‘Not yet, but you will, pet, and the sooner the better.Now, as quickly as you can, name your three all-time favourite things.’
Caught off guard, and distracted by the dimples, Mab responded.She had always loved this sort of game.‘What?Oh, erm, chocolate, writing and hot baths.’
‘Magic.Annie was right.’
‘Annie?Who’s Annie?’
‘I’ll explain about Annie later.First I have to tell you about my brand-new scheme.’Leo stood up and tried to pace the floor, but soon realised there was no room.He turned to face Mab.
‘Listen, pet, have you ever dreamed about finding a place that combines all your three favourite things and more?Somewhere to go when life’s getting you down?A little piece of heaven right in the centre of a busy town?’
‘Well, no, I haven’t, but now you come to mention it, I just might,’ said Mab, admiring the way Leo’s jeans clung to his well-muscled thighs.‘Go on, don’t stop now.’
‘I’m talking about a place for struggling writers to spread their wings and with books to buy and to browse amongst?A jacuzzi to soothe away your worries?Not to mention a café where chocolate isn’t just on the menu, itisthe menu?’
‘“Yes” to the chocolate café bit,’ said Mab, breathlessly.‘Keep going…’
‘With pleasure.I’m here to tell you that my very exciting new venture needs you, and so do I.’
There was a pause, and Leo, sensing eyes on the back of his neck, looked round.Every customer in the café was silent, listening.Jess came to the rescue.
‘OK, you guys, this is all extremely interesting, but I need to get this place cleared up before Edward comes back.It’s nearly the end of my shift.’
As Jess went back to the kitchen, Mab took a deep breath.‘She’s right.Enough of the frivolity, I’ve got to get some writing done before work.But first, you must tell me, who is Annie and how do you know my name?’
‘So I haven’t made a mistake.YouareThe Writer?’Leo looked down with respect at Mab’s glossy notebook, which had fallen open at the page entitledplots.
Mab sensed his capital letters.‘The Writer?Erm…’ For an intoxicating moment she toyed with the idea of inventing a new persona.Maybe she could be a romantic novelist, writing under a pen name, or a biographer to the stars?Or a travel writer, living temporarily in this pretty little town, penning purple prose about the local attractions; the beautiful riverside walks, the lake with its overhanging willow trees and island in the middle, the castle… No, that was ridiculous; her natural honesty wouldn’t even let her lie about her age.
‘Well, yes, I amawriter.I’ve had two short stories published this year, so that’s a start, I guess.It’s not easy though, and I’m working in my dad’s friend’s newsagents while I wait for a real agent to discover my novel.It’s very depressing.Half the kids who come in are only interesting in pinching the pick-and-mix and the men just want to look down my top.’
Leo held out his hand.
‘I’m really sorry, Mab.It sounds as if you’re already having a tough time.Then I come along and hurt your poor eye and knock over all your stuff and now I must seem as if I’m talking in riddles.Let’s start again.’
They shook hands rather formally.Leo’s palm was warm and dry, and Mab felt a jolt of excitement, as if she’d tapped into a new energy force.She opened her mouth to ask another question, but at that moment the door from the street burst open and Edward Crabtree stomped in.He was wearing a flowing black overcoat and a trilby, and he seemed to fill the little room.His long blond hair was tied back in a ponytail.
‘Jess?Where are you?’he shouted.‘This place is a disgrace.’He turned to address the room in general.‘I don’t know what’s wrong with that girl, you just can’t get the staff these days.Oh, hello, Mabel, how’s it all going?’Without waiting for an answer, he rolled his eyes heavenwards and grimaced, as the customers began to twitter amongst themselves.This could be even worse than the incident with the baker’s delivery man last week.As Edward headed for the kitchen, Leo raised his eyebrows, then stood up and followed him.
‘Leo – no!Come back in here… or at least wait for me…’ Mab hissed, heading after him.She peeped round the door.Edward was standing with his back to them and had risen up to his full 6’4”.He was giving Jess a generous taste of his bad temper.
‘…and you needn’t think I’m going to forget about this slovenliness.You’ve already had your last warning.There are plenty of other young women out there who’d be glad of the job.’
‘Oh, really?And where are they, then?’Jess’s eyes were glittering ominously.‘You don’t seem overcrowded with waitresses wanting to work for you, Edward.Even your wife’s too busy to bother.’
There was a dangerous silence.Mab could sense the other customers holding their breaths.Edward flushed.‘It’s lucky for you that Beatrice isn’t around.She’d be very disappointed in you, Jessica.If it wasn’t for my wife’s ridiculously kind heart, you wouldn’t be working here at all.That sob story you emailed in your job application about your son’s problems was a work of art.’
Jess drew herself up to her full height and poked Edward sharply in the chest as she yelled, ‘How dare you bring George into this?He’s worth ten of you, you pathetic, jumped-up creep.You can keep your stupid job.I wouldn’t have it if you doubled my wages.Come to think of it, if you’d done that in the first place, I might just have been able to live above the breadline, you tight git!I’ll get my coat.You can have my P45 ready for me on Monday.’
‘Good riddance, and the sooner you go the better.’Edward turned to show Jess the door and the customers glanced around, trying to find a safe place to look.Leo took a step towards him.
‘You can’t talk to people like that, man.This girl has definitely got a case for wrongful dismissal here.You’ll be hearing from her solicitor very soon.We’re leaving now, before I’m tempted do you some serious damage.’
‘Damage?I’d like to see you try!Who are you, anyway?What’s all this got to do with you?’
Leo ignored Edward’s question, and left the shop, banging the outer door so hard that its warning bell crashed to the floor with a discordant clang.By this time, Jess had her belongings in an untidy bundle, and Mab quickly opened the street door again, ready for their escape.As they reached the pavement outside, Jess began to sob, but it wasn’t until they were several shops away that Mab felt safe enough to stop, and draw Jess into the shelter of a doorway.
Putting her bag on the floor, Mab placed Jess’s sad pile of random items next to her own.She put her arms around her weeping friend and tried to think of something cheerful to say.Mab’s eye was beginning to throb, her shoulder was very damp, and her blood boiled as she remembered the stranger who was responsible for their problems.If Jess hadn’t been running around picking up broken furniture and giving out icepacks, none of this would have happened.Come to think of it, where had the man gone?Mab looked up and down the road, wishing she’d thought to bring a jacket.Even in the sunshine, the street felt very draughty after the snug warmth of the coffee shop.
