Page 109 of The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery

Making excuses for him, Louise thinks, but she hugs her stepdaughter, and, as she does, she notices how stiff Maddie feels, as if she’s on edge.

‘Has Dad arrived?’ Maddie says.

‘Not yet. But it’s early. We’re not cutting the ribbon till four.’

Maddie wanders round the shelves in the bakery, running her fingers across the book spines. ‘I wonder what people will think of the book nooks.’

Louise looks at Maddie in surprise. Is she nervous? ‘They’ll love them. No one could fail to love them. No one who likes books, anyway.’

‘What’s this? Is it what I think it is?’ She waves Miss Anderson’s book at Louise. ‘Geraldine Anderson? Self-appointed leader of the Geriatric Mean Girls?’

‘The very one. Turns out she had ambitions to be an author. She had one book published and it flopped.’

‘Oooh, now that’s a plot twist I didn’t see coming,’ Maddie says.

‘The theory is that that’s why she was so mean to me at school. Because I said I wanted to be an author.’

‘She hadn’t managed it, so she couldn’t bear you to do it.’ Maddie nods. ‘Makes sense. Or maybe she’s just a nasty woman. She’s still mean to you now, and you’re not an author. Or d’you think she’s spent her whole life itching to run a bookshop bakery and is annoyed that you’re doing that now too?’

‘She’s probably just a nasty woman!’

‘So why have you got her book on display?’

‘Hmmm. Jack asked me that. I feel a bit sorry for her and she is a local author. Oh, look at the time. I said I’d escort Mr Grundy here, and I’ve got to tie the ribbon in place ready to be cut.’

‘I’ll do the ribbon,’ Maddie offers. ‘And I’ll find some scissors for Sheila.’ She peers out of the window where a small crowd is already gathering. ‘No sign of Dad yet.’

‘And where’s Theo got to?’

‘I dunno. Probably still on the phone somewhere.’

Louise glances in the mirror to check she’s presentable. She’s wearing her smartest pair of jeans, and a pale blue top with a string of chunky beads. Her soft layered hair is neater than it normally is – that probably won’t last long – and she’s wearing just a touch of make-up. Satisfied with her appearance, she leaves the shop, hurrying down the street towards Mr Grundy’s house. By the time she returns, with him on her arm, Maddie has tied the ribbon across the door, and is waiting outside with Anna.

‘Dad’s not coming, is he?’ Maddie says quietly.

Louise looks at her stepdaughter. ‘There’s still time… but no, I don’t think he is.’

‘He promised. I really wanted him to be here, to see the book nooks.’

‘He can come and see the book nooks another day,’ Louise says. For Maddie’s sake, she’ll make him welcome. If she has to.

‘But I wanted him to be here for the opening.’

‘I know, darling.’

‘Jack worries he’s a disappointment to his father because he’s not an architect,’ Maddie says.

‘Shhh!’ Louise looks around, but no one seems to have heard.

‘And when I first arrived in Applethwaite, you were fretting about disappointing Elizabeth because you didn’t want to run the bakery, but some parents ought to worry about disappointing their children.’ Maddie’s lower lip wobbles as she says this. Louise fumbles in her pocket and hands her a tissue.

‘Ooh, who’s this?’ says Anna.

Louise turns to see Sheila walking towards them, with a man in police uniform and an enormous German Shepherd.

‘That’s Sheila. I can’t remember the man’s name,’ Louise says, ‘but the dog’s called Axel.’

‘Hunky policeman,’ Maddie says. ‘I mean, I only have eyes for Theo, obviously, but for an older man, he isn’t bad.’