When I lean over the balcony rail sure enough there’s a figure coming along the beach carrying a shoulder bag and a fluffy sound mike.
Lando raises an eyebrow. ‘Mocha with a double shot?’
‘Please.’ I know I shouldn’t let the side down, but for once I agree with Lando: I’m completely unprepared for what’s coming at me.
I’m seized by a sudden panic. ‘Lando, what do I say– on the radio?’
He stops and turns, and his eyes narrow. ‘Just mention it’s as simple, understated, and beautiful as its name. And you could offer a discount to the first person who books.’ He’s backing away along the beach. ‘And before anyone eats any cake, get them to sign up to the mailing list.’
I was in a tizzy before, but by the time the reporter climbs the verandah steps I’m hyperventilating so hard all I can think of is to fill her hands with cake pieces and that it would be rude not to join her. Poppy’s sticky ginger and orange cake is a great ice-breaker, and it turns out the woman is called Rosie and has three Jack Russells, two ex-husbands and would have loved to marry at the beach hut personally if she hadn’t sworn off men for life. And FYI we’ll be having an ‘informal chat that she records’ not an interview.
When we finally get to do that bit our voices are thick with fudge brownie, and all the rumours about the press putting words in your mouth turn out to be true. When I listen later all that makes the final cut is me saying, ‘there’s no water or electricity, it’s like getting married on a desert island’, and Rosie saying, ‘big reductions on dog-friendly ceremonies at Windflowers beach hut in St Aidan, if you want perfection without the crowds, this one’s for you.’
I swear we never mentioned that.
As for pets, shortly after Rosie leaves, Mum arrives with Angel, Paul and all the kids, having heard in town that Tia’s in Truro, and they set up camp by the deckchairs and show their support by building sandcastles and testing the cake piles to destruction. Nemmie, Dale and Zara spend the afternoon finding shells with holes in and tying them to luggage labels they got free from the newsagents, writing down the shop website details and giving them to anyone who will take them. And Lando, who somehow met my mum en route, comes back with slightly fewer rips in his jeans, coffee for all four of us, and Martha at his heels.
As a launch it’s a disaster. As a day where people stop and say hello to Angel and get licked by his very large, very friendly Bernese Mountain dog friend, then pop up to the verandah for a nosey inside the hut, it couldn’t have gone any better. Even before I’d waved Rosie off along the beach, I’d already come to terms with the wedding side of things being a flop. I mean, most of my friends are already married now. Unless we’re looking for second-time-rounders, I can’t bring anyone to the party.
So as not to waste an entire day, I throw myself into a task with a more certain payback. Getting people to eat Poppy’s cakeis easy, and I personally make sure that everyone who takes some takes her card too. She does every kind of celebration cake and event, so hopefully she’ll get a few orders from that. And Pasco and his solicitor friends call in too, so it’s good to know they keep their promises.
And then the tide comes in, and the crowds go home, and Lando and I take the empty cake tins and dresses back to the shop again.
As we drop our boxes back to the office, Lando nods across the hall. ‘Sounds like the party is still in full swing through there.’
I look at the rota on the desk. ‘Six o’clock means Oliver is serving punch in the Seraphina East room. You’d be very welcome if you want to join?’
Lando looks at me slowly. ‘Are you going?’
It’s a relief I’ve got a ready-made excuse. ‘I’m off to cook supper.’
He goes to the open door to the mews and steps back for me to pass. ‘And I’m off to change into something less smart, then I’m heading up the coast.’
We’re back out on the street, the bunting on the shop front fluttering as he reaches to open his car door.
‘Can I offer you a lift?’
‘I’ll cut down the back way.’ I have to say it. ‘Thanks for your help today.’
‘Thanks for putting me in the picture about how you feel about Sav. And I’m sorry about Friday.’ He looks at me steadily. ‘It’ll make it easier next time we work together, if we learn to put our differences aside.’
‘On the shoot?’
‘At Windflowers.’ He takes in my mouth dropping open. ‘A lot of weddings are on Saturdays, which is Tia’s busiest day too. Jess has asked me to cover for those.’
‘Is this another joke? Quite apart from our arguments over Nemmie, today has brought out a whole pile of reasons why we don’t get on.’
‘I don’t like it any more than you, but I’m in Bart’s cottage so I’m in no place to argue.’
‘Wonderful!’ The shocks just keep on coming.
He stares down at his jeans. ‘If you’re worried about rips, I’m sure Jess will lend me some chinos.’
‘Honestly, it’s not going to be an issue. I doubt we’ll have any bookings.’
‘Once your license comes through, it’ll be a whole different ball game.’
I’ve argued with him enough today to bother replying. That’s my view and I’m sticking to it!
