‘Sure, no problem.’ She smiled.
Pete raised an eyebrow.
‘Ally, you don’t have to .?.?. Dave wouldn’t—’
‘I know but I want to, it’s OK,’ she muttered while switching back on the deep fat fryer and unpacking a load of boxes from the fridge. He took two mugs from the stack and passed them to her, and then leaned against the counter as she deftly prepared the two cappuccinos.
‘So, Ally, will I look for somebody else for upstairs?’
The words stabbed her heart, as she thought of somebody else moving into that place, but what could she say? On the other hand, could he be jibing her, trying to get a reaction? Suddenly, she felt tired.
‘Look, Pete, that’s between you and Dave. I’ve just been offered a permanent job .?.?. and I feel horribly torn, believe me, but I just can’t afford not to take it. I’m really sorry but things have changed. I’ll be able to keep on my flat. But .?.?. I’ll still be in on Saturdays, if Dave’ll have me, that is.’ Whatever way she put it, the words sounded like a rejection.
He smiled ruefully and shook his head.
‘Don’t worry – with Dave’s staff management skills, if you were missing a head, he’d still take you back. Well, I’d better go, see you around.’
There was no mistaking the sting in his tone as he disappeared into the storeroom.
* * *
‘Darling, there you are, what a stroke of luck!’
Mum managed to get the words out before the bell had time to jangle. How did she even manage that?
‘By the way, who was that yummy-looking man? I only saw his back but .?.?. there’s a pair of shoulders you don’t often see outside of a rugby pitch.’
Jesus wept, had she not had enough emotional turmoil for one day?
‘Oh, he’s just a guy who works for the owner,’ Ally muttered under her breath in the hope of shutting her mum down. ‘So, what exactly brings you here?’
She was trying not to be rude, but today everything she said seemed to be upsetting somebody.
‘Well, lovely to see you too. I just dropped in for a takeaway coffee and a portion of that lovely tart your little woman makes. You see, Allegra Carmichel was having a follow-up visit with her gallbladder man, and .?.?. this is strictly between us, promise?’
As though Ally could be arsed telling anyone about Allegra Carmichel’s gallbladder, even if it were the last organ on earth.
‘He does a bit of Botox on the side for his regulars. All totally legal, of course. I mean, he’s a doctor. In fact, I was thinking I might get a bit on my forehead and what he calls the nasolabial folds – who knew we had such things? Here and here. I’m quite excited, actually, but don’t tell Daddy .?.?. he wouldn’t let me, though he’ll never notice if nobody tells him. Anyway, it was Allegra who suggested you might like to get some done yourself.’
‘Me? Why on earth does Allegra Carmichel think I need Botox?’
‘Now, now, now, she was just being kind. It’s not what you need right this minute, it’s preventative. Time is only going one direction, sweetheart. You’re not in your twenties, so no point lolling around.’
Actually, once Ally got past her indignation, it did strike heras not being the world’s worst piece of advice.
‘Anyway, I’m so happy you’re starting at Hogget’s tomorrow – I can stop worrying about you at last. Oh, is that the teeniest bit of smoke I see?’
‘Shit.’ Ally just managed to rescue the guy’s fried chicken in time and made up their sandwiches while Mum rattled on.
‘Oh, look at you, able to multitask .?.?. Remember you used to panic if someone said hello while you were trying to chop a tomato?’
‘That was when I was ten.’ Why was she even letting herself get pulled into this?
With a superhuman effort, she managed to serve up the thankfully pre-charred chicken sandwiches, sweet potato fries and a second round of cappuccinos. And then she moved on to the tea and tart. Mum was enchanted.
‘Oh scrummy! Look at you doing all of that. I used to have a fantasy about being a café girl. I still fancy myself back there.’
Yes, but not stressed and covered in goo, she thought grimly. Mum seemed to have always got away with playing at life.
