Page 58 of The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

The doorbell rang out once more and the vicar came in.

‘Good morning,’ said Glenda, looking amazed at the difference inside the shop. ‘Goodness me,’ she added. ‘I hardly recognise the place.’

‘It’s really nice, isn’t it?’ said Belle.

‘Absolutely,’ said Glenda, looking around and smiling. ‘Now, what did I come in for?’

Amber spotted Noah the Labrador tied up outside and wondered if she should place a bowl of water outside for dogs. After all, she had spotted quite a few passing by on their daily walks. Perhaps if the dogs stopped to have a drink, then their owners would be tempted inside.

As the vicar and Belle chatted away, Amber was suddenly struck by how important the shop was to people who lived alone.

Keeping the shop open and in business suddenly wasn’t just about profit and loss to Amber. It was about the villagers as well. Somewhere for them to talk and to meet.

With that in mind, she wandered out to see Josh after both the customers had left.

‘You know those old benches in the lane out there? I was wondering whether you would mind if we moved them to the front porch,’ she asked. ‘One on either side.’

He looked surprised. ‘Whatever for?’

‘It was just an idea I had,’ she told him. ‘I thought it would frame the windows better. And the new display I’ve got for the porch.’

‘The porch is getting a display now?’ He frowned. ‘Aren’t we going to end up looking like Disneyland?’

She shook her head. ‘We’re dressing the shop, remember? I think it could work.’

He rolled his eyes. ‘OK,’ he said, to her relief. ‘It’s not like they’re getting any use stuck out there. But let me check them both first to make sure that they’re safe if somebody decides to sit on them. We haven’t got the money if we get sued if somebody comes a cropper on them.’

‘And the veranda could do with a new lick of paint as well,’ said Amber, ducking out of the room before he could protest.

In fact, Josh was kept busy fixing the hole in the roof of the veranda before coating it in wood preservative. It looked much better afterwards, especially when the benches were coated in the same oak colouring. Once Josh had declared them both safe and dry, he and Amber carried them round to the front porch and placed one underneath each front window.

After Josh had disappeared back inside, Amber stood on the steps and decided that they needed a couple of comfy cushions. Maybe even a rug.

Or a blanket, she realised, making a note to ask Grandma Tilly to knit a couple of autumnal-coloured ones next.

Although with all the rain that was pouring down day after day, maybe life jackets would be a better idea, she thought. And then she realised that they also needed a hat and umbrella stand somewhere. And thought she’d seen one out the back as well.

In fact, the back room was a gold mine of odds and ends that she could reuse. There were a couple of shabby yet perfectly functional hurricane lamps, which just needed a clean before she placed them either side of the front door with fairy lights in them. Then she stole one of Josh’s pumpkins and placed that next to one of the lamps. An old wicker basket was quickly filled with logs that she could easily get to in order to keep the fire going.

Last, she made an autumnal wreath for the front door, made out of the berries and leaves that were down by the river.

Feeling nervous, she showed Josh her work.

‘Looks good,’ said Josh, nodding slowly. ‘Looks really good, in fact.’

Filled with enthusiasm, Amber told him some more of her ideas. ‘I thought I could cut out some black cats on cardboard for Halloween. As well as lighting some pumpkins that have been carved, of course.’

‘Of course,’ he repeated, smiling at her excitement.

‘Then, in December, we could have a Christmas tree at both ends of the porch,’ she carried on. ‘As well as one inside.’

‘Only if you come back and decorate them,’ he said, laughing.

She was bemused. ‘Where am I going?’ she asked.

‘To New Zealand,’ he told her. ‘Remember?’

That brought Amber up short. She had completely forgotten that she wasn’t there for very long.