Chapter 15
ALYSSA
‘All right, girls?’ their grandad had greeted them, as he’d nipped into the kitchen after them when they got back from the interview.
‘Everything is good, Grandad.’
Alyssa had shot Ginny a warning glance, reminding her that this wasn’t the time to tell Hugo that his job was at risk – not until she’d tried everything she could think of to fix this.
‘My interview went well, so hopefully they’ll let me know soon.’
‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you, love. You deserve a break and I know it’ll come soon enough.’
Their grandad’s unwavering belief in both of them had been a constant in their lives and Alyssa would always be grateful for it – especially because it balanced out their mum’s equally unwavering disinterest in their existence. Talking of which…
‘Where’s Mum?’
Grandad had shrugged. ‘Och, she was bored, so I said to her to go on home. Barely been a customer all day. Georgie and her friend out there are the first people we’ve had since the lunchtime bingo ladies got their coffees to take to the church hall.
Not even this weather could stop that lot getting their daily session in. ’
Alyssa had quietly seethed about her mum taking off, but she’d kept that to herself. Even if the café was deserted, you’d think Dorinda would have stayed to keep Grandad company. Maybe even let him away early? Her thoughtlessness could be infuriating, but it was nothing they weren’t used to.
‘Okay, well, you get off now too, Grandad. Ginny can take care of everything out there, and I’ll get cracking on the sandwiches and the rest of the prep for tonight. I’ll give you lift home first though.’
Thank God she was religiously organised and a big fan of overly preparing for every event.
They’d got a special licence from the council to serve beer and wine tonight, and both were chilling in the fridge and ready to go.
She’d been baking for this evening since Saturday, and had stayed down late last night to get everything else prepped and ready.
Starting early that morning had put her ahead of the game again, and as long as her sandwich-making prowess didn’t let her down, and Ginny gave her a hand later to set the buffet up in front of the counter, she’d be ready with an hour or so to spare.
Enough time to nip upstairs for a quick shower and change into something nice for the party.
‘I’ll do that then, love, if you’re sure. I want to get my path cleared of snow, because I don’t fancy trying to navigate that after I’ve had a couple of lagers tonight. I don’t want a lift though. I’m going to nip into the bakers on the way, and then I want to enjoy my walk and get my steps in.’
‘But Grandad…’ she’d begun to object, but he’d shut her down.
‘Alyssa, I’m more than capable of walking for five minutes and I’ve been waiting all winter for a chance to wear these bad boys.
’ He picked up the snow boots he’d been wearing when he came in, before he’d changed into his favourite Fred Perry retro tennis shoes that he always wore in the café. ‘But thank you, love.’
He’d hugged them both in turn, Ginny first, then Alyssa.
‘Thanks for today, Grandad. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘That goes both ways, lass, don’t you worry.’
The little table bell on the counter tinkled and he’d gone off to take care of it. Alyssa had heard Georgie speaking to him as she’d settled her bill and ordered three slices of Victoria sponge.
He’d come back for his jacket, then said his goodbyes. Alyssa had waited for the sound of the front door, but when it came, she’d heard her grandad speaking again.
‘Hello there, Moira. Lovely to see you.’
Ginny’s eyes had widened as she silently mouthed ‘Moira?’, her puzzled frown had added the question mark, as she’d dashed out of the kitchen.
Alyssa had to know too, so she’d put the knife down and followed, and that’s how, right now, she could see that Moira Chiles was coming straight towards the counter.
She decided to help out her sister by taking the lead.
‘Hello there, Moira.’ She greeted her with the same wide smile and cheery tone that made all her customers feel welcome.
Moira had been coming in once a week or so for months now, sometimes with a pal that wore long floaty kaftans, and other times with her male friend, Nick.
Alyssa wasn’t sure of the exact nature of their relationship because neither of them wore wedding or engagement rings, but they always held hands and there was a lot of laughter.
Ginny still hadn’t spoken up, so Alyssa bridged the gap.
‘I believe you and my sister here met this afternoon.’
Moira beamed at Ginny. ‘We sure did. That’s actually why I’m here. Although I would also like two ginger slices and four cheese and onion rolls to take away. ’
‘Coming right up,’ Alyssa told her, moving to the glass display cabinets, while Moira continued the conversation with her sister.
‘Ginny, you’re my excuse to come in here and break my diet for the second time this week and it’s only Monday.’ Her chuckle made it clear that breaking the diet wasn’t something she gave two hoots about.
‘Really?’ Alyssa heard the hope in Ginny’s voice and got right on that bandwagon with her.
‘Indeed. I was just on my way home and thought I’d save the Academy a phone call and put you out of your suspense at the same time. You interviewed so well today…’
Alyssa could barely stand the tension, and she was suddenly concerned that Ginny might faint, given that it was obvious she was holding her breath. But so far so good… Unless Moira’s next word was a ‘but’.
‘And we’d love you to join our team. We think you’d fit in perfectly.’
Ginny handled the news very calmly, by screeching, clapping, running around to the front of the counter and throwing her arms around Moira.
‘Am I to take it that you’re accepting the position?’
‘Yes, thank you. Thank you sooooo much. Eeeeeek!’
Moira got another hug and Alyssa felt a lump forming in her throat. When it came to problems, she was strong and kept it together. But when good things happened to people she loved? Pure mush and happy tears.
‘Okay, I’m going to put you down now and back away, before you change your mind,’ Ginny chuckled, coming back round to the staff side of the counter. ‘But I’m so grateful. I can’t wait to get started.’
‘That was the other reason I wanted to pop in straight away. You did say you could start next week… ’
Ginny gave Alyssa a sheepish glance and mouthed ‘sorry’.
But Alyssa was too happy for her sister to care that she’d be losing her from the café.
Between her and Grandad, and maybe a couple of students back in the village for Christmas break, they’d make it work.
That gave her a thought… Georgie’s daughter, Kayleigh, was studying law and home right now.
Kayleigh had worked in the café for a couple of years in school holidays, so maybe she’d be available and perhaps she could hook her up with some legal advice on contracts too.
Alyssa filed that one away for later. Right now, she was back with her gleeful sister and her spectacular achievement.
‘If that’s still the case,’ Moira went on, ‘then we’d love to make that happen because we have a big Christmas show coming up and need all the help we can get.’
Ginny caught Alyssa’s gaze, asked a silent question, and Alyssa nodded straight away.
Ginny then delivered the answer. ‘Of course I can! That’s perfect! I can’t wait.’
‘Great. HR will be in touch, and the other thing I wanted to tell you is that we’ve all been in the business for a long time, and we know that you wouldn’t be coaching if there were more jobs out there, so one of the perks of the job is that we allow time off for auditions.
Just because you’re working with us to pay the bills, doesn’t mean you have to give up your dreams.’
Alyssa didn’t have a grain of acting or musical talent, but if she did, then she’d want to work with Moira too.
She struck her as a woman who was street-savvy and had been through a lot in her life.
And the fact that she had a son who couldn’t walk down a street without getting mobbed by fans, yet she was so down to earth and normal, made Alyssa love her even more.
She put Moira’s rolls and ginger slices into a bag and handed it over. ‘On the house, Moira. ’
‘Thank you, but absolutely not,’ she objected, pulling ￡20 from her purse and sliding it across the counter.
‘Between you and I, I’d pay double for these ginger slices.
They’re the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
Right, well, I’ll leave you to it. Alyssa, I’ll see you tonight.
Jessie from across the road does my hair, and she’s invited me to her party.
And Ginny, it was a pleasure to meet you properly today.
I’m looking forward to working with you.
Bring one of these cakes in every Monday and we’ll get on great. ’
With a wink and a cheery wave, she left the café. She’d only gone two steps into the street, when Ginny screeched again and hugged Alyssa until she could barely breathe.
‘I got it! I got it! And I know this isn’t the moment for you to ditch work and celebrate with me, because you’re more than slightly in the shit, but I just wanted to say thank you, because if you hadn’t taken me there today, I might not have got this.
And, true, they’d have been missing out on the best staff member they’ll ever have, but I think this is going to be great for me.
Oh, happy fricking days, a full-time salary doing a job I’ll actually love.
No offence. Tomorrow after work we’re going to Primark, and I won’t hear a single objection. ’
Her happiness was contagious, and Alyssa was here for it. ‘Done. I’m so chuffed for you, and you don’t need to thank me because it was you who made this happen. And I’d love to celebrate with you right now, but I need to go get those sandwiches made and get a dozen other things ready.’
‘Okay, tell me what I can do. Anything at all. This is the one time you can boss me around and I won’t even roll my eyes.’
‘I can’t see us getting many more customers today, so if you could set everything up out here for the party tonight, I’ll love you forever. Buffet table, cutlery, crockery and the glasses for the beer and wine. ’
‘I’m on it!’ Ginny paused, then pointed at her face. ‘See! Didn’t even roll my eyes.’
Feeling so much lighter than she did a few minutes ago, Alyssa retreated back into the kitchen and resumed sandwich construction.
The process was therapeutic to her. There was something about the wholesomeness of putting it all together, of creating something with her hands, that helped her mind too.
Ten minutes passed, twenty, thirty and as the pile grew, so did her determination to fight for her business.
Maybe Ginny getting this break today was their sign that their luck was turning.
She had several towers of bread on each side of her, when Ginny came back in.
‘Holy shit, you should see the bloke who’s just came in and sat down.’
Alyssa was focused on arranging her latest batch of chicken salad sandwiches onto the oak serving boards that she would cover and put in the fridge for later. ‘Don’t tell me… Ollie Chiles has just pitched up and is currently sitting in my café demanding a sprinkle doughnut.’
‘Nope, but this guy might be just as good-looking. Not that I’m objectifying, because, you know, I’m millennial and we frown on that kind of thing.’
‘I’ve noticed,’ Alyssa said, not even trying to pretend she wasn’t being sarcastic.
Ginny was still on a roll. ‘But he’s driving a fuck-off sexy big black Ranger Rover and it’s parked right outside.
Oh, and no wedding ring. I checked. Not my type – no visible tattoos and I don’t think he would know Andrew Lloyd Webber if he met him in a lift, but he’s totally your vibe.
Good-looking, square jaw, athletic, long-ish hair all swept back like he belongs in an aftershave advert but looks like he’d wrestle a thief to the ground if he stole some old dear’s handbag. ’
Alyssa finished her display and moved on to the next one. Much as Ginny’s dramatic assumptions about people amused her, this wasn’t the time, and she didn’t have the bandwidth for this discussion.
‘Ginny, I love you, but the last thing I need right now is a man. Have you noticed that I’m up to my arse in problems, on the verge of losing my home, my business and I still have about two hundred more sandwiches to make before a storm of villagers come through that door?’
‘Now that you mention it…’ Ginny admitted, and Alyssa thought the situation was handled.
But no…
‘However, I need to nip to the loo, and he’s waiting for a black coffee that I’ve poured and put on the counter, and a toffee muffin, so I just need you to take it over to him and thank you and goodbye.’ With that, she flew out of the door in the direction of the loo, and Alyssa knew she was beat.
With a sigh so deep, it removed all the air from her body, Alyssa wiped her hands on her apron and went out into the shop.
As advised, the black coffee was there waiting, so she set up a plate with a muffin, knife and napkin and took it over to the gent who had his back to her and was staring out of the window to his right.
As soon as she approached, he turned to look at her and, damn, Ginny wasn’t kidding. Attractive. Kind eyes. Would definitely wrestle a robber.
‘Here you go…’
A flinch of confusion crossed his face when he saw what she’d brought him. ‘I don’t think the muffin is for me. I only ordered a coffee.’
Alyssa knew immediately what was going on. Bloody Ginny. She’d just manufactured a reason for them to converse. And why was he looking at her like that? Intense. Quizzical. As if he was trying to place her.
She didn’t want to admit the truth, so she went with, ‘Oh, no worries. Monday is toffee muffin day. You get a free one with every coffee. Sorry, my hopeless waitress should have told you that.’
She raised her voice on the ‘hopeless’, hoping that Ginny had returned from the loo and could hear her.
‘Anyway, enjoy,’ she said, before turning to leave.
‘Excuse me…’ he said, halting her retreat. ‘Sorry if this sounds like a line, and I promise it isn’t… but have we met?’