Page 80 of The Little Board Game Café

‘We used to go to the burger bar in the layby – you know the one. Between here and Hebbleswick.’

Emily nodded though she didn’t. There’d been a burger bar? She’d never noticed.

‘Yeah, we’ve tried that Sweet Delights place, but there’s always a queue and the owner doesn’t seem to like scruffy customers.’

Emily looked at their paint-splattered overalls. She could imagine Peggy’s face when they walked in. ‘Well, I’m very glad to have you.’

After they’d left, the café was quiet for over an hour until Mr B and Marjory arrived for their morning coffee. Then there was a small crowd for lunch, including Florence, Mrs Scott and Mrs Sinclair. Emily still didn’t know which one was which. Florence ordered soup of the day with a roll and, much to her disapproval, Mrs Scott and Mrs Sinclair had their usual all-day breakfasts.

‘Don’t you worry about all that saturated fat?’ Emily overheard her saying as she fried their bacon.

They argued their way through two games of Scrabble and had only just left when George and Julia returned with another mother and son.

‘George has admitted that your chocolate milkshakes are better than McDonald’s in Halifax,’ Julia whispered, ‘but don’t tell him I’ve told you.’

By the time Emily turned the sign to closed, she was exhausted, although delighted to be counting notes as well as coins for once.

And then she remembered the money that Kate had given her for Ludek; two crisp twenty-pound notes still tucked away in her purse.

When she’d finished cleaning up, she decided, she would go over to his place and ask him outright why their kiss had been a mistake. It would be better to know. Then she could put all those distracting thoughts of romance with him to the back of her mind and focus on her business. She needed to build it up as much as possible in the three weeks before Costa opened, in the hope of weathering the storm once it did.

*

Cleaning up took an age, as usual, and by the time she’d finished, she felt sure he’d be home. She felt a few spots of rain as she locked the door of the shop behind her. She looked up at the ominous grey clouds; a heavy shower was definitely on its way. She had no umbrella and her coat didn’t have a hood.

She hurried down the street, hoping to get to Ludek’s house before the rain arrived and her hair turned to rat’s tails. She almost broke into a jog, as she neared his road, reaching his door just as the heavens opened.

He looked surprised to see her. ‘Oh, hi.’

‘Hi. Kate asked me to give you this.’ She held out the notes to him.

‘Come in out of the rain,’ he said, ‘It looks a bit dodgy for the local GP to be accepting money off someone on the doorstep.’

Emily slipped off her damp coat, then followed him through the obstacle course that was his hallway, and into the lounge.

‘Have a seat,’ he said, gesturing towards the one empty sofa. ‘Cuppa?’

‘No, I’m fine, thanks,’ she said then realised how dry her mouth was – nerves, probably – and added, ‘Yeah, go on. Some tea would be lovely. Thanks.’

He disappeared off to the kitchen. She sat down and put Kate’s money on the coffee table. Catan jumped onto her knee and curled up.

Emily wondered how she’d phrase it.

Why don’t you want to go out with me?

No, too direct.

You said our kiss was a mistake and I was wondering why.

Slightly better. Could she say that?

Ludek returned with a tray which he put down on the coffee table, on top of the two notes.

‘Say thank you to Kate,’ he said. ‘Though there was no need.’

‘She felt bad about your game being ruined. We both did.’

‘Hungry?’ He picked a plate of chocolate biscuits off the tray and offered them to her. ‘Only shop-bought, I’m afraid. Not as good as your baking.’