‘Was that before the library thing?’
‘Yeah,’ Annie said grudgingly.
‘Well then. Things can change.’
Annie took a deep breath of salty sea air and released it in a sigh. ‘I hear you.’
‘I don’t know much, but I know you and Harri, and I’ve never heard you in a fix like this over a guy. He’s got under your skin.’
Annie huffed sadly. Cassidy knew her better than she knew herself. ‘I’ve missed you,’ she told her friend.
‘Me too. So much. Thank you for forgiving me.’
‘Nothing to forgive.’
They talked more about the shop and the English seaside, and Annie told her all about William, the silent book club tonight, and the Valentine’s movie night on Friday, and Cassidy tried hard not to get carried away and say how it all sounded like the most romantic thing she’d ever heard of, but Annie could tell that’s exactly what she meant every time she remarked it sounded ‘so cute’ and Annie ‘deserved every second of it’.
When they hung up, Annie found herself staring into a rock pool, catching her reflection in the ripples with the grey sky above her. The Cassidy-shaped hole in her heart was filled up again, and now there was something new troubling her; the battle between her fears and the great big aching wanting she had for a sweet, nerdy Welshman who, after last night, she couldn’t help but appreciate in a whole new light.
She lingered on the sand for a long time trying not to feel anything at all. For a supposedly simple bookselling vacation with an old friend, she’d seriously got more than she’d signed up for. It was a lot to take on board.
Added to that, the situation back home had clearly moved on. Was her community really coming out in support of the library? The kids had made their voices heard. Her colleagues were taking the high ground and inviting discussion and understanding. Was there a place for her amongst it all? Would her father be ready to get on board now? Could she face it all now that she knew Cassidy was waiting for her and Dave was out the picture?
It would still be so hard. Why on earth did everyone think she was so brave? She was afraid, and she was tired and, above all, confused about literally everything.
Chapter Nineteen
Sunday’s Silent Reading Club
Something strange was happening to Harri.
Here he was with an evening of cosy company and quiet reading stretching out ahead of him and he couldn’t get past the same paragraph his eyes had skimmed at least twenty times. Nothing was going in, and it had everything to do with Annie Luna who, right this second, was curled up on one of the beanbags by the fire, her nose buried deeply in a bonkbuster novel from the Eighties, and she reallywasreading. He could tell. She was devouring that thing.
He didn’t know whether to be glad Annie finally seemed to have her bookworm mojo back or whether he was offended that she wasn’t lost in the same struggle between brain, book and the blazing fire inside his body, ignited last night in the Castle Lore library and still burning out of control now.
Had anyone else noticed? They must be able to see he was consumed with it? But the other Clove Lore residents were deep in their books too.
The lights were up in the shop and the pink and red love hearts strung around the shelves and hanging in the windows created a bright, festive feeling. Everyone had arrived an hour ago, bringing their baking and snacks, blankets and cushions, determined to throw themselves into the spirit of Annie’s vision.
She’d been busy like a bee, of course. Too busy to talk with Harri beyond the details of where the chairs ought to be set out and delegating the hot chocolate duties to him.
There’d been William to see to as well. He was currently in the green leather armchair, a blanket over his knees, looking very much at home with his tiny gold specs on his nose, reading some dense old volume of Roman plays in the original Latin and chuckling every now and again like he was listening to a comedy podcast.
There’d been a buzz of interest, led by Minty, about where on earth Mrs Crocombe had got to, and nobody had seen Mr Bovis either. They’d never normally miss a community event like this.
After some initial speculation, Minty had settled down to read. She’d brought the latest copy ofThe Ladyand was tucking into a bag of pink bonbons with surprising relish. She looked as contented as can be with Jowan by her side with his works of John Donne, which he’d picked from the top of the bookshop’s poetry shelves remarking out loud to the volume, ‘Still here, my old friend.’
Aldous was at their feet with a rather revolting butcher’s bone keeping him occupied, not an easy thing to crunch, having no teeth to speak of.
Annie had been delighted to welcome Kit and Anjali when they arrived on what was clearly another date. They were currently cloistered in the furthest corner of the cafe and whispering together, their books unopened.
Austen and Patti were arranged on the stairs, limbs everywhere, both stuck into beach reads and looking just as happy as they always did.
A pregnant woman who Patti had introduced as her sister, Joy, had followed them inside with a wavy-haired man in a fisherman’s jumper. His name was Monty, and while Joy read something very intently on her Kindle, he made it his sole responsibility to top up her hot chocolate, prop her feet across his lap, and make sure that little Radia had everything she needed as well.
Radia had brought her entireIsadora Mooncollection from home and was making a show of speed-reading her way through them under a blanket tent she’d constructed between two chair backs. There’s nothing like reading in public to bring out the performance in precocious types.
Harri couldn’t help sneaking peeks at the little family, so self-contained and protected as though they had a bubble of love around them. It was so unlike his own experiences growing up with his dad always occupied elsewhere with the conservatory business and always inclined to pick faults in him.
