“Thanks, Gemma. Hi, kids!” said Annie. Esme and Lennox grimaced; they were less than impressed at having spent twenty minutes in a queue. Annie reached into the chiller and pulled out two pieces of tiffin as a peace offering.

“Tom’s manning the shop,” said Samantha. “When things calm down a bit here, I’ll go up and hold the fort so he can come down.”

“Poor Samantha, came down expecting a relaxing morning and ended up working!” Annie explained.

Samantha shrugged, smiling, and said, “A change is as good as a rest.”

—

Aside from the wait for drinks, the comments were mostly positive. People were delighted by the prospect of a café on the seafront. Drawn by the sunny weather, lots of visitors who would not ordinarily come this far down the promenade said they would definitely be back. But the people Annie really needed to impress were the ones who would be her bread and butter: the locals. Mari was a beloved local legend, and Annie was stepping into some well-respected shoes. She made a point of taking coffees out to Emily and her associates, who took them with grudging thanks, and Annie was gratified later to see the banners rested up against the wall, slogans inward-facing.

Paul swanned in and out, accepting compliments on his woodwork skills and chatting amiably with everyone. The cheeky winks in the direction of several Willow Bay ladies did not go unnoticed by Annie, nor did their sultry return gazes; Paul’s sexual chemistry was alive and kicking with everyone but her, apparently.

The kite surfing race was a triumph. Bill had a megaphone and gave commentary from his position on the patio wall. Someone had opened a book on the race, which added another dimension to the cheers of the crowd. When the race was over, the folk band struck up and the promenade was alive with dancing children and adults foot-tapping and clapping along to the music. Fleece hoodies and cable-knits were the order of the day, hair was whipped back and forth by the wind, and sunglasses enjoyed a final outing in the glorious autumn sun. It felt to Annie as though the weather had given one last blast of summer before winter. She took it as a good omen, as if the sun itself were encouraging her.