The Little Beach Café, page 8
‘Very funny. You know what I mean though. It’ll be busy and I won’t have the counter to hide behind.’
‘No, but you’ll have a table to hide behind. Plus, surely the goal is to actually get the café to be busy and turn over a decent profit?’
‘Well, yes, I guess so. It is. I do want the café to be busy. You know I want it to be like it was in its heyday.’
‘There you go then. I’ll keep an eye on the boys while you go round to the office and book a table.’
‘What if it rains?’
‘Then they’ll move the tables into the hall.’ Joe laid his hands on Pippa’s shoulders and rotated her to face the school office.
‘How will I get everything ready for it? I’ll need to bake extra, and close the café for the day. I’ll lose money.’ Wringing her hands together, she looked back over her shoulder. She wasn’t ready for this.
‘Most of the village will be at the Spring Fayre anyway, you won’t lose anything. Go on, no more excuses, this will be good for the café.’
‘What if people don’t like me?’ Pippa grimaced. She knew it sounded feeble, but Mike had always put her down and teased her because she didn’t have any friends. What if it was her and not the fact that she’d lost touch with them because Mike hadn’t used to let her meet up with them? Whenever a social event which involved her friends had come up, he’d always said it was a waste of money and that they should spend time as a family instead of going out with other people. The fact that he’d always had money for going down the pub and getting wasted with his mates hadn’t entered into it.
Joe stepped towards her, his mouth to her ear, his voice barely a whisper. ‘How could anyone not like you?’ Stepping back again, he raised his voice. ‘This could be your chance to change your stars, as you call it.’
Pippa smiled and reluctantly headed towards the office. He was right, it could be the perfect opportunity to get word around about the café and to let people know they were a real competition to the chain coffee stores in the centre of the village.
‘You OK, loves? Did you boys have a good day at school?’ Carol greeted them from behind the counter at the café.
‘It was fun, Grannie, we started practising for the Maypole Dance in PE today.’
‘Ooh lovely, Harley. I can’t wait to see that.’ Smiling, Carol stroked her finger against his cheek.
‘Yes, we’re going to be doing it at the Spring Fayre.’ Harley grinned back.
‘Fantastic. I do like the school’s Spring Fayre!’
‘Not only that, but Pippa has something to tell you about the Spring Fayre too, don’t you, Pippa?’ Joe put his hand on the small of her back and gently pushed Pippa forward.
‘I do. I’ve booked a stall for the café.’
‘That’s a great idea.’ Carol clapped her hands together. ‘We can show off what we’re offering here. Get some of those chain store coffee drinkers back here.’
‘That’s what Joe said. He said it would be good for business.’ She smiled at him.
‘It certainly will be. Now, let me get you two boys a milkshake and then maybe Joe will take you out for a kickabout on the beach while us girls write up a plan of action?’
‘Did you sort things out with Joe earlier?’ Carol placed two steaming lattes on the table and sat down opposite Pippa.
‘Yes. Thank you.’ Pippa felt the warm blush creep rapidly up her neck and looked down at her mug, the milky froth bubbling on the surface.
‘Good, good. He was like a bear with a sore back when he came for dinner last night. At least he should be in a better mood now.’ Carol smiled. ‘Now, for this Spring Fayre, what do you think we should offer? The drinks we can serve up will be limited if we’re on a pitch outside because we won’t be able to plug the coffee machine in or anything, but we can use a couple of big urns to keep the water hot. I’m sure the old ones will be in the storeroom still.’ Carol indicated behind her. ‘Mind you, we’ll have to test them to check they work still.’
‘Yes, I hadn’t thought of that.’ Pippa wrote Spring Fayre Action Plan in bubble writing at the top of her notebook and underlined it. ‘I guess we could ask for a table in the hall and then we’ll be able to offer all our different coffees, but then most people will be outside if the weather’s nice, won’t they?’
‘I think it’d be better to be outside, to be honest. We’d be in the thick of it then. Last year when I went along with Joe and Harley, most of the stalls were outside and the teachers had set games up for the children too so there were a lot of parents milling around. The perfect time for them to grab a coffee and a slice of cake, if you ask me.’
‘OK cool, so we’ll just offer normal coffee and tea and maybe hot chocolate then as the hot drinks?’
‘I think so. We could always get a large menu printed to hang at the front of the table so people can see what they can get here back in the café?’
‘Ooh yes, that’s a brilliant idea. I’ll ring round some printers to see if I can get some quotes.’ Pippa wrote ‘printers – menu’ on the notepad and circled it, drawing a large star next to it.
‘What shall we sell for the children to drink? Again, we can’t do milkshakes but we could offer flavoured milk if we take some cool boxes.’
Pippa tapped the pen on the notepad. ‘Or we could offer free squash. If we’re lucky it will be a nice day and the children will want a drink. Then when they get to our stall their parents may be tempted by the cakes and coffee?’
‘I like your style of thinking. You’re turning into quite the businesswoman, aren’t you?’ Carol smiled.
‘Not quite.’ Pippa laughed and shook her head. ‘But, if we’re lucky, we might just make some sales off the back of the free squash. Plus, if we keep everything at a reasonable price people might think about coming to the café in the future.’
‘Perfect. Now, what cakes shall we do?’
Half an hour later, they had a list of the cakes they would need to bake nearer the time and had also decided to offer Cream Teas at a special price, tea, scones, butter, jam and cream included.
‘How’s the planning going?’ Joe came into the café holding the football in his hands followed by Joshua and Harley, sweat trickling down their faces.
‘Good, I think. I’m actually quite excited by the idea of it now.’ Pippa smiled, tucking the pen in her ponytail, an old habit from her days as a waitress. ‘I bet you boys are hungry, aren’t you? Shall I see if I can rustle up some spaghetti Bolognese for dinner?’
‘Can Harley stay for dinner then?’ Joshua jumped up and down in excitement.
‘Did you want to?’ Pippa looked up at Joe.
‘Go on, you may as well. It’ll save you both eating me out of house and home later.’ Carol patted Joe’s arm and pulled Harley onto her lap, kissing the top of his forehead. ‘Yuck, you’re all sweaty.’
‘Dad, please?’
‘OK then. As long as you’re sure you don’t mind?’
‘Brilliant. You’ll stay too, won’t you, Carol?’ Pippa looked across at Carol who was holding Harley on her lap with one hand and drinking the last of her now cold latte with the other.
‘No, thank you though, but I’ve got to get back to Pebbles. She’s been at home on her own a long time now, bless her.’
‘OK, if you’re sure.’ Pippa glanced across at Joe who rolled his eyes.
‘Right, off you jump, Harley, I’m off home now. You be a good boy now and eat all of your veg for Pippa, won’t you?’
Harley slid off Carol’s lap and stuck his tongue out pointing his fingers down his throat making a gagging action.
‘Oi, you! Don’t be cheeky,’ Joe chided.
‘Why don’t you boys go upstairs and watch a bit of telly before your dinner? Take the weight off your feet while your old parents make dinner, ay?’ Carol patted Harley and Joshua on the heads before saying goodbye and leaving.
With Joshua and Harley safely upstairs, Joe leaned down and kissed Pippa on the lips. The tingle that ran across her skin, told her that she wanted more and she stood up into his embrace.
‘You’re gorgeous, you are. You know that, don’t you?’
Pippa swatted the compliment away and pulled back, going behind the counter to begin making dinner.
‘What can I do to help?’ Joe joined her.
‘You can peel some carrots, if you like.’ Pippa indicated to the fridge, pulled open a drawer and handed him the peeler. ‘Oh no, I’ve not even put the closed sign up yet.’
‘I’ll do it.’ Joe went to the café door. ‘After the Spring Fayre, you won’t just be able to forget like that. You’ll have loads of customers trying to get a last drink or cake out of you before they go home.’
‘Let’s hope so. Thank you for pushing me into booking the stall. If I hadn’t done it straight away I probably wouldn’t have.’
‘You’re very welcome. My skills of persuasion do some good at least.’
‘What do you say, Harley?’
‘Thank you for having me and thank you for dinner.’
‘You’re very welcome, Harley. Thank you both for staying.’ After watching them make their way down the beach, she closed the door and pulled the latch up to lock it. ‘Time for bed now, Joshua. Why don’t you go upstairs and start getting ready while I finish cleaning up? I’ll be up in a few minutes.’
‘OK. Thanks for letting Harley and Joe stay for dinner. It was fun. Can they stay again another day?’
‘Maybe. Now up you go.’ Shooing Joshua upstairs, she began clearing the dinner dishes. Now they actually had water upstairs in the flat, they really should get in the habit of preparing dinner and eating upstairs.
Ten minutes later, Pippa double-checked the front door and followed Joshua up to the flat.
‘Joshua, are you ready for bed yet?’ She popped her head into his bedroom half expecting him to be playing with his cars rather than getting changed. ‘Where are you, poppet?’
Going through to the living room, Pippa leaned against the doorframe and smiled. Joshua had dropped off to sleep on the sofa, still in his sandy jeans and T-shirt, curled up in the foetal position, thumb in his mouth.
‘Oh, Joshie,’ Pippa whispered under her breath. Gently, she lifted his legs and slid onto the end of the sofa, laying his legs back across her lap.
Joshua had been right, it had been lovely with Joe and Harley staying for the evening. Joshua had been in his element having another child to play with and it had been lovely having another adult to talk to. The fact that the adult happened to be Joe, had made it even better. Pippa smiled and hugged herself.
Maybe things would work out with Joe, maybe they would have a future together. Pippa shook her head, she really shouldn’t let herself daydream like this, they had only kissed for the first time today. They hadn’t even been on a date together. But he was lovely, perfect even. He was kind, thoughtful and seemed to actually care and want the best for Pippa and Joshua. Why else would he have encouraged her to book a stall at the Spring Fayre?
Leaning over, she stroked Joshua’s cheek, his skin warm under her thumb. Most importantly, Joshua got on really well with him. And being a single parent too, Joe knew the obstacles they both faced. Yes, things could definitely be perfect.
Sliding out of her cocoon, she carried Joshua into his room.
‘Night, night, sleep tight, Joshie.’
In the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil, Pippa shook herself, she was being daft and thinking way, way ahead of where things actually were. Yes, her and Joe got on really well and definitely had feelings for each other, that much she was sure of, but it was silly to let herself get ahead of herself, even if for the first time in a very long time she actually felt a connection with someone.
9
‘How are you doing with that Victoria sponge over there?’
‘It seems OK. There isn’t any mixture coming off on the knife when I put it in so that means it’s cooked, right?’ Pippa looked over her shoulder at Carol, took the cake tin out of the oven and stood up.
‘That’s right. Umm, looks lovely, pale but golden.’
Laying the cake tin on the counter, Pippa moved the cupcakes off of the cooling rack and tipped the cake tin upside down. Mentally crossing her fingers as she tapped the bottom.
‘There you go, perfect.’ Carol smiled as the cake fell to the cooling rack.
‘First time for everything.’ It was the first cake she’d managed to bake from scratch herself that hadn’t fallen apart or sunk. ‘We’re doing well though, aren’t we? After you’ve done that one, we’ve just got to bake the scones, a carrot cake and a lemon drizzle and then ice them.’
‘Yep, if it stays this quiet in here too we should be finished by early evening and ready for the Spring Fayre tomorrow.’ Carol beat the rich brown mixture peaking in hills in the blue ceramic bowl she was cradling in her arm.
‘What’s that noise?’ A shrill tone rang through the café. ‘Is that your mobile?’
‘Mine? No. Maybe. No one ever usually rings me on that thing though.’ Carol put the bowl down and searched through her fabric flower print handbag. ‘Here it is.’
‘I’m just popping upstairs,’ Pippa whispered and softly closed the door to the flat behind her. She needed to put Joshua’s school clothes from yesterday in the wash anyway. The café was empty so Carol could talk in privacy there.
Pippa looked at the clock above the mantelpiece in the small living room. It had been fifteen minutes. She tiptoed down the stairs and popped her head around the door to see if Carol had finished her call.
‘Carol, is everything OK?’ She hurried over to Carol where she sat at a table by the window clutching her phone in one hand and a scrunched up piece of kitchen roll in the other.
‘It was my sister. Well, no, it wasn’t, it was a nurse from her local hospital. She’s had a fall.’
‘Oh no, is she OK?’ Sitting down next to her, she took Carol’s shaking hand in hers.
‘No, yes. I don’t know. She’s cracked her hip or something, I think. I’m not too sure, the line was pretty bad. The nurse said that she’d hit her head and was suffering from a concussion too.’
‘How long will she have to be in the hospital for? Did the nurse say?’
‘I think it depends on how bad her hip is. The nurse said they were waiting for an X-ray or scan or something.’ Carol took one of the napkins tucked in the cutlery holder in the middle of the table and patted her eyes.
‘Why don’t you go and visit her?’
‘I think I might need to. I feel awful for leaving you the day before the Spring Fayre though.’
‘Don’t worry about me. You need to think of your sister. Why don’t you give Joe a call and let him know what’s going on?’
‘Mum, can we have some more chocolate milkshake, please? And what time is dinner?’ A lock of Joshua’s brown hair poked up above the counter as he clambered onto one of the stools.
Pippa looked up from her mixing bowl, smiled and tucked a loose piece of hair that had escaped from the extremely messy bun on the top of her head. ‘Yes, of course. Let me just finish this and I’ll get you both a milkshake. I’ll do you a spot of dinner in a bit. OK?’
‘OK, thanks.’ Joshua jumped down and ran back to Harley who was sat at the table in front of the window drawing.
Stirring the gloopy pale mixture, she bit down on her bottom lip. She could do this, she was determined. Carol had given her specific instructions on how to make the lemon drizzle cake before Joe had taken her up north to visit her sister, and Joe had promised he would be back as soon as he had dropped her off, although that probably wouldn’t be until late evening at best.
‘Service, please.’
Pippa twisted sharply around, stood at the counter was Charlotte, her smug lips pursed together and the cosmetically tanned skin on her forehead crumpled around the bridge of her nose.
‘Sorry, I didn’t see you there.’ Pippa rubbed the side of her neck, it felt as though she’d pulled a muscle when she’d twisted. ‘How can I help you?’
‘Can I have a top-up? And make it hot this time.’ Charlotte pushed her coffee mug across the counter.
‘Certainly.’ Smiling, she took the mug. ‘I’ll bring it over for you.’
Resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at Charlotte’s retreating back, Pippa got a clean mug and stabbed the button on the coffee machine. For someone that clearly disliked her, Charlotte spent an awful lot of time in the café. After Gus and the rest of the fishermen, Charlotte was the most regular customer they had. Pippa was sure she only came in to see her fail.
Resisting the urge to spit in Charlotte’s coffee, she duly took it over to where she was sat at the back of the café.
‘Here you go. Enjoy.’
Charlotte waved Pippa away, barely glancing from her phone screen. Pippa didn’t dare ask where her perfect son was, probably at some super expensive and elite club or something. If the amount of time Charlotte spent sat alone in the café scrolling through her phone was anything to go by, then Max would end up in the Guinness Book of Records as the child who attended the most afterschool activities.
‘You’re welcome.’ Pippa mouthed as she went over to Joshua and Harley, and ruffled Joshua’s hair. ‘How're your drawings coming along, boys?’
‘Good, we’ve stuck all these pieces of paper together to make one huge picture.’ Joshua spread his arms as wide as he could. ‘Can you see what it is?’
‘That’s a good idea.’ Tilting her head to the right, she tried to work out what scene the pictures depicted. ‘Ooh, very good.’
Joshua grinned before returning to the serious business of completing the picture, his tongue sticking out in concentration.
Back behind the counter, she took a deep breath and leaned against the cupboards surveying the disorganised disarray of clutter. There were two full bowls of a pale mixture, both discarded, one too lumpy, the other too runny, a puddle of slimy liquid had dribbled down the side of one of the bowls forming a puddle on the counter, which would no doubt begin to weave its way down the cupboard doors. The plastic tubs of flour and sugar that she had so lovingly decanted packets into before opening the café, lay empty and abandoned on their sides.
