What Maisie Did Next by Katy Lilley

Author:Katy Lilley
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781912347377
Publisher: Manatee Books Ltd
Published: 2020-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The Sunday bits and bobs lunch, due to a pleasantly warm day, became a barbeque with a group of friends who had welcomed her with open arms when she’d first visited Bryony and was as fun as Maisie had expected. At Bryony’s request Maisie headed to Cliff Cottage once she’d breakfasted, to help Bryony get things together whilst Dario went to church. Bryony had enlisted Gibb, Lottie’s better half, to man the barbeque, Maddie had volunteered Dex as child and animal overseer, and Dario - when he got back - would be in charge of the drinks. The ladies, Bryony said, would sort out salads and dips and then watch their men at work.

For once Bryony hadn’t offered to find a spare man to be Maisie’s partner, something for which Maisie was ever thankful. She’d lost count of the number of men she’d been partnered with, none of whom really interested her. It seemed Bryony had decided Maisie had enough on her hands. No doubt she included Cam in the list.

She chopped tomatoes and cucumber, made her own version of coleslaw and potato salad, and hunted out the dips and crackers. By the time Dario returned, she and Bryony were sat in deckchairs in the shade of the apple trees and sipping homemade lemonade whilst Theo gurgled on a large play rug and batted at the mobiles above her head.

‘Slackers.’ Dario appeared in the garden, kissed Bryony and tickled Theo, who giggled.

If she could find a man who looked at her like Dario looked at his wife… Maisie sighed. Not now, anyway, unless Cam…? Do not go there.

‘Earth to Maisie.’

‘What?’ Both Dario and Bryony were looking at her in concern. ‘Oh sorry, wool gathering.’

‘Harsh wool by the looks of it,’ Dario commented. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah.’ She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. ‘Just a lot on my mind.’

Dario nodded. ‘Always got an ear to listen if you need one. Four actually.’

‘Six, if you count, Theo,’ Bryony added. ‘She’s a great listener and never argues.’

Theo let out a screech and Maisie laughed. ‘Allegedly.’

‘She likes the last word.’ Dario headed indoors and reappeared a few minutes later with a large butcher’s striped apron on, embellished with the words ‘man at work’, and carrying a large covered platter. ‘All ready for the chef in chief when he gets here.’

‘He’s here,’ Gibb strode across the garden with a large cool box in one hand. ‘Lottie’s just nipped to the loo.’ He began to transfer bottles to the fridge in the summer kitchen, and then turned to Dario. ‘Swap time, I’m about to get cheffy. I’ve been practicing my excitable temper and non-sweary, swear words. I asked Angelo, my chef mate for some tips. He suggested ‘mollycoddling morons’, and ‘by the top hat of Herod, get a grip’. He looked concerned. ‘Can I say that with a vicar and a lay preacher about?’

‘Don’t see why not,’ Dario commented. ‘Sounds fine to me. Not that I think he wore a top hat.’

Vicar? If Cam’s invited, I’m gonna… Her mind was a blank.

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