“Hello.” Annie smiled. She felt self-conscious and a bit giggly. Her eyes kept wandering from his eyes to his mouth. She was suddenly very warm despite the fearful draft coming in from the open window.
“You handled her very well,” said John.
“Her type are all pomp and tiny minds.”
“How’s your head today?”
“Fine,” said Annie brightly. “After twelve coffees, it’s absolutely fine.”
John laughed. “I feel I should apologize,” he said.
“Oh? Why, what have you done?”
“I can’t seem to stop kissing you.”
Annie felt a flush race up from her toes and burst into her cheeks, which felt like they were pulsating red alert. She tried to gather her wits.
“I mean, I didn’t like to say anything . . .” said Annie.
“It must be a terrible inconvenience for you.”
“One doesn’t like to complain,” said Annie, smiling.
John smiled back at her, an easy smile that lit his whole face and made Annie want to pull him in through the hatch and ravish him beneath the coffee machine.
“You look busy,” he said, tilting his head to look around her at the full café within. “I might go around and see if Alfred needs a hand.”
Oh, be still my beating heart!
“I’ll be taking him round a coffee in a minute. Would you like one?”
And maybe a sex-starved forty-four-year-old woman on the side?
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Annie smiled as though her thighs weren’t on fire, and John unfolded himself back up to his full height.
The café remained steady. Billy barely had time to clear down the tables between one set of customers leaving and the next set eagerly scouring the tiny café for a space. There were too many orders for Annie to leave the coffee machine, so she sent Billy out with warm scones and hot coffees for John and Alfred.
Annie took Emily out a hazelnut latte—she had discovered that these were her favorites. Emily leaned her placard up against the wall and took the cup gratefully, holding it between her mittened hands.
“Hypothetically, and strictly off the record,” said Annie, “if a person were to buy Saltwater Nook to live in and keep the café open. What would be the historical society’s stance on such an occurrence?” Annie met Emily’s intense gaze squarely and raised her eyebrows.
Emily narrowed her eyes and then nodded slowly. “In that instance, the historical society would cease and desist all picketing and welcome that person with open arms. It’s never been about ownership; we only want to see Saltwater Nook preserved.”
“Then I can assure you, in strictest confidence, that we are singing from the same hymn sheet.”
Emily’s face broke into the widest smile.
“Any chance of a piece of tiffin?” she asked.
Chapter 71
At three o’clock, Annie paid Billy and he left with a spring in his step. She had enjoyed having him around; he was quite talkative once he got going, and it was nice to have help with the closedown. She stepped outside and let the cold air wash over her. Up ahead, she could see Ely’s outline, leaning against a signpost and looking out to sea; he must be waiting for Billy. Annie smiled to herself. You could do a lot worse than to have Ely looking out for you, she thought.
There were still quite a few people on the prom. She could have stayed open past two thirty p.m.; there’d be business enough to do so. She decided she would stay open later next Saturday and see how it went. She was sure Billy wouldn’t mind the extra hours, and it couldn’t do any harm to set their reputation now, before the winter really took hold. People were more likely to venture down to the coast in the cold if there was the promise of a hot drink at the end of it. She could start doing sausage rolls and pasties, or maybe even bacon baguettes for Saturday brunch. Annie pondered, If I play my cards right, people will come to the coast for Saltwater Nook alone!
Her reverie was broken when she heard John come up behind her.
“How are the workers?” she asked.
“Almost done. We’re hungry and cold, though; well, I am, anyway, Alfred’s like a workhorse.”
“How about some posh fish finger sandwiches to warm you up? Ely dropped in some fresh fillets.”
“That is the best offer I’ve had all day,”
“How many offers have you had?”
“I don’t want to get into it, you’ll only get jealous.”
John went back to the garden to tell Alfred that sustenance would be within the hour. Annie went back inside and set about creating a fishy afternoon tea. While the fish fingers crackled in the pan, she cut a crusty white loaf into thick doorstop slices and slathered them with salted butter. Annie dolloped some mayonnaise into a small bowl and roughly chopped a few capers and a handful of jarred cornichons, which she stirred through the mayonnaise to create a quick tartar sauce.