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‘Great.’ I hesitated. ‘Erm, looking forward to it.’
‘Me, too.’
Someone shouted his name and he covered the phone and replied briefly.
‘Better go. That meeting went better than expected. We’ve just landed a lucrative contract, so the coffee’s definitely on me. Might even stretch to a celebratory slice of cake.’
‘Ooh, I can hardly wait.’
He laughed and we ended the call, and when I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, I was blushing enough to put the windows in Amsterdam’s Red Light District to shame. But hopefully my cheeks might have calmed down a bit by the time I met Kurt later...
*****
When I went down to the café just before four-thirty, Ellie and some of the girls who worked there seemed to be having some kind of get-together.
I knew Madison, Katja, Jaz and Fen already – I’d got to know them when I’d helped out with the magical Christmas fair back in December – but there were two others there who I didn’t recognise. They were both glamorous with long blonde hair, and when I glanced over again, I realised they looked almost identical. Of course. Maddy had told me she had twin sisters.
‘Hi, Rori.’ Greeting me with a smile, Ellie stood up. ‘What can I get you? Are you meeting Milo?’
‘No, not today. I... well, I’m meeting someone else.’ I glanced out of the window. ‘Actually, here he is now. I’ll just wait and see what he wants?’
‘Okay.’ Ellie sat back down and I noticed the others glancing over with interest to see who was joining me. ‘Just let me know when you’re ready.’
‘Thanks, Ellie.’ My heart was thumping at the thought of seeing Kurt again, and when the door opened and he appeared, I gave him an awkward little wave, as if he wouldn’t have noticed me standing there like a lemon, in the middle of the café!
He glanced around him approvingly, then he indicated a table by the window with a look that said,Is this okay for you?
‘Great!’ I hurried over, feeling ridiculously self-conscious knowing we had an audience. I knew for sure the girls would be wondering who the handsome stranger was.
We settled on lattes and chocolate cake, although bringing it back to the table, I did wonder how on earth I’d manage to eat such a large slice. My appetite seemed to have deserted me the instant Kurt walked through the door.
After serving me, Ellie rejoined the others, and then Primrose rushed in, apologising for being late and Kurt’s phone started ringing. He grimaced and asked if I’d mind if he took the call. Itwas to do with the new contract they’d just won, so I told him to go ahead, and he wandered outside to talk.
Meanwhile, Ellie had got up again to make Primrose’s ‘usual’, a hot chocolate with whipped cream. And once they were all gathered, Maddy cleared her throat and said she had an announcement to make.
I stirred my coffee and looked out of the window, not wanting to be nosy.
‘Right, the thing is,’ said Maddy, ‘as you know I’ve been having a hard time thinking about who I want as my bridesmaids – apart from my gorgeous sisters, of course, who have both faithfully promised not to outshine me on the Big Day.’
The twins nodded their gleaming blonde heads solemnly and everyone chuckled.
‘Obviously, I’ve known Ellie and Katja from the day I first arrived in Sunnybrook. Not that they liked me very much to begin with. But IthinkI’ve managed to convince them I’m actually all right.’
Katja looked at Ellie quizzically. ‘What do you think?’
‘Yeah, she’s okay.’
‘Gee, thanks, girls.’
Ellie laughed. ‘You know we’re winding you up.’
‘It would make sense to have Ellie and Katja as your two other bridesmaids,’ pointed out Primrose. ‘Mind you, four is quite a lot. You have to choose a dress that suits everyone, remember?’
‘Yes, well, I’m not havingfourbridesmaids,’ said Maddy. ‘I’m having seven.’
‘Seven?’ squeaked Fen. ‘Crikey!’
Maddy shrugged. ‘That’s why I asked you all here today. I wanted to ask you if you’d do the honours on my special day?’
