Chapter 31
31
The Net Loft, St Aidan
Crowded houses and a lot of sparkles
Thursday
W hatever negativity I have felt about Miles, his picture hanging suggestions are bang on, and I can’t fault his pecan and toffee bun intervention either. By half past ten the studio is filled with the scent of vanilla and hot pastry and I’m sipping coffee and working my way through my own personal bun stack. I’m biting into my third when Zofia arrives, carrying a galvanised bucket of blooms in each hand.
She comes over, drops a kiss on my cheek, and stares at me hard. ‘Not too nervous for your first day?’ Then her worried expression moves into a beaming smile. ‘For the cut flowers I have begun with mixed bunches, and I also have boxes of garden produce in the car.’
I’m looking down into buckets bursting with yellow and orange marigolds and the bluest cornflowers. ‘They’re lovely, Zofia, it’s going to feel a lot like your garden. Fresh produce will be great for the garden gate vibe.’
She nods. ‘I have so much rhubarb, I am picking it in my sleep.’
Miles’s head appears around the edge of the kitchen door frame. ‘Zofia gave me some yesterday. You’ll be able to give me your verdict shortly.’
I’m frowning. ‘On what?’
Miles disappears and emerges from the kitchen seconds later carrying two large trays. ‘Boathouse buns with fresh rhubarb, and boathouse buns with rhubarb-and-ginger jam I made earlier.’ He puts the trays down on one of the empty tables near the back and picks up a bun and waves it around. ‘Same arrangement as usual, Eliza Betty. Tell me how they taste, then these are all yours.’
It’s so like Miles to crash into our day without a thought, but it will be quicker for Zofia and me to stop and taste than to argue.
‘Try not to drop crumbs.’ He hands us a serviette each.
As I close my teeth around the pastry the rhubarb is tart yet sweet on my tongue. I put both thumbs up and push the last flakes into my mouth. ‘Yes, amazing, what do you think, Zofia?’
She’s waving a bun in each hand. ‘Delicious and delicious.’ She turns to me. ‘I’ll finish these and get the rest from the car.’
I go back to the buckets and call to Miles. ‘If that’s everything, I’ll get these flowers into the Kilner jars I have waiting.’
He throws a tea towel over his shoulder. ‘There are another four trays of buns baking as we speak.’ He takes in my hesitation. ‘I’ve got my hands on a new kitchen, I’m going for broke here.’
I do the maths and put up my finger. ‘Before you bake any more, just remember– if I’m stuck in here with my postcards composing rhyming couplets about mythical sea creatures, there definitely won’t be time for me to sell buns on the beach today.’
I haven’t quite got my head around having to man the shop in person all day every day, but like everything, I’ll just have to see how it goes.
Miles is blinking. ‘What are you writing?’
I’m going back to basics. ‘Fenna emailed to ask for some last-minute lines about mermaids to put out on socials as a taster for this month’s magazine. With writing and looking after the shop, I’ll be tied up here for the rest of the day.’ He still hasn’t reacted so I obviously need to be more specific. ‘If you make more buns than Zofia and I can eat now, unless you go out and sell them yourself, they’ll go to waste.’
Zofia comes back in with another box and joins the conversation again. ‘I can always take some home for Aleksy.’
I send her a grateful smile.
Miles gives a cough. ‘I know my endgame aim has always been to market through large commercial outlets in on-trend locations, but as you’re starting out and the buns are here, I’m happy for you to sell some today.’
However generous the offer, we’re really not on the same page here. ‘Miles, you’re talking upwards of a hundred and twenty pastries. As a fledgling shop, I’m likely to have only a handful of customers today.’
He’s narrowing his eyes. ‘But if you tell your WhatsApp group there are buns at the Net Loft, they’ll all come here to snap up the baking, and see the shop at the same time.’ A smile spreads across his face. ‘It’s cross-brand marketing at its finest!’
I’m seized by a wave of terror. ‘I was hoping to ease in with three customers, not a stampede of thirty.’ I turn around. ‘What do you think, Zofia?’
She looks at the buckets. ‘It will be good to sell the flowers when they’re fresh. More people will help you do that.’
I have another misgiving. ‘The buns are your brainchild, Miles. I shouldn’t be relying on those for my launch.’
He takes a deep breath. ‘The buns were my idea to start with, but you’re the one who sold them to St Aidan.’ He looks around. ‘As they’re only one table in a much bigger shop, I reckon you’ve got more right than anyone to sell them.’
When he puts it like that, I’m feeling less guilty. ‘In that case, thank you, Miles.’ I pick up my phone. ‘What other flavours shall I tell the group you’re doing?’
He grins. ‘I thought we’d go with some crowd-pleasers. Double chocolate chip, banoffee, cinnamon, and vanilla custard.’
‘You planned this all along?’
He looks around him. ‘When you’ve created a place this cool, you can’t keep it a secret!’
Clemmie comes through the door. ‘A big-bang opening? That’s exactly what I said, too!’
‘Okay, I’ll message the group now.’ It’s only what I’ve done before, but when I press send my hand is shaking with nerves.
Miles hands me a sheaf of cards from his back pocket. ‘Here you go. You do the price tickets, and there are boxes and bags in the kitchen to wrap them for takeaway, and I’ll go back to my baking.’
I push the plate towards Clemmie. ‘Try one of these, they’re pecan and toffee.’
She picks one up ‘A real, live boathouse bun! I’ve heard a lot about these but they’ve always been devoured before I could get anywhere close.’
Zofia and I take another one each and I groan. ‘As someone who shares a house with the baker, I despair at how easy they are to eat.’
‘I can see why they’re legendary.’ Clemmie toasts the air with her bun then looks around at the tables. ‘Having so little in here actually makes things stand out more! The postcards are amazing, but the real icing on the cake is you joining forces with Miles. That is inspired, well done for that.’
I can’t believe how wrong this has gone. First, my random comment about a postcard rack gets so out of control that I end up with a shop, and I still don’t have a bed to call my own. But more importantly, this should have been me cutting ties with Miles for good and forever– and look how it’s ended up! Far from a separation, it’s turned into a public coming together.
I blow out a breath. ‘It’s only for today.’ I look at Clemmie. ‘I’m truly not planning to steal your customers.’
After that, I promise myself I’ll be standing on my own.