Page 81 of The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

‘We can’t,’ he told her. ‘The wind’s too strong. Come on. I’ll sort something out.’

So he moved one of the benches to the front window so that they could still see out onto the lane. Then Josh picked up a couple of the blankets and they sat huddled together under them on the bench.

Josh was trying to remain calm, but he was watching the river with rising panic, although he was trying not to show it to Amber. It was flowing much higher than had been predicted and he wondered whether they would be truly safe, even on their slightly elevated status.

For the first time perhaps ever, he realised that he truly cared about the shop and would be devastated if it became flooded. There were memories here. Happy ones, despite the recent sad times. His parents had danced on the shop floor one Christmas. His grandparents had run the shop when he was little. He and his brother had played on the veranda outside.

If the place filled with water, even the tractor, although not working, would be ruined by the mucky water flooding through the engine.

This was his shop. His home. His dad’s legacy. And he wanted to protect it. He understood that now. It was time to step up and defend the Cranbridge Stores.

Because it meant everything to him.

33

Amber found that she was so weary that her eyes kept closing, even though she could hear the wind and rain howling across the veranda outside the window.

She forced her eyes to open once more and looked over to Josh as he stared out at the river. He was handsome, she had to admit. Strong chin. Long eyelashes. A frown creased his forehead with worry, but still it was a good-looking face.

She was more conscious than ever of his thigh pressing up against hers. She had a sudden mad thought that it could be wildly romantic to be sitting under a blanket with him. But it was crazy. There was a storm battering the village all around them. She was just tired and stressed. She just needed to have a little power nap and then she’d be fine. So she closed her eyes once more and this time let her mind drift.

At some point, she awoke with a start. Her eyes flew open and she found Josh staring down as he sat next to her.

‘Hey,’ he said, softly. ‘You awake now?’

His eyes bore into hers and she had trouble speaking. Having been at ease with him for a couple of weeks, she hoped she could just put it down to shyness.

So she nodded. ‘What time is it?’

‘It’s one o’clock,’ he told her. ‘You dropped off for a while.’

A while? She felt embarrassed that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder for a whole hour.

‘What’s happening out there?’ she asked, peering into the darkness. All she could hear was the wind howling and the sound of rushing water. But she did notice that there were quite a few lights on in the cottages across the river. Nobody was getting much sleep that night.

Josh waved his torch around and she could see that the water was already halfway across the path.

‘It’s getting closer,’ she told him.

‘I know. But the Environment Agency say it should have peaked by now.’

Amber blew out a sigh. ‘Let’s hope they’re right.’

The trouble was that the rain was still coming down and the water didn’t seem to be receding at all. If anything, it was slowly getting nearer and nearer.

Josh’s phone suddenly rang out with a text. In the darkness, his screen shone out as he read the message.

‘It’s Del,’ he told her, getting up. ‘Apparently Cherry Tree Lane is under water.’

‘Oh my goodness,’ said Amber.

‘We’re getting a group together to check around the village and make sure everyone’s OK.’

‘We?’ asked Amber.

‘Del, me, Mike and a few others. I’ll text him to say we’ll call this headquarters as the shop seems to have survived for now. I’ll go grab my wellies and a jumper. I’ll check on Grandma Tilly whilst I’m up there.’

He went upstairs, leaving Amber alone in the shop.