you get the door open, shall I?’
‘Daisy!’ she gasped, obviously surprised to see me. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Let us into the café first,’ I said, because the box was really heavy, ‘and then I’ll tell you.’
Once we were inside and the door was again closed and locked, Penny relieved me of the box and having stowed it in the kitchen, began turning on various lights and gadgets.
‘I won’t be ready to serve breakfasts for a little while yet,’ she told me, sounding flustered. ‘There’s lots to do before I’m officially open for the day.’
‘I guessed there would be,’ I told her, ‘and I haven’t actually come for breakfast. Though that avocado, lemon and lardon thing you were on about the other day does sound good…’
‘That’s one of the things I’ve taken off the menu,’ Penny said with disappointment, while my mouth continued to water. ‘So, why are you here?’ she asked.
‘To offer my services,’ I declared and I gave her a salute as I refocused.
‘As what?’ She frowned.
‘Your official assistant,’ I told her. ‘I’ve jacked my job in at the pub to help you here in the café instead.’
‘You’ve done what?’ she gasped, her mouth falling open in shock.
‘I’m going to do all of the things that you were struggling with and which meant you were having to compromise on the menu I know you spent so long putting together. Like that avocado dish,’ I winked. ‘The one I’ve now got a serious hankering for.’
I knew I had said to Sam that I had struggled with the busyness in the pub, and that the café was equally as packed, especially when the sun was shining, but at least there were no pints for me to get my head around pulling here. I could far more easily manage what was required of me in the café environment than behind the bar, now I knew everything that the role entailed.
‘Oh, Daisy,’ Penny said, looking tearful rather than elated, ‘that’s so kind of you, but you really shouldn’t have done that.’
I shook my head at her reaction.
‘I knew you’d say that,’ I laughed, as I unlocked the door again so I could carry out the colourful bistro tables, chairs and sun brollies that were stored inside overnight. ‘That’s why I didn’t tell you before I did it.’
‘But the thing is—’
‘If you’re going to say you can’t pay me,’ I said airily, ‘then I’ll put out a tips jar or something.’
The financial aspect was the one thing I hadn’t thought through. My shifts in the bar didn’t bring in much, but without them I was going to be living on thin air.
‘I can pay you,’ she started to say, ‘but it’s only the minimum wage, and only until—’
‘That’s fine,’ I said, waving her words away again as I picked up a couple more chairs. ‘That’ll be enough to keep me in beer and chips for the next few weeks, won’t it?’
I didn’t wait for her to answer, but began earning my keep by immediately setting up the seating area and refilling the various water bowls that were dotted around the outside of the café for thirsty dogs.
‘Hadn’t you better get on?’ I called through the open door when I realised Penny was watching me. ‘Let’s see if we can get ahead before the rush, shall we?’
We did get ahead, but only just, and there was no chance of me sitting down and tucking into any sort of breakfast because the café had a steady stream of customers throughout the day. Even with the two of us on duty, it was a push to keep the queue from snaking out of the door and the only food I ingested was eaten on the go in snatched mouthfuls.
Josh had briefly put in an appearance, but then left again when I told him I was sorry, but I didn’t have time to chat and that I’d fill him in about my change of job at the end of the day. I was looking forward to heading to the pub on a Saturday night and staying on the customers’ side of the bar. I’d had the foresight to bring a change of outfit with me and, if all went to plan, I’d spend the night with him in the cottage, which would mean an easy commute in the morning. Perhaps even an early swim…
‘I think you’ve charged me for three of these, instead of two,’ came a slightly irate voice.
I looked at the red-faced man holding up two ice lollies.
‘I’m so sorry,’ I apologised, with a bright smile. ‘You’re right. Let me clear the transaction and I’ll do it again.’
‘I don’t know how you do it, working in here,’ said the woman who was standing next to the man. ‘I don’t know how you keep up with it all. Has it been like this all day?’
‘Yep,’ I said, holding out the card reader that now showed the right amount. ‘We’ve been packed out since early this morning.’
I could see that the beach was still crowded, so there was no respite in sight yet. My feet had ached after an evening working in the pub, but it was nothing compared to a full day in the café. I was going to need to wear shoes with even more support if I wanted to stay upright for the next few weeks.
‘You’ll sleep well tonight,’ the woman commented as she and the man headed back outside into the searing sun.
‘That’s the last of the crab gone,’ said Penny, as she dashed out from the kitchen and put a thick line through that particular dish on the chalkboard, which was screwed to the wall next to the counter. ‘And there are only enough prawns left for three more servings.’
‘A busy day for seafood then,’ I said. ‘What will you serve tomorrow?’
‘There’ll be more crab delivered just after dawn tomorrow,’ she told me. ‘Perhaps you’d like to be here to sign for it?’
‘I can be.’ I swallowed, not wanting to think of another day as busy as the one we were currently living through. ‘I can do that.’
‘I was only joking.’ Penny smiled. ‘You should have seen your face.’
‘Oh, ha, ha.’ I grinned. ‘Honestly though, Pen, this is mad. Will you really be able to cope when you get back to school having had no time off at all?’
‘I’m hoping,’ she said, as another family came bowling through the door, ‘that the adrenaline won’t give out until the autumn half-term, and in the meantime—’
‘Four Magnums, please,’ demanded one of the children.
‘Coming right up,’ I responded.
I hoped Penny was right about the adrenaline keeping her going and I hoped I also had the stamina to keep up with what was required. Working in the café suddenly made my shorter shifts in the pub look like a walk in the park, even though my skills, for what they were worth, were better suited to the café. The constant footfall throughout the day had kept me on my toes and the gaff with the ice lolly overcharging aside, I’d just about held my own. On day one. There were still weeks of summer to go and my earlier conviction that I’d made the right decision was already being tested!
‘Lock the door quick,’ said Penny at the end of what felt like the longest day ever, ‘and I’ll draw the blinds.’
It was way after the café’s official closing time and there were still people on the beach, but the boss had said she’d had enough and I was more than happy to lock up as requested.
‘Oh my god,’ I groaned, as I collapsed into a chair. ‘I can’t believe we did that. You never could have managed on your own, Pen. No offence, but it would have been impossible for you to do everything.’
‘No offence taken,’ she said, wilting into the chair opposite mine. ‘You’re right. I’d already worked out what it might be like on a weekend after you and Josh helped me out the other day, so…’ She then stopped and took a very deep breath. ‘With that in mind—’
‘I’m beginning to think you’re going to need two pairs of extra hands, rather than just mine,’ I cut in before she’d finished her sentence. ‘At least that way you could factor in some proper breaks.’
Penny didn’t say anything further and I quickly looked at her to make sure she hadn’t fallen asleep already. She hadn’t.
‘Sorry, I interrupted. What were you going to say?’
‘Well,’ she said, shifting in her chair and looking upset. ‘The thing is… and I did try to tell you this earlier…’
‘Tell me what?’
‘That I have taken on an extra pair of hands. Two extra pairs of hands, in fact.’
‘What?’
‘After that crazy day last week, I had a video call with Sophie and she suggested I take on a couple of teenagers for the season,’ Penny explained. ‘In her rush to leave, she’d forgotten to mention that’s what she usually did and it wasn’t until I called her and admitted that I was struggling to manage everything, that she brought up taking on summer staff.’
‘Oh,’ I said, feeling taken aback. ‘I see.’
‘I should have realised she didn’t fly solo through the summer,’ Penny carried on. ‘So, I took her suggestion to heart and got on with finding some help.’
‘So,’ I said, trying to sound breezy, ‘you don’t actually need me to work with you here, after all.’
She shook her head.
‘If you’d told me what you were planning to do,’ she said, looking upset, ‘then I would have explained that I’d already got the situation in hand and suggested you keep your job in the pub.’
‘Damn,’ I said, putting my head in my hands. ‘I’m so sorry, Pen.’
‘What are you apologising for?’ she tutted. ‘I’m the one—’
‘You’re the one with the friend who impetuously rushed in and wanted to save the day but hadn’t given a thought to the fact that you might have already saved it for yourself,’ I again cut in.
My actions had been well intentioned, but rash and impulsive too. I had wanted to make the summer easier for my friend and make the experience of running the café what she so desperately wanted it to be. But I could see now that it would have made far more sense to have told her what I was planning, rather than try and make it a surprise.
‘And I love that friend for wanting to do that,’ Penny said sincerely. ‘And I honestly couldn’t have managed without you today. I’m sorry I didn’t find a way of telling you earlier.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said, wondering how long I would be able to keep the blunder from my parents. I’d have to find another job fast, assuming Penny’s tag team were starting soon. Hopefully I’d have a couple of weeks grace to find something. ‘So, when do your new members of staff join the ranks?’ I dared to ask.
‘Next Wednesday,’ Penny told me. That was just four days away. ‘It’s the Smith twins. They’re in Spain on holiday until Tuesday, then they’ll be here the day after.’
I knew the twins she was talking about and their family. The Smiths were local, affluent and extremely successful, thanks to their inherited work ethic. The enthusiastic boy and exuberant girl would be perfect for helping Penny out. They embodied the ultimate beach aesthetic and with youth on their side, they’d be far more energetic than I was at the end of the busy day.
‘You couldn’t have taken on anyone better,’ I commented kindly.
‘They’re hard workers, I’ll give them that.’
‘Oh god,’ I laughed, trying to see the funny side. ‘I’ve just quit my other job for two days’ work, haven’t I? Today and tomorrow!’
‘You can come in Monday and Tuesday too.’ Penny smiled. ‘I’m opening from ten until three, just to see if it’s worth my while, so that’ll put you up to four days’ work.’
‘It won’t be worth your while if no one turns up and you have to pay me,’ I pointed out.
‘I won’t pay you then,’ she teased.
‘Hey,’ I pouted. ‘Seriously though, what a mess. I’m officially useless where the world of work is concerned, aren’t I?’
Penny didn’t answer that, but then she didn’t need to. The question was definitely rhetorical.
‘You could always ask Sam—’ she began instead.
‘No,’ I cut in. ‘I couldn’t. He’s got Marguerite now. It’s fine. I’ll think of something else. How about we call it a day and reconvene in the pub around eight? I might have come up with a plan by then.’
Realistically, I knew there was no chance of that.
‘Sounds like a good idea.’ Penny nodded, then groaned as she stood up and stretched out her back. ‘I’ll buy you a pint so you can drown your sorrows.’
‘And I’ll get Nick to fork out for the next one.’
‘I don’t think he’s coming tonight,’ she told me, trying and failing to sound upbeat.
‘Not coming to the pub on a Saturday?’ I gasped.
‘Not this Saturday.’ Penny shrugged. ‘Someone told me he’d got a date.’
I was desperate to delve deeper, but Penny wasn’t the person to ask. When I’d arrived back at Wynbrook, I had been committed to making it my mission to push my two best pals together, but other events had overtaken it and I still hadn’t got my original matchmaking plan out of the blocks. That said though, considering how my plan to save Penny’s summer had just gone, perhaps I would be best leaving her love life well alone…
‘So, let me get this straight,’ Josh frowned into his pint later that evening and after Penny had gone home, ‘you jacked in your job here for another job without asking the person you wanted to take you on if they would?’
We’d already been through it once, but Josh was having trouble processing the details of what I’d misguidedly, but kind-heartedly, done.
‘Yep.’ I nodded. ‘That’s it. I quit the pub for the café, but in the meantime, Penny had already found staff to work for her.’
‘So, now you’re totally out of a job.’
‘I sure am.’
‘What are you going to do?’ he asked.
‘No idea.’ I shrugged, then drained my glass.
It was my second strong pint on an almost empty stomach, so I definitely wouldn’t be driving home. I wondered if the alcohol was playing its part in making me feel less stressed than I probably should have been, because I was rather chilled.
‘And what do your parents think about you leaving the pub?’ Josh questioned.
‘They don’t know,’ I grimaced, wishing he hadn’t brought them into the conversation as my former chill started to warm up. ‘I haven’t told them.’
‘ You might not have told them,’ said Tess, who had overhead the very end of our conversation as she came to clear the table next to ours, ‘but it doesn’t necessarily follow that they don’t know.’
‘What?’ I gulped, feeling my relaxed attitude melt into a soggy puddle.
‘They came in here for lunch,’ Tess told me.
‘They came in here for lunch,’ I echoed.
My parents never came into the pub. I couldn’t remember the last time they’d crossed the threshold. I wondered what had tempted them inside on the very last day I could have wanted them to darken the Smuggler’s doors.
‘They came in for lunch,’ Tess said again, ‘and your dad asked Sam what time you’d be starting today and Sam said…’ she faltered, then carried on, ‘Sam said, you wouldn’t be starting at all, because you’d… quit.’
I threw Sam a harsh look and he pulled an apologetic face.
‘I didn’t think,’ he said, looking shamefaced. ‘It was busy in here and I just blurted it out before I realised that if he was asking when you’d be in, then he didn’t know that you wouldn’t be.’
‘Well,’ I said, as I plunged my hands into my hair, ‘he certainly knows now.’
‘Sorry,’ Sam apologised. ‘If I’d known at the time, I would have said they’d find you working in the café instead.’
I’d told Sam where I had switched working to when Josh and I arrived that evening, though not for how long, so he hadn’t known I’d found something else when he’d talked to Dad at lunchtime.
‘Let’s not have that conversation,’ I said, holding up a hand. ‘I can stay at yours tonight, can’t I?’ I asked Josh as I clutched his arm, even though we’d already discussed it earlier.
‘Absolutely,’ he laughed, then lowered his voice, so no one else could hear. ‘Given your reaction to Sam’s confession, I’m guessing your parents aren’t going to be pleased about you quitting your job here?’
‘No,’ I sighed, ‘they won’t be and I can’t even tell them it’s okay because I’m going to be working in the café for the rest of the summer now, can I?’
‘Well,’ Josh suggested, ‘you could just be a bit vague. I mean, you’re going to be working there until the middle of next week, aren’t you? So, technically you could buy yourself a few days’ grace by just telling them you’re working with Penny now. You don’t have to supply them with an end date and in the meantime, you can keep looking for something else.’
I bit my lip and considered what he’d just said.
‘That might work,’ I eventually agreed. ‘That might actually work. Though I’m not sure that I like this sneaky side of you, Josh.’ I smiled. ‘Even if it has potentially got me temporarily out of a tight spot.’
‘It’s not sneaky,’ he said, pretending to be aghast. ‘I’m the king of spin. If I can make something positive out of a difficult situation then I’m going to utilise the heck out of it.’
‘In that case,’ I said, leaning into him, ‘please, utilise away.’