A Sugarloaf Mix-Up: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (Sugarloaf Bakery Book 2) by Rosemary Whittaker

Author:Rosemary Whittaker [Whittaker, Rosemary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stopwatch Publications
Published: 2023-04-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Isabella comes into the kitchen a few weeks later, looking excited. ‘Has Lily told you the news?’

I look up from the dough I’m kneading. ‘I don’t think so. Unless you mean the fact she has a midwife appointment this afternoon.’

‘How is that news?’ says Isabella. ‘She has a midwife appointment every week. I’m talking about the Mix-up!’

‘What mix up?’ I say.

‘The Mix-up!’ she says. ‘I’m glad she didn’t mention it. I wanted to tell you all about it and start making plans. Lily is always so matter of fact. She isn’t half as excited about it as I am.’

I pull off my hair net and follow her through to the shop. ‘I still don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Coffee?’ she says. ‘And grab yourself a cake or two. This may take a while.’

‘It’s your money you’re wasting,’ I say, selecting a cherry slice and sitting at Mrs Ogilvie’s table. I’ll move if she and Bernie arrive. I’m not in the mood for one of her gimlet stares.

Isabella carries the mugs of coffee over to the table and sits down. ‘The Mix-up is happening again!’

‘You still haven’t told me what’s got mixed up,’ I say. ‘Is it anything I can help with?’

‘I hope so,’ she says. ‘We can’t do it without you. Isn’t it exciting? It all stopped during Covid, and we didn’t think they’d restart it. But they have. We heard this morning.’

I sip my coffee while I wait for her to get to the point. I’ve taken a leaf out of Lily’s book, and I now wait patiently until she’s ready to tell me what new bee she has in her bonnet.

‘You don’t seem excited,’ she says.

‘I’m sure I will be when I know what I’m supposed to be excited about. So far, all I know is that something is muddled up, and you want me to help you sort it out.’

She waves her eclair at me. ‘Nothing is muddled up. I’m talking about the Mix-up!’

‘And yet I’m none the wiser.’

‘The Mix-up!’ she says again. ‘You must have heard of it. It’s been going for at least fifteen years. The New Forest Mix-up.’

‘I’m afraid I haven’t. Is it a big deal?’

‘It’s a huge deal!’ she says. ‘It’s run by the tourist board to promote the area. The winning bakery holds the title for a year, and they get to rub all the neighbouring bakeries’ noses in their failures.’

‘That sounds fun,’ I say. ‘Is there a cash prize, or is a slice of lightly toasted schadenfreude the only reward?’

‘Isn’t that enough?’ she says. ‘Imagine being able to go into any bakery in the area wearing your prize winning sweatshirt that says Take a hike, losers!’

‘Is that what they give the winner?’

‘Probably not,’ she admits. ‘But it should be easy enough to get some printed. What do you say, Abby? Are you prepared to put your entire life on hold and place every waking minute at my disposal for the next two months?’

‘Absolutely not,’ I say.

She gives me a reproving look.

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