Page 11 of Take Two

After a moment, the door to the back room shifted. Mae froze. But no one came in. Mae allowed herself to believe she was going to get through this without coming eyeball to eyeball with Callie.

Mae had just started shaping the new batch of dough when another sound reached her, and she pulled the left headphone back off her ear once more. The sound of stuff equipment being shifted.

Hopefully, that was it. They were supposed to be wrapping up by now. She was picturing them driving off in their shiny van, leaving Mae to her peace.

But then came a ‘Careful! Careful!’ followed by a sharp crash. A clatter, glass hitting tile.

She pulled her headphones down to her neck. ‘Oh, for—’

Another shout, higher this time. Whatever was happening out front, it wasn’t just a dropped cup. She could feel the panic through the walls.

Mae ran to the door.

Eight

‘Okay! Let’s get the family in nice and tight, yeah?’ Neil clapped.

Christine obeyed instantly, practically jumping into her husband’s lap and yanking her daughter close.

‘No, I meant theshot, Christine,’ Neil broke it to her.

Christine released everyone.

Callie rolled her eyes. Her ‘family’ had been here an hour, and they were going in bloody circles. Every conversation so far had gone nowhere because, essentially, these people were strangers to her. The history she had with Brian and Hannah barely extended beyond the occasional and very brief lunch, the occasional time her mother had dragged them to London for some Christmas market or whatever.

And Callie’s history with her mother was so loaded that casual chat felt nearly impossible.

Callie wished George, her brother, were here. But he’d said no, and Callie didn’t blame him. This wasn’t his scene at all. George preferred the predictable: the coding job he’d been doing for ten years and the girlfriend he’d had for eight. This madness? No way.

He was happy to see Callie in London, and he often visited from Manchester, where he’d settled. He knew what her life was and stood aside for selfie hounds. So maybe it wasn’t just about cameras.

But where George was shy and sweet, Hannah was lapping up all the chaos and attention she could get.

‘Hey, Callie… didyouchoosethisbakery…’ Hannah began loudly. Callie noted the boom mic swing to her. ‘…Because you used to be friends with the woman who works here?’

Hannah’s information went back longer than it should have. Christine had clearly been opening her yap.

‘No. I didn’t,’ Callie said quickly and quietly.

‘Are you not friends with her now?’ Hannah asked, trying to sound innocent. Callie wasn’t convinced.

‘I haven’t kept up with my old friends, no.’

‘Because Mum said—’

‘Shush!’ Christine said quickly.

‘Can we let her talk, Christine?’ Neil asked her.

Christine nodded reluctantly.

Callie’s smile didn’t falter, but her stomach clenched. ‘Maybe leave that alone,’ she said quietly, a warning only Hannah would catch.

‘Leave what alone?’ Hannah asked, eyes shining. ‘Isn’t this a romance show you’re on? So, it’s meant to be all about love and stuff. And Mum said that you and—’

‘Don’t!’ Callie said sharply.

Hannah stopped. Everyone stopped, actually.