Page 65 of The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

As the coffee machine gurgled into life, Amber suddenly had an idea. ‘Now, how do you feel about knitting us a couple of pumpkins?’

Grandma Tilly looked astonished. ‘Pumpkins?’

‘Maybe not just pumpkins. A few squashes as well,’ said Amber.

‘I’m a little muddled,’ said Grandma Tilly, looking confused.

‘Sorry,’ said Amber. ‘I should have explained. I was wondering how you felt about knitting me, well, us, a few pumpkins and squashes. To dot around the shop.’

‘Have you been at the punch again?’ asked Josh, who came over to raise an eyebrow at her.

Amber blushed. ‘No. But you’re going to sell all the real pumpkins hopefully and they look so pretty in the shop. I thought if Grandma Tilly could knit us a few then they’d be a more permanent feature until we dress the shop for Christmas.’

‘Oh! I see!’ Grandma Tilly went over to peer inside the box that contained all the balls of wool. ‘Well, they’re the right colours in any case.’ She broke into a winning smile. ‘That’ll keep me busy for a few days.’

‘Do you want me to carry the box home for you?’ asked Amber.

But Grandma Tilly shook her head and held up her shopping bag. ‘Fill her up, love.’

After she had enjoyed her hot chocolate, Amber and Grandma Tilly watched a tutorial on YouTube about how to knit a pumpkin.

‘It should be easy enough,’ said Grandma Tilly.

Amber thought that perhaps she had a bit more of a spring in her step as she left.

Later on, Amber cut out bat silhouettes on some black card that she had found hidden in one of the boxes. She then hung them on some black string and lay them across the tops of the windows.

‘Nice,’ said Josh, nodding his approval.

‘I didn’t want to go too mad because some older people are a bit funny about Halloween,’ she said.

‘You’ve done really well,’ he told her.

‘Even the tractor?’ she asked.

‘Don’t push it,’ he said, grinning.

Amber found she was also smiling as she went to refill the water in the machine, still somewhat amazed that her idea had not only been addressed but had also appeared to work. It had definitely drawn in the newspaper workers next door.

Maybe, just maybe, the plan to redesign their shop would help.

Their shop. She whispered it to herself as if it were a secret that only she knew. But each and every day it felt as if she were becoming a joint owner with Josh. Little by little, their lives were being entwined by the shop and she realised she liked that they were becoming closer day by day.

26

On the day before Halloween, Amber found herself run off her feet with customers dashing in for either pumpkins or sweets. Thankfully, they had plenty of both to keep everyone stocked up ready for the trick or treating the following evening.

Even the pub landlord, Mike, came in, looking for bread rolls.

‘I’m doing a BBQ,’ he told Amber. ‘I’ve got some meat that needs using up from the freezer that’s defrosted.’

She managed to stop herself shuddering just in time.

‘See you tonight!’ said Mike, giving Josh a wave as he left. ‘Don’t forget! The burgers will only be two quid!’

‘What was that about?’ asked Josh.

‘Possible food poisoning,’ Amber told him. ‘He’s got some kind of meat he wants to use up for a BBQ.’