Page 6
She smiled wistfully, picturing the old receipts and torn-out pages from magazines on her bedside table, bursting with messy ideas and scribbled dialogue for her own historical romance. “Can’t. I’ll be in the shop.”
“Ah, that sucks. No ogling hot actors for you, then.”
“There aren’t any. I checked.”
“Of course you did!” said Sunita. “How long they here for?”
“Two months. They’ve filmed most of it down in London already.”
“This is huge! Your mum’s really going for it.”
“She doesn’t have much choice,” said Evie. “The shop’s roof is falling apart, and we don’t have enough savings to replace it. One bad storm and the whole building could flood.”
“Jesus, that bad?”
“Yeah, but hopefully this TV thing will answer our financial prayers. The broadcaster wants hot meals, vegan dishes, and a fully stocked craft table and is paying a shitload to get it. We cannot mess up.”
“So who’s cooking while your mum’s away?” asked Sunita.
“Gemma Hourston.”
“How’d you pry her away from The Odin? She’s practically part of the furniture there.”
“Her marriage collapsed.”
Sunita’s head drew back. “Noo! She’s been married for, what? Twenty-five years?”
“Twenty-seven, but it’s more like thirty-one if you count how long they’ve worked together in the hotel’s kitchen.”
“Poor Gemma. Thank god your mum’s looking out for her…”
Evie nodded.
“…plus, you know…sparing the clients from your cooking.”
She playfully smacked her friend’s arm. “Sunita!”
“Well! My tastebuds are still scarred from your cough drop chicken disaster.”
“So I went a little overboard with the lemon honey glaze.” Evie shrugged. “Live and learn.”
Sunita laughed. “For his sake, I hope Brodie’s a good cook.”
Glancing away, Evie followed a trio of boys carrying model boats. “Shame I’ll never find out.”
“What? Why? I thought your first date went well?”
“The second didn’t. I was home in bed—alone—after one glass of wine.”
“What the hell happened?”
“The usual,” said Evie.
Sunita blinked in disbelief. “But how? He moved here two weeks ago. How’d he—”
“A co-worker.”
“These bloody islands,” Sunita growled.
