Keeping the Peace Read Online Free Page A

through, she is. From London,’ she added with extra emphasis.
    ‘Ah, London. Needed a change of scenery, did you, love?’
    ‘That too,’ Pippa said hesitantly. She didn’t want to go upsetting any more townsfolk with her news of selling up. ‘I inherited a cottage near here. It’s a beautiful part of the country.’
    The old man smiled. His grey eyes softened and all of a sudden he didn’t seem so grumpy.
    ‘What’s your name then?’
    ‘Pippa Taylor.’
    ‘Old Dave Taylor’s niece,’ Wendy inputted.
    ‘Don’t you go calling Dave Taylor old, Wendy Tarver. If he’s old, what does that make me?’
    Prehistoric sprang to Pippa’s mind and she bit back a smile.
    ‘You’ve been around too long to be in denial about your age,’ Wendy said, batting a dishcloth in his direction. She moved over to the hatch to retrieve his cholesterol-pumped fry- up which Randy had just cooked. ‘Now, put that down you and don’t be bothering my customers, you hear?’
    Pippa thought this was a bit rich, but didn’t comment.
    Norm took no notice of her warning and after giving his dog a hash brown, he turned once more to Pippa.
    ‘Are you sorting out all Dave’s affairs now he’s kicked the bucket? Not something I’d envy.’
    ‘I’m going to do up his cottage and sell it – hopefully. I was thinking of getting someone local to help,’ Pippa replied, finishing off her muffin.
    ‘Well, now. That might make it easier to swallow if you bring some work into this place. You’ll be selling to some city folk no doubt?’
    Pippa hesitated, feeling unnecessarily guilty.
    ‘That is the plan, unless of course someone local wants to buy it.’
    ‘No one will probably be able to afford it, but don’t let that worry you. If it’s city folk you must sell it to, then so be it.’
    She gave him a grateful smile, faltering slightly when she became aware of Wendy regarding her from behind the counter.
    ‘Well, I’ll certainly advertise it locally to begin with,’ she said, trying to appease her.
    Norm grunted and scooped another forkful of beans and sausage into his mouth.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    ‘ O w, fuck. That’s hot,’ Pippa muttered, trying to pick up a plate of Vivace Restaurant’s homemade lasagne. Finally laden with three plates, she weaved through the tables to deliver the order. The lasagne-requestor looked suspiciously at his food.
    ‘What is this?’
    ‘Lasagne,’ Pippa said slowly.
    ‘Is that meat?’
    Pippa peered at the plate then looked back at the man. Was this a trick question?
    ‘It looks like it.’
    ‘I ordered vegetarian lasagne. Not this.’
    ‘No, you ordered regular lasagne,’ Pippa frowned. She could have sworn he hadn’t mentioned anything about being a vegetarian.
    ‘I think I know what I ordered!’
    ‘Okay. I’m sorry for the mix-up. I’ll go order you a vegetarian dish.’
    ‘So I can sit here watching my colleagues eating their food? I don’t think so!’
    ‘There’s a complimentary bread basket,’ Pippa suggested.
    ‘Bloody ridiculous!’
    ‘Excuse me, is there a problem?’
    Pippa closed her eyes and counted to five as Jayne, the restaurant manageress appeared at her shoulder. As usual, her boss was dressed in a power pinstripes more suited to a lawyer’s office or tycoon PA.
    ‘Yes, my friends and I ordered a meal and she couldn’t even get three orders right! I wanted vegetarian lasagne!’
    ‘I do apologise. I can assure you this sort of mistake does not happen often. I’m sure Chef has some freshly-made vegetarian lasagne.’
    ‘Oh, forget it. I’ll just have a salad.’
    Pippa slunk away, avoiding eye contact with Jayne. The manageress wasn’t to be deterred that easily though.
    ‘Pippa, where is your head tonight?’ she demanded once they were out of earshot of the customers.
    ‘I’m sure he didn’t say veg lasagne. Honest.’
    ‘Well, it’s too late to try pinning the blame back on the customer. Remember the customer is always right .’
    Pippa