Rules for a Successful Book Club (The Book Lovers 2)

by Victoria Connelly

  ‘Nothing seems to please her – whatever anyone says or does.’

  ‘I know. I did warn you. But that’s just it – she likes being displeased.’

  ‘But that doesn’t make any sense,’ Sam whispered as he placed a teabag in each of the mugs.

  ‘It does if you’re Antonia Jessop,’ Polly said. ‘She’s one of life’s miseries, that’s all. Let her have her grumbles but, whatever you do, don’t let her get to you.’

  Sam placed several mugs on a tray. ‘I’ll do my best,’ he said as he left the kitchen with the mugs of tea.

  ‘So,’ Flo was saying to Antonia through a mouthful of one her own apple slices, ‘where did you say you lived – Great Tallington?’

  ‘No!’ Antonia said indignantly. ‘Little Tallington. Not Great Tallington.’

  Polly did her best to stop herself from saying something she might regret. It was a very snobbish belief, but not an uncommon one, that anywhere prefixed with the word ‘Little’ was far superior to those prefixed with the word ‘Great’.

  ‘I was in Great Tallington this morning,’ Antonia went on. ‘Have you seen the state of the green there? Shocking. Some drunken motorcyclist has cut it all up.’

  Polly caught Jago’s eye and they exchanged tiny smiles.

  ‘Well, Little Tallington’s very pretty,’ Flo said, ‘but there aren’t any facilities, are there?’

  ‘Of course we have facilities,’ Antonia said. ‘We have a post office counter in the village hall once a week and the mobile library stops there.’

  ‘I can never keep track of that mobile library,’ Flo said. ‘When is it? Every other Wednesday afternoon unless it’s cloudy or something? How am I to remember that what with all my animals to take care of?’

  ‘How are they all?’ Polly asked her.

  ‘Well, one of the hens got an egg stuck yesterday so it was off to the vets with her. She was standing on the table after the vet had worked his magic and out plopped the yellowest yolk you’ve ever seen in your life. I was quite tempted to take it home for tea.’

  Antonia had turned an alarming shade of green.

  ‘I’ve got a little poodle,’ Honey said. ‘She’s called Princess, but she doesn’t act like one. She likes to attack my balls of wool. Do you have any pets, Jago?’ she asked, beaming a smile at him, obviously thrilled to have a handsome young man in the group.

  ‘Er, no,’ he said. ‘It’s just me and my mum.’

  ‘I think everyone should have animals,’ Flo said with a nod towards Delilah who was still sleeping. ‘I couldn’t live without mine.’

  ‘Right,’ Sam said, deciding to take charge of things again before the conversation veered too far away from books, ‘so we’re all happy with the book choice for next time?’

  ‘What was it again?’ Winston asked from the sofa where he was slurping the last of his tea.’

  ‘Far From the Madding Crowd,’ Sam said. ‘I’m going to get you a second-hand copy, remember?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Winston said.

  ‘What’s it about again?’ Flo asked.

  ‘Knowing Thomas Hardy,’ Honey said, ‘love and death.’

  ‘And sheep,’ Winston said. ‘There’s something about sheep in it, isn’t there?’

  Sam smiled. ‘I believe so,’ he said.

  The group talked for a while longer, finishing all the tea and nibbles. Delilah snored her way through the entire meeting and, remarkably, Winston stayed awake.

  At last, it was time to leave and Polly held the door open while everyone made their way through the darkened shop into the cold January night.

  ‘See you in March!’ Honey said.

  ‘I’ll see you before then,’ Antonia said ominously to Sam as she left.

  ‘She’s bringing some books in,’ Sam explained to Polly as she closed the door. ‘She wants my advice on what they’re worth.’

  ‘Well, don’t let her bully you into buying them if they’re worthless,’ Polly warned him.

  She watched as Sam disappeared in to the back room where Callie was waiting to have a quiet word with him and that’s when Jago appeared.

  ‘That was fun,’ he said with a smile.

  ‘Really?’ Polly said. ‘You enjoyed it?’

  ‘What? You don’t believe me?’

  ‘I’m not sure what to make of you,’ she told him. ‘Shouldn’t you be down a pub with a nice young girl keeping you company?’

  He narrowed his grey eyes at her. ‘Are you stereotyping me? I thought somebody as well read as you would be beyond that.’

  ‘No!’ she cried. ‘I just think–’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’m not sure you fit in here.’

  ‘You don’t want me here?’

  ‘I didn’t say that,’ she said, ‘I only wanted to make sure you’re happy here.’

  ‘I am,’ he said. ‘I really am.’ He paused. ‘Hey, are you okay getting home?’

  She nodded. ‘My car’s just down the road.’

  ‘Want me to walk you to it?’

  ‘I’ll be fine, thank you.’

  He hesitated for a moment as if he was about to say something else. ‘Okay then,’ he said at last. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

  ‘Okay. Night.’

  She watched as he left the shop and then Sam and Callie entered the room.

  ‘Jago’s an interesting young man,’ Sam said. ‘You two friends now, Poll?’

  ‘He’s a neighbour,’ Polly explained.

  ‘Good to have him here. Nice to have a young member.’

  ‘Yes,’ Polly said. ‘He’s very young, isn’t he?’

  When Polly left the shop, Sam locked the door and turned to Callie.

  ‘I hope you weren’t thinking of leaving,’ he said.

  ‘Not just yet,’ she said, snuggling into his embrace.

  ‘How did tonight compare to your old book club in London?’ Sam asked her.

  ‘Funnily enough, it was very similar what with all that rivalry going on between Antonia and Honey.’

  Sam took a deep breath. ‘Yes, I hope that’s not an ongoing problem.’

  Callie smiled. ‘It was quite funny though, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Winston certainly had a good evening and Delilah’s behaviour was impeccable,’ Sam said. ‘But I couldn’t help being on edge through the whole meeting as I awaited a wave of nauseous dog gas!’

  ‘Me too!’ Callie said. ‘At least you were sat on the other side of the room.’

  ‘I could have been sat next door and I still would have got wind of it. Pun intended!’

  ‘Very funny!’

  ‘You were quiet tonight,’ he said. ‘Not worrying about that trip to London, are you?’

  She shook her head. ‘I’m just not very good in group situations.’

  ‘Do you work better in a couple?’

  ‘Depends on the other half of the couple,’ she said with a coy smile.

  ‘What about this half?’ he said, bending down to kiss her.

  ‘It certainly has potential,’ she said a moment later.

  They were about to kiss again when there was a loud rapping at the door.

  ‘Oh, no,’ Callie said. ‘What does she want?’

  Sam unlocked the door and opened it. ‘Miss Jessop? Are you okay?’

  ‘I left my umbrella,’ she said, charging through the shop to the back room, reappearing a moment later with the weapon-like item. ‘You still here?’ she said to Callie.

  ‘Callie and I are a couple,’ Sam said.

  Antonia’s narrow eyes widened at this piece of news. ‘Really?’ she said. ‘Well, may I suggest you take whatever you were doing into the back room? It really isn’t seemly to be doing couple things in a bookshop.’

  Sam and Callie watched as Antonia left, slamming the door behind her and causing the bell to jangle loudly. They then burst out laughing.

  ‘Couple things?’ Callie cried.

  ‘I like the sound of that,’ Sam said, ‘and I think we should take her advice
, don’t you?’

  Callie stretched up to kiss him again. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I think we should.’

  CHAPTER FİVE

  Since moving to Owl Cottage in September, Callie Logan could count the number of times she’d left Suffolk on one hand. Her friend Heidi would have told her that was not a statistic to be proud of, but it made Callie intensely happy.

  As she left her home now and caught the train that would take her into Liverpool Street Station, she thought about the last few months and all the joy they had brought her. When her marriage to Piers had ended and she’d chosen to leave London, she’d been quite determined that she’d never make the mistake of falling in love again. She was a practical woman and love simply hadn’t worked out for her so she’d decided that she could live without it, throwing herself into her writing instead.

  Well, fate always seemed to laugh at people who made such resolute plans, she thought with a smile as the train left the green fields of rural East Anglia behind, and it hadn’t been long before she’d had not one but two men vying for her attention.

  Callie couldn’t help blushing as she thought about local forager, Leo Wildman, with his long dark hair and irrepressible grin. As much as she’d wanted to resist his charms, she had fallen just a little bit, but there’d been something in her that had been holding back with him. Something that was beginning to let go now she was with Sam Nightingale.

  There was something so special about Sam, Callie thought. She’d never met such a sweet and gentle man before. Like her, he’d just come out of a marriage which had left him shaken and uneasy with the opposite sex but, together, they were learning that love was worth taking a risk for and Callie had never been happier in her life.

  Sam’s family had made her feel so welcome too and she adored his mother, Eleanor, and his sisters, Polly, Bryony and Lara, and was especially fond of Grandpa Joe who had been instrumental in bringing her and Sam together. Yes, Suffolk had been a very good decision indeed. However, as the train pulled into Liverpool Street Station and she hopped on the tube, her lightness of mood left her and a feeling of gloom replaced it.

  Her publishers’ office was a large modern building in the west of London and Callie didn’t really want to be there at all. The large open foyer always made her feel nervous and she felt so tiny sitting there whilst waiting for somebody to come and greet her. She had much rather be in her cosy little study overlooking the green at Newton St Clare. Still, she had a living to make.

  Looking at her watch now, Callie realised that Margot was running late which was nothing to be overly concerned about as her agent was always running late. Only Callie really didn’t want to have to face her ex-husband alone.

  ‘Callie?’

  Too late, she thought, as Piers Blackmore strode across the foyer from the lifts.

  She stood up and stretched out a hand towards him, but he ignored it and went straight in to kiss her cheek.

  ‘How are you? You look wonderful.’

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said, doing her best to remain calm and trying not to remember the fact that Piers had tried to persuade her to give him another chance even though they’d separated and she’d bought a new home.

  He placed a hand on her arm. ‘Shall we get a drink whilst we wait for Margot?’ He led her through to the ground floor cafe which both staff and visitors to the publishing house used. It was always a fun place to try and spot famous authors and celebrities, but Callie was too nervous to do either and her eyes were too busy trying to avoid Piers. In his navy suit and crisp white shirt, he looked every inch the professional, and she couldn’t help thinking how handsome he looked. His neat brown hair was as immaculate as ever and his green eyes never let her out of his sight.

  ‘You okay?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said.

  ‘You seem–’

  ‘I said I’m fine.’

  ‘Okay!’ He held his hands up as if defending himself.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m just a bit–’

  ‘What?’ he asked, examining her with unnerving intensity.

  She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to admit to him how nervous she was and so she shook her head.

  ‘Nothing,’ she said.

  ‘You sure?’ he said, leaning in close to her. Much too close for her liking.

  ‘Piers–’

  He nodded and took a step back as if realising his mistake.

  ‘I’ll get the drinks,’ he said.

  He was just ordering when Margot entered the cafe at a mad dash, a huge royal blue cape flowing out behind her. She looked like a cartoon character, Callie couldn’t help thinking, but at least she was there now and Callie didn’t have to sit awkwardly with Piers on her own.

  As Piers was bringing their drinks over to a table Callie had chosen by a window, Margot eyed Callie.

  ‘Have you told him?’ she asked. She wasn’t one for wasting time with pleasantries; it was always straight down to business with her.

  ‘Told me what?’ Piers asked as he sat down opposite them.

  ‘Tell him your ideas for the next two books,’ Margot prompted.

  ‘There are more books planned?’ Piers said, sitting forward in his chair.

  Callie nodded. ‘Only in note form at the moment, but I want to explore the sister’s story – follow that through. She’s just a subplot character in the first book, but I think there’s a lot in her background that could be really interesting.’

  ‘Yes,’ Piers said thoughtfully, ‘I can see that.’

  ‘There might even be scope for a series. Callie’s done it before,’ Margot said, her sharp eyes narrowing at Piers across the table, ‘and series are hot right now and you know it.’

  ‘They are,’ Piers said. ‘Publishers are always trying to find the next big one too and Callie could really be on to something.’

  Callie looked at him. He was wearing what she used to call his business smile – the one that stretched across his face when he could hear the kerching of a cash register.

  ‘It’s not a series yet,’ she reminded him. ‘It’s just an idea.’ She wanted to make it quite clear that she wasn’t going to be bullied by her agent and editor. She’d only agreed to work with her ex-husband on one book. That might be all she had the courage for. She certainly had no intention of tying herself into a long-term contract.

  ‘This is very exciting, Callie,’ he said. ‘You should have told me.’

  ‘There was nothing to tell,’ she said honestly. ‘It only occurred to me recently.’

  ‘You’re so clever,’ he said, his eyes holding hers. ‘I adore your imagination.’

  She swallowed hard, turning her attention to her coffee.

  It was then that Margot’s phone beeped. She took a moment to read the message and then stood up abruptly.

  ‘Well, you two don’t need me anymore,’ she declared.

  ‘You’re going?’ Callie said in panic.

  Margot bent to air kiss her. ‘Got to rush, darling. Call me!’ And she left in a sweep of cape.

  It was as if Piers had been waiting for that very thing to happen and, for a moment, Callie wondered if he’d fixed the whole thing with Margot, because his hand reached across the table to hold hers as soon as Margot’s back was turned.

  ‘I’m glad she’s gone,’ he said.

  ‘I’d probably better get going myself,’ she said, making to stand up. Piers didn’t let go of her hand.

  ‘But you’ve only just got here,’ he said. ‘We were going to talk about our marketing plans for your book. Don’t you want to hear our ideas?’

  ‘I really think–’

  ‘Callie – don’t be crazy.’

  She looked at him, her heart racing. ‘This isn’t going to work,’ she said in a quiet voice that belied her anxiety.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I don’t think I can work with you.’

  He frowned. ‘Are you serious?’

  She nodded. ‘I was told I’d be worki
ng with one of your colleagues.’

  ‘I know, but that seemed ridiculous. Don’t forget it was me who discovered that first book of yours and brought you to the place you are now. We’re a great team, Callie.’

  ‘How can you say that?’ she asked, her expression genuinely baffled.

  ‘How can you not?’

  ‘Because we’re getting divorced!’ she said. ‘Have you forgotten that?’

  ‘Of course I haven’t forgotten,’ he snapped. ‘I remember it every single day you’re not there in my bed with me.’

  ‘Piers!’ she cried, flapping her hands for him to lower his voice.

  ‘Letting you go was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, Callie, and I regret it every single day and, if I could go back or change the way you feel now, I would in an instant.’

  ‘And this is why we can’t work together,’ she said.

  They stared at each other for a silence-filled moment.

  ‘I shouldn’t ever have signed this deal,’ Callie said at last, looking into her lap.

  ‘You’re not thinking of paying the advance back, are you?’ Piers said in panic. ‘You signed a contract, Callie!’

  Callie blanched at the tone of his voice. The businessman had awoken once again and seemed quite determined not to lose her as an author even though he’d managed to lose her as a wife.

  ‘I want a new editor,’ she said, ‘otherwise I’ll tell Margot to get me out of this contract.’

  ‘You wouldn’t,’ he said. ‘I know you Callie. You simply don’t do things like that.’

  ‘Don’t try me on this, Piers,’ she said, ‘because I will surprise you.’ She stood up, pushing her chair out behind her with a severe squeak which made several people in the cafe turn around to stare.

  ‘Please,’ he said, ‘sit down. We can work this out.’

  ‘Can we?’

  He sighed. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Who do you want as your editor?’

  ‘I don’t mind,’ she said.

  ‘Just as long as it isn’t me?’ He gave the tiniest of smiles and Callie sat down again.

  ‘Pretty much,’ she said, ‘although I do get on well with Sara.’

  ‘Sara it is, then,’ he said.

  She blinked in surprise. ‘Just like that?’

  ‘If it keeps you happy and with us,’ he said.