Teapots & Tiaras: A sweet and clean Christian romance in London and Cambridge (Love In Store Book 5)

by Autumn Macarthur

  Moving fast for someone wearing such impossibly high heels, she led him to a quiet corner filled with luggage. “It’s not my department, so someone else will receive the commission. But it’s so perfect for Portia, I don’t care.”

  After looking around the assortment of bags, she picked up a smaller-sized purple case. The regal colour suited his recollection of James’s mother.

  “It’s a vanity case. Last time she had to go to hospital, she complained that the hinge on her old one had broken.” She laughed. “I think she must have bought it for her own honeymoon—it looked older than James. I know she’ll love this.”

  Opening the case, she enthused over the floral silk lining, the quality, the style, as if he was a genuine customer. “Look at all the pouches and pockets. They’ll hold everything a woman could want with her on a trip.”

  He didn’t care about such things. But clearly, for her, this was an item of desire. She seemed convinced it would be for Lady Tetherton-Hart too. Sadly, the only trip he could foresee for her was into hospital, but he wouldn’t sink Anita’s buoyant hopes by telling her that.

  Watching her sales skills in action interested him far more than the case itself. She was good at what she did. Wasted selling teapots. She’d make a good fundraiser for some worthy cause, if she put her mind to it.

  Perhaps even a cause like the Mission Trust? He quickly rejected the thought. Enjoying contending with her, while the wedding plans brought them together, was one thing. Employing her, quite another.

  “I’ll take it.” He pulled out his credit card. She hadn’t tried to push him to spend more than he planned. In fact, the case cost less than the budget he’d given her.

  Anita instructed the sales assistant to ring up the sale and gift wrap it. Then she turned back to him, beaming. “I’m glad you agreed with my choice. She truly will love it. I’ll warn you, she’s a changed woman from the Portia you knew. I expect she’ll give you a hug.”

  He chuckled as he accepted the bagged package from the assistant. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll hand it to her, and then back off fast.”

  “You don’t like hugs?”

  Her expression could not have been more incredulous if he’d said he liked eating live goldfish for breakfast. Something he did scarcely less often than he permitted himself to be hugged.

  “It’s not something I have much experience of. Nor do I intend to. Adults don’t need physical contact the way children do. It’s something we should grow out of, along with other childish needs.”

  An image of himself as a small child, crying from loneliness, burst into his mind. A sense of pain and loss echoed in the memory.

  Right. Exactly why adults needed to grow out of wanting more.

  Anita shook her head, frowning. Her eyes issued a challenge as she crossed her arms, planting her red-clad feet on the floor with something very near a stomp. “Count me among the big kids then. According to your theory, I haven’t grown up. I love hugs. I agree with a meme I saw on Facebook—‘Hugs are God putting His arms around us. He just uses other people to do it.’ Tell Portia to save your unclaimed hug for me. I’ll gladly take it.”

  He wrinkled his nose at the sentimental platitude. As he’d suspected, her view of God was pink and fluffy and comforting, all hearts and flowers. Very different to his own.

  His grandfather taught him to fear a sterner God. A harsh judge, expecting perfection and punishing failure. A God who gave us the task of working out our own salvation, with plenty of fear and trembling. That was the God he’d grown up with and knew.

  Not a God who floated around on a cloud of candyfloss dishing out hugs.

  “So you seriously believe the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, wants to love and hug humans? You’ve actually felt Him hug you?” He didn’t try to mask the edge of eye-rolling incredulity from his voice.

  Ducking her head, she twisted the toe of her red shoe into the carpet. “Well, I guess I’ve never felt God’s love quite that directly, no. But I believe His promises. I know His love is real.” Her stubborn chin rose. “Anyway, why shouldn’t He hug us? The Bible tells us He loves us. Hugs are a way to show love.”

  She seemed so sure, so secure. Something small and deeply hidden in him ached to know a similar faith. No matter how hard he tried, he’d never measured up to the perfection his grandfather’s God demanded.

  He dismissed the thought. Only weak people who couldn’t deal with hard reality needed her sort of God, like a child needing a cuddly toy.

  “I do feel His love when people I care for hug me.” Anita frowned thoughtfully. “Yes, it’s definitely there. When I hug Beth or Daisy or Mum and Dad or my sister, Jen.”

  “No boyfriend to hug?” The words issuing from his mouth surprised him. They were nothing more than sparring partners. Once the wedding was over, they’d never need to see each other again.

  He had zero interest in her romantic life, whether she was still involved with Daisy’s father or dating someone else.

  Didn’t he?

  Chapter 7

  A man who didn’t believe adults should need hugs was the last person Anita intended to discuss her love life with.

  Or her lack of love life.

  He’d never understand.

  Shrugging, she waved one hand in a “nothing serious” gesture. “I date, but there’s no significant other in my life.” She carefully kept her voice light and airy. “Like I said in the car, I haven’t met the man worth giving up my shoe collection for yet.”

  She expected to get his arrogant put-down stare. Instead, he laughed, almost as if he was relieved to evade the topic, too. The sound warmed her right through. “That must be some shoe collection.”

  Phew! Far safer to talk shoes than boyfriends and dates.

  “It is. Beth wants me to live in her house after the wedding, once she moves in with James. She tried dangling the carrot of a whole room for the shoes.”

  Matthew laughed again. “You don’t sound tempted.”

  She crinkled her nose. The way things were with Jen, she couldn’t move out and leave Mum to look after Daisy. And on her own, she couldn’t manage work and living with Daisy in a small village with no childcare.

  “The shoes need more space, yes, but it’s not enough to make me leave home. The room is tiny, about the size of a walk-in wardrobe. Beth’s cottage is dollhouse size. You’ll see what I mean if you go there. Make sure to duck!”

  He threw her a questioning glance.

  “It’s practically medieval. People were shorter then. The ceiling beams are just the right height for someone like you to knock yourself out on.”

  “If Beth asks me to visit, I’ll remember that.” The dangerously appealing spark of humour flashing in his eyes belied his grave tone.

  Matthew had her totally off balance. She’d been furious with him for daring to think he had the right to check out Beth and judge her suitability as James’s wife. Then, when he laughed and smiled and presented an unarguable excuse for being in the store, he seemed a different man. A man she could start to like.

  And he’d trusted her taste and bought Portia a gift she’d love.

  While she scoured her mind for another safe topic of conversation, Beth’s office door opened. The Bridezilla came out with her mother, all smiles. She even gave Beth a quick hug before she floated off in a starry-eyed haze of rose petals and tulle. Hopefully, she’d added a designer teapot to her gift list.

  No more têtê-a-têtê with Matthew. Anita released a sigh.

  What did it matter if the sigh expelled relief or disappointment? Her silly video-clip crush had evaporated completely. She couldn’t allow herself to see him as more than the best man. They’d have limited contact until the wedding, none at all after it.

  He was attractive. Okay, can’t-take-my-eyes-off-you gorgeous. But all wrong for her.

  Matthew was a hero. He put himself in danger in a war zone to serve God. He wanted a wife who could help him in his work, a hundred miles from the neare
st shop. All totally admirable.

  But a man like that wasn’t her Mr Right.

  Not even Mr Vaguely Right.

  Maybe Mr Just About As Wrong As He Could Get. And she was all wrong for him, too.

  Beth farewelled her customers. “Don’t worry, Crystal. I’ll get everything arranged for you, exactly the way you want.”

  “I hope,” she muttered, as soon as the pair left earshot.

  “Difficult, hey?” Anita didn’t need to ask.

  “Let’s be kind and say she has definite ideas about what she wants and won’t compromise on anything.” She rolled her eyes, and then grinned. “It’s her wedding, so I can’t argue with her. I only hope after all this she’s not one of those girls who does her princess-for-a-day thing with the fairytale dress and the tiara crown, then divorces the groom before the wedding is paid for.”

  “Do you deal with many of those?” Matthew stepped forward.

  Beth’s eyes widened as she gawked at him. Even a happily engaged woman very much in love with her fiancé wasn’t immune to appreciating Matthew’s looks.

  “I never know how long the marriages last, but I can guess which have least chance of surviving the distance. I do get a few repeat customers on their second or third times around.” She smiled and held out a hand. “You must be Matthew. James has told me a lot about you.”

  He threw Anita a teasing glance she had no problem reading. What had she told Beth about him?

  She frowned. He’d better not ask out loud.

  Raising one eyebrow, he faced Beth. “And you must be Beth. He’s told me a lot about you, too.”

  He didn’t say it. Anita’s pent-up breath escaped in a whoosh. Though typical of him to assume she would talk about him. He also didn’t make any self-deprecating comment, the way most people would.

  The man didn’t possess an ounce of self-doubt.

  Beth blushed slightly. “Nice things, I hope.”

  “Of course.” Matthew nodded. “There’s a good chance James will be held up in a meeting this evening, so he asked me to meet you here and walk you to the restaurant. He’ll join us there. I hope that’s all right with you?”

  “Thank you, that’s kind.” She smiled. “Though Anita and I would have no problem walking to the restaurant ourselves. We’ve been there plenty of times.”

  Anita did a double take, and her heart pounded faster as it dropped to the toes of her Jimmy Choos.

  No. She wasn’t supposed to go tonight. More time with Matthew wouldn’t suit her at all.

  Maybe she wasn’t as over that silly crush as she hoped.

  She turned to Beth, shaking her head a little. “You didn’t tell me I was included in tonight’s plans.”

  Beth replied with nothing but a smile, like she’d figured springing a couples’ night on her was the way to strong-arm her into going.

  Her best, pleading-puppy-eyes look might work. Worth a try. “I thought it was just for you three. For you to meet Matthew and for him and James to catch up. I don’t need to be there.”

  “It’s a meeting for the main wedding party. James and me, you and Matthew as maid of honour and best man. All four of us. Right?” Beth flashed an appeal to Matthew.

  Lord, could you make him refuse? He doesn’t want to spend time with me, any more than I want to spend time with him.

  His dark brows pulled together a little, his lips quirked to one side, and then he shrugged. “I’m fine with it. We need to discuss our roles in your wedding plans sometime. Tonight is as good a time as any.”

  He didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic. More “let’s get it over with.” If he still thought she was crushing on him, he wouldn’t want to give her any encouragement.

  “But I doubt Anita could come at such short notice,” he continued smoothly. “She’ll need to arrange child-minding.”

  Of course, he assumed she was Daisy’s mother. And he’d given her the perfect excuse not to go.

  She should tell him the truth. Really she should.

  But on the other hand, he didn’t need to know. Hiding behind her supposed single mother status made her feel safer, somehow. It wasn’t like she’d lied.

  He was right, they did need to gethis one meeting over with. Then she could have a quiet chat with Beth and warn her off any more matchmaking. She must be able to see that the two of them as a couple had no chance of flying.

  “Matthew is right. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it tonight. I need to make sure childcare is covered.”

  His unreadable expression left her unsure whether he wanted her to be there, or loathed the thought of more time with her. She wasn’t sure how she felt, either.

  Beth smiled, and then changed the subject. “So how was your day, Matthew? James told me you were meeting with the head of the Mission Trust board this morning?”

  Thunder and lightning couldn’t cause more storm clouds than the ones crowding his face. “I did.”

  Further discussion not welcome. His distant repressive voice said everything he didn’t say.

  Looked like the meeting hadn’t gone the way he wanted and he was stuck with the admin he detested. She felt for him. Some days, the thought of selling one more cutlery set or saucepan made her want to scream. It must be even more frustrating for him, when he longed to return to his clinic work.

  The promotional work he hoped to escape was her idea of a wonderful job. Out meeting people every day. Working for a good cause. Doing something more important than selling teapots.

  Not that there was anything wrong with selling teapots. It was just, well, sometimes wanting to do more with her life created almost an ache.

  But nothing chocolate and a new pair of shoes couldn’t fix.

  “So it’s settled, Anita.” Wisely, Beth changed the subject again. “You’ll come tonight if you can. We do need to discuss the wedding arrangements sometime. Especially now there have been some… new developments.”

  Anita didn’t need to ask if she meant Portia. The shadows in Beth’s eyes said it all. Her stomach clenched. They’d need to face it sooner or later. She’d hoped it could be later.

  A loud ringing overhead prevented her reply.

  Saved by the bell. When the ring quieted, the store’s closing announcement came over the public address system.

  She swung into action, pasting on her professional face. “I’m afraid you’ll need to wait outside. No customers allowed after closing time. The staff entrance at the left side of the building is the best place to wait. Beth will meet you there.” Her voice stayed sweet, yet firm as a jawbreaker toffee. She needed him gone so she could think again. Her brain didn’t seem to function when he was around.

  A struggle played out on his face. He almost certainly wanted to kick back against her dismissive tone. But he could hardly kick back against the emphatic announcement over the PA insisting all customers needed to go now.

  “I’ll meet you at the staff entrance, Beth.” The hint of a more genuine smile cracked his face as he raised the bag containing the vanity case. “Anita, in case I don’t see you later, I’ll say it now. Thank you for your help with this.”

  His old-fashioned courtesy surprised her, but she still wasn’t sorry to see him leave. She needed to put Beth straight on the new no-matchmaking rule. As soon as he marched up the stairs without a backward glance, she turned to her friend.

  Beth got in first. “What’s in the bag?”

  “A vanity case for Portia. He came to buy her a gift, and it seemed just the thing for her, especially if she needs to go back into hospital.” She hesitated, and then decided to ask anyway. “I’m guessing her doctor’s appointment wasn’t good news?”

  Beth lowered her eyes and shook her head. When she raised them, they glistened. “Please come tonight. We need to talk about what to do.”

  Anita hated seeing her friend upset. Her heart squeezed, and she gave Beth a quick hug. If spending more time with Matthew was the price of helping Beth, she’d pay it. “I’ll try. Let me call home while
I do my end of day. If Mum’s happy to mind Daisy, of course I’ll come.”

  So much for avoiding him.

  Over in her department, her efficient assistant had already started totting up the day’s sales.

  “Thanks, Josie. You’ll be head of your own department soon.”

  Josie grinned and pushed her sleeves back, exposing the old cutting scars she showed no sign of embarrassment about now. The girl from the homeless shelter work training scheme had come a long way. “Well, actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.…”

  “You’re moving to another department? No, don’t leave me!” Anita clasped her forehead like a damsel in distress.

  The younger girl laughed. “Not another sales job. I wouldn’t do that to you. But much as I love selling kitchenware, you know I want to be a chef. They’re creating a new position, an assistant for Mavis in the staff restaurant. It’s not my dream job, but it’s a step in the right direction. Do you mind if I apply for it?”

  Josie’s anxious dark-eyed gaze and tense mouth suggested she really cared about the reply. Maybe even wouldn’t go for the job if Anita said no.

  Everything was changing. Anita’s tummy churned with a sense of loss.

  Jen’s illness had strained their relationship and put more of Daisy’s care onto her. Beth’s marriage would change their friendship. Now Josie was looking to move, too.

  But she couldn’t hold Josie back out of selfishness. She reached out a hand and hoped her smile looked genuine. “I’ll be sorry to lose the best assistant I’ve had, but so glad for you if you get the job.”

  Josie’s sweet smile lit up her face. “Thank you. Now are you going out tonight with the hunk I saw you with earlier, the one who was lurking? I should have guessed he was one of your mystery dates.” She giggled. “Looks like you struck gold this time. I’ll do the end of day, so you can go now.”

  “You’re a honey. I’ll miss you so much.” She gave the girl an impulsive hug. If only Matthew with his scathing opinion of adults who liked hugs could see her now, hugging everyone in sight. “I need to wait for Beth. It’s not a date, it’s wedding planning. And he’s not a hunk, he’s the best man.”