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‘MiaandBenare going strong.Love’syoung dream.She’sbegun her second year ofA-levels andBenis tutoring her.She’san absolute star in the shop.Ihope she stays on when she starts university.Shewants to go toExeterwhich will keep her local, althoughI’vea feeling it’s not proximity to a florists that’s keeping her in westDorsetbut more a hunky primary school teacher who bears an uncanny resemblance toJamieDornan.Whocould blame her?
‘Benis wonderful and the age gap doesn’t seem to matter as much asMiathought it might.Ialways saidMiahad an old head on young shoulders.ActuallyIdidn’t, didI?Iprejudged her terribly.Howwrong couldIbe?Ireally learned something about myself there,Dad.I’mfinally learning neverto prejudge people.Afterall, look atColonelSmythe.Onthe surface all respectability and underneath a raging anti-knitter and a really poorly man.Ipromised myselfIwill not make any judgements about people ever again untilI’vegot to know them, and maybe not even then.It’samazing what being happy can do to you.
‘Onthe subject of making judgements about people,Marioncontinues to be a pain in the backside.She’llnever change and, to be honest, we all love her the way she is, despite her many faults.Brittanyhas finally found her mojo and joinedEmirates.She’straining to be cabin crew.Saysthe uniform is dead sexy and she likes all the travel.Ratherher than me.Ilove staying put inLullburyBay.Don’twant to live anywhere else, althoughRickand me are planning a holiday inThailandnext year when things have settled down with the businesses.Canyou believeI’llfinally get there?I’vealways wanted to go.
‘PooroldMaz, though, is suffering empty nest syndrome nowBrithas finally left home andCassiushas gone back to university.Shekeeps coming up with wild things to try out which is fine but she ropes me into them!Lastweek she got me to try a hot stone massage.Butdo you know what?Iquite enjoyed it.Thisweek’s is “CreativeWritingChannellingYourInnerDiva”.Thinkshe might win that one!
‘Thebusiness is doing well.TheWebFloriststatus has meant trade rocketing.I’meven looking into taking on another assistant.Well,Imay need to train someone up ifIloseMiato academia.I’vegot plans for the shop butI’mstill working on most of them.Workon the conservatory begins next week andI’mdrawing up landscaping plans for the garden.ThinkI’mgoing to expand into plant sales and pots.Youknow, have a mini garden centre out there eventually.Makessense as the nearest one isBridportand people don’t always want to trek all the way there if all they need are a few daffodil bulbs.
‘I’mlooking into selling more cards and gifts too.Oh, and indoor plants in the conservatory.I’vedecided to keepPrimrosethough.I’mso fond of her,Icouldn’t trade her in.She’sgoing to have an engine refit instead.Colinknows a good bloke andImight even get a swanky new radio, one that isn’t stuck onBayRadio.It’sall go.IfImove in withRick, whichIthinkImight, you know, at some point,I’llbe able to rent the flat out which will give me a bit more income to invest in the shop.Imagineme living somewhere likeBeechTreeHouse!MaybeI’llfinally find out what’s in the turret?Let’shope it’s not a mad wife, asMiathinks.Allthis change is really exciting,Dad.Abit scary but exciting.AndnowIdon’t feelI’mdoing it on my own.’
Daisyglanced up.Rickwas walking towards her. ‘I’vegot to go now,Dad.We’vegot to go and put the finishing touches toTheOldSchoolKitchen.It’sopening night tomorrow andIwant it to be perfect.Oh,Dad,’ she whispered, tears thickening, ‘Ilove him so much.Iwish you could have met him.Ithink, noIknow, you would have loved him too.’
AsRickneared, the blackbird and robin flew off.Smilingthrough her tears, she knew they’d done their job.Hadlistened well.ShegreetedRickwith a kiss. ‘Allokay withKeith?’
‘He’sfine.Emotionalbut fine.He’ssitting in the van out of this cold wind.Speakingof emotional, areyouall right?’Hefixed her with a penetrating look.
Daisynodded. ‘Justhaving a moment.Youknow.’
Hefolded her into his arms. ‘Iknow.’Theystood for a while, arms around one another seeking and giving comfort. ‘Yourdad will be with us tomorrow.’
Shereached up and kissed him lightly on the nose.Itwas pink and delightfully cold. ‘Aswill your mum.Now, come on.’Shetook him by the arm and steered him back to the car park. ‘We’vegot work to do!’
Chapter Thirty-Six
Rickhad worked ferociously hard to getTheOldSchoolKitchenready.Therehad been last-minute hitches.Despitehis optimism about the kitchen, one of the industrial ovens didn’t work and had to be replaced, and the plumbing firm employed to install the new loos had only just finished.Daisyhad helped out whenever she could and she andRickhad spent hours of their weekends sanding and scrubbing floors, trawling auctions for tables and chairs, tasting food and drink from suppliers and interviewing staff.
Hoton the dying embers of the holiday season, two chefs had been taken on, but it had been trickier finding waiting staff now the students had returned to college.Anunexpected ally had beenCaroline, the owner ofTheStationHouse, who had been generous with her advice and contacts.HerdaughterEleanorhad even mucked in to help with cleaning and painting.AshadMia,Ben,JanandColin.Marion, notable in her absence, had chimed in on décor and recommended an interior designer.He’dquoted a startlingly large amount of money to suggest a steel and grey industrial look which they’d dismissed out of hand.
Daisypaused in her task of giving the dining room parquetfloor one last sweep and looked around.Althoughthey’d had to work into the early hours, the restaurant was finally in launch party readiness.
Rickcame up to her, took the broom out of her hand and gave her a hug. ‘Timeto stop working and get your glad rags on.’
Daisylooked down at her jeans and filthy whiteT-shirt. ‘Whatd’you mean?Can’tIattend dressed like this?’
Hekissed her cheek. ‘Iprefer you in far less,’ he joked, making her insides curl, ‘but think we might have to make an effort if the press is coming.’
Shegiggled. ‘Isuppose.Althoughwe might get a bit more coverage ifIturn up naked.IsBayRadiostill coming along?’
Ricknodded. ‘Alongwith all those lucky enough to receive a personal invite, local dignitaries and anyone who’s pitched in to help these last two months.’
‘Sothe launch party will be later this afternoon and you’re still going ahead with opening tonight too?’
‘Yup.I’mgambling on a few folk staying on and eating with us.We’llkeep the kitchens open.SteveandKostashave agreed to work throughout the day.’
‘They’vebeen stars.’
‘Theyhave.I’mlucky to have them on board.We’vegot a good team around us.’
Daisyliked his use of the word ‘us’.Shecuddled into his side, high on a wave of exhaustion. ‘It’sbeen manic.’
‘Certainlyhas.’
Togetherthey studied the results of their labour.Longscrubbed oak tables, designed for sociable eating and drinking were positioned about the room, along with smaller tables to sit the romantic duos.Rickhad scored a bulk buy of chairs from a recently redundant chapel.Solidhardwood, they bore the original hymn-book holders on their backs, giving them a quirky look.Tomake the renovation as straightforward as possible, due to lack oftime, they’d painted the walls a warm cream and the ceiling white, and kept the lighting simple.
Daisyhad sourced a stash of antique green glass bottles of varying sizes and had filled them with silver-dollar eucalyptus, cream roses, white carnations and frothy gypsophila.She’dadded fragrant lemon verbena to scent the air.Atempting grazing board stretched across two tables and groaned with locally grown apple slices, grapes, figs, locally sourced charcuterie and cheeses,Kostas’sspecial feta and spinach pies, quiches made with richDevoncream and cheddar, vibrant salads, walnuts, silver onions, and poppy seed savoury crackers from an artisan bakeryRickknew of.
Onanother bench, nearer the door, stood sparkling glasses on a snowy white cloth, ice buckets, bottles of red wine ‘breathing’, and a selection of soft drinks flavoured with elderflower and lavender from a small company inCornwall, and water.Thechampagne, and the chilledHampshirewhite wine would come out at the last minute.
