‘I’m not sure.’
‘Do it.’
‘But what’ll happen to Parsley’s?’
‘Nothing! Small independent retailers still go on holiday. They put a sign up saying, “back on whatever date” and people deal with it. It’s not like there’s anyone to steal your custom while you’re away.’
‘I know. But I have two giant fridges full of food and fourteen mint plants to water. The meat delivery is scheduled for tomorrow.’
I stopped to serve another group of customers, and then found Blessing brandishing a napkin in one hand, a blue eyeliner in the other. ‘Write it all down.’
‘What?’
‘Write down everything that needs doing if you go away for a couple of weeks. I have the perfect solution.’
I saw the gleam in her eyes and instantly cottoned on to her plan.
‘You’re going to house-sit for me?’
‘I will even pay you rent.’
‘Really?’
She shrugged. ‘Mates’ rates, obviously.’
I served another couple of customers.
‘Who knows? When you come back, I might just stay.’
‘Really?’
I loved Blessing, but the thought of her there, in my space, all the time, made my eyelid twitch.
‘What do you say?’
‘Can I have more than two minutes to think about it?’
‘Fine. I need to get to work, anyway.’ She checked the time on her phone. ‘Let me know after your hot farmer lunch date.’
She stopped then, mouth dropping open. ‘Oh, my goodness, Emmie. You’re going to the island, aren’t you? You’re going to buy a ticket to Siskin and have a rip-roaring, heart-thumping holiday romance with Pip.’
7
By three o’clock, my thoughts were still ricocheting between the only practical, rational, doable thing, and the impossible, ridiculous, reckless one that made my legs tremble and my brain feel as if it didn’t even know who Emmie Brown was any more.
Then I caught sight of Pip, striding through the airport towards me, and suddenly anything seemed possible.
‘Hey,’ he said, coming to stop with a crooked smile.
‘Hi.’
We looked at each other for a long moment, before being interrupted by someone asking for a coffee. I let them know that we were closed, then lowered the hatch, opening the side door so Pip could wait for me there.
‘I heard you got lucky this morning,’ he said as I whizzed through the last bits of clearing up.
‘What?’ I said, flicking off a couple of sockets. ‘Has Barb made a banner? I’ve not heard Gavin announce it on the tannoy.’
‘The guy in Security was telling everyone to head over here. Said you’d hit the jackpot and might be offering freebies.’
