Page 12 of New Beginnings at the Little Christmas Inn
‘Perfect.’ He grinned. ‘I’m glad I decided not to drive.’
Livvy squeezed past Darrell’s toolbox and went behind the bar. She decided to join Mark in his choice of drink and poured two glasses of locally produced gin. Adding ice and lemon, she put one in front of him, and she slid onto the chair opposite.
Mark picked up his glass and chinked it with hers. ‘Cheers,’ he said. He nodded to their surroundings. ‘Might catch on, you know. Shabby chic.’ He pulled a face. ‘Or should I call it builder’s chic? Looking good so far, though.’
Livvy sighed. ‘It seems to be taking forever. I mean I know it isn’t, but I’m not blessed with patience. I’m dying to get the place up and running. There’s been a delay on the stove; that should have been installed by now and the Three Ds weren’t even here today, they were finishing another job over in Weymouth.’ Livvy had hated being alone, without their jaunty, noisy presence. She was a determined cynic when it came to ghosts. She’d lived and worked in places with a haunted reputation and thought it was all a load of nonsense. Even so, the pub was a rambling, rabbit warren of a place to be in on your own.
‘That’s builders for you. The Three Ds?’
‘It’s what I call them.’ Livvy blushed. ‘To my shame I can never remember which is which, although I’m pretty sure, by now, that Darrell is the dad.’
Mark gave a low rumbling laugh that Livvy liked very much. ‘They’re good blokes though. They’ll finish on time. Or thereabouts.’ Picking up his water glass, he studied her over the rim. ‘Thank you for inviting me, by the way.’
Livvy felt her face heat again. ‘It’s to thank you for the day at the auction. And for popping by the other night to help clear up. Besides, I didn’t fancy eating on my own. I’d value your opinion of the food too, of course,’ she added, worried she sounded needy.
‘Looking forward to it,’ Mark replied warmly. ‘And, if you take this Fabio on, there’s every chance I’ll be eating here regularly. It’s no fun cooking for one.’
‘Amen to that. It’s why I’m a beans on toast fan.’
‘Well, if I may say so, the diet suits you.’ There was a pause. ‘And what have you decided to do about the name? Are you sticking with The Runaways, or changing it?’
‘Haven’t decided. It was a coaching inn at one point. I’ve been doing some research while it’s been shut. The London to Exeter coaches stopped here, apparently. It was probably called the Coach and Horses or something like that.’
‘And that’s not what you had in mind?’
‘Not entirely sure. I’d like something classy, something unpretentious.’
‘There’s a new pub opened up over in Bridport called The Bell and Colander. And there’s our very own Toad and Flamingo on the other side of Lullbury.’
Livvy pursed her lips. ‘That’s one thing I’ve definitely decided I don’t want. A made-up name like The Fig and Florin, or Parrot and Pug.’
‘You’re no fun. What about The Key and Loch? The Ferret and Parsnip? The Brain and Artichoke?’
‘The Flag and Quiche?’ she countered. ‘The Fox and Fart?’
Fabio interrupted their laughter. He stood importantly by the table, a silver salver resting on his arm. ‘Youramuse bouche, sir, madam.’ With a flourish, he removed the lid and deftly served two plates of tiny, exquisite-looking food – scallops in a sauce.
After they’d eaten it, Mark sat back in his chair and said, ‘That was delicious. The lemony sauce was amazing.’
Livvy perused the handwritten menu Fabio had supplied. ‘Leek velouté with lemon gel,’ she read.
‘Gorgeous. If the rest of the meal is half as good, I think you should get in that kitchen and snap up that chef. And if you don’t, I will!’
The rest of the meal was good. It was better than good. It was excellent. After a six-course tasting menu including a winter salad of caramelised walnuts and pickled beetroot, pollack with an oyster sauce, tender strips of dukkha spiced steak, a creamy cauliflower risotto, marmalade and blood orange pudding and a rhubarb parfait, Livvy and Mark sat picking at a cheese board.
‘It’s no good,’ he moaned. ‘I can’t do justice to this Ticklemore and it’s too delicious to eat just for the sake of it.’
‘Time for coffee?’
‘I could possibly, just possibly, squeeze down an espresso.’
Livvy left him at the table and went to find Fabio. He was wiping down the food prep tables. ‘Fabio, that was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.’
He shrugged, completely without humility. ‘Naturally.’ Straightening, he tossed the cleaning cloth into the sink. ‘So, the job’s mine?’
‘Of course the job’s yours! Come and join us for coffee and cognac.’
‘I wouldn’t be intruding? You and Mark seem to be getting on well tonight.’
