Page 83 of Second Chances at the Board Game Café

‘Thank you. I’ll get back to the hall and check everything’s okay there. Good luck, both of you.’

Max waved to his mum as she hurried away. ‘Are you nervous, Harry?’

With the exception of his early encounters with Taylor, which had made him very nervous indeed, Harry hadn’t felt this anxious in years; not since his final accountancy exams and he was far more prepared for those than he was for what he was about to do this evening. It wasn’t just nerves for himself, he realised, but for Taylor too. This evening had to go well for her.

‘A bit,’ he admitted. ‘I always count in nineteens when I’m nervous. I find it helps.’

‘Good plan.’ Max grinned. ‘But you don’t need to worry, Harry. I’ll look after you. 19. 38. 57.’

Harry laughed. ‘76. 95.’

‘114,’ said Max.

Jo was allocating the outfits now, handing each to the appropriate model. Some had been made by volunteers like himself, many of whom were modelling their own garments. There were some lovely designs, but the clothes that Taylor had upcycled stood out. Those dungarees with a pocket at the front that looked like a flowerpot were so clever, and he loved the cosy cashmere cardigan with the giant flowers. She really was an amazing woman – kind, beautiful and talented.

‘Harry!’

Harry turned to see Dave from the board game café. He was part of the Dungeons and Dragons group who played every Thursday, and he was wearing Harry’s dragon shirt.

‘You’re modelling?’ said Harry.

‘Kate roped me in. I love this shirt. Can’t believe you made it, mate.’

‘Yes, well… I had a bit of help. I had you in mind, actually, when I decided to do it. When this is over, it’s yours.’

‘No way! I love that. You’ll have to let me buy you a pint sometime.’

Harry smiled. ‘I’d like that.’

44

Taylor couldn’t resist peeking round the curtains to check out the models. There was no sign of Max and Harry, but to her surprise, Mr B was there and he was sewing on a button.

‘Mr B?’ she said, going over to him.

‘Good evening, Taylor. Kate roped me into helping backstage.’

‘You’re fixing a button?’

‘Yes,’ he said slowly. ‘It would appear that I am.’

‘So you can sew?’

He looked a little sheepish. ‘Minor repairs, yes.’

‘But you’ve paid me to mend your shirts in the past. When all along you could have done it yourself.’

‘I like to support local businesses,’ he said. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I think there’s a seam that might need my attention. Oh, and my little house is all ready for you, by the way. I moved in with my beloved this morning.’

Taylor watched him scurry away to one of the models, who was holding up her arm so he could fix a small hole that had appeared along the seam.

He was her best customer, and yet all along he could have done most of his mending himself. Unbelievable. She felt a little uneasy about this, but reminded herself again about Mr Perks in The Railway Children; perhaps Hebbleswick and Essendale were those kinds of communities, like the one in the film, where people supported each other. Wasn’t it rather wonderful that she was bringing up her son in a place like this?

‘All set?’ she said to Kate, who was standing on one side of the stage, checking through her script.

‘All set.’ Kate smiled. ‘Except for the dry ice machine which has decided to pack in.’

That hardly seemed to matter, Taylor thought. She hadn’t even known there would be a dry ice machine.