Page 78 of Take Two

‘Mae,’ Mae said, taking his hand. It was very oily.

‘This place is amazing,’ Sam went on, turning in a slow circle to take in the shelves, the ovens. ‘Really…’ He waved a hand, apparently lost for a word. ‘Proper.’

‘Not sure what that means,’ Mae said, before she could stop herself.

‘Mae, be nice to him,’ Callie said.

Sam’s head whipped back around at the tone. For a moment, something like interest flickered across his face. ‘Did you guys know each other?’

‘You could say that,’ Callie said.

‘We have doughnuts to make,’ Mae said very quickly.

‘What? I thought we were doing scones?’ Callie said slightly horrified.

‘Changed my mind. Doughnuts.’

‘Jesus, why?’ Callie beseeched.

Because it can’t be like yesterday,Mae thought.We can’t have fun.

Outwardly, though, she only shrugged. ‘Teenagers make these at fairgrounds.Youshouldn’t find it that hard.’

She turned to the work surface.

‘Okay,’ she said, louder now. ‘We’re starting simple. Classic doughnuts. Yeasted. Glazed. No fancy fillings.’

‘Challenge accepted,’ Sam murmured, looking at Callie, waiting for another pity laugh. He didn’t get it this time.

‘Bread flour,’ Mae went on, tapping her pre-prepared bowls as she listed. ‘Sugar, salt, yeast. Warm milk, not hot. Butter goes in last.’

She demonstrated, mixing the ingredients, fingers quick and sure. Her hands knew what to do even if her brain was a messy bitch.

‘You want it soft,’ she said. ‘Not too sticky, not too dry.’

Sam, a bull at a gate, poured in his milk far too fast.

‘Like this?’ he asked, immediately plunging both hands in.

‘Less like you’re drowning it,’ Mae said.

Sam barked a laugh. ‘You’re funny.’ He turned to Callie. ‘She’s funny.’

‘Mmm,’ Callie said.

Callie’s attempt was better, but she was being a bit too careful. Dough clung to her fingers.

Mae bent to look into her bowl. ‘You’re overthinking it. Just get in there.’

‘I’m trying not to embarrass myself,’ Callie murmured back.

‘Best of luck,’ Mae shot back.

‘Mine looks… aggressive,’ Sam said, peering into his bowl.

‘What about mine?’ Callie asked.

‘Sad?’ Sam said.