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Her message from Paige.
She had Paige’s number.
Her brain knew that this was something or nothing, that it was helpful to have a neighbour's number on your phone, and she could have gotten it through the Business Alliance contacts info if she needed it, but Paige had given Melanie her number. Was it odd to be slightly excited that she had Paige’s number?
Her brain jumped in with a solid ‘yes’.
For all her strange misplaced giddiness what difference would it make? Why should she even care? Paige was only going to give her whiplash if she contacted her again. But she saved the number anyway, as peers and neighbours it would no doubt come in useful. Best to keep it civil. She opened up her emails and quickly sent the images to Councillor Houghton, and with none too small a flourish she opened up her to-do list and virtually crossed it out with a strange mix of satisfaction and sadness.
Right, back to prosecco.
* * *
‘Found these outside,’ Louisa said, three hours later, with more than a little strain.
Louisa was walking in ready to hand over. Her best friend and business partner looked all business apart from a box under each arm which Melanie immediately ran to help her with. Louisa predominantly worked from four to close, while Melanie tended to oversee the set up, brunch through lunch to four. In an ideal world at least that’s how they would like to work it. But life was never ideal and the pair of them spent every spare minute of the day at Lulu if they could. It was important to both of them that they made it a success. It was still early days but it was mostly steady, and they had the Instagram walls to thank for that. The plan was that the Instagram niche would bring in the customers and their amazing food and drink would ensure they returned.
The main entryway was bright pink and eye-catching with a neon sign on the wall. But that theme continued throughout and every bit of space had been utilised for influencers, and wannabe influencers. There were bright silver angel wings spread across the wall at the back, several neon signs hidden amongst foliage on another wall. The best part was that each wall was temporary and could be updated as per the latest trends. The walls of course were only accessible to paying customers. It was genius really, at least for now until they’d established themselves more firmly, it meant a steady stream of traffic. But that only worked when they had drinks to offer, and while Melanie could talk most people into an Aperol based drink, the prosecco really was essential.
Which is why Melanie’s face lit up when she saw Louisa with another two boxes.
‘There’s two more, I’ll just go grab them,’ Louisa said before disappearing out the back again.
Melanie searched around the boxes for some sort of invoice, delivery note or something. But there was none to be found, and despite being around prosecco as often as she was, she didn’t yet believe in a magical prosecco fairy.
Louisa slowly walked back in with another two boxes and put them on the side. Melanie hunted around again. Still no paperwork.
‘Where did these come from anyway?’ Melanie asked.
‘There was someone at the back with a trolley load, they just explained that they were for us, and before I could ask any more questions they’d gone.’
‘But who would just magic us up some prosecco? Surely, they need paying? Maybe our suppliers just had some extra and felt bad for us?’ Melanie wondered aloud.
‘Ah, well in that case it will turn up on the next invoice. So how did the Neighbourhood Watch meeting go yesterday?’
‘Neighbourhood Business Alliance and, you’re going to the next one. I somehow managed to get roped into designing a flyer.’
Louisa rolled her eyes. ‘You’ll never know peace.’
Melanie grinned at the accuracy. ‘Well, now that I don't have to worry about prosecco, I’ll leave you to it. Dan is just prepping the evening bar snacks in the kitchen, last I checked it was all in hand. All your wait staff are present and working well. By the way, Cleo is all signed up and ready to start next week. I think this might be our first night without any pr—’
‘Don’t dare finish that sentence you jinxy cow! Right get gone — you got Alfie tonight?’
Melanie nodded as she hurried out from behind the bar and through the back, shouting as she went, ‘Yeah I need to head over there now.’
‘What about food? Will you eat?’ Louisa asked.
‘I’ll grab something at my sister’s, don’t worry.’
‘Make sure you do.’
Melanie reappeared, her jacket slung over her laptop bag and purse, her phone in her hand once again retrieved from her bra strap.
‘Why are you taking your laptop?’ Louisa asked.
‘I need to work on some of the admin and marketing.’
‘What you need to do is unpack.’ Melanie scowled and so Louisa carried on. ‘I did the budget balancing earlier, by the way, and a few other outstanding bits and pieces like the insurance check up and—’
