‘You have that Trip chap staying at the shop, don’t you?’ he asked Ivy, pushing back his sailor’s cap. ‘He’s a good lad.’
Ivy groaned. ‘Not you too, Bill.’ Surelysomeonein Fox Bay was immune to Trip’s relentless charm offensive.
‘Lad says he’s going to show me some of those yoga moves he’s always doing,’ Bill told Ivy, shifting the pipe that was permanently welded to his mouth. ‘Says it’ll keep me limber which is important for bone density as you age. And he wants me to give up smoking. Got to watch my chest, he says.’
‘How’s that working out for you?’ said Ivy, looking meaningfully at the pipe, which Bill lowered sheepishly.
Ivy unlocked the shop to find a woman sitting at the counter, wearing expensive-looking gym gear, readingVarietyand drinking from a KeepCup.
‘Oh hi,’ said Ivy, wrestling the door shut. ‘You must be Brooke, Josie’s mysterious lodger, sister to the most cheerful man in the world.’
The woman considered her. She had Trip’s chestnut hair and brown eyes, although her hair was cut in a sleek bob and her eyes had a sharper, more knowing expression. ‘And you must be Ivy, the mysterious housekeeper. Thanks for the towels – I assume that’s you.’
‘Yeah, that’s me,’ Ivy said. ‘Josie’s paying me a bit extra for housekeeping but I’m really studying art and … anyway. How are you finding it here in Fox Bay?’
‘It’s only the most picturesque Airbnb ever.’ Brooke’s tone was dry. She cricked her neck. ‘Even though that bed is a killer. And that shower isn’t exactly warm.’
‘I tried to tell Josie Wildest Dreams needed some more improvements before she could rent it out. I think she’s hoping the view makes up for everything else.’
‘It is a great view,’ said Brooke, turning back to her magazine, clearly shutting down the conversation. While her brother could talk for the USA, she was clearly a woman of few words.
‘So you’re a Kathleen Lee fan, then?’ Ivy asked.
‘Not really,’ said Brooke. ‘I just came here for the vibes.’
Ivy frowned – hadn’t Josie said that Brooke was a fan? Just then, the door opened. ‘Hey!’ Trip beamed, appearing in the doorway with coffee. ‘Brooke, you’re up! And you’ve met Ivy!’ He handed Ivy one of the takeaway cups. ‘I got you one too,’ he said. ‘Hope that’s okay. Skye said this was your order. Double espresso?’
‘Thanks,’ Ivy said, taking the cup, feeling a surge of gratitude. ‘I really fancied a coffee that doesn’t taste of dirt this morning.’
‘Isn’t this place awesome, Brooke?’ Trip said, his gaze lingering on the carved ceiling beams and little stained-glass panels above the door.
‘It’s great,’ said Brooke, still immersed in an article.
Trip was drinking his coffee and scanning theFox Bay Sentinel. ‘There’s so much cosy stuff to do here,’ he said. ‘Look at this, Brooke. A winter pageant, put on by the local primary school. How cute is that?’
Did he ever stop talking, Ivy wondered. As though reading her mind, Brooke glanced up and rolled her eyes affectionately. ‘He’s like thisall the time, you know,’ she said to Ivy. ‘Doesn’t pause for breath.’
‘Yeah,’ said Ivy, fighting back a smile. She hadn’t expected Trip’s sister to be so different to him. ‘I’ve noticed.’
Trip waved the paper, unfazed. ‘It’s part of a fundraising drive to save the library. We should see if we can help. Brooke, you’d be good at—’
‘I’m on holiday, remember?’ said Brooke sharply. Ivy was sure she shot her brother a warning look and he fell silent.
‘Why did you pick Fox Bay? It’s so out of the way,’ said Ivy, watching Brooke closely. There was something odd here, she thought. She just couldn’t put her finger on what.
‘Why not?’ Brooke said with a shrug. ‘I liked the idea of a nice old-fashioned English winter.’
‘In a town with no good hotels, one restaurant and a pizzavan? In an Airbnb with a terrible mattress, a cold shower and no functioning coffee machine?’
‘Brooke works all the time,’ Trip chimed in. ‘I think she’s just looking to switch off for a bit. If Brooke’s not organising or booking or scheduling something, she’s lost.’
Brooke smiled thinly. ‘That’s becausesomeonehas to think five steps ahead.’
‘What do you do?’ asked Ivy.
‘Consulting. Boring.’
‘Ivy’s an artist,’ Trip said.
