‘Well, I suppose, although frankly I think good time-keeping is overrated.’ Josie set the box on her hip and kicked the door shut behind her. ‘Being on timeisuseful, I suppose, when you have trains to catch and shops to open – but in the grand scheme of things it’s a bit dull. I wouldn’t have had half the adventures I’ve had if I hadn’t missed the odd flight or two. You’re young.’ She waved a hand. ‘You should be staying outlate, partying, sharing ideas, thoughts with like-minded souls. You should be texting me to say you’re not coming in at all because you’ve – you’ve run off to Marrakesh with a poet!’
‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ said Ivy. Like there was anyone she would want to run off to Marrakesh with, she thought.
‘Good.’ Josie set the box down with an exhale. ‘Have you met Brooke yet?’
Ivy shook her head. ‘She’s asleep. Or so her terrifyingly perky brother told me.’
‘Oh, so you met Trip, did you?’ Josie said. ‘An unexpected addition but I said he was very welcome.Sucha nice boy. So enthusiastic. Most young people seem depressingly jaded these days.’ A sly look came into her sparkling sea-green eyes. ‘And my goodness, he’s a handsome boy. Those dimples.’ She added casually, ‘He’s about your age, darling, isn’t he?’
Ivy stifled a groan. ‘Whatever you’re doing, please don’t.’ Josie was about as subtle as a plank. The last thing she needed was Josie deciding that she and Trip were like-minded souls and should run off to Marrakesh together, because Ivy would never hear the end of it.
‘What?’ Josie laughed. ‘I was only thinking that you could show him around. Explore Fox Bay together.’ She winked. ‘By moonlight, perhaps.’
‘I’d rather eat a Kathleen Lee hardback,’ Ivy said. ‘Or reorganise the Russian poetry shelves.’
Josie tapped the box. ‘Fine. Someone’sgot to put these on display.’
‘Perfect,’ said Ivy, taking it and heading to the romance shelves. ‘This should take a nice long time.’
Josie called after her, ‘Suit yourself! But don’t pretend you didn’t notice those dimples!’
Ivy set to work, muttering under her breath.Trip.Seriously, what kind of name was that? She shelved another book with a little more force than necessary.
‘You’re an artist? That’ssocool. You must be full of ideas.’
Sadly not, Trip, Ivy thought bitterly. She was an idea-free zone. She shuddered anew at the thought of her final tutorial.
Find out what you care about and start from there.
The shop door chimed open, and Ivy instinctively braced herself for the influx of customers. She peered round the shelves into the front of the shop. But it wasn’t a Kathleen Lee fan or an eager shopper. It was Trip again, this time with wet hair and a soaked T-shirt.
‘Good morning, darling,’ Josie said. ‘Nice run? Did you do the route I suggested, along the cliffs?’
‘Yeah. It was perfect. Wet, but perfect. Fox Bay,’ Trip declared, still catching his breath, ‘iseven betterin golden hour.’
Golden hour.Ivy snorted. She considered telling him it wasn’t calledgolden hourhere. It was just ‘morning’ and besides it was pouring with rain. But she decided against it.
‘Do you want me to help out at all, Josie?’ Trip was asking.
‘No, no, darling,’ Josie said. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. This is your holiday. What is it with you serious young people? Always looking for jobs.’
‘It’s called a cost-of-living crisis,’ Ivy told her from the romance shelves. ‘That plus student loans.’
‘Ignore Ivy,’ Josie said. ‘Go and find a book and read. I can recommend some excellent avant-garde Russian authors.’
‘Idohave some reading to do for college,’ Trip said. ‘Oh hey, Ivy,’ he said, turning to her like they were already best friends.
‘What are you studying?’ Ivy asked, to be polite.
‘I haven’t made my mind up on what I want to major in. Or which college I want to go to, to be honest. But I’m leaning towards Philosophy. I want to study the mechanics of joy.’
Ivy groaned. ‘Of course.’
Just then, the door opened again and this time a group of five people came in, clearly from out of town, all clutchingOcean Deeptotes stamped with a glass-stoppered bottle and a cluster of seashells.
‘Have you heard the rumours about the film?’ said one. ‘I hope they can get Jacob Elordi to play the captain.’
‘I heard they might go for an unknown for Lily,’ said another.
