Page 67 of Best Summer Ever

‘You’ve done what?’ she gasped, her mouth falling open in shock.

‘I’m going to do all of the things that you were struggling with and which meant you were having to compromise on the menu I know you spent so long putting together. Like that avocado dish,’ I winked. ‘The one I’ve now got a serious hankering for.’

I knew I had said to Sam that I had struggled with the busyness in the pub, and that the café was equally as packed, especially when the sun was shining, but at least there were no pints for me to get my head around pulling here. I could far more easily manage what was required of me in the café environment than behind the bar, now I knew everything that the role entailed.

‘Oh, Daisy,’ Penny said, looking tearful rather than elated, ‘that’s so kind of you, but you really shouldn’t have done that.’

I shook my head at her reaction.

‘I knew you’d say that,’ I laughed, as I unlocked the door again so I could carry out the colourful bistro tables, chairs and sun brollies that were stored inside overnight. ‘That’s why I didn’t tell you before I did it.’

‘But the thing is—’

‘If you’re going to say you can’t pay me,’ I said airily, ‘then I’ll put out a tips jar or something.’

The financial aspect was the one thing I hadn’t thought through. My shifts in the bar didn’t bring in much, but without them I was going to be living on thin air.

‘I can pay you,’ she started to say, ‘but it’s only the minimum wage, and only until—’

‘That’s fine,’ I said, waving her words away again as I picked up a couple more chairs. ‘That’ll be enough to keep me in beer and chips for the next few weeks, won’t it?’

I didn’t wait for her to answer, but began earning my keep by immediately setting up the seating area and refilling the various water bowls that were dotted around the outside of the café for thirsty dogs.

‘Hadn’t you better get on?’ I called through the open door when I realised Penny was watching me. ‘Let’s see if we can get ahead before the rush, shall we?’

We did get ahead, but only just, and there was no chance of me sitting down and tucking into any sort of breakfast because the café had a steady stream of customers throughout the day. Even with the two of us on duty, it was a push tokeep the queue from snaking out of the door and the only food I ingested was eaten on the go in snatched mouthfuls.

Josh had briefly put in an appearance, but then left again when I told him I was sorry, but I didn’t have time to chat and that I’d fill him in about my change of job at the end of the day. I was looking forward to heading to the pub on a Saturday night and staying on the customers’ side of the bar. I’d had the foresight to bring a change of outfit with me and, if all went to plan, I’d spend the night with him in the cottage, which would mean an easy commute in the morning. Perhaps even an early swim…

‘I think you’ve charged me for three of these, instead of two,’ came a slightly irate voice.

I looked at the red-faced man holding up two ice lollies.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I apologised, with a bright smile. ‘You’re right. Let me clear the transaction and I’ll do it again.’

‘I don’t know how you do it, working in here,’ said the woman who was standing next to the man. ‘I don’t know how you keep up with it all. Has it been like this all day?’

‘Yep,’ I said, holding out the card reader that now showed the right amount. ‘We’ve been packed out since early this morning.’

I could see that the beach was still crowded, so there was no respite in sight yet. My feet had ached after an evening working in the pub, but it was nothing compared to a full day in the café. I was going to need to wear shoes with even more support if I wanted to stay upright for the next few weeks.

‘You’ll sleep well tonight,’ the woman commented as she and the man headed back outside into the searing sun.

‘That’s the last of the crab gone,’ said Penny, as she dashed out from the kitchen and put a thick line through that particulardish on the chalkboard, which was screwed to the wall next to the counter. ‘And there are only enough prawns left for three more servings.’

‘A busy day for seafood then,’ I said. ‘What will you serve tomorrow?’

‘There’ll be more crab delivered just after dawn tomorrow,’ she told me. ‘Perhaps you’d like to be here to sign for it?’

‘I can be.’ I swallowed, not wanting to think of another day as busy as the one we were currently living through. ‘I can do that.’

‘I was only joking.’ Penny smiled. ‘You should have seen your face.’

‘Oh, ha, ha.’ I grinned. ‘Honestly though, Pen, this is mad. Will you really be able to cope when you get back to school having had no time off at all?’

‘I’m hoping,’ she said, as another family came bowling through the door, ‘that the adrenaline won’t give out until the autumn half-term, and in the meantime—’

‘Four Magnums, please,’ demanded one of the children.

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