Chapter 4 #3
Ada joined them, bringing the bowl of meat, onions, breadcrumbs and seasonings to the table.
She began forming decent-sized balls and putting them on a separate plate.
Theo stood, washed his hands and joined in, and Milly felt the need to do the same.
Soon all three of them were making meatballs and discussing the business.
‘How long has it been like this?’ she asked.
‘A few months,’ Theo replied. ‘When we first refurbished we were busy, but I guess there are so many other cafés and restaurants for people to go to, we just aren’t appealing enough.’
Or they were so far down the canal that people couldn’t be bothered to walk down and find them, especially if tourists thought they were offering the same things as everyone else. Or offering less. Milly made a mental note.
‘Everything has its unique selling point,’ she said.
‘We just need to figure out yours. When I started my Insta account, I knew I needed to be really specific in what I did – what advice I offered. So I focused on financial hacks. I do the odd lifestyle hack too now, but they’re nearly always to do with ways to save or maximise your money, so I stick within my niche.
We just need to figure out the café’s USP. ’
‘I’ll help right until the minute I leave,’ Ada said, smiling at Milly first and then Theo.
‘When is that exactly?’ Milly asked.
‘We have six more days, but when I do go, I leave in the early hours of the morning.’
Theo put a meatball on the plate with the same care and consideration he seemed to do all his cooking. ‘Have you booked a taxi, or do you need me to come with you to help carry your case on the metro?’
Milly forced herself not to show her shock. Theo, it seemed was quite considerate when he wanted to be and super rude when he wanted to be too. Ada had said he wasn’t like that with most people so was it just a fear she was going to march in and try and take over his business?
Ada shook her head. ‘I’ve booked a cab as I’ve got all my equipment too, but thanks.’
After finishing their wine, all three worked together to prepare and boil the potatoes, cook the meatballs and make a delicious, rich gravy.
The meal was simple but scrumptious and as everyone had relaxed, conversation flowed easily.
There’d been laughter, teasing and she wished she would have more time with her friend, but Ada’s excitement for her assignment was so infectious, Milly found herself asking her to send her photos of the foxes as soon as she spotted one.
Afterwards, Milly settled into her bedroom.
She unpacked her clothes and a few photos she’d brought with her, of her mum and her and Ada.
The same one already sat on Ada’s shelf and Milly smiled as she moved it over, placing an exact replica beside it.
It was of the two of them as they graduated university.
Their paths had been so clear then. Mapped out for them in their minds.
But reality had seemed so different. And now, their lives couldn’t be further away from what they’d thought.
Ada had been brave enough to build a life she wanted.
A life she enjoyed living, using Denmark as a base to explore different places all over the world, but Milly had settled.
Settled for a job that wasn’t exciting but paid the bills, settled for a flat she could easily afford and could sell on for a profit, settled for a relationship that was perfectly fine, but nothing exciting.
All her decisions were easy, no-brainers.
This was the first thing she done for years where it wasn’t the easiest option.
Among the strange sensation of excitement, a sense of dread took hold as Milly remembered she hadn’t called her mum.
As far as she was concerned she was still living in Milton Keynes working in her boring office job.
She sighed. She hated holding on to this information, but she didn’t want to stress her mum out.
With no one there to support her since her dad had left, she’d worry alone and Milly didn’t want that.
And she didn’t want either of their minds to go back to the dark times immediately after he’d left or, worst of all, everything that had happened before that.
She almost thought of the accident. The heavy and suffocating images attempted to push into her mind, but she fought back.
She wouldn’t revisit them. Not now. Not when she’d had such a great day.
She moved to the window to pull the curtains, even though it was still quite light and the sun was setting slowly in the sky.
A smile spread across her face as she looked at the beautiful view of Copenhagen, the sky swiped with pastel shades of pink, peach and blue.
She’d seen sunsets of bright orange and gold, and it was almost like Copenhagen, with its hygge and relaxation, had softened the sky’s colours too.
She looked down to the canal right next to the house and stiffened as a figure stood up from one of the chairs.
A figure that was half-naked in a pair of swimming shorts (not budgie smugglers she was happy to note). A figure that dived into the water.
Theo’s back muscles, which she’d admired through his white T-shirt that morning, were tensing, and the fizzing she’d felt earlier whirled in her stomach again.
She watched him for a few minutes, darting backwards whenever he was likely to see her, but he continued to swim lengths up and down the canal.
The gentle movement of the water gave a lulling sense of calm, and she couldn’t move away.
When he climbed out, not using the steps, it was like the scene from Bridgerton where Anthony climbs out of the lake, only this time there was no shirt to ruin her view, and the view from the front was as sexy as the one from the back.
While not entirely chiselled like a protein-heavy gym bro, there was the exact amount of definition she liked – an outline of muscle that her fingertips could trace.
She swallowed, pulled the curtains and moved away from the window.
Milly lay down and tossed her glasses to the side before closing her eyes, hoping that the Theo she’d seen this evening would be the one she’d be working with over the next few months.
She’d like that very much, though anything would be better than the defensive grouch who’d appeared that morning.
She tried to get comfortable but images of his lopsided smile, his eyes and his body wouldn’t move.
She rolled over, but he was imprinted on the undersides of her eyelids and again that fizzing, fluttering feeling sprang in her stomach.
She pressed a hand to it and turned once more, resisting the urge to sneak back to the window to see if he was still there.