Chapter 21
Theo spent most of the evening at the café working on whatever it was he was working on.
Despite her attempts to find out, he’d kept quiet, saying it was a surprise.
She wasn’t sure if that was because he was trying some new flavour combination and was worried it wouldn’t work, or because he wanted to surprise her as much as the journalist. Whatever it was, this morning she couldn’t wait to get to the café.
She’d slept in her own bed last night as Theo had still been up and working when she’d dragged her weary body upstairs in desperate need of sleep.
Theo had clearly been up and out at the crack of dawn as she’d woken to be the only person in the house.
Thankfully, the sun was back to shining, the warmth of the day already filling the house.
She dressed quickly in her prettiest dress, eager to look good for the journalist. Nikoletta had thanked her profusely for letting her in to the event and Milly was surer than ever that this was going to work out well.
It would be the icing on the cake of an amazing cooking festival for Lykke – really putting it on the map of the Copenhagen foodie scene.
As she approached the café, which they’d closed until the event knowing they wouldn’t have time to deal with passing customers and prepare everything they needed to make this final one go with a bang, she spotted Theo through the window, head down, working hard on several things at once, moving with lightning speed behind the counter.
Given how warm the day was already he must have been boling in the café with the ovens on.
But she had to admit, she quite liked it when he was a bit hot and flustered.
When she walked in and he looked up, the light in his eyes made her heart sing. His lopsided grin appeared, and knowing he was pleased to see her sent her pulse racing.
‘Are you ready?’ Milly asked, telling her heart to calm down.
‘I think so. People will start arriving in a couple of hours. The cards are here.’
He handed over a small stack of cards, plain, but with the name of the café on top and a few thin lines underneath for people to write their name, address, phone number, social media handles, whatever they wanted to connect with the people they’d met that day.
Theo had also planned to stay and chat as he served the food, asking questions of the guests to encourage discussion.
Milly was learning that nothing brought people together like food, especially in Denmark.
Like a jigsaw piece suddenly fitting, she realised she was finally getting a handle on this way of life, understanding tangible and specific things.
She grabbed her notebook and made another note.
‘What are you doing?’ Theo asked while making her favourite iced latte.
‘Just making a note of something.’ Perhaps when she told him she loved him, she’d tell him what this notebook was all about too.
‘You look beautiful, by the way. Very, very beautiful.’
Her body began to tingle. ‘Thank you.’
But she couldn’t get distracted; there was work to do first. When this was all over though, they could celebrate. After knocking back her iced latte so quickly she earned a tut from Theo, it was time to open the doors for their last event of the cooking festival.
In the bright sunshine, they welcomed them in and led them downstairs to the lower deck.
Uplifting pop songs played quietly from Theo’s phone, which had been connected to a small speaker, but it wasn’t long before the room was filled with chatter.
Milly loved watching people take the cards and begin writing, connecting almost instantly, welcoming others and encouraging them to take the empty seats.
She let those guests settle in as they helped themselves to orange juice or water, which had been set up on the tables, and made her way back upstairs to help with the coffee orders.
‘It’s going well already,’ she told Theo who was busy plating up platters of pastries.
With nerves mounting, Milly checked her phone.
Nikoletta should have arrived by now. Hopefully she hadn’t pulled out or changed her mind.
A lot was riding on her coming and loving what they were doing, spreading the word far and wide.
After taking a tray of coffees downstairs, Milly emerged to find Theo talking to a beautiful woman about the same age as her.
She had pale green eyes and strawberry-blonde hair that shone redder when the sun caught the delicate strands around her face.
She was smiling up at Theo and after she said something he laughed.
As a stab of jealousy hit Milly, the woman turned and smiled at her and relief hit like a blast of cold air.
It was Nikoletta and Milly was happy to see Theo was charming her already.
Milly paused, realising that if she didn’t stay, Theo might end up doing this sort of thing with someone else one day.
Working with someone else on the next cooking festival, someone he then went on to date or even marry.
Though she didn’t need any more convincing that her choice was the right one, this helped cement her thoughts.
She wanted Theo. Now and forever and if love wasn’t a good enough reason to stay, she didn’t know what was.
Rolling her shoulders back, she approached Nikoletta and smiled. ‘It’s so lovely to meet you.’
‘You too! Theo’s been telling me all about how you’ve helped to bring Lykke to everyone’s attention.’ Her English was perfect – almost better than Milly’s. When Theo turned directly to her and smiled, Milly almost melted on the spot.
‘I’ve been making content for a while,’ she replied. ‘And was able to put some of those skills to good use. I’ve really enjoyed doing it, and I worked for a financial consultancy firm back in England too, so I’ve been glad to help.’
Theo’s eyes sharpened at her use of the past tense, but she carried on, not wanting to discuss the slip in front of Nikoletta.
‘I checked you out,’ the journalist replied. ‘Your following is very impressive, and you’ve clearly done a wonderful job with the café. I never knew this place was here, or that you did such interesting takes on Danish food.’
‘The cooking festival has helped us highlight Theo’s talents for sure.’
They both looked at him, and a pink flush began to creep up his neck. His eyes darted between them both, his expression growing increasingly alarmed when he suddenly said, ‘Nikoletta, let me make you a coffee.’
‘Yes, please. A flat white would be great, thank you.’
‘And I’ll show you downstairs. A lot of people have already arrived. We’re just waiting for one or two more.’
As they entered the lower deck, Nikoletta began taking a video and then making notes on her phone. ‘This is gorgeous! How didn’t I know this was here? You should do exclusive dining here one evening a week. This could easily become the must-eat place in Copenhagen.’
Milly beamed. ‘That’s a great idea! I’ll definitely mention it to Theo.’
‘And what are these?’ She picked up one of the cards.
‘These are to encourage people to share their contact details. I know you can just tap phones together now and suddenly you’re connected, but getting someone to write down their name felt a bit more personal.
And we wanted this to be about meeting people, making new friends and forming lasting connections that go beyond this one brunch. ’
‘I love that.’ She began typing it word for word, asking for Milly to repeat the phrase as she noted it down.
Milly couldn’t stop smiling. ‘Let me grab your coffee.’
As she went back upstairs she cast a quick look over her shoulder and was pleased to see Nikoletta enveloped into the crowd and they were all chatting good-naturedly, excited for the food.
‘Ready?’ she asked Theo as soon as she reached the counter.
He turned, his eyes wide in panic.
‘What’s happened?’
‘What if she hates the food? This could all go horribly wrong. Maybe I should—’
‘She won’t! Theo, please.’ She went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. ‘Please have confidence in yourself. You’ve charmed her a little already and she’s already tasted some of your food and loved it. I’m sure nothing will go wrong. Just keep being yourself.’
He frowned. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
Milly chuckled. ‘It’s a brilliant idea because you’re lovely. I love you and so will she.’
Theo’s eyes widened and Milly suddenly realised the words that had popped out of her mouth.
She dropped her arms from around him and stepped back, heat rising up her spine.
‘I mean … you’re a lovely person so of course she’s going to love you.
She’s already super impressed. Like, downstairs she was making notes on her phone and taking videos and talking to people.
Is this ready to go?’ She grabbed Nikoletta’s coffee cup. ‘I’ll take this down to her.’
Without giving him chance to reply she turned and disappeared back downstairs.
What had she just done?! What had she just said?
She had to keep her mouth shut. Now was not the time to tell him how she felt.
Theo was still frozen on the spot. She wasn’t sure he’d moved even as she descended the stairs.
Had she freaked him out that much? Did that mean that while he liked her he didn’t feel as deeply as she did and that his ‘my love’ had just been a saying – a term of endearment?
Urgh! The heat of humiliation prickled her skin.
She handed Nikoletta her coffee just as Theo came down with the first platters of food. He kept his eyes away from her even though hers followed him around the room, wishing he’d look over.