Page 49 of Just for the Season

‘Oh,’ I say. My goodness. The gossip levels in this village. Marcus is absolutely right about us having to make sure we really do demonstrate our relationship by visibly seeing each other a lot.

‘We’re getting on very well,’ I tell Mrs Bittern.

‘Is marriage on the cards?’ she asks.

Seriously.

‘Early days,’ I say, with a smile as fake as my romance.

‘I’ll take that as a yes.’ And off she goes.

Well, wow. I’ll have to tell Marcus about this. He’ll laugh.

I stare after Mrs Bittern for a while and then I get back to trying to think of ways to make myself busier.

Suddenly, I have a brainwave. I could host a two-course potluck supper once a week for maybe a tenner a head, and use up all the ingredients that we haven’t used during the week. Also, maybe we could have different themes for our evenings. A bingo night. A film night (nothing post-apocalypse-related). A board games night. That might help lonely people like Mrs Bittern as well. I fire off a several texts to Simon describing my plans, feeling more and more enthusiastic as I write.

He replies:

Hun, that might work or it might not but if it makes you happy let’s do it. Anything to reduce food waste. Mi café es tu café. You plan it, I’ll come.

Okay. Good. Hopefully that will both keep me a bit busier and do some good. I know that I’m very lucky to have this job but being honest I do not love being cooped up indoors. I might not miss Rick but I do miss my old job, where I was out and about a lot. I can’t even leave the café during my lunch break because there’s no-one to cover for me.

Marcus turns up at about eleven forty-five, to buy a coffee, and, he tells me, to maintain our visible relationship status.

‘I am so glad to see you,’ I tell him. ‘I’m really, really grateful for this job, like really grateful, but, also, I’m feeling so, so stir-crazy. And if I can’t go outside it is at least lovely to have someone to talk to.’

‘Oh my God,’ Marcus says. ‘I hadn’t thought that you’re stuck in here all day every day. I kind of vaguely thought you and Simon would be working together a little.’

‘Simon’s here on the weekends. And we’re looking to hire someone else to help on Saturdays. And I have Tuesday mornings and all day Wednesday off. And Sunday afternoons if it isn’t too busy. It’s totally fine. And I’m really pleased to be helping him. He’s loving his new business. He’s opening a shop in Chartfield, and he’s out and about the whole time either sorting that or seeing clients and he’s buzzing with happiness.’

‘Amazing luck for both of you that you turned up at this point.’

I nod. ‘Yes. I don’t think he could have moved ahead with his new business if he hadn’t had someone he trusted with the café.’ Simon is extremely fussy about people and therefore struggles to find anyone he’s happy to hire, so before I came along he was working here by himself the majority of the time, frustrated that he had no time for his interior design work. ‘And obviously, yes, it’s been amazing for me.’

‘But you wouldn’t mind a little break outside.’

‘Just occasionally. But I feel guilty for even thinking that let alone saying it out loud.’

‘You know what. I have an hour spare. Why don’t I mind the café while you go for a walk?’

‘Oh, I couldn’t do that,’ I say automatically.

‘Because?’

‘Erm, because I already owe you big.’

‘Seriously.’ Marcus mock-frowns at me. ‘From my perspective we’ve become friends, and sometimes friends help each other out. Simon and I know each other well; he’ll be totally happy for me to do it. I have an hour free now and I have my phone so I can catch up on some of my never-ending emails.’

‘Emails from the spy people?’ I check.

‘Exactly. They all relate to poisoned umbrellas and leaving notes in trees.’

‘Well, in that case… I wouldn’t mind taking a quick fifteen-minute walk. In the interests of helping MI5 admin.’

‘Do it,’ he orders. ‘Also, the grapevine will be pleased to see me helping you out.’

‘Oh yes, I meant to tell you. Gran commented yesterday that she’d heard about our cinema trip. And Mrs Bittern asked me earlier if we have marriage plans.’