Chapter 3 #2
The high street was busy, filled with people shopping and running errands and cars trundling up and down the road.
When she’d walked up the high street from the train station when she first arrived in Hamblehurst, she’d been too focused on hauling her heavy luggage, as well as anxious to reach her aunt, to spend much time looking around at her surroundings.
But now with the benefit of time to spare, she looked around properly and was amazed to see that the high street was just as she remembered it from when she’d stayed here fifteen years ago.
The gorgeous shopfronts and handsome buildings that lined the street were brimming with character and kerb appeal.
There were no ugly modern monstrosities on this high street, no horrible shops filled with cheap rubbish, no dilapidated units, no grubby windows or tired signage.
Every shop looked well cared for and each business added to the ambience.
There were many national chain stores operating there too, but they didn’t dominate and the independent traders were in the majority.
Gaby admired it all as she walked along—the smart window displays, the pretty signs above the shop doors, the autumn-themed flower baskets that hung from the old-fashioned lampposts, and the graceful view that descended towards the grey-stoned church with its elegant steeple that peeked out at the bottom.
Shoppers hurried here and chatted there.
Drivers tooted horns and waved to people they knew as they motored by on the road.
A gathering of old men was perched on a wooden bench beside the war memorial, remarking on this and that as they watched the world go by around them.
Running errands on this high street would be a pleasure, and Gaby now remembered the errands she’d run for her aunt when she’d lived here all those years ago. Running errands hadn’t quite had the same allure to a seventeen-year-old who’d had other things on her mind, of course.
Things such as the boy she’d been infatuated with.
Peter.
There he was in her mind again. Funny how coming back here had stirred up memories that had been lost in the mists of time.
Gaby pulled out the shopping list her aunt had given her and got to work.
At the corner bakery she chose a farmhouse loaf fresh from the oven and a batch of seeded rolls.
In the mini market she bought the grocery essentials they were running low on, before going to the greengrocer’s next door for fresh fruit and vegetables.
The display in the delicatessen window was too seductive to walk past, and she found herself in there too, buying cold meats and slices of homemade quiche that would make for a delicious lunch.
With her shopping bags already bulging, she was glad to have bought most of what they needed because otherwise she’d have to make a second trip. All that remained was to visit the Sweet Treats bakery her aunt had spoken so highly of and choose some cakes and goodies.
By the time she found the little café and bakery tucked in off the high street on a pretty cobbled lane, Gaby was more than ready to take a break and pause for coffee.
After admiring the elegant sage and cream signage outside the café and the expanse of glass windows and the old-fashioned recessed door with decorative tiles to welcome the customers, she stepped inside and was greeted with the most gorgeous bakery aromas she’d ever smelled.
A gleaming wooden counter held cake stands and glass-domed plates filled with scones and brownies and an autumn fruit cake that made Gaby’s mouth water.
A glass-fronted display case showed off more goodies than she could count.
Staff worked behind the counter to serve the customers who were squeezed in at every table.
There wasn’t a single free seat available.
Gaby felt a tug of disappointment that she wouldn’t be able to stop here for coffee after all because it was so busy.
She would’ve enjoyed lingering with one of the autumn-spiced lattes that were listed on the chalkboard as their special drink of the week and might even have succumbed to a slice of the autumn fruit cake…
or perhaps the apple pie she now saw in the glass display case…
or maybe some of that sinful chocolate and ginger loaf that she could almost taste on her tongue just by looking at it…
“What can I get you?”
Gaby snapped out of her salivating reverie and saw the young woman on the other side of the counter was smiling and waiting to take her order.
“It all looks amazing,” Gaby said. “I have no idea what to pick.”
The woman across the counter laughed. “We hear that a lot. I can offer a suggestion if that might help make up your mind?”
“Yes please, or else I’ll be standing here struck with indecision all morning. Whoever baked all these amazing cakes must be some sort of magician. Or maybe an evil genius.”
The woman laughed again. “Actually, I’m the baker, but I’m definitely no magician. Although evil genius does sound sort of fun.”
Laughing, Gaby noticed the name badge the woman wore on her apron. “Oh, you’re Mel, the owner. My aunt said you live on Foxglove Street and that you’ve just opened this place.”
“That’s right, just a few weeks ago. It’s been a total non-stop whirlwind.”
The joy dancing in Mel’s eyes showed just how much she was loving every minute of it.
“Your café is beautiful and is obviously a big hit with everyone,” Gaby said, gesturing to the packed seating area. “I had planned to stop for coffee too, but it looks like I’m out of luck.”
Two older women at a nearby table looked her way.
“We were just leaving, my dear,” one of them said as they both rose to their feet. “Come and take our table before someone else nabs it.”
“That’s kind, thank you,” Gaby replied.
“Make yourself comfortable and I’ll come and take your order in a minute,” Mel said across the counter. “And if you still need a recommendation, then maybe you’d like to try a slice of St. Clement’s cake. It’s my signature bake.”
With a smile, Mel turned to the next customer waiting to be served.
Gaby dumped her heavy shopping bags beneath the small table, glad to set them down at last, and then shrugged out of her coat.
She checked out the chalkboard menu on the wall and glanced around the cosy café, enjoying the relaxed ambience of the space and the delicious sugary aromas that drifted in the air.
But her gaze kept returning to the cakes and cookies and muffins that were laid out on the counter and piled up inside the glass display case.
Every single one looked incredible.
When Mel appeared at her table a few moments later, Gaby ordered an autumn spiced latte and a slice of the recommended St. Clement’s cake. She also asked for a box of mixed goodies to take home for her aunt and told Mel to make the selections herself.
Gaby’s order arrived quickly and the moment she tasted the first mouthful of the St. Clement’s cake she’d ordered, she understood why Mel described it as her signature bake. It was out of this world, filled with delicious citrusy flavours and dreamy buttercream and the sponge was as light as air.
And while the summery citrus cake really shouldn’t have been a good pairing with the autumn spiced latte, for some reason they worked brilliantly together. It was all Gaby could do to stop herself guzzling it all in seconds.
She paced herself, determined to make the generous portion of cake last long enough to spend at least ten minutes enjoying her café stop-off.
As she savoured her treat, she watched the busyness behind the counter as a constant stream of customers came and went.
When a man walked through the door and Mel’s face lit up as she rounded the counter to greet him with a kiss, Gaby couldn’t help watching what was obviously a romantic reunion.
A surprising pang of emotion hit her as she watched the pair from the corner of her eye. They were clearly madly in love with each other and Gaby felt a flush of shame at the realisation that she was a tiny bit jealous of their tender embrace.
Which was ridiculous, obviously.
Her natural good manners would’ve compelled her to mind her own business as the pair began talking to each other, but they were standing so close to her table that it was impossible not to overhear their conversation.
“I’m so sorry Mel, but I need to cancel our plans for the afternoon,” the man said.
“Oh no, what’s happened?” Mel asked, her face clouded with disappointment.
“The events manager at the Riverford Hotel, Kim, has had a family emergency. Her mother was involved in a car accident an hour ago and has been rushed to hospital. From what Kim knows so far, she’s got some serious injuries and might need surgery.”
“God, that’s terrible,” Mel said. “I hope she’ll be okay.”
“We all do. But in the meantime, we’ve got a one-hundred-seater wedding reception booked for this afternoon and no one to run it.
We’re already stretched as it is and there’s no one free to come in at the last minute to cover things.
Marlena is going to step in and run the wedding reception and I’m going to cover for her at the big birthday party booking she was already scheduled to manage.
We can’t let either client down, so it’s all hands on deck.
Which means our plan for an afternoon getaway together is out the window. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologise. Of course you have to help. I’m just sorry this has happened.”
“This was supposed to be our first proper afternoon together since you opened this place,” the man said, gesturing around the café.
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll make up for it when things aren’t so hectic. But are you up to the challenge of running a birthday party event by yourself?”
“I guess I’ll find out. We don’t have any other choice.”