27
SYLVIA
Iam officially the happiest woman in the world.
I wake up to find Mike gone, but his heat still on the sheets. I roll to my back and stretch, feeling roughly like ten million bucks. Can I have what I want after all? This morning, I could believe it.
This morning, I could believe anything.
Then Una taps on the door. “Mildred just called. She’s not feeling well and doesn’t want to pass anything along to me.”
“Okay.” I’m knotting the belt on my robe as I open the door. “I’ll drive you into Havelock for your appointment.”
“But you have to work this afternoon.”
“I’ll find an answer. Don’t worry, Una.” I give her a kiss on the cheek and she squeezes my hand.
“I’m sorry to be so much trouble.”
“You’re not.” She looks unconvinced so I smile at her. “The way I figure it, you’ve never given anyone any trouble, so you’ve been saving up.”
She smiles reluctantly.
“You’ve barely begun to work on that inventory. I’ll take the time from work if I have to. It’ll be fine.”
And I’m sure it will be.
Because I know who I’m going to ask for help.
Today is greenhouse installation day, which means I know exactly where to find Mike. I send him a text and he replies that he’s at the café already. He’s waiting on crews but will be able to talk for a few minutes first, if I hurry.
I move.
Merrie has had a sign up all week that we’ll be closed at lunch today. Mike told her that the building had to be empty when the greenhouse was installed to satisfy some construction code. He’s sure it’ll be done just after lunch, so dinner service will be fine.
Sierra wanted to come home a day early to watch the construction, but I was firm. She’ll be taking the bus to Havelock this afternoon and not missing any school.
This qualifies me as the most evil mother who ever lived but I will survive.
I get another call just as I get out of the shower, this time from Merrie. Daphne Bradshaw called her the night before and asked her to cater a brunch today.
“Long story and I don’t understand the details,” Merrie says briskly. “Evidently, she and a group of other women meet up on Wednesday nights, and they decided this week that they should watch the greenhouse installation. They’re setting up canopies on the roof of a place across the street from the café, and we’re bringing hors d’oeuvres. Canapés under canopies.”
“I have to take Una to Havelock this morning, but I’m going to stop downtown to talk to Mike first.”
“Can you carry some stuff across the street while you’re here? Colin is doing a great job, but I’m just finishing up these smoked salmon bites and Mike wants meout of here ASAP. If you can set the tables there and pour the first round of mimosas, we’ll be fine after that.”
“Be right there.”
Una rides downtown with me to save time. When we get to Queen Street, there’s a massive crane parked outside the café. I see Mike’s truck and another white truck with the greenhouse company’s logo on it parked a little further down the street. There’s also one from the permit department in Havelock. Guessing that the crane will need space, I park on the other side of the street. There are a lot of people downtown, more than I’ve seen in Empire recently, many with lawn chairs and binoculars. There are more than a few coolers, too.
Willow waves to me from the doorway of the building in question. It’s right beside the Odeon theatre, an empty two-storey building. The windows are papered over on the ground floor retail space. I can hear women laughing somewhere above me. I have to think that Patrick Cavendish owns the building, since he owns pretty much everything in town, but Willow has the keys and no one is asking questions.
Una stays in the car, chatting with an older couple who have come to watch the proceedings. I hurry to the café where Merrie loads me up with closed containers of artful appetizers. I head across the street with Colin right behind me. We move quickly through the dark and quiet interior, up the stairs, then onto the bright sunshine on the roof. Two of those portable white awnings are set up there, and there’s a great view of the roof of the café. There are lawn chairs set up and little tables, as well as a group of women.
I recognize Daphne and Willow, but there’s another woman with short dark hair with them. There are a few others, too, younger women I don’t know. They’re all wearing sundresses, sunglasses and straw hats like they’re at a summer party. I realize that there are people on some of the otherrooftops too, and my heart skips a beat when I spot Mike on the roof across the way. He must be walking the site one last time because he’s with a slimmer guy who is pointing at the roof.
“Welcome to day-drinking with man candy,” the dark-haired woman says to me with a brilliant smile. “I’m Cameron Sinclair.” She offers her hand and I put down my load to shake it. “I hope you’re the one with the mimosas.”
