Chapter Eight
‘ O h, Lynsey, love. Why don’t you go back to bed for a bit?’ Elsie rubbed her arm as Lynsey walked past carrying trays of freshly baked cookies.
Pausing, Lynsey turned to her and forced a smile. Unable to keep in her disappointment, she’d broken down in front of Elsie and Ian when she’d arrived back at the flat last night and they’d been nothing but kind to her, talking through her options with her and offering help and support. She may have only known them a little longer than twenty-four hours, but they’d treated her as they would any family friend or relative. ‘I’m okay, thanks. I’d rather keep busy. It means I don’t have to think about what about I’m going to do with my life.’
‘I’d take her up on the offer if I were you.’ Diane looked up from where she was flicking through a parenting magazine on the opposite side of the huge stainless-steel table.
‘You can go and lie down whenever you want, love. I’m not keeping you hostage here.’ Elsie chuckled as she shook her head at Diane.
‘Oh, I know. You’re just refusing to let me go out and work behind the counter.’ Diane crossed her arms and pouted.
‘Are you saying you don’t like keeping me company in here?’ Elsie feigned a look of hurt.
‘Not at all. I love it, but there’re only so many magazines I can flick through.’ Diane patted the pile of magazines she’d brought in with her when she’d arrived earlier.
Rolling her eyes, Elsie turned back to Lynsey, her expression becoming serious. ‘It will be okay, love. I promise you things have a way of working out, but you’ve been up helping with the baking since half four and I’m sure you couldn’t have got much sleep last night. I really think a lie down might be the best option.’
Lynsey shook her head. The thought of having to confront her fears of walking away from her dream escape was too much at the moment. No, she just needed to keep her mind off it and have a little longer in Penworth Bay before facing up to the reality of the huge mess her life was now in. ‘I’ll be fine. Thank you for offering, though.’
‘All right. Well, the offer stands all day, so give me a shout if you want to duck out for a while.’ Elsie rubbed her arm again before picking up an icing bag.
‘Thank you.’ Lynsey continued towards the kitchen door and back out into the bustling bakery. Teresa rushed past her, carrying a tray of mugs and plates of cake. Wendy and Molly were showing clients the display of wedding cakes at the wedding counter and Brooke was serving behind the bakery counter, a queue quickly forming behind her customer.
Picking up her speed, Lynsey weaved between the customers and slid the trays beneath the counter before calling over the next person in line. ‘Morning. How can I help you?’
‘Morning, Lynsey. How have you settled into the bakery here and in the bay as a whole?’
‘Nora, hi. Lovely to see you again.’ Lynsey smiled as she recognised the woman in front of her. She pointed towards the silk scarf Nora pulled down from her head. ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise it was you straight away. I like your new scarf.’
‘Oh, this thing?’ Nora fingered the yellow fabric decorated with deep blue bumble bees. ‘It must be about thirty years old now. Still one of my favourites, though.’
‘I can see why. It’s very cheerful.’ Lynsey couldn’t help feeling a little better.
‘That’s why my husband bought it me all those years ago. We were having a bit of a tricky time and he knew it would bring a smile to my face.’ Nora closed her eyes as if remembering. Opening them again, she pointed towards the window. ‘I tell my grandkids it has special powers to bring out the sunshine. And it hasn’t failed me once.’
Lynsey laughed as she glanced out of the window. Nora was right. The sun was out, and the sky was blue. Not a wisp of a cloud to be seen. ‘You should wear it every day.’
‘Ah, maybe, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, can’t you? I don’t like taking things for granted.’
‘True.’ At least it might be true for some people. Not for her, though. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had ‘a good thing’. This trip down here was supposed to change her luck, change her life, and look at what had happened. ‘What can I get you today?’
‘Ooh, now that’s a question.’ Nora looked along the shelves of treats and pastries stacked behind the glass of the counter. ‘I’ll take two of those cookies, please? And a loaf of your sourdough too, please?’
‘Good choice. I’ve just taken the cookies out of the oven, so they’re still warm.’ Picking up the tongs, Lynsey placed two cookies in the bag before taking the sourdough loaf from the breadbasket at the end of the counter.
‘Perfect. There’s nothing better than warm cookies, is there?’ Counting out her change, Nora placed the coins on the counter.
‘Nope, nothing.’ Sliding the money from the counter into her palm, Lynsey looked up as she noticed Ian walking behind the counter towards her. Turning her attention back to Nora, she smiled. ‘Thank you and I hope you enjoy.’
‘I know I will. Enjoy the sunshine, Lynsey. Make sure you get outside for a bit.’ Picking up the paper bags, she dropped them into her bag and turned away, holding her hand up in a wave.
Tapping the amount into the till, Linsey waited until the drawer had pinged open before letting the coins drop from her hand and looked across at Ian, who was now standing next to her. ‘Hey, Ian. Is everything okay?’
‘It sure is, love. Do you remember last night I promised I’d have a think about who I could reach out to and ask for some help for your cottage?’
Lynsey nodded. She remembered, although she’d put his promise down to him just being kind and wanting to help. She hadn’t expected anything to come of it and she wasn’t about to get her hopes up now. ‘I remember.’
‘Well, I might just have a solution. A friend’s son is a builder and I happen to know he’s recently moved down here and is looking to extend his portfolio. A place like yours could be perfect for him.’
‘Really?’ Lynsey gripped the edge of the counter. ‘You think he’d really have the time to take on the work needed at the cottage? I rang round so many builders before I arrived, and they were all fully booked up for months.’
‘I do. Or at least it’s worth an ask, isn’t it, love?’ Ian nodded.
‘Yes, yes, I guess it is. I’d be grateful to even just get a quote at this point, just so I have some idea whether I can even afford the repairs or not, to be honest.’
‘Good, good. Well, he’s waiting on the table over by the window for you. I’ll take over here a while.’ Ian pulled an apron from the hooks by the flat door.