‘Your table will be ready for you, madam.Just give me a time and I’ll wait on you personally,’ said Leo, as Mab joined him, curious to see what the shouting was about.The lady turned, and Leo sensed that this one might need careful handling if she wasn’t going to put the rest of her group off coming again.He straightened his shoulders and followed the lady into the market.It was one of those times when he’d need to use his dimples, and soon his hand on the lady’s fake-fur-clad arm was helping them to do the trick.She began to simper up at him, and after a moment more of flattery, Leo gave the lady one more grin and came back to stand by Mab.
‘Right, onwards and upwards.Last push, and then it’ll be visiting time at the hospital.We’ll do it in shifts, and let Nina stay for the whole time.And then tomorrow, it’s chocks away.We’ll keep the shop open until half past five, then we’ll close for a couple of hours for the last bit of party prep.Smart stuff on, hospital visits again, and the launch party goes live at half seven.The local radio station rang today – they’re coming to interview us and some of the guests, and I even managed to get hold of someone fromHeartland News, so we might get the TV cameras there too.’
‘Wow, better do something with my hair, then,’ said Mab, running her hands helplessly through the wild curls that had escaped from their scrunchy.‘At least I’ve got a new dress; what are you wearing, Leo?Or are you just going for the smart/casual look?’Leo saw Mab’s eyes flick over his clothes.‘Is that five o’clock shadow or designer stubble?You look even more like a pirate than usual today.’
Leo looked down at his soft navy-blue checked shirt and jeans.‘No, I’ve bought that linen suit I promised myself ages ago.I won’t let the side down.’
‘You couldn’t if you tried,’ she answered, flushing as their eyes met.
Leo hardened his heart.Mab was being way too friendly.They’d managed to sort out an adequate working relationship in the last couple of days, but the undercurrents were still dangerous and deep.There was no way he was going to risk getting tangled up in Mab’s web, however gorgeous she was, and no matter how she used those big green eyes to mesmerise him.Pregnant and involved somehow with Edward?No chance.
* * *
By the end of the day, exhaustion had set in and no one had the energy even to eat.
‘Not even a takeaway?’asked George.
‘No, it’s toast or nothing tonight.The sooner we’re in bed, the sooner we can get on with the Big Day.’Leo yawned and groaned as his aching back reminded him how hard he’d been working.
‘I’m not eating toast.If you’ve got no food, I’m off.’George headed for the door, closely followed by Jess.
‘George!If you go out now, I warn you, you won’t be able to get back in.I’m locking up in two minutes,’ said Leo.Seeing Jess’s frantic expression, he tried to signal to her with his eyes to leave this to him, but she was far too anxious to notice.
‘Don’t go out, George,’ she pleaded.‘It’s late, and we all need an early night.I’ll go and get you a burger…’
‘Oh, no, you won’t,’ said Leo.‘If George wants to be a part of this business, he needs to learn how to follow the rules, isn’t that right, mate?’
‘Ha.I don’t do rules.Haven’t you got that by now?Are you thick, or what, Leo?’
‘If you leave here now, George, I’ll assume you don’t want to be part of The Chocolate Cake Bookstore gang any more.And please let that be the last time that you insult me.This is a team and we treat each other with respect.’
There was an agonised silence.The grandfather clock ticked loudly as they all stood frozen in a bizarre tableau.George with one hand on the doorknob, Jess holding his sleeve, and the rest of them standing as still as Sleeping Beauty in the moment just after she pricked her finger.Leo’s heart was banging uncomfortably but he tried to make his face as impassive and unconcerned as possible.After a moment, George let go of the doorknob.
‘Go on then, toast’ll have to do,’ he said to his mum.She heaved a sigh of relief, but Leo hadn’t finished.
‘And for being so rude to your mum and me, you’ll get it yourself, George.’
Jess threw a look of despair at Leo, but George, after a brief pause, shrugged his shoulders.
‘Whatever,’ he said, heading for the kitchen.
36
Saturday dawned bright and breezy, with the promise of a warm afternoon and a balmy evening.Mab, having spent a sleepless night thinking about the launch, Harry’s health and her baby’s future with varying degrees of panic, was trying to drink enough chamomile tea to kick-start her brain.She thought about the latest hospital visit that Leo and Alex had described to her.They had been told in no uncertain terms of their father’s wishes.Pale and drawn, Harry lay wired up to an amazing amount of equipment, and was only able to talk for a moment, but Leo said that there still seemed to be no doubt in his mind that the shop should open on schedule.They’d asked Harry how he expected them to go ahead with the party when they were so worried about him because the doctor had said that Harry was by no means out of danger yet, and had been having palpitations all that day.
‘I’ll tell you how,’ Harry had said, ‘You’ll do it with a bit of backbone, lads.All these months of hard work, and you’re suggesting you throw it all away because I’m stupid enough to be a crock?Go home, the pair of you.Pour drinks all round, and then all of you get your sorry arses into gear.If you don’t, I’ll drop dead with disappointment and then come back to haunt you all.’
Already that morning, Leo, Alex, Nina and Mab had snatched a quick breakfast meeting before blasting through their tasks for the day.The news from the hospital was more encouraging today, and Alex had telephoned Den and Josh to update them.Leo said he still couldn’t bring himself to speak to his eldest brother, but had chatted reassuringly to Josh, telling him that the immediate danger seemed to be over, and that Harry had asked that Josh and Den completed their work in hand before coming to see him, if indeed they felt they must.
‘There’s no need to panic the lads, I’ll be home soon,’ Harry had said.Mab doubted this fact.Harry’s grey face when he left in the ambulance had frightened her more than she dared to say.At least Harry now had Nina in his life, and Mab could see that this was one person who was not going to be slapped in the face by bereavement again, or not if Nina had any say in the matter.
At five minutes to nine on Saturday morning, standing in the shop reading the morning paper which had done them proud, Mab realised, to her delight and amazement, that a queue was forming on the pavement outside the shop.
‘Guys, come and look at this,’ she yelled, bringing the rest of the gang hurrying from their various last-minute tasks.They stood as close together as possible, Nina, pale but composed with an arm around Jess on one side and a hand on George’s shoulder on the other.Mab and Stan, Alex and Edward and Leo moved in to surround the others.
‘Blimey, how are we going to fit all that lot in the shop?’said Stan.‘I hope they don’t all try to get in the jacuzzi together.’
‘The queue goes all the way round the bend,’ breathed George, standing on tiptoe to get a better view.
