Page 80 of You, As You Are

“I was hoping to spend some time with you all,” Maisie said.

“Absolutely,” Faye answered. “I’d love you all to be our first customers, and you’re free to hang around for a while. We’ll be closing at five this evening. You could come and see the new flat for dinner?”

“Hang on” — Sienna held out her hand where gold rings were bright against her deep bronze skin — “it’s been months since we’ve been in the same room together.Dinner, yes. But we’re going out tonight.”

Maisie’s mind went straight to Iain. It was enough that he’d brought her here when he could’ve been spending his Saturdaydoing something he actually wanted to do. Hanging out with strangers probably wasn’t on that list. “Um, Iain?—”

“Sounds good to me.” Bringing himself into their group, Iain flicked his focus between them all. “If you don’t mind me tagging along.”

“Of course you can!” Faye wiggled out of Bash’s reach and headed for the front door where customers had pretended not to watch them talking. The five minutes that she’d promised was up, and Maisie knew it wasn’t good business to keep people waiting.

She scanned quickly to see if there was something she could help with, but knowing Faye, she would have everything covered, and Bash would never let her feel unprepared to face the day.

In a few distracted strides, Bash was with Faye on his way to the door. “If we’re out late, where will you stay?” he asked behind him.

“I already reserved their sofa,” Sienna said, shrugging her folded arms. “Sorry.”

At least Maisie had had the forethought for this, since the happy couple’s time together was limited, what with Bash working out of London four days a week. “We’ve got rooms at a hotel just in case.”

The range of expressions that whipped to stare at her and Iain were on a spectrum of excitement for a scandalous insinuation to stone-cold warning. Whose face was whose was easy enough to guess. Luckily no one was able to comment, and Maisie ceased fiddling with her hands.

Faye and Bash swung the doors open and customers flooded in with eager smiles on their faces. Enough numbers to easily fill the indoor seatsandthe tables that were upstairs too.

Iain touched her arm for her attention, the tiny contact awakening Maisie right to her spine. “We should get a table.”

“You sit,” she said. “I’ll get you something.”

“I’m able to get my own?—”

“I promised you payment in doughnuts.” She’d trusted his judgement at the ice cream shop and so he should trust hers. Also, if anyone knew the ins and outs ofBaked’smenu, it was Maisie. “So be prepared to eat the best ones you’ll ever taste.”

“I really wish I could’ve been there today to celebrate with you all. I’ve only just managed to get the boys to eat their dinner.”

“You’ve missed meeting Maisie’s fake man-friend,” Faye said tauntingly.

“What?” Freddy’s ice-blue eyes darted around the phone screen they all leaned over. “Where is this guy? Let me talk to him.”

Maisie struggled to not blush at this restaurant dinner table. “He’s not here, Fred, he’s moving his car before he gets fined.”

Freddy didn’t budge. “He’s messing around with one of my best friends. I want to talk to him.”

“I consented to this, by the way.”

“And by the way” — Sienna leaned into view — “I would too.”

Raising an eyebrow, Freddy uttered, “That tells me everything I need to know.”

“He seems like a solid man, Maisie deserves that.”

Maisie hung her face in her hand. “He’s not myanything. Only a friend.”

Slipping his arm around Faye, Bash grinned as his girlfriend melted into his side. “That’s all we were too this time last year.”

Propped up against the drinks menu, Freddy’s pale face held firm on the phone. “I still want to talk to him. Make sure he knows not to play any games.”

Sienna half coughed and laughed. “Freds, you are the least intimidating man that I know.”

“What about me?” Bash sounded offended.

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