Chapter 7
The following Friday, Sive met Sam at The Halfpenny Place for breakfast before rehearsals.
She waved hello to Chloe, who was busy behind the counter as she entered, then joined Sam in the small queue for service.
It was early and there was only one of the pretty mosaic bistro tables occupied, but there was a steady stream of customers leaving, bearing trays of coffee and bags emitting delicious aromas of freshly baked bread and pastries.
‘Morning!’ Chloe greeted them cheerfully when it was their turn. ‘You’re early.’
‘Thought we’d stock up on carbs before rehearsal,’ Sam said.
‘We miss you around here,’ Chloe said to Sam. ‘You’ve been neglecting us lately.’
‘I still come in all the time,’ Sam protested.
‘Not as often as you used to.’
‘Ah, well, I’m not in charge of the Halfpenny Lane refreshments anymore. It’s the downside of being a big fancy actor.’
‘The price of fame! I should probably get a selfie with you now – get in ahead of the game. Then when you’re a big movie star, I can make my fortune selling it on eBay.’
Sive listened to their chatter while she surveyed the baked goods displayed in the glass counter and tried to decide what to have.
Everything looked so good. She thought Sam and Chloe might be flirting, but she couldn’t be sure.
Sam was so open and friendly with everyone, she couldn’t tell.
This was exactly the kind of behaviour she’d been talking about to Mimi.
When they’d ordered coffee and breakfast rolls, Sam carried their tray to a table by the window.
‘This looks amazing,’ Sive said as he slid the tray onto the table, steaming mugs of coffee wafting delicious aromas.
‘We should do this more often.’ Sam looked as delicious as the pastries – fresh-faced despite the early hour and dressed in the standard rehearsal uniform of dark yoga pants and soft, loose jumper.
Maybe Mimi was right and she needed to make the first move.
She just wasn’t sure how to go about it.
‘I presume you’ll be at the party at Rocco’s tomorrow?’ she asked as she tore off a piece of roll. It was the last performance of Private Lives and Rocco was throwing a closing night party at his house.
‘I sure will. I can’t go too wild, though. We’ll be striking the set on Sunday.’
‘You know you don’t have to do that, now that you’re a big fancy actor?’ she said teasingly.
‘I know. But I like doing it. And I have pathological levels of FOMO about anything going on at that theatre without me.’ He grinned and took a sip of coffee. ‘Besides, you’ll be there, won’t you?’
Sive smiled. Was he flirting with her now? Or just being friendly? Argh, she was so bad at this. ‘Yes, I’ll be there. Wouldn’t miss it.’
‘Are you going to the show tomorrow night before the party?’
‘I’d like to. I’ve only seen it on opening night. But I’m not sure if we can spare the seats and I don’t fancy standing all night.’
‘Cara’s given me two comps. You can come and watch it with me, if you like?’
‘I’d love to! It’s a date.’ Was it, though, she wondered as she popped a piece of roll in her mouth. It was delicious – pillow-soft dough wrapped around buttery scrambled egg, cheese and spinach, studded with poppy and sesame seeds. ‘Oh my god,’ she groaned. ‘These rolls are amazing.’
‘I know. I’m seriously considering proposing to Chloe,’ Sam said with a grin.
‘Not if I beat you to it.’
Sam laughed.
‘It’s going to be nice for Mimi and Mitch with the show finished, only having rehearsals to focus on.’
‘And being able to come to the pub with us.’
They chatted easily as they finished their breakfast.
‘I guess we should get going,’ Sam said, glancing at his watch as Sive pushed away her empty coffee cup.
‘Those rolls were fantastic,’ Sive said to Chloe when they went to the counter to pay.
‘So good.’ Sam nodded. ‘We’ve been fighting over who asks for your hand in marriage first.’
Chloe laughed lightly. ‘I’m open to all reasonable offers.’ She handed Sam some change and closed the till. ‘I’m trying out some new mince pie recipes for the show,’ she said to Sive. ‘There’s a batch just out of the oven. Hang on and I’ll give you some to try.’
Sam licked his lips. ‘Having mince pies in the play was the best idea ever,’ he said to Sive as Chloe turned to a tray of freshly baked pies behind her. ‘We should work pastries into every show.’
‘It could be our USP,’ Sive said. ‘Baked goods themed for every play.’
‘Cherry pies for The Cherry Orchard,’ Sam said.
‘Ice cream cake for The Iceman Cometh.’
‘We could be in business together,’ Chloe said with a smile as she slid a couple of mince pies into a paper bag.
‘I think Chloe likes you,’ Sive said to Sam as they walked the short distance to the rehearsal room.
‘Of course she does. I’m lovely. Didn’t you know?’ He opened the bag of mince pies, offering it to Sive.
‘I may have heard a rumour.’ Sive smiled, diving into the bag and pulling out a pie. ‘But I mean maybe she like likes you?’
Sam laughed. ‘Oh, right! Are we in kindergarten now?’ He bit the mince pie in half in one go, shaking his head.
‘Nah,’ he said then, through a mouthful of pastry.
‘We’re just mates, that’s all.’ He wolfed down the rest of the mince pie and was silent for a moment, chewing.
When he’d swallowed, he said, ‘Why? Are you jealous?’ A smug grin crept across his face.
‘No, of course not! Well … maybe a little bit.’
‘So maybe you like me and you’re just projecting onto poor Chloe?’ Sam crushed the paper bag and tossed it into a nearby bin, then brushed his hands.
Sive huffed a laugh. ‘Maybe.’
They’d reached the rehearsal studio and Sam came to a halt by the door. ‘You know I like you, right?’
‘Yeah, I know.’
‘I don’t mean as a mate.’
‘Well, I was beginning to wonder.’
‘Why?’ Sam frowned. ‘I thought I was pretty obvious.’
Sive shrugged. ‘You’ve never asked me out.’
‘Right back at you.’
‘But why didn’t you?’
‘You were with Ben.’
‘I’m not with him now.’
‘It’s been all of five minutes. I mean, give a guy a chance.’
‘So is that the only reason? You thought it was too soon?’
He sighed. ‘Maybe there was a part of me that was also afraid of screwing it up,’ he said. ‘I am famous for it, after all.’
‘No, you’re not,’ Sive protested, frowning.
‘Hah! You never heard my dad on the subject.’
Sive remembered Aoife saying something about Sam’s father being very hard on him growing up. Apparently nothing Sam ever did was good enough.
‘We’re friends,’ Sam continued, ‘and I don’t want to risk losing that.’ He sighed. ‘But just to be clear, I do like like you.’
Sive smiled. ‘Same here,’ she said softly. And just like that, they were having a moment.
‘Good. I’m glad that’s settled. So you’ll say yes if I ask you out on a date?’
‘Yes.’
‘And I promise not to mess it up,’ he said earnestly, slipping his hand into hers as they went inside.