do a shift today as her part-time student hadn’t turned up. She still wanted Maddie after Christmas, but Lauren had asked if she could come in today as she was stuck on her own.
‘Just press that button, there, to ring up the cakes.’ Lauren punched at the till. ‘Then this one here to add them together – got it?’
Maddie nodded and hoped that it would become easier.
The café was quite busy. It was due to close from Christmas Day for a week, but Sue had wanted it open for the last couple of days as there was a Christmas Fayre down by the beach and it usually meant a few more customers. According to Lauren, the café really needed to make some more money or it was in danger of closing.
Lauren was kneeling down, hastily filling up the small fridge under the counter with milk. ‘How’s things with the cottage?’
‘Yeah, great I’ve been decorating, erm, with some help.’ She couldn’t help but let out a giggle.
Lauren straightened up and put her hands on her hips. ‘Oh yes?’
Maddie nodded. ‘An old friend of mine is here and he’s been helping me.’ Maddie turned towards the coffee machine and started to wipe up some spilt milk.
‘Is that Greg Baker by any chance?’
Maddie swivelled her head round and stared at Lauren. ‘How do you know?’
‘News travels fast around here, hon.’ She winked at Maddie, then burst out laughing. ‘No, I know Deirdre, at the water sports centre. She works in the kitchens there and she knows a few of the windsurfing guys, who know Greg… said he’s been quite distracted lately.’
Maddie could feel herself blush. ‘Well, yes, he’s been a great help.’
‘Yeah, I think he’s been really brilliant at the centre. He’s there on a temp basis, isn’t he? The old manager was awful, and they had to find an interim manager quickly.’
‘Yup, that’s right.’ Maddie grinned, wiping up some crumbs from the counter.
‘Listen, I need to fetch some more milk – will you be all right on your own?’ Lauren swept some hair off her forehead and looked around to see how busy the café was.
‘Yes, but don’t be too long!’
When it was quieter, Maddie tidied up a few of the tables and loaded the small dishwasher. She stood, leaning on the counter and surveyed the café. It was a great little spot, right in the middle of the village, without much competition. She wondered why it wasn’t doing so well. Sure, it needed a bit of an overhaul. Those plastic tablecloths would have to go – she shuddered – but maybe it just needed something else? An injection of some of its own personality.
As she was mulling this over, the door opened and a man with a beanie, gold earring in one ear and sheepskin coat came in, rubbing his hands.
As he came up to the counter, Maddie smiled at him. ‘What can I get you?’
‘Latte please, and a slice of that cake.’ He pointed to a mud cake in the glass dome, cut into thick slices, chocolate sauce oozing from the sides.
‘Sure.’ Maddie made the coffee, trying to remember what Lauren had told her and then lifted a slice of cake onto a plate. ‘Visiting the island?’ she ventured.
‘Nope, not really. I’m down by the beach, one of the stallholders. Bloody freezing, so I’ve shut up shop for a bit to get warm.’
‘What do you sell?’
‘Dreams.’ He laughed.
‘How do you mean?’
‘Paintings – from all over the south coast. People tell me they have a dreamlike quality: seascapes, lighthouses, beach scenes. I paint some of them myself but I have a small collection of artists whose work I sell. Come down and see for yourself perhaps?’ He smiled at Maddie and took his coffee and cake to a table.
As she was wandering back to the counter, her phone beeped in her back pocket. It was Greg.
Sorry not to see you. Dealing with some heavy personal stuff with Tiggy. x
Did that mean they were getting back together? Her stomach clenched. This week had been such a roller-coaster. She took her mind off it by filling up the sugar pots.
‘Bye!’ The stallholder was at the door, yanking it open.
‘Oh, see you.’ Maddie looked up and nodded at him, then she crossed the café to his table and cleared away his plates. She stood in the room looking around her as the seed of an idea started to form. She was sure that the shelves at the back could be put to better use;