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‘Ithank you.’Daisygave the girl a curtsey, holding out her apron.
‘Well, you can be when you scrub up.’Marionsniffed.
‘Andthankyou,Maz.’
‘Wasshe angry, my lovely?’Janput in. ‘Imean, it’s a bit of a daft pickle to get yourself into, isn’t it, you loon.’
‘Ididn’t mean to,Mum.RickandIhad been getting on really well, chatting about his new business–’
‘Whatnew business?’Marioninterrupted sharply.Shehated to be the last to know anything.
‘He’sbought the old restaurant in the high street and he’sgoing to open a new one there.It’sgoing to be calledTheOldSchoolKitchenand specialise in locally sourced seasonal food.’
‘Soundsgood,’Jansaid, as she jiggled the dog in her arms. ‘Doesn’tit,Fleur, baby?’
‘Soundsverynear,’Marionsaid meaningfully.
‘Idoubt he’s spent hundreds of thousands on a building just to be close to me,’Daisysaid, laughing. ‘Getreal.’
‘Hemight have done,’Miasaid, ever the romantic. ‘Hemight be totes in love with you and it’s an excuse to be a few doors away.’
‘Alwayssaid my daughter’s a man magnet.’Jansniffed proudly.
‘You’venever said anything of the sort,’Daisyretorted.
‘So, let me get this straight,’Marionsaid, ‘you were getting on well, talking business and he offered to rub aftersun in?’
‘That’sabout the sum of it, although it wasn’t nearly as sleazy as you make it sound.’
‘No, darling, that’s not sleazy at all.’Marionlaughed and shook her head.
‘Itwasn’t.Itreally wasn’t.’Daisyplonked herself down on the other stool feeling dejected.Marionhad made it sound like something it wasn’t.Ithad been a magical moment.Notinnocent but not nearly as grubby as in her employee’s warped imagination.
‘Andyou say thisMinty,’ her mother’s mouth pursed at the name, ‘wasn’t angry?’
‘Ohno,Inever said that.Ithink she was furious.Iran up the hill to here andIcould hear them shouting at one another behind me.Ijust didn’t hang about to get involved.’Daisyscuffed her feet on the floorboards.Sheought to cover them in some good quality lino, it would make it easier to clean and mop up spills but she hadn’t the money. ‘MaybeIshould have done?’
‘Whatcould you have said thatRickcouldn’t?’Miapointed out. ‘Probablybest to leave them to sort it out.’
‘Musthave made it look guilty as hellthough.’
Miapulled a face. ‘Maybe.Butif you weren’t doing anything to feel guilty about, don’t feel guilty.’
Daisyfelt her cheeks burn.
‘Lookat you,’Marioncried in triumph, pointing a green talon. ‘Guiltwritten all over your face.You’vegot the hots bad, girl.’
‘Ohvery grown-up,Maz.’Daisyput her bottle of water against her face to cool it down.Pointlessas it had been sitting on the shop counter all day and was lukewarm.
‘That’sme.Youstill haven’t told us whatMintyis like.’
Daisywaved the plastic bottle around helplessly. ‘Blonde, beautiful, tall, very slender, immaculately made up.’
‘I’mliking the sound of her,’Marionapproved. ‘Clothes?’
‘Yes, she was wearing clothes.’Daisynodded sagely.
‘Daisy!’
