“I’ll bet! Listen, I don’t want to add more to your schedule, but I was talking to the mums at the school today and everyone is wondering if, since you’re going to open and all, you’d consider keeping up Mari’s Halloween tradition? It would be lovely if you could. Mari always makes Halloween so special.”

With a jolt, she realized Halloween was only two weeks away. Annie mentally kicked herself for not reading Mari’s notebook again!

“Well, I’ll see what I can do,” said Annie. “I wouldn’t want to ruin a time-honored tradition!”

“Annie, you’re amazing!” cooed Gemma. “Everyone will be so pleased.”

Annie smiled down the phone and wondered what the hell it was she was going to have to do . . .

When the last cake was stashed in the chiller, Annie wrapped a sandwich in foil and left it on the table just in case Alfred spent the night. She also wrote him a note inviting him to come along tomorrow for the opening, free coffee as payment for all the work he’d done. She had been worrying that Alfred might feel he couldn’t sleep in the old tearoom now it was reopening. It was important to her that he should still feel welcome, but equally he was a proud man; the merest hint of charity or pity on her part would push him away. She tucked the note under the sandwich, and then with one last look of satisfaction around the place she headed up to bed.

Chapter 41

The weather looked like it would hold. It was definitely chilly; you could smell the cold in the air, fresh and clean, but the sky was lapis blue and the cotton-wool clouds were the pure-white friendly kind. Alex and Peter had messaged to wish her luck; Alex late last night—no chance he would be up early after a night out—and Peter this morning after his run. Max had sent her a passive-aggressive text asking her to respect their years in business together by not using recipes she had designed for the Pomegranate Seed.

Annie opened the kiosk early as usual and to her surprise Alfred came to wish her luck.

“Why don’t you stay for the festivities?” Annie asked as she made him an extra-large latte with four sugars.

“I’m not keen on crowds,” said Alfred.

“Well, so long as you know that you’re welcome,” said Annie, not wanting to push it.

“I’ll be up at Maeve’s place all day, sorting the guttering.”

“I’m surprised Maeve doesn’t fix her own guttering.” Annie laughed.

“It’s about the only thing she won’t do. She doesn’t like heights. Otherwise she probably would. But then I’d be out of a good pie and mash supper.”

“She’s a very capable woman,” said Annie.