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‘Morning, Molly, love. You look distracted today. Is everything okay?’ Elsie frowned.
‘Yes, it’s all good, thanks.’ Molly nodded and turned to Diane. ‘I’ve just spoken to the florist and she’s promised to pop in this morning to go through your flower options.’
‘Oh, I can’t today. I’m going to the market in a few minutes.’ Diane lowered her mug.
‘I don’t mind going instead. If it’s just unloading and selling, it won’t be much different to here.’ Layla shrugged and looked from Diane to Elsie and back again. ‘Does everything have prices on?’
‘There’s a price list and a card reader too.’ Elsie nodded. ‘Are you sure you’d be happy going?’
‘Yes, that’s fine. The fresh air will probably wake me up a bit too.’ Layla grinned. Working at the market would make a change and it would be fun to experience all that the bakery had to offer.
‘Right, well, in that case. That would be great. I’d go, but I’ve got a huge order of pies to bake for the pub. They’ve got some function or other and need them early today.’ Elsie frowned.
‘I know what I’ll do. I’ll ask Graham to go along with you.’ Diane pulled her mobile from her back pocket and began typing.
‘Honestly, I’ll be fine. I’m sure I’ll cope.’ Was she ready for another day spent with Graham?
‘Nonsense. It’ll give him something to do. He’ll only be lounging around our place if not.’ Diane shrugged.
Chapter Nine
With the last of the trays of baked goods set out on the wooden market stall, Layla crossed her arms. It was colder than she’d thought it would be and she wished she’d thought to put a long-sleeved top on under her jumper. She buttoned up the top button on her coat.
‘You look freezing. Here, have this.’ Graham unwound his blue and white checked scarf and looped it over her head.
‘I can’t take this from you.’ Pulling it off, she held it towards him.
‘Sure you can. Go on, have it.’
‘Thanks.’ Wrapping it around her neck, she lifted the warm fabric over her chin. ‘It smells of you.’
‘Oh.’ Graham raised his eyebrows.
‘It’s nice. It smells of spices and fire.’
‘Fire?’
‘Yes, I can’t explain it. Like a coal fire.’ It reminded her of the small Yorkshire cottage she’d grown up in. They’d had a coal fire in the living room and every Sunday for tea they’d toasted teacakes over it before slathering butter on top and waiting until the golden goodness had seeped into the bread before eating them whilst watching Antiques Roadshow.
‘Oh, I see!’ Graham chuckled. ‘Diane and Harry have a real fire. My scarf must have picked up the smell.’
She nodded as she watched him serve their first customer. So far, he hadn’t been as annoying as he had yesterday. Yes, they’d only made the journey to Trestow and set the stall up and there was plenty of time left in the day for him to start teasing her again, but so far, so good.
Graham watched the customer walk away carrying two full paper bags of goods and rubbed his hands together. ‘Our first customer of the day.’
‘Yep.’ She grinned. His enthusiasm was contagious.
‘So let me get this straight. You’ve volunteered at Elsie’s bakery, right? Just as Diane did a couple of years ago.’
‘Yes, I’m volunteering. I didn’t realise Diane volunteered.’
‘She doesn’t now, but she came down here to volunteer and that’s when she met Harry.’
‘Oh.’ She’d just assumed Diane had got a job at the bakery straightaway. It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d volunteered first.
‘Yep. As did Brooke, Molly, Wendy and, I believe, Teresa too.’ Graham nodded.
‘Really?’ She widened her eyes. ‘What do you mean? They just decided to move to Penworth Bay permanently after visiting to volunteer?’
