‘What did I blow?’ Sam asked. ‘The dust off this book.’
‘Huh!’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘She was here again, wasn’t she?’
‘Who?’
‘That nice young girl,’ he said. ‘The author girl.’
‘Were you eavesdropping?’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, you!’
‘Nah! I was out the back having a nap, but I heard the bell tinkle and the sound of voices. It was her, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes, it was her,’ Sam admitted.
‘And?’
‘And nothing.’
‘What did you talk about?’
Sam went behind the counter and started shuffling papers around that didn’t need shuffling.
‘Hey?’ Grandpa Joe cried.
‘What?’ Sam cried back.
‘What happened? Something happened here, didn’t it? I can feel it in my bones.’
‘That’s arthritis,’ Sam said.
His grandfather tutted but held Sam’s gaze with his own steely one and he finally relented.
‘She said no,’ he told him.
‘No to what?’
‘To me,’ Sam said. ‘I asked her out to dinner and she said no.’
‘Oh.’
‘Indeed.’
‘How did you ask her?’
‘Too quickly?’ Sam suggested.
‘No, I mean the wording – what did you actually say?’
Sam frowned. ‘I’m not sure. I kind of bumbled my way through it, I guess, but her no was–’ he paused.
‘What?’
‘Final.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Pretty much,’ he said. ‘She said “no” and then bolted out of the shop. We’d been getting on pretty well till then.’ He cursed again.
‘Language!’
‘Why did I have to go and mess it up?’ he said, slamming his hand down on a book resting by the till.
‘Don’t take it out on a book. No woman is worth that,’ Grandpa Joe said.
‘Sorry,’ Sam said, picking the book up gently and rubbing it as if he might have bruised it.
‘Make us a cup of tea,’ Grandpa Joe said and Sam nodded, having the feeling that his grandpa didn’t really want a cup of tea at all, but that it was just an excuse to get them both sitting down.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, they were on the sofa together in the backroom of the shop with their tea. It was a quiet day and Sam didn’t feel too guilty about sitting down for a moment. It was one of the many perks of working there – just sitting perfectly still in the same room as a thousand books.
‘Did I ever tell you the story of how I met your Grandma Nell?’ Grandpa Joe asked at last.
‘Yes,’ Sam said, knowing that Grandpa Joe knew very well that he’d told him the story many times over the years and also knowing that he was going to hear it again now.
‘Well, that didn’t go too smoothly to begin with,’ Grandpa Joe began undeterred. ‘She was browsing in the library and I was watching her for an age, trying to pluck up the courage to go and speak to her. She was wearing this cute little hat and her hair was all in curls. Oh, how I wanted to twist those curls around my fingers.’ He gave a little chuckle and Sam couldn’t help but be charmed by his reminiscence. ‘But she didn’t look up at me once so I decided to take action. I went right up to her and said–’
‘Excuse me – that’s my book you’re reading,’ Sam interrupted.
‘That’s right,’ Grandpa Joe said, ‘and she said–’
‘What do you mean your book? This is a public library. Books don’t belong to any one person,’ Sam said.
Grandpa Joe nodded. ‘So I told her that I took that book out every other week. It was some encyclopaedia or other – I don’t remember which now.’
‘And she said, “Well, I’m going to take it out this week,” and you said, “Perhaps we can share it.”’
Grandpa Joe chuckled again. ‘You know this story better than I do.’
‘I should do by now,’ Sam said.
‘Anyway, we went for a cup of tea and looked through the book together. It was the start of a beautiful relationship, but she often told me that my cheeky manner with her that day in the library nearly had her running for the hills.’
‘Did she?’ Sam said, never having heard him confess that part before.
‘Oh, yes,’ he said, ‘but it was my smile that saved the day. She said I had an honest smile and we all know that you’ve got my smile.’
‘I do?’
‘Yep,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘The quickest way to disarm a woman is to smile at her. She may not admit it but a woman likes to know that she can make a man smile. It’s a kind of power, you see.’
Sam gave a little laugh.
‘What?’ Grandpa Joe said.
‘I think it takes more than a little smile.’
‘Oh, really?’ he said, eyeing his grandson incredulously. ‘Well, I dare say a spot of charm doesn’t go amiss.’
‘I shouldn’t have rushed this,’ he interrupted. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking.’
‘That’s it, though, isn’t it – with matters of the heart?’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘You tend not to think.’
‘I guess,’ Sam said with a sigh, ‘but perhaps it’s a sign that it’s not right for me.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean, this whole relationship business. After what happened with Emma, I just can’t see things working out for me.’
‘But you can see yourself living a miserable solitary life for the rest of your days, is that it?’
Sam shook his head. ‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to think about it.’ He got up from the sofa. ‘I want to think about work, that’s all. It’s what I’m good at.’
‘Oh, yes. Books never broke a man’s heart, did they?’ Grandpa Joe said, his tone ironic.
‘That’s right,’ Sam said in all seriousness, ‘although the latest Clive Mandrake thriller very nearly broke mine. Did you read it? It was terrible.’
‘Don’t be flip with me,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘This place – this shop – is heaven, but don’t let it become your tomb. Don’t bury yourself here because that would be very easy to do.’
Sam walked through to the kitchen to wash up the day’s tea mugs. As much as he loved his grandfather’s company, he couldn’t help wishing that the old man would keep his opinions on his love life to himself.
‘And remember: books don’t keep you warm at night!’ Grandpa Joe called through to him.
‘Haven’t you got something to do somewhere, Grandpa?’
‘No, no,’ came his reply. ‘I’m good here.’
Sam rolled his eyes.
Heidi Wray looked thoroughly out of place in the middle of the Suffolk countryside. Her tall, willowy figure encased in the very latest designer labels, her four inch heels and her immaculate chin-length raven-black hair were thrown into relief in the topsy-turvy overgrown front garden of Owl Cottage.
‘How charming!’ she said, looking at the green chaos she found herself in. ‘It wouldn’t suit my nails,’ she said, flexing her magenta talons, ‘but yours are perfectly suited to country life!’
‘It’s so good to see you, Heidi!’ Callie said, giving her friend a warm hug. She was used to Heidi’s compliments which bordered on insults and took them in her stride because she knew her friend meant well. ‘You look amazing!’
‘And you look–’ Heidi paused, her heavily made-up eyes squinting at Callie, ‘countryfied.’
‘Countryfied?’ Callie said in horror. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, I know you were always being far too creative and what not to bother about hairdressers and the like and – well – now you’ve fully embraced that au naturel look!’
‘Oh, have I?’
‘And how well it suits you!’ Heidi said.
Callie smiled to herself as she pushed her au naturel hair out of her face and bent down to pick up Heidi’s overnight bag. For al
l her painful honestly, Heidi was one of the few things Callie missed about her old life in London and she was glad her friend was staying with her although she had to admit to being surprised when Heidi had agreed to sleep on the sofa because she was the sort of woman who liked a little bit of luxury.
Heidi had lived in the same apartment block as Callie and Piers and the two of them had become instant friends after Heidi’s Jack Russell Terrier, Horatio, had laddered Callie’s stockings in a bid to say hello the day she’d moved in. Heidi had been mortified and had immediately replaced them with a stunning designer pair which must have cost a small fortune. Callie had been too afraid to wear them and they remained in their packet in a bedroom drawer.
‘Come in and see the place,’ Callie said, leading the way straight from the garden into the sitting room.
‘No hallway! How quaint,’ Heidi said.
‘Everything is absolutely tiny,’ Callie said unnecessarily.
‘So I see,’ Heidi said. ‘However do you manage, sweetie?’
‘Oh, there’s plenty of room for me,’ Callie said. ‘I love it! And it’s so peaceful.’
Heidi walked across to the window, ducking to avoid the low beams, and peered out at the view across the lane towards the common. ‘Yes,’ she said with one of her measured looks. ‘It looks a bit too peaceful. Don’t you get bored?’
‘Not at all,’ Callie said.
‘But what on earth do you do all day?’
‘I write, of course.’
‘And at night?’
‘I write some more and I read.’
Heidi grimaced. ‘But what do you do for entertainment?’
‘I don’t need to be entertained,’ Callie said.
‘You are a queer creature!’ she said.
Callie laughed. ‘Believe it or not, this place suits me down to the ground. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy anywhere.’
‘Really?’ Heidi said.
Callie smiled. Heidi was a city girl born and bred and the thought of living anywhere without twenty-four-hour facilities right on her doorstep was completely alien to her.
‘Well, it wouldn’t suit me living in the back of beyond without a coffee bar.’
‘Talking of which,’ Callie said, moving through to the kitchen at the back of the house. Heidi followed her.
‘Good God – are those pumpkins?’ Heidi asked as she saw the back garden.
‘Yes. The previous owner grew all sorts in the garden. I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep it up, but I’m going to give it a go. I thought I’d start off with some radishes and beans and potatoes in the spring. They’re meant to be easy.’
‘Easy to buy,’ Heidi said.
‘Yes, but where’s the fun in that?’
‘I suppose,’ she said, examining a nail. ‘It wouldn’t suit me though.’
‘So you keep saying.’
Her friend looked up at her. ‘I’m sorry!’ she said, a big smile suddenly emerging. ‘I’m not debunking this whole country life.’
‘Aren’t you?’ Callie said with a little grin.
‘Not at all! I’m really proud of you for making this move. It’s just what you needed.’
‘It is,’ Callie said as she put the kettle on.
‘So I’m really happy for you. Although I wouldn’t want to visit here in the winter,’ she said with a theatrical shiver. ‘Have you thought about that? All those long, cold winter months?’
‘I have,’ Callie said, ‘and I’m looking forward to getting really cosy with the wood burner.’
Heidi looked aghast again. ‘Well, you have to be admired, but you wouldn’t catch me handling logs.’
‘Not with those nails!’ Callie said.
‘Exactly!’ Heidi said. ‘Do you like them? I’ve got a new girl and she’s a miracle worker.’
Callie sincerely hoped that Heidi wouldn’t examine her own poor stubby nails too closely because they probably still had dirt underneath them from speed weeding the garden path before her friend’s arrival.
With the coffee made, they went through and sat in the living room and Heidi cleared her throat.
‘What is it?’ Callie said, knowing that this was a sign that she had something to say.
Heidi took a deep breath. ‘It’s Piers,’ she said with a pout. ‘He’s seeing somebody.’
‘What?’ Callie said with a little laugh. ‘Are you sure? He hasn’t got time to see anyone.’
‘Well, the woman I’ve seen has been in and out of his flat at least three times this week.’
‘Well, perhaps that’s his cleaner,’ Callie suggested.
‘A cleaner in high heels?’ Heidi said. ‘Cheap ones, mind.’
Callie shook her head, marvelling at Heidi’s acute observations. Nothing passed her by especially in the shoe department.
‘They went out together the other night too,’ she continued. ‘Arm in arm.’
‘He’s at the arm in arm stage already?’ Callie said and she couldn’t help but feel a little hurt.
‘It was quite late when they got back. After midnight, anyway.’
‘What night was this?’
‘Last Wednesday,’ Heidi said.
‘A weekday?’ Callie said. ‘I don’t believe it. He rarely went out during the week.’
‘Well, he does now.’
Callie swallowed hard, thinking of the husband who had been permanently chained to his desk – the husband who never wanted to spend any time with her. This same husband was now gallivanting across the town with another woman on a weekday.
‘So?’ Heidi said.
‘So what?’ Callie asked, wondering what she was getting at.
‘What I’m trying to say is, it’s okay to move on,’ Heidi said. ‘Piers clearly has so why shouldn’t you?’
‘But I’m happy being on my own,’ Callie said.
‘Are you? Are you really? Stuck out here in the middle of a field–’
‘It’s the village common,’ Callie corrected her, ‘and I can’t bear the thought of becoming involved again. I’m just learning to appreciate how much I like my own company again.’
‘So there’s nobody on the horizon? You’ve not got any lords of the manor anywhere? Or some nice hunky farmer type?’
Callie looked out of the window.
‘Callie? Have you?’
‘No, of course not,’ she said, returning her gaze to her friend. ‘There’s nobody.’
‘You hesitated for a moment there,’ Heidi told her.
‘Did I?’
‘You certainly did,’ Heidi said. ‘Come on – there is somebody, isn’t there?’
‘Really there isn’t,’ Callie said, but she knew Heidi wasn’t going to let it go until she’d had a full confession.
‘Oh, come on, Callie! I came all this way to see you. You’re not going to deny me all the juicy details, are you?’
‘There’s nothing juicy,’ Callie said.
‘But? I can definitely hear a “but” approaching!’
‘But,’ Callie said, giving in at last, ‘there is someone I’ve made friends with. Or at least, I thought I’d made friends with.’
‘Just friends?’
‘Well,’ Callie said, ‘I think I might have even screwed that up.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘He asked me out to dinner and I said no.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘Because I’m not interested in getting involved with anyone and, even if I was, it was all moving way too fast. We’d only just met.’
‘Since when has that got anything to do with things? God, Callie – we’re living in the twenty-first century. Things move quickly and you’ve got to be willing to move quickly too or else you’ll miss out on a whole heap of life.’
‘But I don’t want a whole heap of life. I want a nice quiet simple life.’
‘Well, you’ll get that all right if you cocoon yourself up here, refusing dinner invitations from handsome young men!’ Heidi said. ‘He is handsome
, isn’t he?’
Callie smiled at her friend’s incorrigible line of questioning. ‘I think so,’ she said.
‘So, what’s he like?’
Callie took a deep breath as she remembered Sam Nightingale. ‘He’s got dark hair and deep brown eyes. He wears glasses.’
‘Sexy glasses?’
‘Cute glasses.’
‘Okay. I can approve of cute.’
‘And he has this worldly wise look about him,’ she said. ‘It’s the kind of face you could look at for hours and not be bored by. And we were getting on so well. I found it so easy to talk to him.’ She paused.
‘Then what?’
‘I told you. He asked me out to dinner and I said no and then I ran out of his shop.’
‘His shop?’
‘A bookshop in Castle Clare. Nightingale’s. There are three owned by his family and he runs the secondhand one.’
‘And have you spoken to him since?’
‘I haven’t dared,’ Callie said. ‘I feel so embarrassed. I don’t think I can ever go in there again now which is such a shame as it’s a pretty amazing place. Just the sort of hideaway I love.’
Heidi sighed. ‘You worry about things too much,’ she said. ‘I think you should get yourself along there as soon as you can and just act as if nothing happened.’
‘I can’t do that!’
‘Don’t you want to see him again?’
‘I – well – yes! I guess so.’
‘What about now?’
‘Right now?’
‘Sure – why not? I could come with you for some moral support,’ Heidi said with a big grin.
Callie shook her head. She could think of nothing worse. ‘I think I should just leave things for a while,’ she said.
‘Spoil sport!’ her friend teased.
‘I really don’t want him to get the wrong idea.’
‘And what would be the wrong idea?’ Heidi asked.
‘That I want a relationship.’
Heidi looked puzzled. ‘Don’t tell me that you just want him as a friend,’ she said.
‘How did you know I was going to say that?’
‘Because I know you,’ Heidi said. ‘Besides, you’ve already confessed that he’s handsome and cute.’
‘I know, but that was just the observant writer in me.’
‘Yeah, right!’ Heidi said, obviously not convinced.
‘Anyway, what’s wrong with wanting a friend?’
The Book Lovers Page 7
