Summer at the Kindness Cafe

by Victoria Walters

  Then, Louise walked over to the Kindness Board and wiped it clean. She hoped the people who had written up there wouldn’t mind starting again. Picking up the chalk, she took a deep breath and started to write.

  After she had written what she wanted to say, she went into the kitchen and set about making breakfast.

  Half an hour later, Alex called out her name and she went out into the café to greet him. ‘Good morning,’ he said with a smile. ‘This looks lovely,’ he said, looking at the table.

  ‘Sit down, I’ll be back in a minute with breakfast,’ she said, wishing she didn’t feel quite so nervous. She hurried back into the kitchen and plated up their breakfast of pancakes and berries drizzled with syrup, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, and brought them out. She added freshly brewed coffee to the table and a plate of croissants: all the best that Brew had to offer, although she was sure that Harry would have made it even better.

  ‘Wow, this is a treat,’ Alex said, helping her to put everything down onto the table. ‘Beats my usual cereal, for sure.’ He looked at her as she sat down. ‘What’s all this in aid of?’

  ‘The Kindness Board will explain all,’ Louise replied, her voice shaking a little. Her palms were clammy as she watched him turn to the board. She felt a little sick, which was a shame as the food looked amazing, but she really wasn’t sure how he would react to all of this. What if she had got it all wrong and he wasn’t at all interested? She glanced at the door, planning a quick escape route.

  Alex got up to read the board properly and it seemed as if time stood still as he read what she had written up there just for him.

  Alex, for bringing so much kindness into my life this summer. For finding my earrings and for finding my heart. I didn’t realise how trapped my heart was until you set it free. You have bought me my favourite flowers, delivered me my favourite coffee, cheered me up when I was sick, looked after me when I drank way too much, and brightened up so many days with a kind word and a smile. You understood that I’d been hurt before and I was scared. You showed me that I do need people. That I do deserve love. And how much love I have to give. Alex, you’ve changed everything this summer. I wanted you to know that. My heart is yours, if you’ll still have me?

  Louise bit her lip as silence hung heavily around them. His back was still turned to her as he read the board so she had no idea of how he was reacting to it. Finally, she couldn’t take it any more, and cleared her throat.

  Alex turned around slowly to face her, and his eyes were brimming with tears. ‘Louise, you wrote this for me? You did all this for me?’

  She got up. ‘All summer you’ve looked after everyone. Me, your sister and your niece, all the animals, you are always helping other people and I just wanted to do something for you. I wanted you to know how much you mean to us all. To me,’ she said, her words choking up at the end. ‘I understand if you don’t feel the same way but I had to tell you. I have run from love for the past two years but I don’t want to run any more, because of you.’

  ‘Of course I feel the same way!’ Alex walked over to her and wiped away the tear that had rolled down her cheek. ‘I was convinced that you would never want me, kept telling myself to walk away from you, but I always had this hope that you would. One day.’

  She nodded. ‘I want to be with you,’ she said, the tears flowing freely now.

  ‘Is it okay to kiss you even though you’re crying?’

  Louise wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his hands on her waist, anchoring her in a way she could never have believed someone’s touch could, and when their lips finally met she knew that she had nothing to be scared about any more. Alex was what she hadn’t realised she had been looking for.

  ‘Shall we eat?’ Alex asked with a laugh when they parted.

  ‘My appetite is back, so yes.’ Louise sat down and took a sip of juice. She was relieved, and happy, and a little bit giddy from their kiss. ‘I was so worried you wouldn’t come back to Littlewood, and that I’d missed my chance to tell you how I felt. I was considering coming up to Scotland and beating down your tent.’

  ‘I must admit I did go away because of you,’ he began, taking a quick bite of eggs. He saw her face and shook his head. ‘I mean that when we went for that drink at Huntley Manor, I really wanted to kiss you. So much. But I was so worried you still just wanted to be friends, and I was too scared to ask you in case I got rejected again. So, when my cousins suggested a camping trip, I jumped at the idea. I thought if I could get away for a while, get some distance from you, I’d realise that I wasn’t really in love with you at all and I could get over you, once and for all.’

  ‘It worked well then?’ Louise said, smiling across at him. His leg touched hers and neither of them moved.

  ‘It was a disaster. I saw your face in every view. There was so much peace and quiet, I thought of you even more than I had done here. I missed you a lot. But it did help in one way. It made me see that I had to try one last time or I’d always regret it. I had to come back and see if there was any hope that you might feel the same way about me one day.’

  ‘I was so happy when you came to the party.’

  ‘When I saw you in that dress, I knew I’d done the right thing.’ He winked. ‘When we danced, I knew I couldn’t be anywhere but right here, with you.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say anything last night?’

  ‘You have no idea how badly I wanted to. When you invited me for breakfast, I dared to hope but I could never have expected any of this.’ He glanced at the board again and smiled. ‘I’m very glad I came back.’ He reached for her hand across the table and squeezed it.

  ‘Me too. I’m sorry I pushed you away so much.’

  ‘You needed time, I understood that. I would never hurt you intentionally, I hope you know that.’

  Louise nodded. ‘I do.’

  They finished their breakfast with Alex telling her about his trip, and Louise telling him about the drama at Brew and at the party. When they had finished, Alex pushed his chair back and asked her to come over. He pulled her down onto his lap when she did. ‘I can’t quite believe this has happened finally,’ he said, kissing her softly on the lips.

  She smiled, amazed how good it felt to kiss him. ‘I’m sorry it took me so long,’ she said, pulling him in for a deeper, lingering kiss.

  A knock behind them at the door made them both turn in surprise. Outside were Joy and Harry, smiling and waving at them.

  ‘I think we’d better let them open Brew,’ Louise said, laughing at how happy they were seeing her draped over his lap.

  ‘I don’t want to let you go.’

  ‘Come back to the cottage with me,’ she suggested boldly, climbing off him reluctantly. The look he gave her made her pulse quicken, and she hurried to let them in, keen to get Alex back to hers as soon as she could. She was so relieved that it had gone so well, and was certain as she could be that their future together was going to be a happy one.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Abbie and Eszter stood in the centre of their new office at Huntley Manor a few weeks later and watched as Louise walked around, taking it all in. Summer had faded into autumn and the trees in the grounds of the hotel were starting to turn a burnt orange, making the view from their window even more stunning.

  ‘It’s perfect,’ Louise declared, having taken it all in. They had finally moved in to the space now. There were two desks and chairs, a large plant in the corner, two paintings from the attic treasure trove hanging on the wall, and a sofa at one end for visitors. The walls were cream, the floor polished wood, and light blinds had been fitted at the window. It felt airy and bright, and the views over Huntley Manor and beyond were bound to stun even the most cold-hearted of clients. ‘This calls for a toast.’ She picked up the champagne she had brought for both of them to celebrate the official launch of Littlewood PR & Events. It opened with a bang, making them jump and laugh, and she poured out three glasses. They were having lunch with Thomas, Alex, Joy, Harry, Anne and
Zoe later downstairs but they had wanted just a moment with the three of them to mark the start of their new business.

  Louise cleared her throat and the three of them stood together, glasses poised. ‘Okay, I just wanted to say that I’m really proud of both of you. I know this business is going to be a big success, and I’m so happy that you have both stayed in Littlewood with me. I also wanted to say thank you. At the start of the summer, I was lonely but I didn’t want to admit it and you not only brought friendship and family back into my life, but you helped me open up again and I found Alex. If it hadn’t been for our kindness pact, I might have always been scared to take a leap and I would have missed out on so much. I’m really happy and I know you both are too, so I think we should raise our glasses to Littlewood PR, and to kindness!’

  They clinked glasses and took a sip, all three of them trying not to cry.

  ‘I can’t believe we’ve actually done it,’ Abbie said, looking around the room. ‘This could have all turned out so differently.’ She gave a little shudder at the thought of that.

  ‘It’s all happened so fast,’ Eszter agreed. ‘Zoe starts school here next week and we’re all moved in to Anne’s. I never thought I’d be moving to the UK permanently. Honestly, what is it about this place?’

  ‘Littlewood gets under your skin,’ Abbie said.

  ‘It’s because there’s a community here, and we look out for one another,’ Louise said. ‘And it’s just a lovely place to live. I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.’ She was very much still in the honeymoon stage of love with Alex, and felt as if she had a smile on her face most of the time. ‘And you were right – kindness is good for you. And not just helping others but looking after yourself too.’ Louise would always love caring for other people and reading the Kindness Board in Brew but she now also made sure that she didn’t lose sight of what she wanted. Following her heart was something she had been running from for a long time. She now knew that being kind to yourself was important if you were going to be happy. And she deserved to be happy.

  ‘Hear hear,’ Abbie said, wrapping an arm around her sister’s waist. ‘What’s that?’ she asked, hearing a noise outside. A dog barked and they looked at one another with a smile. Soon after, the door burst open and in ran Zoe with Ben at her heels as usual. They were followed by Alex who was carrying a bunch of balloons, Thomas who had two bouquets of flowers and was stumbling under their weight, and behind them Anne, Joy and Harry were carrying wrapped-up presents.

  ‘We couldn’t wait any longer to see it,’ Zoe explained, rushing over to look out of the window, Ben scampering after her and almost knocking over the champagne. Eszter grabbed it just in time; she was getting used to looking out for Ben chaos, and even though he could be naughty they had all fallen head over heels for the gentle, soppy dog.

  ‘That’s okay,’ Abbie said. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I like it,’ Zoe declared.

  ‘You’ve done a great job,’ Alex agreed, looking around. He tied the balloons to the desk. ‘Congratulations.’

  They piled the gifts up on the desk, and then everyone took a drop of champagne and another toast was ordered.

  Thomas cleared his throat. ‘I just wanted to say that Huntley Manor is very pleased to welcome Littlewood PR to its fold. At the start of the summer, I thought that I would have to sell my family home, but thanks to everyone in this room, it’s still here and bookings are full for the first time in years. And, thanks to the auction, we are starting an improvements programme to make sure this house stands for years and years to come. I hope we’ll all be here to enjoy it for years and years to come too,’ he said, holding up his glass. They all cheered the sentiment and drank their champagne. Zoe, annoyed that she wasn’t allowed any, took a sip of her orange juice. Even Ben joined in with an enthusiastic bark.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Louise asked, noticing Eszter looking out of the window as they got ready to go down for lunch.

  ‘I’m fine. I just wish Nick was here to see all of this,’ she admitted.

  ‘I think he is. That letter he wrote, it’s like he knew this place would claim you and he gave it his blessing. He’ll always be looking down on both of you, I’m sure of it.’

  Eszter nodded, her eyes welling up. ‘I know one day I’ll move on but right now, I still miss him so much.’

  ‘Of course you do. There’s no rush to move on. You have family and friends and a new home here, and look at what you’re starting with Abbie. It’s just the beginning of your new adventure. And I think Nick is coming along right beside you.’

  ‘Thanks, Louise.’ Eszter gave her a quick hug. ‘Can you imagine if I hadn’t run into you and Abbie on my first day here?’

  ‘I’m very glad my sister was so careless and dropped her bag, and even more so that you were kind enough to chase after her with it,’ Louise replied, thinking that it must have been fate that brought them all together. She looked around the room. She was sure that there were still ups and downs to come, that was life after all, but they would get through it because they had each other.

  ‘Are you ready?’ Alex asked her, taking hold of her hand in his. She smiled. She was.

  Notes from the Brew Kindness Board:

  Thank you to Littlewood College for picking up litter in the park as part of their project on the environment!

  ***

  My husband for organising a surprise 40th birthday party for me. I had no idea and it was so lovely to spend the night with all our family and friends.

  ***

  Jenny for bringing in doughnuts every Friday for the office. It always cheers everyone up!

  ***

  Thank you to Olly, my ten-year-old neighbour, who offered to clean my car for me and wouldn’t accept any money for it.

  ***

  The kind stranger who paid for my coffee in here when he was buying his – an unexpected treat!

  ***

  Thank you to the woman who let me go in front of her at the post office, seeing I was struggling with two kids crying to go home – her kindness really helped rescue the situation.

  ***

  My next-door neighbour for bringing me and the kids our dinner every night while my wife was in hospital for a week. You saved us from beans on toast!

  ***

  Thank you to my niece for walking my dog every morning in the holidays to save me struggling with my arthritis. We both appreciate it, darling.

  A Note from the Author

  Dear reader,

  Thank you for choosing to read Summer at the Kindness Café. I loved creating the town of Littlewood, and its inhabitants, and thinking about how kindness has the power to change lives. I really hope that you enjoyed reading it, and it inspires you to add some kindness to your own life.

  I love talking to readers, so please do let me know what you thought of the book. Leaving a review online really helps other readers to find the book, so please pop your thoughts up on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo and Goodreads.

  You can also let me know if you’re a fan of the story by following me on Twitter (@Vicky_Walters), on Instagram (vickyjwalters) and by liking my Facebook page (VictoriaWaltersAuthor).

  I am looking forward to hearing from you!

  Much love,

  Victoria x

  Victoria Walters was discovered in a short story competition run by Simon & Schuster’s The Hot Bed. Summer at the Kindness Café is her second novel.

  First published in Great Britain by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2018

  A CBS Company

  Copyright © Victoria Walters, 2018

  The right of Victoria Walters to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

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  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4711-8116-0

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-4711-8117-7

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Printed and bound in Great Britain by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY

  Simon & Schuster UK Ltd are committed to sourcing paper that is made from wood grown in sustainable forests and support the Forest Stewardship Council, the leading international forest certification organisation. Our books displaying the FSC logo are printed on FSC certified paper.