The Man Across the Street by Marcie Steele

Author:Marcie Steele [Steele, Marcie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blood Red Books
Published: 2019-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Hannah was halfway through rinsing Ellen’s hair when Doug came into the salon.

‘Happy fortieth to my favourite birthday girl.’ He strode over and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

“Oooh” rang out around the salon.

Doug’s cheeks reddened in an instant. ‘You’re not one of those women who are offended about being called a girl, are you?’

‘Not now I’ve reached the ripe old age of forty,’ Hannah replied.

‘Forty is the new twenty, apparently.’ Doug nodded knowingly. ‘I think fifty is supposed to be the new thirty but try telling my aching bones that in the mornings.’ He held up a large pink and white striped gift bag. ‘I’ve been told you can be spared for half an hour.’

‘I’m in the middle of a rinse.’

‘Don’t mind me.’ Ellen tried to look up at her as she sat with her head in the basin.

‘Tilly’s taking over, once she’s ticked off your agenda.’ Phoebe switched off the blow dryer for a moment. ‘Cake for your birthday, I’m told.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘Another double entendre, if you ask me.’

‘Go on.’ Tilly gently shoved Hannah out of the way.

No sooner had she dried her hands, Doug reached for one of them and pulled her out of the door.

‘Later, ladies,’ he shouted over his shoulder.

‘Where are we going?’ Hannah walked with him down the street, happy that his hand was still in hers.

‘To the place that makes the best coffee in Somerley.’

Off the high street, a large square opened on to a row of properties, a church to its left and their only coffee shop situated near to its middle. The Coffee Stop was a special treat for the people in Somerley because they often forgot they had something so quirky on their doorstep. It sat around forty people and Hannah had never seen a time it was empty.

Inside, the decor was shades of lilac and cream. The counter was situated the length of the left wall, mirrored tiles behind it doubling the feeling of the space.

Two settees were arranged in an L-shape almost inside the large bay window. There were several people huddled around them this morning, a laptop on the coffee table as a woman gave a presentation.

Hannah chose one of only two empty tables and they sat down. Doug placed the bag on the spare chair beside him and picked up a menu.

‘They do all sorts of coffee here,’ Hannah told him. ‘All the fancy stuff.’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘Ah. You’ve been before?’

He nodded. ‘Which cake is your favourite?’

‘Homemade carrot cake is a must for me today.’ She smiled. ‘Well, it is my birthday.’

‘Hannah!’ A woman with auburn curly hair came over to them. ‘I hear it’s your special day. Happy birthday.’

‘Thanks, Chloe.’ She pointed to Doug. ‘Have you two met?’

‘Yes, it’s Doug, isn’t it?’

‘It sure is.’ He smiled.

‘How’s Kate doing?’ Chloe and Kate run The Coffee Stop. Hannah knew Kate was around six months pregnant, if she’d remembered correctly.

‘She’s supposed to be taking it easy.’ Chloe shook her head. ‘That’s not in Kate’s vocabulary. Still, little Denzil is doing well.

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