Page 12 of Winter at Wishington Bay
Billy cocked his head. ‘You’re from the restaurant?’
‘Yes. I own it along with my husband, Ned.’
‘And you’re all making wreaths for there?’
‘Yes. Eloise and Sophia are both part of the team and kindly agreed to come today.’
‘Do you need any more?’ Billy asked. ‘We’re trained on these the first Christmas we get here and I’ve been here nearly ten years now so I’ve knocked up a few in my time. We had a couple of last minute cancellations so there’s some frames spare.’ He shrugged.
‘It would be great back up if Soph and I make a mess of ours,’ Eloise giggled at me.
‘Those are going up whatever,’ Carrie pointed at the creations in front of us both. ‘But if you’re sure that’s OK? I don’t want to get you into trouble.’
‘Nah, it’s fine.’ Billy waved away her concern.
‘I can put a tag on it, that it’s from here, if that helps.’
‘You really don’t have to but if it makes you feel better, that’d be great.’
‘It would. Deal,’ Carrie smiled.
‘Deal.’ Billy returned it and pulled a chair from the stack behind us. ‘Mind if I join you properly?’
There was much shaking of heads and assent given as Billy placed the chair next to mine. I shuffled along a little more towards Eloise, who didn’t budge. I nudged her gently and she looked up.
‘What?’ she asked innocently.
‘It’s a bit of a squeeze at the moment,’ I whispered.
‘I think a bit of a squeeze would do you the world of good.’
I widened my eyes at her. ‘You were trying to get me together with Nate the other day.’
‘I know. And you wouldn’t go for him, so maybe the outdoorsy type is more up your street. You know, you with that accent and him… It’s all a bitLady Chatterley’s Lover.’ Eloise leant round me, still without moving her chair. ‘Billy, what’s your surname? I don’t suppose it’s Mellors?’
‘Oh, my God,’ I mumbled, tipping the last dregs of my champagne down my throat, and desperately hoping he didn’t get the reference.
‘No, Eloise. Sorry to disappoint you. It’s Myers.’
‘Close enough,’ Eloise smiled before finally moving her chair and allowing me to give Billy a little more room.
As we both shuffled our chairs round the table, from the corner of my eye, I saw him smile at Eloise and shake his head good naturedly. Oh God, he totally got the reference.
‘So, what do you do at the restaurant?’ Billy asked, his voice quieter.
‘I’m a waitress.’
‘Do you like it?’ he asked, his fingers expertly winding foliage round the frame in front of him, his eyes not entirely on the job.
‘More than I thought I would, to be honest. You meet a lot of different sorts of people.’
‘Although only those that can afford to eat at such a restaurant.’ He gave me a look.
‘Actually, Ned’s always been pretty good about having a wide range on his menu. He’s not into all that snobbery that a lot of chefs are. Thank goodness.’ I knew I’d have enjoyed my job a lot less if I’d merely swapped one world of snootiness for another. ‘You should come. Bring your partner. I’m sure they’d love it.’
‘They probably would if I had one.’
‘Oh. Right. Well. Then come anyway. We have plenty of people who come on their own to eat for one reason or another.’
