“I’m sorry. Can we start again?” he asked, posting his hand in through the kiosk. “I’m John Granger. Not nearly as grumpy as I seem. It appears my aunt has been omitting to tell me the arrangements the two of you have made. You’ve taken me by surprise, twice. That doesn’t happen very often.”

Annie shook the proffered hand gingerly. “It’s not often that I’m described as surprising, so we’re both treading new ground,” she said, allowing him a small smile. She wasn’t sure of him yet.

“Do you know how to use that thing?” he asked, pointing to the coffee machine.

“I am a fully trained barista,” she replied as haughtily as she could muster. “Among other things.”

“Oh?” There was a note of surprise in John’s voice, and Annie thought she detected a twinkle of humor in his eyes.

“I am a classically trained, award-winning chef and have run a successful restaurant for fifteen years.”

“If it’s successful, why did you leave it?” He raised one eyebrow; he was teasing her. Annie didn’t know if she liked it or not.

“That’s a bit impertinent, Mr. Granger,” she said, and gave what she hoped was a Mona Lisa smile.

Just then Raye came bounding up to the kiosk window, seemingly unaware of the human mountain stood in front of it.

“Hi, Annie! Thank goodness I caught you, I was worried you’d be closed already. I’ve just got back from the cash-and-carry, and I’m gagging for a coffee before we open. Can I have an oat milk mocha, please?” She thrust her reusable bamboo cup through the hatch.

Only then did Raye notice the scowling man.

“Oh, gosh, sorry!” she flustered. “Were you here first? Trust me, barging in like a fairy elephant!” And then she registered who the other customer was. “John!” she squealed, delightedly, and threw her arms around his waist. “Great to see you! Are you here for long? You must drop into the Bounty, Aiden would love to see you. You’ve met our Annie, then? She’s an absolute lifesaver, I tell you.”

Annie smiled, and John Granger looked uncomfortable.

“It’s lovely to see you, Raye,” he said with a warmth that Annie found hard to associate with the same stony face that had greeted her on both occasions they’d met. “How are you? How’s Melody getting on?”

“I’m good,” said Raye. “We’re all good. Melody is loving university life, we’ll be lucky if she even bothers to come back for holidays at this rate. We miss you, though; where’ve you been hiding yourself?”