Page 101 of The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

‘How splendid,’ said Rose, looking around. ‘It’s doing ever so well sales wise. And it would fit right in.’ She looked around the shop. ‘Such a pretty place. I shall tell all my family and friends about it. And you’re only just down the road from us!’

‘Well, we need all the customers we can get,’ said Josh with a smile, before he headed outside to see Del.

‘What a handsome one,’ said Rose, giving Amber another wink. ‘I do like a man in a leather jacket.’

Amber blushed and turned around to refill the coffee machine.

Whilst the ladies browsed the shelves inside the shop, she went outside to find out how long they might have to wait.

‘What do you think is the matter?’ Josh was asking Del, who was now sitting on the bottom step of the coach.

‘Couple of missing fuses,’ Del told him.

Josh looked surprised. ‘Missing? Do you think they fell out on the road here?’

‘Nah, mate,’ whispered Del. ‘They’re in my pocket!’

Josh stared down at his friend, who was now grinning at him.

‘Well, you said you needed the customers,’ said Del. ‘If I can drag it out for long enough, I’ll get them in the pub next for a drink before we get back on board. They’ll still have time to wander around their National Trust garden later.’

Josh was speechless for a moment as he stared up at Amber in amazement. ‘I don’t believe it.’

‘You’ve broken down on purpose?’ she whispered.

‘A couple of bottles of that local cider wouldn’t go amiss,’ said Del, with a wink.

‘You’re on if we make a profit,’ said Josh, laughing.

‘Great,’ said Del, springing up. ‘I’ll try and break down later on this week as well. Got to give the place a fighting chance, eh?’

As he walked away, Amber found that both she and Josh were laughing. For once, Dodgy Del’s nickname was working in the shop’s favour.

42

Back in the shop, Josh told the ladies that the problem with the coach engine should be fixed in a short while.

‘Such a shame to have to leave,’ said Rose, who appeared to be the leader of the group. ‘But we shall return. It’s been years since I’ve been to Cranbridge. Do you remember the Christmas fair they used to hold here?’

‘You’re going back a few years now,’ said Grandma Tilly, nodding thoughtfully. ‘You were only on your second husband then.’

Josh screwed his face up as he tried to think back in time. ‘I remember the lane outside being packed with stalls and people,’ he said.

‘That’s right,’ said Rose, nodding. ‘It was always very pretty. Seemed to herald the start of Christmas, from what I remember.’

‘We’re going to hold one again this year,’ said Grandma Tilly.

Josh turned to look at his grandmother somewhat incredulously with raised eyebrows but said nothing.

‘With all the stalls along the riverbank?’ asked another lady.

Grandma Tilly nodded. ‘Absolutely,’ she said. ‘Lots of home-made goods.’

‘Really? How marvellous,’ said Rose. ‘When’s it being held?’

Grandma Tilly looked across at Josh, obviously realising that she hadn’t quite worked out all the details of her lie.

Oh, what the hell, he said to himself.