Secrets of an Irish House: A gloriously emotional and heartbreaking page-turner by Ann O'Loughlin

Author:Ann O'Loughlin [O'Loughlin, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781837902736
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2023-09-04T16:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

It had been a hectic few weeks at the café and Katie was tired. It was still dark when she started baking in the kitchen ahead of a promised busy weekend. An hour later, Maggie joined her. They usually had their set routine and didn’t need to talk much, but Katie knew by the look on Maggie’s face that she wanted to talk cake.

‘Have you noticed that the chocolate and orange biscuits were all left the last few days? It’s only been a few weeks and the interest in any of the cookies is practically nil.’

‘Do they even realise all the work that goes into them?’ Katie asked.

‘That doesn’t matter; what matters is they are not selling well enough to be a main product. You need to start thinking cake.’

‘And how do you know that?’

‘You know it too; customers keep asking for cake.’

‘But these cookies are delicious; maybe if I add some more variety.’

Maggie threw her hands in the air.

‘You know I don’t think much of Harry Flint, but one thing he said does ring true. Fail to listen to your customers and face failure in business.’

‘But they only want big fry-ups, breakfast rolls and now cake.’

‘So, let them eat cake, Katie,’ Maggie said, waving her arm in a theatrical fashion as if she were on stage.

‘I don’t know any good cake recipes. This is a disaster; I don’t have time to do the research,’ Katie said. Her head hurt; she was exhausted and the last thing she wanted was to have to perfect a cake recipe.

‘Don’t be so dumb; cake is cake,’ Maggie said.

Katie slapped her hand on the counter making the flour puff into the air.

‘Cake is not cake! I can’t put an inferior product out there.’

‘You’re just going to have to accept that they want cake. Cookies – or “the biscuits”, as they call them – are nice, but not substantial enough. And frankly, they’re too expensive. We can still have them, but we need cake as well.’

Katie pushed the stainless-steel bowl full of cookie mix away from her.

‘Why don’t I just shut up shop?’

‘Hey, this is a blip and only a blip. Some ideas work, some don’t; that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Pardon the pun.’

Katie got a paper towel and dabbed the sweat from the back of her neck.

‘It’s summer. I want to have picnics and swim in the sea. Even this early in the morning, it smells as if it’s going to be a lovely day.’

‘It’s too early for me to be even thinking about the rest of the day. Promise me you will think about the cake,’ Maggie said.

Katie nodded. There was no point arguing with Maggie. She heard her prepare the till before sneaking back to bed. She said she needed her beauty sleep to be ready for the lunchtime rush.

Katie felt sick. She knew Maggie was right. Muriel had cornered her the other day and offered her cake recipes and told her if she didn’t start serving what people wanted, they might start frequenting elsewhere.

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