‘I don’t suppose Simon Cowell could make it?’ Nate asked, straight-faced.
‘About as available as Idris Elba, so they’ll both just have to miss out.’ Rosa shifted Little Ned, who was heavy on her chest, deep in his mid-morning nap. ‘But we do have the equally charismatic Mr Gunter, the verger from Cockleberry Bay Church. He was delighted to agree, said it would warm him up for Midnight Mass, and to add the female touch, we have Madeline Baker from St Michael’s, who I have met on a Zoom call and is like a real-life Vicar of Dibley. She assures me she is going to remain impartial, and I guess if you can’t trust a vicar, then who can you trust?’
‘You’ve done well, sis – it’s going to be great. Foodwise that night, what do you reckon? What time is it that people are arriving?’ Nate opened his notebook.
‘It’s four till six, so hot and cold snacks will be fine, I reckon.’
‘Let’s keep it simple then. The church hall kitchen is not the biggest or best, and rather than take money on the night, why don’t we include the food in the ticket price?’
‘Genius – and quicker too.’
Nate went on, ‘Raff’s pasties were amazing the other night. How about those, along with mince pies, slices of chocolate log and teas and coffees? And rather than muck about with mulled wine, let’s get Jacob to do the bar. It’ll be safer with kids running around too.’
‘Look at you with all the good ideas. Yes, Jacob loves to be involved and it’s up at his end of the street too, so that’ll make him happy.’ Rosa sighed. ‘I suppose we’d better keep the Carrot Footprint mob happy and ask Amira to make some vegan cheese and onion pasties too, and a mince pie with no naughty stuff.’
‘Is that even possible?’ They both laughed. Nate shut his pad. ‘Sorted. You can give me an idea of numbers nearer the time.’
Little Ned let out a little cry, followed by a full-blown wail. ‘That’s my signal to get home and feed my son.’ Rosa pulled up the baby’s blanket and tucked her coat around him, ready to face the elements. ‘Shush now, bubba, Mumma’s taking you home.’
Nate went off to saddle up Hot, who was very reluctant to leave the bliss of his cosy basket, just as the door opened letting in a rush of cold beach air and a couple with three excitable boys, all under five by the look of it, crowding their way to the counter.
‘Here we go.’ Nate squeezed Rosa’s arm lovingly. ‘Happy Christmas, sister.’
CHAPTER 33
Danny, why are you wearing shades in the kitchen?’ Davina asked as he filled yet another fryer load of chips.
‘I er…I got a bit of fat in my eye. It’s sore, that’s all.’
‘That’s another three cheeseburgers and chips, please, and two tuna steaks with sweet potato fries and lemon sauce.’
‘What time is old Saint Nicholas here until? This is crazy.’
‘The last kid’s in there now, so I reckon it will quieten down soon. There’s no one in the letter-writing hut now either.’
‘Thank fuck for that. I’ve never known it so busy.’
‘Good though, isn’t it? A great success all round, I reckon,’ Lucas said, walking into the kitchen. ‘Do you need a hand, mate?’
‘Nah, not if it’s slowing down, I’ll be fine. Is Alfie all right?’
‘He’s happy. He got cold so went upstairs to watch a film. I put your mum on cashing up for me as I want Davina out the front tonight.’ Lucas walked out and then back in again. ‘Anna – the hotel inspector, according to Rosa – is booked for dinner at seven. I’ve briefed Davina to take her order. She will come in and tell you what she wants, so make it tip-top, won’t you?’
‘Course I will, boss.’ Danny took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t believe his ears earlier when Davina had described the hotel inspector. It just had to be that Glaswegian sex-bomb, Lily. Maybe if an inspector visited in the same town, they had to give a different name in case anyone sussed it was them. Also, how on earth did Rosa know it was her? Anyway, he wasn’t allowed to fraternise with the guests and he really didn’t want her to know he was working here as it could well jeopardise the 3-Star Seaside rating – a sure-fire sackable offence; of that he was sure. The sex had been mind-blowing, but that’s what it had been – just sex – and he’d had his fill from her to last him a good few weeks now. No, he would lie low and do the best job he could to make Lucas proud.
Davina caught Lucas checking the bookings for the next few days. He looked up and smiled. ‘Hey you, everything OK?’ he asked.
‘Apart from seeing you kiss Carly and finding Rosa upstairs, yeah, great.’
‘Don’t be silly. Rosa did us a massive favour sussing out that Alex Polizzi had arrived when she did, and as for Carly, she gave me a Good Luck card and I was just thanking her.’
Davina sighed. ‘I suppose you hate me now for not sending you one.’
Lucas shook his head. ‘For God’s sake, we are not fifteen.’ He put on a childish voice. ‘Hate me, like me.’
‘I’m not even sure if you do like me any more,’ Davina huffed. ‘It feels like there are now four of us in this relationship. It was bad enough with just Rosa “she gets me” bloody Smith, let alone Miss Prissy Marketing Pants on the scene now.’
‘Quit the dramatics, love, we’re fully booked and need to make sure everything is prepped for tomorrow.’
‘OK, well, I can take on the cashing up from now on, all right? Tina doesn’t want to be worried with that. She has enough to do with looking after Alfie.’
‘See? You can be thoughtful.’
‘Wanker,’ Davina said under her breath as she sashayed back out to the grotto to say goodbye to Santa.
Lucas went back in to Danny. ‘So, dinner-wise, inspector at seven, and the two couples in HMS Victory and the Mary Rose are both booked in for eight-fifteen. The Golden Hind have gone into Polhampton for food.’
‘OK. Look, mate.’ Danny paused. ‘This isn’t easy to say, but I don’t think Davina is the woman for you.’
‘What? Why do you say that?’
‘There’s summink about her I don’t trust.’ Not wanting to appear like a snooper, Danny felt uneasy. ‘Just…um…a feeling I’ve got. That she may be cheating on you.’
‘Dan, you stick to your cooking and if you come up with some proof and not just “feelings”’ – Lucas made quotation marks with his fingers at the word – ‘then I might act on it.’
‘I’m saying listen to me, mate,’ Danny tried.
At this, Lucas lost it. ‘And I’m saying get on with what you’re good at and mind your own fucking business. This really isn’t the best time.’ With that he stormed back outside.
Danny swiped a glass bowl to the floor and ripped off his apron just as Tina was popping her head round the door. She knew that expression on her son’s face only too well.
‘Don’t you dare,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘You take a deep breath right now, my boy. You need this job, and we need that house. What’s happened?’