Page 41 of The Gingerbread Cafe
Chapter 34
‘And you two didwhatin a cherry picker?’ Amber was sitting on the worktop of the downstairs kitchen in the café, swinging her legs with glee. Angel Gabriel was curled up on her lap.
‘Nothing! We just kissed, that’s all. And I started it.’ Gretel’s cheeks felt hot as she arranged the ingredients for her stained-glass gingerbread biscuits on the worktop.
‘Ooh, well, I didn’t know you had it in you. Living your best life right up there in the sky for the whole village to see.’ She put her fingers over the ferret’s ears. ‘Andyou were wearing that short denim dress. I bet that was handy!’
‘I had very thick tights on! And it was just a kiss,’ Gretel repeated through gritted teeth, wishing she’d never mentioned it. But somehow she’d been bursting to share it with someone and Amber now seemed like her closest friend, even if they were the unlikeliest pair.
‘As if you wouldn’t have had a bit of a poke around. Always good to check the produce.’ Amber gave her a wink as she yanked up one of her over-the-knee socks. She was wearing an electric-blue dress with little skull patterns tonight, rather than the usual black and white combo that she insisted was for herother waitressing job. And was she sporting less of her severe black and white make-up and Biro arm etchings? She definitely looked lovelier, even if her sassy mouth hadn’t changed.
Somewhere out in the empty café one of the Jackson 5 burst into ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’, and as Amber sniggered Gretel made a mental note to unplug the stupid wayward jukebox until at least Christmas. It was nearly February, and its cheek had outstayed its welcome.
‘So where is he tonight, anyway? Busy at the restaurant?’
‘Yes.’ Gretel nodded as she popped on the oven and began lining her trays with baking parchment. ‘He works so many shifts there. It seems stressful.’ Gretel hadn’t seen him for a few days since the cherry picker kiss and she’d been jittering for another moment like that.
‘He’d surely go mad if he caught you with a ferret in the kitchen, anyway, being a fancy chef.’
‘He loves Angel Gabriel now,’ said Gretel, a beam on her face as she remembered the way Lukas had fussed over him on the night of the stained-glass crafting.
Amber raised her eyebrows, but Gretel was positively skipping around the kitchen as she prepared her ingredients. She didn’t have time to worry about anyone’s funny looks.
‘Well, just make sure you keep your feet on the ground, now you’re not whizzing around in a cherry picker. Scary Lukas still wants to sell this place, doesn’t he? I don’t want him nicking your heart and trampling all over your dreams.’
Gretel waved a hand. ‘He’s not that scary when you get to know him. I’m sure everything will work out, one way or another.’
There was a knock at the back door, followed by a chorus ofcooeesand two eager faces fogging up the glass. Gretel was glad of the interruption from Amber’s doubtful look.
‘The fam,’ said Amber, as Phoebe and Eve swanned in. Gretel still wondered who Amber’s real family was. She never wanted to talk about her Lower Paddleton life.
Phoebe was wearing one of her floaty gypsy skirts with a knitted jumper that even Lukas would have been proud of, and Eve looked her usual immaculate self in a flowery shift dress that wouldn’t have seemed out of place at a wedding.
As they gave hello hugs and made a fuss of Angel Gabriel, Gretel dusted flour off the stools and apologised for the mess she was already making. She’d come to learn that her baking could still turn out well, even if she’d never be as meticulously tidy as Lukas. She smiled as she put a flame under the hot chocolate that was waiting on the stove.
‘I’m so happy you’re here,’ said Gretel, impressed at the effort they’d made to pop around and watch her try out her first batch of stained-glass gingerbread biscuits. ‘It’s great to have your support.’
‘Well, of course,’ said Eve, washing her hands and putting an apron on. ‘We believe in you and we can’t wait to try your edible art. That’s what friends are for. Look at the wonderful things you’ve done for us too. Our shops are all looking brighter thanks to you inspiring us, and that vegetable bunting is going down a treat.’
Gretel felt her cheeks colour at the compliment. ‘We’ll have plenty more to plan and do for the February Fair as well. I can’t say I’m not nervous, but if we pull it off …’ She searched the cupboards for her favourite mugs and lined them up side by side. ‘It will be the best!’ She couldn’t help a little happy bounce as she said it. She hoped it was true.
‘Of course we’ll pull it off,’ said Amber, jumping down from the worktop to continue gathering Gretel’s list of baking equipment so Gretel could concentrate on the mini marshmallows and hot chocolate. Angel Gabriel was stowed safely in the front pouch of Amber’s dress like a baby kangaroo.
‘Having a wonderful, wintery fair was a fantastic idea, Gretel. We all can’t wait to bring it to life,’ said Phoebe. ‘Just fromthe January makeover we did this week we’ve seen an influx of trade. Word’s getting out thanks to Amber’s Insta pics. I had a brand-new customer booking in for a course of chakra healing sessions today, and somebody even bought crystals. I’m pretty sure the universe is telling me to celebrate by eating some gingerbread. What have you got?’ She pulled her purse out from her bag.
‘Put that away,’ Gretel insisted. ‘I probably owe you a fortune with these beautiful bits of rock you keep shoving into my pockets.’
Phoebe held up a finger. ‘That reminds me.’ She put her purse away and rummaged in her bag, pulling out a heart-shaped shimmering white crystal flecked with black. ‘Moonstone to help you open up to love and affection.’
‘Oh, she doesn’t need much encouragement,’ said Amber, plonking down the electric hand whisk like a girl who enjoyed a good stir. ‘Just wait till she tells you what she got up to in that cherry picker, by the light of the moon. I think she needs a crystal to help her keep her pants on.’
‘I did keep my pants on! And they’ve heard all there is to know.’
Phoebe raised her eyebrows and placed the crystal gently down on the worktop. ‘It’s there whenever you need it,’ she whispered.
Angel Gabriel, apparently fed up of the smut talk, made a series of his clucky-squeak noises and leapt from Amber’s pouch onto the worktop. He made a dive for the crystal and began pushing it along with his nose as though trying to make off with it.
‘Somebody doesn’t want you opening up to any more love and affection on top of Farmer Wilbur’s boom lift.’ Amber giggled as she pulled the ferret back into the safety of her arms and put the heart-shaped stone into Gretel’s bag.
