Page 62 of Cooking Up a Christmas Storm
‘Bella’s outside, and Adam’s back.’
Darcy beamed. ‘Oh, I’m so glad. I felt so bad for him with us all being here and him hearing about his baby over the phone. I haven’t seen Gemma yet.’
‘No,’ Pavel answered quickly. Too quickly? ‘I haven’t either. Not this morning, I mean. Obviously I have seen her at other times.’
‘Course you have, sweetie.’ She looked up. ‘Speak of the devil.’
Gemma stopped dead in the doorway to the kitchen. ‘Hi.’
He nodded. ‘Hi.’
‘Thanks for before,’ she added.
‘Before?’ Darcy asked.
‘Oh, I was sorting out the ballroom and I got a bit…’ She shook her head. ‘Pavel was very helpful.’
‘This morning?’
Pavel stared at his shoes.
‘Yes,’ Gemma confirmed.
He could feel Darcy’s eyes boring into him without needing to look up.
‘You will not believe this!’ Bella marched into the kitchen, with Adam trailing behind her. The romantic reunion seemed to be firmly on hold.
‘What?’ Gemma asked.
‘Two different sets of people just cancelled for Hogmanay.’ She was waving her phone at them, as though the communication device itself was to blame. She tapped on the screen. ‘Listen to this.As we have now heard that the Lowbridge celebrations no longer offer a ceilidh or…’ She seethed out the next words: ‘Professional catering, we have decided to cancel our booking.’
‘What?’ This time Gemma’s question was a yell. ‘Who told them that?’
‘Who do you think?’
Gemma’s face was blank but the penny in Pavel’s head dropped quicker. ‘McKenzie?’
‘So they stole our band and now they’re taking our customers?’
‘And bad-mouthing the food,’ Bella added. ‘They’re doing a whole Hogmanay party just to spoil ours,’ she added.
A bell rang in Pavel’s mind. ‘I heard them talking about New Year when I was over there.’
Bella’s eyes narrowed. ‘I can’t believe you’re working for them.’
‘It’s not even definite yet.’
‘Even so…’
Pavel stared down at his feet.
‘He has to earn a living.’ That was Gemma. He glanced up. She didn’t meet his eye.
Bella folded her arms. ‘What were they saying?’
‘Just something about New Year and not having someone outdo them, or outshine them. Sorry. I didn’t hear much.’
Adam sighed. ‘Sounds pre-planned then.’
