Page 104 of My Kind of Happy

Chapter Thirty

An hour later we were back in the florist’s shop. Sam filled the dog’s water bowl while I made us both coffee, each lost in our own thoughts. I’d got back to the shop shortly before him, bought us both breakfast from the Lemon Tree Café and fetched Scamp from Biddy’s.

I’d had time to think on the way back from the hotel. I wasn’t going to waste any more time moping about my mistakes; I had a lot of stock to sell and as Sam seemed to be in no hurry to go, I decided to rope him in. We made space on the workshop table and sat down to eat hot paninis and drink our coffees.

‘Which do you prefer,’ I held up the two brown paper bags: ‘Portobello mushroom and mascarpone, or smoked bacon and mozzarella?’

‘Ooh, tough one.’ Sam deliberated. ‘Can we have half and half?’

I grinned; this man got more amazing by the second. ‘Good call.’

I divvied them up and put a bit of my bacon to one side for Scamp, who was poised between us watching our every move like a tennis fan at Wimbledon.

‘Do you ever watch The Apprentice?’ I said.

‘You’re fired.’ Sam jabbed a finger at me. He winced. ‘Actually more like I’m fired. Ugh. Forget I said that. I don’t want to think about Hogg Property Services today.’

‘If you do get fired, which I don’t believe for a moment, but if you do, maybe it could be a good thing,’ I said gently. ‘You could have a change of direction. Like I did coming here. This could be your opportunity to go into catering.’

His eyes lit up. ‘You really do remember everything I say, don’t you?’

I shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Of course.’

Then he screwed his face up. ‘I dunno, I think maybe that ship has sailed. But thanks for the encouragement. Why did you ask about The Apprentice?’

‘OK.’ I took a sip of coffee, noting the change of subject. ‘You know how there’s always a task to make products and then sell them by the end of the day for a profit?’

He swallowed his mouthful, nodding. ‘And then the team who makes the most profit wins.’

‘Exactly, so …’ I waggled my eyebrows. ‘How do you fancy a challenge?’

‘Hmm.’ He narrowed his eyes as if sizing me up. ‘I fancy it a lot.’

Suddenly the day was looking a hell of a lot better. I felt a frisson of excitement. ‘Fantastic! I hope you’re not a bad loser because I’ll win.’

‘That’s what you think.’ He clapped his hands together with glee. ‘I can sell ice to the Eskimos.’

‘A-ha! Your first mistake. They don’t need ice,’ I said triumphantly, slipping Scamp’s bacon to him. You could only do that when you’d finished eating, otherwise he’d be on your knee clamouring for more. ‘A clever sales person would sell them something they’ll really appreciate, like those hand warmers you put in your gloves that get hot when you crack them, or Kendal mint cake to give them energy in the cold. Not something they have by the bucketload. Are you laughing at me?’

Sam was sniggering into his coffee cup. ‘No. Well, yes, a bit. You’re very sweet. I just mean I can convince people to buy things they didn’t even know they needed.’

I was sweet. Which was all right, I supposed, but I’d rather be heart-stoppingly gorgeous. Of course, he might think I was gorgeous but not want to say so. On the other hand, he might be reeling from splitting up with his wife and not thinking about me in any other terms than a friend with a lot of flowers to sell. Probably that one.

Sam was still smiling, I smiled back.

‘Things they don’t know they need – you mean like flowers?’ I gasped in mock offence. ‘Flowers are very important things.’

‘You’re right, I apologise,’ he said softly, holding my gaze. ‘Thanks, this is just what I need.’

His hand covered mine and all my nerve endings jumped up and yelled YES.

‘What, breakfast?’ It came out a bit wonky because my mouth had gone dry.

‘No, you crazy woman, a day doing something fun.’

‘You’re welcome.’ My heart was clanging against my ribs like the pipe to the bathroom radiator but I thought I’d just about managed to stay cool.

‘So what’s the prize?’ He chewed on his last mouthful of panini.