Sam had tried her hardest to think of how they could get another headline name at short notice but was too busy with work to do anything more than mull it over in her head. By the end of the day, she’d resigned herself to running the festival without a big name and using local chefs – it would certainly be a lot cheaper, but not the ten-year anniversary celebration they’d been hoping for. She was cleaning down the kitchen with Stefan when Chloe rapped on the back door. Through the glass, Sam could see her waving her hands in the air and grinning like the Cheshire cat. Sam threw a used piece of paper towel in the bin and opened the door.

Her friend burst into the lobby like an excited spaniel. ‘You will not believe what I’ve come to tell you. It’s amazing.’

‘What’s amazing?’

Chloe held up a finger. ‘Now wait, you have to guess.’

Sam was weary after a day of climbing ladders, making pies and crushing disappointment but she couldn’t help but be infected by Chloe’s enthusiasm.

‘The festival has been given a lottery grant to fund it for the next zillion years?’

‘No … but it’s almost as good.’ Chloe smiled. ‘Go on, guess.’

‘Aidan Turner has agreed to open it by emerging from the harbour wearing only a mermaid’s tail?’

‘In your dreams. And he would have to be a merman, but, sadly, no. Try again.’

‘I can’t. I’m too knackered so please, please put me out of my misery.’

‘I’ve got another chef for the festival! And he’s massive – and cheap!’ Chloe did a jazz hands pose. ‘Ta da!’

‘Wow. That is amazing. It’s a bloody miracle. It’s fantastic! You’re a star …’ Sam rocketed from the depths of despair to sunny skies in the course of ten seconds. ‘How did you manage that?’

‘I thought you’d be pleased! I phoned a colleague in my events company for help and she’d worked with him at a big TV food show and said he might help. I couldn’t believe he was available, but it turns out he has links to the local area that go way back—’

‘Who is it?’ Sam demanded and a micro second later, icy little fingers plucked at her skin. No. It couldn’t be … it wasn’t …

Chloe burst into a grin, and actually jigged around on the spot with delight.

‘It’s Gabe Mathias!’ she trilled. ‘Can you actually believe that? Much better than Kris Zachary. More famous, and he’s Cornish!’

Sam’s stomach turned over. Every hair on her stood on end. With a massive effort she forced a smile to her face. ‘Gabe Mathias? Wow. Wow … wow …’ she kept saying like a toy dog whose batteries were running down.