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‘I don’t know. Maybe it’s like that for some people, but I do think for some, at least, it’s just that they want the day to be perfect for the other.’ Brooke shrugged.
Maybe Brooke was right, although judging by the angry stance of the bride-to-be and the way the groom-to-be was looking at her, she wasn’t so sure whether their wedding would actually go ahead. Glancing across at Diane, who had finished speaking on the phone and was now presumably messaging the other members of the bakery family asking them to join Elsie at the wedding dress shop, she automatically reached for her own phone. Sighing as she remembered it was in her car, she watched as Brooke stepped forwards to serve.
‘Have you left it upstairs?’ Brooke looked across at her as she picked out a loaf of bread.
‘What?’
‘Your phone? I noticed you searching your pockets.’ Passing the loaf to the customer, Brooke thanked him.
‘No, it’s in my car.’
‘Go and get it if you like? I left mine at the camper the other day and I kept worrying that I’d missed some important call or something. Not that I get important calls very often, but I guess, I’m just so reliant on it now, it felt strange when I didn’t have it.’
No, she shouldn’t. Although Brooke was right, what if she had missed an important call? What if someone from the office had tried to contact her, or one of her parents? She shook her head. No, she’d promised herself.
‘Go on. Diane will be finished in a minute, anyway. Go and get it.’ Grinning, Brooke turned to the next customer.
Untying her apron, she nodded. One quick look wasn’t really breaking a promise with herself, was it? She wouldn’t use it or anything. Just check she’d not missed anything, that was all. A quick glance and then she’d be back inside. Super quick. ‘Thanks.’
Chapter Four
Slipping into the driver’sseat, Evie reached across and tugged open the glovebox. It was still there. Picking up her phone, she pressed down the side button, waiting as it flickered to life. It was cold in her hand after being in the car all night.
She looked out of the windscreen. At least the rain had stopped, even if it was still cold. Lying the phone on the dashboard, she pulled her cardigan tighter around her. She should have put her coat on. A series of pings blurted from her phone as it vibrated across the dashboard.
Picking it up, she frowned as message after message and voicemail alert after voicemail alert pinged through. They were all from Jennifer, her legal secretary, back at the office. She knew Evie was away. Why would she be calling and messaging her?
Clicking through to the last message, Evie twisted her ring with her thumb as she read it. The message was asking if she’d listened to the last voicemail. Closing the messages, she hit the voicemail.
‘Evie, look, I’m really sorry to bother you, but this is serious. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I can’t believe Melissa has done this. After all the years you’ve put into the firm. All the clients you’ve brought in and...’ The voicemail cut out; the limited time given full.
What had Melissa done? It couldn’t be as bad as Jennifer was suggesting. Evie had wrapped up her caseloads before leaving. She’d pulled in favours. All of her cases were at a point where they were either waiting for a court date or things were at a natural lull. She wouldn’t have come otherwise. She wouldn’t have left her clients waiting, hanging on whilst she was on holiday.
She’d originally only wanted to come for two weeks. And that had only been because Melissa had insisted she take a holiday before the promised partnership. It had been Melissa who had insisted she take the four weeks, the holiday time she was owed from last year, too. Evie hadn’t wanted to. She pressedCall.
‘Evie... Hold on...’ Jennifer’s voice was muffled, quiet.
