Chapter Twenty-Eight
End-of-August meeting, nominated book:
The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams
Her last job had overrun so Lottie was running late. Only half an hour before she was due at the book club, and it took at least twenty minutes to walk there. As she rushed about, dropping food into Chewie’s bowl, trying to find her keys, Henry sat on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table.
‘Tell me again why we have to go to this book club thing?’
She was losing patience with both the men in her life. She cast a glance over at Chewie, who was wolfing his tea down. Okay, two of the three men in her life.
‘Because I run it. Because people depend on me being there.’ She spotted the keys on the draining board and snatched them before turning to Henry. ‘Because this club is important to me.’
‘Okay, okay, message received.’ He eased off the sofa. ‘It’s just we’ve only got a few nights left. I kind of hoped we’d spend them together.’
‘We will be together.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘And you’ll be meeting my friends. I thought you might want that.’
‘Of course I do.’ He hesitated. ‘But you can meet new friends, set up a new club, if you move to London.’
She looked at him sharply. ‘Why would I move?’
He gave her a sheepish grin. ‘To be closer to me? Maybe move in with me, if you want.’ Before Lottie could say anything – and her brain had just frozen so she wasn’t sure what would come out – he strode up to her and gripped her shoulders. ‘I know this is too quick. I didn’t intend talking about it until Sunday, and I was going to do a way better job than I’ve just done.’ He breathed out, resting his forehead against hers. ‘But the fact is, I would love you to move to London, for us to be a couple again. So please, just think about it, yes?’
‘What about my business, Henry?’
She felt they’d come full circle. Here they were again, with the same issue.
Except she knew it wasn’t just her business that was making her pause.
‘I know this might sound totally out there, but London needs electricians too.’
Once again she was the one having to make the sacrifice. Perhaps that was unfair, because he couldn’t be the journalist he wanted to be down here. He could commute, he could at least try and find a way around the problem without assuming you’ll be the one to follow him.
It wasn’t the time for this conversation though, so Lottie rolled her eyes, like he expected, and went to fetch Chewie’s lead. ‘Come on, we need to get moving.’
‘Will Matt be there?’ Henry asked as they walked briskly towards the seafront, Chewie almost pulling her along, he was so excited to be out.
‘I suspect so.’ Why was it her heart always gave a little bump when his name was mentioned? ‘He does own the shop.’
‘And will you be talking to him?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Last night in the pub, you were pissed off with him for lying to you.’
She still was, but the sharpness had worn off. It had the moment he’d made her cry with his kind, insightful words. Now she just longed to go back to the days before Henry’s arrival when she and Matt had been so happy. He’d never said it out loud, but at times she’d thought he was falling for her, as she was for him. A look from his velvet-brown eyes, a touch, a secret smile meant only for her. More than just a simple like, she’d thought. Now she wasn’t sure where they stood. He’d insisted he wasn’t pushing her away, but she couldn’t get past the fact that if it had been his ex back on the scene, she’d have fought tooth and nail for him.
Not taken a step back.
And then there was the matter of the van, of him lying to her. She knew she was being unreasonably sensitive, letting the crap from school still affect her, but how could she be in a relationship with someone where she wasn’t considered an equal?
She glanced at Henry, and it was like the final piece of the puzzle suddenly slotted into place. That was why she’d not followed him to the States. He’d loved her, yes, but not as his equal. His career, his needs would always come first.
‘Hey, Goldilocks.’ His shoulder nudged hers. ‘Where did you go?’
‘Sorry.’ She pushed the thoughts away for another time. ‘I was thinking about your question. I’m not angry with Matt, and yes, of course I’ll talk to him if he’s around.’
‘You’ve not seen him much since I came down.’ His blue eyes fixed on hers. ‘I hope I’ve not made things awkward between you.’
Lottie barked out a laugh. ‘Come on, be honest. You’re really hoping the opposite.’
He grinned. ‘Okay, you’ve got me there.’
They walked in a comfortable silence the rest of the way. When they reached the shop, Lottie was about to push open the door but Henry held her back, reaching for her hand and holding it to his chest. ‘About what I said earlier. You need to know what I really want is for you to be happy.’ He flashed a smile. ‘Obviously I think I’m the best person to help you do that, but if you don’t, if you believe Matt or anyone else could make you happier…’ His face grew serious, his eyes holding hers. ‘That’s good with me.’
Her heart tugged and she leant into him. ‘Thank you.’
When she turned to open the door, she caught sight of Matt standing by the till. He gave them both a tight smile as they entered. Tight enough for her to know he’d been watching them. ‘Welcome. You’re the first to arrive.’
Henry sauntered in, eyes skimming round the front of the shop. ‘Quaint place you have here.’
‘Thanks.’
There was a beat of silence – an uncomfortable beat, at least from Lottie’s perspective, though Henry acted as if he wasn’t aware of it. ‘Must be cool, running your own shop.’ He shot Matt an easy smile but she didn’t think either man was fooled into thinking they could be friends.
‘It has its moments.’
Anxious to get away from the tension, Lottie nodded towards the café. ‘We’ll get out of your hair.’
‘Afternoon, Lottie.’ As they reached the café area Jim strolled out from the kitchen. His smile faltered as he noticed the man standing next to her. ‘I see you’ve roped in a new club member.’
By the time she’d made the introductions, Sally had appeared, pushing Freddie in his pram. She was followed by Gira and Heidi, and as Lottie introduced Henry, Audrey entered, puffing her way through the shop to join them.
‘Thought I was going to be late. The new bus driver’s yet to be persuaded to drop me off where I ask. Says he’s not a taxi…’ She trailed off as her eyes fell on Henry. ‘Well, what do we have here? Another member for the club?’ She peered harder. ‘Wait, you’re not one of those stripagrams, are you? Whose birthday is it?’
Henry laughed, flexing his muscles, which made Audrey cackle with delight.
‘This is Henry, Audrey. He’s here until the end of the week when he goes back to London.’
‘Henry? That fella you used to go out with before our Matt?’
‘Yes.’ Lottie could feel her cheeks turning red. Trust Audrey to say the words out loud, where the others had simply given her the we know who Henry is look. ‘He wanted to see the book club in action.’
‘Well there’s no shortage of action in this club.’ Audrey waggled her eyebrows comically.
Henry smiled. ‘That’s what I heard, hence my request to come and see for myself. Plus she told me I’d be surrounded by beautiful women.’ He winked at Audrey. ‘Clearly she wasn’t wrong.’ As Audrey glowed at the compliment, he turned to Lottie. ‘By the way, which book are you guys discussing today?’
Unconsciously Lottie glanced over at Matt, who was doing something to the till, possibly because he needed to. Possibly because he was trying to look like he wasn’t listening. ‘The Love Square.’
Matt’s head shot up, but the moment his eyes found hers, he looked away.
It was Henry who spoke. ‘Wow, I’ve heard of a love triangle, but a
square? Is that what I think it is, a woman with three blokes to choose from?’
‘Yes.’
Lottie was painfully aware of everyone’s gaze ping-ponging between her and Matt, who was now diligently organising the pens on the front desk.
The familiar action made her heart ache.
‘Well, this should be fun.’ Henry grinned and rubbed his hands together. ‘I can’t wait to see who she picks.’
‘So that’s him.’
Matt had been staring so hard at the group in the café, he hadn’t realised his dad had come to stand beside him.
‘That’s who?’
‘The famous ex. The reason you’ve been a right grump this last week.’
Matt forced out a laugh. ‘You’re talking to me about being grumpy?’
‘Less of the cheek.’ He stepped forward, eyes not leaving Matt’s. ‘Why aren’t you out there, reminding her she has a choice?’
Matt couldn’t hold his gaze. ‘Because she loved Henry once.’
‘She’s not Patricia,’ his dad pointed out quietly, and Matt’s chest clenched.
True, but who was to say it wouldn’t end the same way?
‘You’re taller than him.’
This time Matt’s laugh was more spontaneous. ‘Well, that’s something.’
‘It’s a start.’ His dad put his hands in his pockets and Matt tensed, familiar with the gesture, as he did the same when he was about to talk about something he found difficult. ‘I also know you’ll be better for her than him.’ His eyes sought Matt’s. ‘You’ve got a huge heart, son. You deserve someone special, like Lottie. I’m sure she’ll realise that.’
Matt felt a burn at the back of his eyes. ‘I don’t know how you can say that, not after…’ He had to swallow, hard, before he could carry on. ‘Not after the way I let Mum down. Let you all down.’
His dad grasped Matt’s shoulder. ‘I should never have been so hard on you. You had a tough job, stressful. Instead of shaming you for not making it home, I should have thanked you for all the money you sent us over the years.’
Matt glanced away, shame coiling in him. ‘I sent money, but that wasn’t what you wanted, was it?’
His dad sighed, releasing his grip on Matt’s shoulder. ‘It wasn’t as important to us as it seemed to you, no. But you had your reasons for that, so don’t be too tough on yourself.’ The words, the look he gave Matt, made him wonder if his dad knew about the bullying. Then he didn’t have to wonder, because his dad gave him a wry smile. ‘You think we couldn’t guess what happened at that school, a boy like you mixing with all those rich kids? Me and your mother, we were so pleased when you got that scholarship. Thought we were doing right, sending you there. Figured it would give you the start in life we never had.’
‘It did.’
‘Aye, happen it did. But at a cost.’ His face softened. ‘You should know your mother never complained. Not once. She was just grateful to see you when she did.’ His throat tightened and Matt felt his eyes well. But his dad hadn’t finished. ‘She’d be damn proud of how you’ve helped your sister, and me, this past year or so.’
That was it. He couldn’t carry on this conversation, not without sobbing his heart out, and there was no way he was doing that in the shop. Not with Henry liable to see him.
Turning away from his dad, Matt rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand.
‘You keep any alcohol in that office of yours?’
Matt let out a strangled laugh, grateful for the change in topic. ‘I’ve an eighteen-year-old Macallan, if that’s any good.’
‘It’ll do.’ His dad chuckled. ‘Beats Audrey’s gin.’
They headed to the back of the shop and sat in an amicable silence for a while, knocking back the whisky – well, his dad did the knocking back. Matt savoured the drink, as the distiller intended. That was twice already this week the whisky had come out. Henry’s arrival was turning him into an alcoholic.
Just as he was about to pour another glass, he heard a howl.
His dad winced. ‘Something’s upset Chewie.’
Matt listened harder. ‘I’ve not heard him make a noise like that since the time I whistled.’ Immediately he jumped up from his chair. ‘Sorry, I—’
His dad waved him away. ‘Go. Don’t worry about me.’ He reached for the bottle and poured another measure into his glass.
‘It’s not you I’m worried about. It’s the £200 it’ll cost me to replace the bottle.’
His dad spluttered, as Matt had known he would, and as he walked away he could hear him muttering, Bloody ridiculous followed by A man could buy thirty bottles of Bell’s for that.
When he made it to the café, he found Lottie trying to calm a trembling Chewie, and Sally trying to soothe a clearly distressed Freddie.
It was Amy, dashing back from the kitchen with a mop in her hand, who spoke to him. ‘We were talking about best love-triangle books and then Henry started whistling the theme tune to The Notebook.’
‘Didn’t realise it would set the dude off.’ Henry shuddered as he watched Amy wield the mop over the puddle of pee. ‘Lottie says the same thing happened to you.’
His gaze caught hers over the top of Chewie. She looked harassed, but also upset, just as she had when she’d entered the shop. He’d figured it was because he’d caught her and Henry clearly having a moment – and yes, what a heart crusher that had been to witness – but now he wondered if she just wished he wasn’t there at all.
All this talk of love triangles must be mortifying for her.
‘Yes, I had the misfortune to whistle in Chewie’s presence,’ he confirmed, aware Henry was still waiting for an answer. Then he glanced round the group, his eyes resting finally on Lottie’s again. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
Lottie shook her head and once again he had that gut-wrenching feeling that he was in the way. The guy who’d embarrassed her with his over-the-top van purchase, then lied about it. The guy she’d slept with for a while until her real love had come back.
‘You could weave your magic with Freddie.’ Sally, hugging a still fretting Freddie, smiled in his direction and he could have sworn she knew exactly how unwelcome he felt. ‘I’m sure he’ll settle if you could push him in his buggy along the prom.’ She glanced at Chewie. ‘I suspect Chewie would appreciate getting out for a bit, too.’
‘Sure.’ He glanced at Lottie. Old Lottie, the one before the van saga, before Henry, would have beamed at him in gratitude. This Lottie could only manage a stiff smile.
‘That might help, if you don’t mind.’ She stood and reached for Chewie’s lead, waving it at him. ‘Walk with Matt?’
Chewie stopped shaking and gave a rather lacklustre wag of his tail.
Freddie bawled his eyes out when Sally strapped him into his buggy.
Looked like both Matt’s charges were as happy as he was.
When Lottie handed him Chewie’s lead, her eyes didn’t quite meet his. ‘Don’t force it. Come back if he’s dragging on the lead.’
‘Of course.’ He obviously wasn’t as good as he’d thought at hiding his irritation, because she flinched.
The weight already pushing down his shoulders, intensified.
Anxious to get out of the shop, away from the tension, the speculative glances, Matt set off towards the door.
‘Wait, I’ll walk out with you.’ Sally’s voice forced him to slow, to remember belatedly that he was meant to be taking Freddie, too.
When they were outside, Sally studied him. ‘What’s happened between you and Lottie? And I don’t mean Henry’s arrival, though I imagine that’s been hard on you. There’s something else, a reason she’s looking so sad today.’
Weighed down by misery, he stared out at the sea. ‘Amy let slip about the van.’
‘Crap. I can imagine how well that went down, she’s so damn prickly about receiving help. Wants to do everything herself.’
He turned to look at her. ‘She needs to prove she can,’ he countered.
&nb
sp; Suddenly Sally’s face softened and she patted his cheek. ‘And that’s why I’m on team Matt. You appreciate her, but more than that, you get her. Henry never did.’ She nodded down to Freddie. ‘You sort my son out and I’ll regain you a few Brownie points.’
Matt couldn’t see how that was possible, but he smiled anyway, appreciating the gesture. ‘Thanks, I need all the points I can get.’
She touched his hand. ‘Don’t you worry. The Beach Reads Book Club has your back.’
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Back at the café, Lottie slumped onto her chair, exhausted. The tension with Matt, trying to keep a smile on her face despite the ache in her heart, then Chewie getting upset. This was one book club meeting she actually wanted to forget.
‘So, memo to self, don’t whistle in front of Chewie.’ Henry chuckled into the silence that followed Sally walking out with Matt.
‘Yes, sorry, I forgot to warn you.’ Amy wandered back from the kitchen and Lottie gave her an apologetic smile. ‘And really sorry you got stuck with mopping it up, Amy.’
The last time it had happened, Matt had offered to mop, she remembered.
‘It’s fine.’ Amy slipped back onto her seat, but like everyone tonight, she, too, seemed on edge.
Lottie wondered if it was because Henry was here, or if they’d picked up on her own tension. ‘Let’s get back to the book, shall we? What did you think of Penny’s love choices?’
‘I liked Francesco.’ Gira sipped at her gin. ‘Thomas was too glib for me, all style over substance.’
Was it her imagination or had Gira just aimed a pointed look in Henry’s direction?
Henry, clearly oblivious, was rummaging around in his pocket. ‘Sorry, I’ve got a buzzing in my trousers.’ He flashed a grin as he pulled his phone out and looked at the screen. ‘Ah, my new boss. Better take this.’
The Beach Reads Book Club: The most heartwarming and feel good summer holiday read of 2021! (The Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection, Book 5) Page 25
