“Yes, boss.”
I’ve made a joke of it, but I do appreciate his concern. We’ve been looking out for each other for twenty years now.
Even when we went our separate ways to university, we used phone and email to keep in touch and support each other. Addy did a degree in arboriculture near Preston, whereas I went to culinary school in London. I loved every minute of my course, but those three years were lonely. As kids, we’d popped over to each other’s houses to hang out, but that was impossible to do while living almost two hundred and fifty miles apart. I’d looked forward to every holiday when I could see him in person.
Unlike most of our friends—okay, my friends—Addy has always been a bit of a loner. We both ended up back in our hometown after uni to be close to our families. As a bonus, it meant I got to hang out with my best friend again.
Funny that I should think about that now.
“I’d better get back to work.” I turn, stop, and spin back around to face him. “I’m free to cook dinner for you and your date on Valentine’s.”
“Your date didn’t work out?”
“Nope. I’m already planning the perfect menu for you and…?” I raise my eyebrows.
Addy shrugs. “I don’t know her name.”
“You haven’t called Vanessa, have you?”
“I’ve been working.”
I put my hands on my hips. “You’re not working right now.”
“Fine, fine.” He takes his phone out of one of his numerous pockets, types a text, and sends it. He turns his phone around to show me what he wrote.
Addy:If you still want to set me up on a blind date for Valentine’s, I’m up for it.
While I’m reading, his sister replies.
Vanessa:You won’t regret it! I’ll talk to her right now. Talk soon. Love and hugs.
I grin. “I’m also going to try out a new cupcake flavour, especially for Valentine’s. Will you be my guinea pig?”
“Always.”
“Great. I’ll bring some home this evening if I manage to get a batch made. Bon appétit.”
I go back to the kitchen with a smile on my face. Talking to Addy always makes me happy, so he couldn’t have timed his surprise visit any better.
“You didn’t give Adrian a free cake,” Janine notes.
“Why would I have done?”
“Oh, no reason.”
“Anyway, I always take a few of the leftover cakes home with me, so he’ll get some then.” The rest, along with any other food that can’t be kept, is given to a homeless shelter after I’ve shut the shop for the day.
“Okay.”
I’m not sure why she’s grinning so broadly, so I ignore her and take the next order out.
As predicted, the shop gets quiet about an hour later, which gives me time to experiment with cupcake making. I usually bake huge batches, but I only make a dozen at most when I’m trying new things out.
For the last two years, I’ve made red velvet cupcakes and strawberry ones with red icing and a chocolate-dipped strawberry on the top for the week running up to Valentine’s Day. I want to do something a bit different this year. I decide on white chocolate and raspberry. I want to make pink champagne cupcakes too, but that will involve a trip to the cash-and-carry. Or maybe an off-licence if I want better quality champagne.
I don’t have time to ice them before the afternoon tea rush starts. Rather than having set options, we do a design your own afternoon tea. Only like cucumber sandwiches? No problem. Want an extra scone and fewer cakes? We can do that. It’s a strategy that seems to have paid off because we’re always busy in the shop and do a decent amount of deliveries each afternoon.
When the shop is quiet enough to think about closing to new customers, my feet are sore, and I’m tired. It’s a good kind of tired from having a—mostly—great day. Janine and Bobby clean up while I ice the white chocolate and raspberry cupcakes. I top half with red-and-white-swirled buttercream and the other half with fondant icing—white with red hearts. I’m not sure which I prefer. Before Janine and Bobby go, I get them to taste the cupcakes. They give me a thumbs up, so I allow each of them to take two home in our pretty polka-dot gift boxes. Everything is polka-dot-themed in A Spot of Tea.
