AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Two
Yawning, Evie stretchedher arms out and checked the time on the small alarm clock sitting next to her family photo. It was 7am already! How had she slept in so late? Back home, she was usually up at 5am just so she could avoid travelling to the office in the London rush hour. She must have needed the extra sleep.
Automatically, she reached across to the bedside table, reaching for her mobile. Where was it? Where had she put it? Sitting up, she moved the photo frame. She still couldn’t see it. Taking a deep breath in, she rubbed her eyes. She’d left it in the glovebox in the car, hadn’t she? She’d promised herself she wouldn’t use it. She’d promised Melissa that she’d take a proper break.
Well, she didn’t need her phone, anyway. Not if she wasn’t working. That’s all it had been used for: work emails, work calls, work video meetings. That, and the occasional phone call to or from her parents.
As she made her way down the stairs, Evie could hear voices coming from the bakery. Was she the last one up? The last one to arrive at work? Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door leading from the flat to the bakery open and paused. Six women huddled around one of the tables in the coffee and cake area, chatting, laughing, and picking at an array of croissants and pastries stacked on plates on the table.
‘Morning, Evie, love. Come and join us.’ Elsie pulled a chair towards the table and patted it.
‘Hi, Evie. I’m Teresa. I’ll just grab you a coffee. Or would you prefer a latte?’ Grinning, Teresa placed a half-eaten croissant on a plate and stood up.
‘Coffee, please. I’m happy to make it, though.’
‘No worries. I’ll have it done in a couple of minutes.’
‘Thank you.’ Sliding into the chair next to Elsie, Evie looked around the group. ‘Sorry, I usually wake up really early.’
‘No need to apologise, love. I don’t expect you up at the crack of dawn. This is as much of a break for you as it is volunteering.’ Elsie pushed a plate of pastries towards Evie. ‘Help yourself to some breakfast and I’ll introduce everyone. You’ll remember Brooke from yesterday...’
Evie nodded and smiled at Brooke.
‘This is Wendy and Molly. They work in the wedding planning part of the business. Down the end...’ Elsie pointed to the end of the table. ‘... is Diane who works behind the bakery counter too.’
‘And I work behind the coffee and cake counter and also help with the baking in the mornings.’ Teresa placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of Evie.
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Sitting down, Teresa picked up her croissant again.
Looking down at the table, Evie realised she’d interrupted something. A large sheet of cardboard was positioned in the middle of the table and magazines were strewn between the plates and mugs. Shiny pages torn from the magazines and photos cut out carefully were placed on the sheet of cardboard. ‘Sorry, have I interrupted something?’
‘More like saved me.’ Elsie chuckled. ‘Ian and I are getting married soon and this lot here are trying to get me to start the planning.’
‘Soon? You’re getting married in less than three weeks and you’ve not even got a wedding dress. Let alone decided on flowers, transport, colours, themes... anything.’ Wendy ticked them off on her fingers.
‘See what I mean? You’ve saved me.’ Elsie patted Evie’s forearm.
‘You’re getting married in three weeks?’ Evie looked across at the board, noticing the words,‘Elsie & Ian’s Wedding’written in delicate cursive writing across the top.
‘Less than three weeks.’ Diane sighed. ‘Elsie, you know how much we love you and that’s why we want you to start planning it. We want you and Ian to have the amazing wedding day that you deserve.’
