Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Cafe: Christmas Weddings by Georgia Hill

Author:Georgia Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008211080
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2017-09-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

The arrival of Arthur and Biddy, with Zoe and the dogs, heralded a rush of customers. Chilled by the biting wind whipping off the sea, people crowded in for an early lunch. Millie’s carrot and coriander soup served piping hot with Tessa’s walnut bread sold out. For the first time in a while, the café was back to its fugged-up, cosy winter best and Millie, too busy to think, was almost content.

Once everyone was served, she leaned against the counter, overcome by affection for the place. It was made all the more poignant by knowing that Millie Vanilla’s days were numbered.

She watched as Eleri chatted to Zoe. How could the woman be so certain about everything? Experimenting, she mouthed Ri’s words, ‘All will be well.’ How on earth could she know? She tried it again, attempting more conviction this time. Looking about her, everything appeared to be exactly the same. Biddy was still eating her scone and slipping morsels to Elvis waiting under the table. Arthur was still looking through council papers. Davey Pascoe and friends were still spooning up carrot soup and tearing into the granary bread. ‘All will be well,’ she repeated, one more time and gave up. She shook her head and regarded her friend. If Eleri had magical powers, Emilia Fudge sadly lacked them. Nothing had changed. She still faced having to sell up.

Having chatted to Biddy who had wholeheartedly embracing her role as a bridezilla, Eleri was now having an equally calming effect on Zoe. The girl had trailed in behind her grandfather, looking pale and withdrawn, but was now talking animatedly.

Millie glanced up as the door’s bell tinkled. It was Alex. He put up a quick hand to Eleri and then approached her.

‘Good morning. Happened to be in town and wondered if you have any of those savoury scones left?’ He took off his specs and blew on them to clear them. ‘I’ve become rather partial.’ Replacing them, he blinked at her, hopefully.

‘Morning, Alex,’ Millie answered, resisting the temptation to ask after Jed. ‘I do, as a matter of fact. They’re not universally popular. Stilton? Or cheddar and chive?’

‘Either would be wonderful. And I don’t suppose you have any soup?’

‘I’ll see what I can find.’ Millie was sure she had one portion left. She’d been saving it for her own lunch, but didn’t seem to have much appetite lately.

‘Marvellous. I’ll just squeeze in here, shall I?’ Alex took off his overcoat and scarf and sat down at the only empty table, behind where Eleri and Zoe were so deep in discussion they didn’t notice. Amused, Millie saw him pick up one of Eleri’s narrow silver bangles, which must have slipped off. He held it in his hand and stared at it as if it were a talisman.

Millie checked on Trevor, who was snoozing in his bed by the radiator and went into the kitchen. As she prepared Alex’s lunch, she thought over what else Eleri had said.

‘Could I really be a wedding organiser?’ she questioned as she stirred the hot soup.

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