‘I mean, how are we going to do this?’ Josh continued. ‘Titch would be your obvious choice, I guess.’ Titch was just about to call out goodbye from halfway up the stairs, but on the mention of her name stood silently and listened as Josh went on, ‘But although she’s great with the customers, she’s not the brightest spark in the box when it comes to management and figures. And you want the legacy of your great-grandparents to be a success, don’t you, not a half-baked attempt at keeping the shop running.’
Titch’s mouth fell open. Not wanting to hear any more, she quietly went back down the stairs and made a quick exit.
‘Titch wants the flat, not the shop.’
‘Have you asked her?’
‘Not directly. In fact, I don’t think we’ve ever discussed it. Josh, this is a huge decision for me to make, so I’d appreciate you being less flippant about it and not so rude about Titch. I’d trust that girl with my life, and remember, I had help with the figures side of the business when I first arrived. There is always a solution. She’s a shrewd cookie, that one.’
‘OK, calm down. Sorry, I love her too. That was just me with my business head on talking.’
Still annoyed at her husband’s instant dismissal of her friend, Rosa told him, ‘Anyway, Ritchie’s parents have set their son’s sights on running the chip shop when they retire soon, and Titch has already said to me that she’s happy to help part-time here while Theo is not of school age, but with a view to eventually working with Ritchie.’
‘That makes sense, so whatever happens, she will be fine.’
‘Yes, of course she will. Titch is always all right. She’s a survivor, like me.’
‘There’s a flat above the chip shop, isn’t there?’
‘Yes, but Ritchie’s parents love it in the Bay so they are going to stay living there, I think.’
Hot, who had gone off to sun himself and watch next door’s cat on the wall from the balcony off the lounge, came running in and pushed his wet nose against Rosa’s bare legs. She began playing with his silky brown ears. ‘What do you say, boy? Or shall we just stay here and be done with it?’
But the dachshund had spotted a favourite toy peeking out from under the sofa – a smelly piece of rag that used to be a squeaking squirrel – and he now began to systematically try to rip it to pieces, holding it in place with his two front paws.
Josh carried on over the noise. ‘What about your mother?’
Rosa opened her mouth to reply, then clapped a hand over her nose. ‘Ugh! Hot, that’s disgusting.’ Then she went on, ‘What’s wrong with you today, Josh? This isn’t a straight business decision. It must come from the heart. And don’t be silly about Mary. I’m sure Queenie and Ned didn’t envisage her taking over and she wouldn’t want that either. She’s quite happy with her few shifts at the Co-op and covering for us here in emergencies. It would be far too much for her anyway, with her bad chest. She even gets out of breath walking the few yards from the Co-op to home and back nowadays.’
Used to his wife’s passionate outbursts, Josh put his arm around her. ‘OK, calm down. Let’s wait until I’m back from New York and maybe I can help you make a proper decision then. It’s not as if we have a new house to move into yet, anyway. There’s no time limit, is there?’
Rosa’s mood changed from red to green in seconds. ‘Not for that, no.’ Moving her husband’s hand back onto her thigh and kissing him gently on the lips, she said seductively, ‘I think I’m ovulating.’
Standing up, a now-smirking Josh moved her hand to the hardening bulge in his shorts, saying, ‘Quick. Let’s go and make some puppies of our own.’
CHAPTER 9
‘One thing! All I ask for is one thing!’ Rosa was greeted by a huffing woman exiting the café door at speed. Her mop of red fluffy hair was covered by a big white sunhat.
‘Sorry?’ Rosa questioned.
‘Oh, it doesn’t matter,’ the disgruntled one replied haughtily and continued round the beach path towards South Cliffs, her flowery maxi-dress flowing behind her.
Rosa greeted Sara and asked, ‘What was that all about?’
Sara said wryly, ‘Oh, you haven’t met her yet, have you? That was Vegan Vera – well, that’s not her real name, it’s Bergamot Hamilton-Jones.’
‘Bergamot?’ Rosa snorted. ‘Queen bloody B by the sound of her!’
‘Hmm, yes, she is quite a handful. Anyway, she’s just moved down from London. Messy divorce, from what I can gather. And already going on at me for not having oat milk or vegan sausage rolls. Now I know this is the thing of this day and age, and I am up for saving the planet in many ways, as you know – but food? I offer full-fat milk, meaty sausages from nearby farms, ditto bacon, real fresh butter and thick, crusty white bread. All locally sourced, all delicious.’ She shook her head. ‘This is a breakfast place, after all, not a bloody health retreat.’
Rosa laughed. ‘I do hear you, but–’
‘No need to “but”, Rosa. I had made a mental note for us to discuss that very topic this morning. I am mindful that we could be missing out on a bigger market and I am also aware that there are a lot of people who have allergies these days. When I was a kid in the Sixties, we used to eat dirt! Where have all these allergies come from? I remember just a few kids having eczema and asthma, but that was about it. Maybe we should start selling mud pies too, who knows?’
‘I reckon you’re just resisting so that Piers Morgan comes to visit us and congratulates us on sticking to our principles. He was ranting on about veganism again on breakfast TV just this morning.’
‘Oh Rosa, you do make me laugh. But don’t you dare tell Alec about my Marmite crush on that man. You see, I reckon Piersy baby would be putty in my hands once I’d given him a large portion of our famous Cockleberry Clotted Cream Victoria Sandwich, don’t you?’
‘Yes, all of a sudden it would be Alec who?’ They both collapsed in laughter.
Rosa tied her apron behind her neck. Despite it being early, a couple of families were already in – probably from the campsite at the top of the hill, she thought. The sea was millpond-calm and the early August sun just poking through.
‘I can’t believe how quickly the beach has been cleared,’ she remarked, beginning to stock up the fridge with Devon yoghurts and bottles of locally made fruit drinks.
‘I know,’ Sara agreed. ‘That’s teamwork for you. Another big truck came down early this morning to take away the piles of recycling.’
At that moment a couple of the guys from Sea & Save came in, Nate being one of them. Today his long dark hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. He still looked familiar to Rosa. She hoped that she hadn’t slept with him on one of the drunken nights in her past, but then remembered with a feeling of relief that the only guys she’d had sexual relations with down here were Lucas Hannafore and Joe Fox.
‘Get me a coffee, please, mate. I’ve left my wallet at home,’ Nate said casually to his colleague as he headed off to the toilet.
The other fellow, who was in his early sixties, grumbled, ‘These ruddy newbies – they expect it all.’