Toby leaned against the counter, standing exactly where his mom used to stand when she served them snacks after school. ‘What do you think of this café?’

‘What do I think?’ She shifted Ty to the other arm, absent-mindedly jiggling him up and down. ‘Well, I think there’s potential for it to be a really nice café that people can come in, sit down and have a nice lunch or snack in. But what do I see? Neglect. Sadness. A waste.’

Toby was silent.

‘Oh God! I’ve offended you, haven’t I?’

‘No, not at all. Mom passed away and the place has kind of gone to ruin. Dad has tried to keep up, but he was never good at this kind of stuff.’

‘Oh Toby, I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s passing. I always remembered her as a lovely lady who made a mean apple crumble.’

‘Thanks Ness, I appreciate that. She’d been sick for a while. Tell me,’ he said after a moment’s pause, ‘what would you do differently?’ Toby asked.

Without missing a beat, Vanessa said, ‘Well, I’d start by putting up a new sign at the front with “Under New Management” on it. Repaint the concrete tiles in an appealing terracotta color. I’d like to see some outdoor tables and chairs, maybe with umbrellas for hot days. I’d redo the floor inside, polished concrete – it’s hard wearing and looks great. I’d overhaul the menu, if you can call it that, and lastly, I’d add fresh food and muffins to the menu. I think that’s about it.’

He just stared at her. ‘What? You asked,’ she said defensively, changing the increasingly heavy Ty to the other arm again.

Toby smiled. ‘All right then.’

‘All right then what?’

‘You have yourself a job. Can you start tomorrow?’

He took in her open mouth and wide eyes and began laughing. ‘You should see your face right now. Dad needs help, we’re losing money on this side of the business and you clearly have an eye for improvements and details.’

Surely, he didn’t just offer her a job. Did he?

‘So, can you start tomorrow? There’s no one to train you, but I’m sure you can work most of it out. I need to go back to the city; I can’t spend any more time here, and Dad’s been a bit… stuck since Mom died. He needs a woman’s touch around the place. Here’s my card, contact me to talk about budgets and staffing. You can hire another part-timer to cover you as I know you’ve got a family and you’re a single mom now.’

‘I just can’t believe this. You’re seriously offering me a job?’

‘I’m seriously giving you a job, and I’m really hoping you’re going to take it.’ He put his hand out.