Page 57 of How to Find a Romance in a Bookshop

Petra caught Jess stealing a look at her and then vaguely looking away, for all the world as if last year’s planner, up on the wall, was the most fascinating thing in the world.

“I could ask,” she said.

“Ooh, would you?” Jess replied, far too quickly. “I mean clearly he doesn’t like being in the limelight. But it would be amazing. Honestly? He could totally be the keynote speaker. And he can talk about whatever he likes: being a successful debut author, the writing process, his experiences in the publishing world as a big seller . . . whatever. And even if he does have something written, he doesn’t have to say so, does he?”

Although the expression on Jess’s face told Petra everything she needed to know about how much Jess hoped he would.

Ross was collared by Flo as soon as he had finished hugely enjoying himself reading The Gruffalo in the children’s reading corner that Saturday.

“A little bird tells me you’re writing a beautiful book, Ross,” was her opener. “Or should I say ‘award-winning debut author Ross McCloud,’ to use your full title?”

“Bit of a mouthful, for every day,” he deadpanned. “Just Ross will do fine, thanks for asking.”

“Hmph,” said Flo, narrowing her eyes. “And I gather you and Petra . . . ?”

“Yeah,” said Ross, smiling at the thought. “She’s great, isn’t she?”

“She certainly is.”

“God knows what she’s doing with a basket case like me. I don’t deserve her.”

“I don’t suppose you do,” Flo agreed. “So make sure you look after her . . .”

“Yeah, stopping her from finding new and inventive ways to accidentally kill herself is part of my job, for sure,” he said. “After that whole nighttime hiking fiasco,” he went on, looking grim as he remembered.

“Not one of her best decisions,” agreed Flo. “Although she’s a talented woman, of course,” she continued. “Quite the high-flyer. What will you do when she wants to go back to agenting? Presumably you would want her to represent you?” she said, looking sharply at him.

“Ah,” said Ross, taken aback. “So, that’s er . . . um . . . it’s complicated.”

Flo continued to look at him expectantly, telling him she had absolutely heard from Petra on the subject too.

“So I asked her to be my agent, but she refused,” he admitted.

“I see.”

“Ah, but you don’t,” insisted Ross. “I was disappointed she said no, but I was also really relieved because that meant we could be together, which was good.”

“And now . . . ?”

“I’m starting to understand how much it would do for her professionally if she represented me with this next book to sell. It’s making me wish I could break my cardinal rule.”

“Combining work and pleasure?”

Ross nodded, his brow knitted.

“And—just to clarify,” Flo pressed on, “Petra turned you down when you asked her in any case because . . . ?”

“I think because she’s lost confidence in herself,” Ross hazarded. “Although, just recently, she’s been pushing me to keep writing, and I can tell she’s intrigued to think how to sell this book. I feel like she’s getting her mojo back, and I’m wondering if I can’t change her mind about the agenting, for her own sake. I flatter myself, I know, but it would be a bit of a comeback for her.”

“So you want her not to represent you, because you personally don’t want to muddy the water in your relationship, but then you want her to represent you for the sake of her own career?”

“Yes.”

“And—just to clarify—she doesn’t want to represent you because she thinks she isn’t good enough, but maybe now she’s thinking she is prepared to represent you, for the sake of your career. Yes?”

“Yes,” said Ross, delighted that Flo seemed to be following. “Make sense?”

“No,” said Flo bluntly. “I think you’re both totally cracked.”