He began to move cardboard boxes out of the way. Pippa hovered behind, towering above him, stepping from foot to foot, eager to help, but unsure if it would be accepted. ‘Need any help to find them?’ she finally resorted to asking.
‘Goodness me. No. I wouldn’t dream of letting a customer haul supplies about. It’s all part of the service my dear.’
She sighed a silent breath of relief when he finally found them because he sounded to her like he was gasping for breath after the exertion. He handed one to her. ‘Is that what you’re looking for?’
Pippa smiled. ‘Perfect, but I need more than one.’
Po lifted his bushy grey eyebrows and looked down at Ginger sitting by Pippa’s feet. ‘Eat a lot does he?’
Pippa shook her head. ‘No, it’s not for him. I need as many as you have for a theme night.’
Po frowned. ‘You want dog bowls for a theme night?’ He shook his head. ‘You young ones do weird stuff these days. I can’t watch half of what plays on the picture box anymore. It’s all nonsense.’ He reached for the stack of stainless steel bowls fit snuggly inside each other. ‘This is going to work out expensive, flower.’
Pippa had to hold in her chuckle. Picture box? Was he referring to the TV? ‘As long as I’m helping a local business and not one of thosesuperstores, I don’t care how much they are going to cost.’
Po tuned around to face her, holding onto the bowls tightly in his weathered old hands. His smile almost disappeared in an avalanche of wrinkles, but it showed off the brilliant white of his dentures perfectly. ‘I like your way of thinking young girl. Follow me and I’ll give you some discount.’
***
Pippa couldn’t getthe smile off her face as she walked across the beachfront square towards Katherine’s café. Seeing old Po again really made her appreciate her small coastal town and the unique privately owned shops and businesses it had.
Small towns and villages with privately owned family-run businesses and thriving communities where everyone knew their neighbours and looked out for each other were becoming rarer to find. She made a silent promise to herself she’d do everything in her power to persuade whoever bought the pub to try to revive their community spirit again.
She was just making a mental note of what she would say to whoever brought the pub when Ava emerged from Katherine’s café laughing. Pippa stopped in her tracks when she saw Oliver at her heels, laughing too, obviously sharing the same joke.
Pippa dived behind a tree, dragging Ginger with her.
Ava looked back over her shoulder at Oliver. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow at the Wedge pub.’
‘Looking forward to it,’ said Oliver.
Pippa almost dropped the bag of bowls. Who was she kidding—she almost threw the bowls down.
‘Wedge pub! It’s called The Cheese Wedge and Pickles you ignoramus.’
Chapter twelve
