Effie checked her watch. It was only half eleven but there hadn’t been a customer for a little while. ‘Sure. Let me grab my things.’
Once the shop was locked up and the ‘Back in Thirty Minutes’ sign hung, Effie walked Maddie the short distance to Lola’s café. Pushing open the door, they found Freya behind the counter, bent over a crossword. She quickly straightened up only to relax when she saw it was Effie.
‘How’s it going?’ Freya asked.
‘Slow today,’ Effie admitted. ‘This is my friend Maddie, we worked together in Penzance.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ Freya greeted.
‘I’ve heard all about these famous scones.’ Maddie almost drooled as she took in the goods in the display cabinet. ‘Oh, carrot cake, my favourite! Do you have takeaway boxes?’
‘We do,’ Freya said. ‘So what would you like?’
‘Two cream teas please,’ said Effie. ‘We’ll just take the seat by the window if that’s OK?’
‘Sure, go for it, I’ll bring them over,’ Freya said.
Maddie had already plonked herself down on one of the chairs and was sighing at the sea view when Effie joined her.
‘I am so insanely jealous that you got chosen for this gig.’
‘Sorry, Maddie, I know it probably wasn’t done fairly.’
Maddie batted this away. ‘It doesn’t matter. I don’t think I have your drive and ambition anyway. I’m just hoping Clive lets us come down here and cover when you’re on holiday or something. Do you think the shop will be a success?’
‘I hope so. It’s been quiet today but we’re still out of season. I guess only time will tell. There’s no way Clive would’ve invested if he didn’t think it’d be viable, you know what he’s like.’
‘Yes, slightly on the stingy side. Oh wow!’ Maddie’s eyes grew as large as saucers as Freya placed two cream teas in front of them.
‘I know! They are quite big,’ Freya said, ‘let me know if you need anything else. Enjoy.’
‘Thank you, we will,’ Effie replied.
Maddie picked her scone up, ‘It’s enormous! I am so glad I am wearing an elasticated waist. How are you staying so skinny with all this temptation?’
‘Daily swims,’ Effie said as she sliced her warm scone in half.
Maddie shuddered. ‘I don’t know how you do it.’
‘It’s invigorating!’
‘I know what else would be invigorating.’ She waggled her eyebrows.
‘Maddie, no,’ Effie groaned as she heaped cream onto her scone.
Maddie dropped her voice. ‘A nice sexy, hunky manly man to throw you over his shoulder and carry you up to—’
Before Maddie could finish her sentence, the door opened and Lola stepped in, followed by Jake, who had his camera bag slung across his body.
‘Effie!’ He beamed as he saw her.
‘Jake!’
Maddie swivelled around, her mouth dropping open as she took in Jake’s rugged sandy good looks, the spotless white T-shirt, the thigh-hugging jeans, the tattoos.
‘This is my friend Maddie,’ Effie managed.
‘How do you do?’ He held his hand out. Maddie almost melted under his attention.
