Page 33 of The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery

‘Giacomo has moved to Applethwaite so he can look after Richard for a while,’ Elizabeth is saying now. ‘Such a good son. But I think Richard feels bad about it and is worried about his business. It’d mean the world to him if Giacomo had a client here in the village.’

I’m no Casanova. But I’m not a virgin either.

If Maddie hadn’t arrived, would something have happened between them that evening? They’d definitely been flirting. Hadn’t they? She’s so out of practice, she isn’t sure.

What do you think, darling?’ her mother says. ‘Shall I approach Richard and suggest it?’

Louise can hardly say no. Her mother is stumping up the cash and clearly doing this Richard’s son a favour is important to her. And besides, she has to admit, she’s secretly glad of an excuse to seek out Jack again.

Twelve

‘When you invited me out,’ Jack says, ‘I didn’t realise you meant a double date.’

They are standing at the bar of the Red Lion, waiting to order drinks. There is no sign of Maddie, who is late, as usual, but behind them, to a large table, Elizabeth and Richard are catching up on old times. Louise would far rather have asked Jack privately if he would be willing to be her architect, but Elizabeth insisted they make an occasion of it.

‘It isn’t a…’ Louise feels her cheeks growing hot. ‘I mean, Maddie is supposed to be joining us. And I invited you here to discuss something. I’ve a proposition for you.’

He raises an eyebrow. ‘Intriguing.’

‘What can I get you?’ The young man behind the bar is waiting to take their order.

‘What wines do you have? Italian preferably?’ Jack says.

The waiter reels off a list.

‘What do you think?’ Jack turns to look at Louise. ‘Any preference?’

‘I was hoping they’d have a bottle of red red, but since they don’t, I don’t mind. You choose.’

Jack laughs. The barman looks confused.

‘I’ll take a bottle of the Valpolicella, please,’ Jack says, the word rolling easily off his tongue.

Louise sighs. She loves an Italian accent. Sure, French accents are sexy, but for her, there’s nothing like the musical lilt of Italian.

‘Two glasses?’ says the barman, easing the cork out of the bottle.

‘Four,’ says Jack.

‘Five, please. Maddie will get here eventually.’

‘Four glasses,’ Jack says, ‘and a sparkling water for my father please. I think it’s best he stays off the alcohol for the time being.’

They carry the drinks back to their table, where Elizabeth is regaling Richard with a story about the Red Lion being haunted.

‘A Victorian girl has been seen on the stairs twice now,’ she’s saying. ‘It’s very peculiar.’

‘Mum’s obsessed with the Uncanny podcast,’ Louise whispers to Jack. ‘That Danny Robins has a lot to answer for.’

Maddie arrives just as Jack is filling their glasses.

‘Did you ask him yet?’ she says, unwinding the scarf from around her neck and draping her coat over the back of her chair.

‘Not yet,’ Louise says. ‘We’ve not been here long.’

‘Ask me what?’ Jack looks at Louise expectantly.

‘Yes, well, you know my bookshop idea,’ she begins. ‘I’ve had a change of heart. I want to create a bookshop bakery.’