Page 46 of A Scottish Country Escape

‘Yes, well, that was a one-off,’ I insisted. ‘They were lucky to find each other. Most people don’t ever have what they did.’

Gran eyed me. ‘That’s a very pessimistic view for a young woman to have.’

I shrugged. ‘I’m just being realistic.’

Gran considered this. ‘Just be careful. I know I’m the one who’s been encouraging you to help Dexter, but all the same…

‘Careful of what?’

Grandma moved towards me. She raised one hand and lifted a stray hair back from my cheek. ‘Of losing your heart to a handsome man, despite your protestations. Believe me, I should know.’

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Lunch time rolled around fast, thanks to a morning that saw a harassed mum purchasing a job lot of animal-shaped erasers, mini notebooks and glittery pencil cases to put into party bags for her daughter’s seventh birthday party. She also decided to purchase a pack of thank-you notelets for her daughter to write on after the festivities.

She had been followed up by middle-aged lady in ruby-red lipstick, who clutched a list of family birthdays and proclaimed she was eager to be mega-organised for once and would buy all the birthday and anniversary cards in one go, to save a panic later.

Then there were proactive school children dragging along their parents, asking for new pencil sets and colouring pens for the new school year, which was due to start again in a month.

I had only just managed to snatch a welcome cup of peppermint tea when one of the young apprentices from the butcher’s darted in, anxious to get a special card for his fiancée for her graduation and Mr Conroy, a friend of Gran’s, who was in search of a ‘lovely but not too soppy’ anniversary card for his wife.

I swished my ponytail back over my shoulder as I slit the brown tape of the next box open with scissors.

If business continued to be brisk (which I hoped it would be) I would have to think about taking on another member of staff or two. Even a couple of part-timers would be welcome.

I was just about managing at the moment, what with my grandmother popping by to serve for the odd few hours here and there and Cate also helping out. She insisted she would be available more in the autumn, once she had been able to satisfy her current jewellery demands.

The other box of cards I had just received were secured together by elastic bands and consisted of everything from cute felt, fabric, or embossed unicorns and trains, to designs aimed more at the teenage market, with birthday images of football boots, headphones, and designer handbags. Glitter speckled my fingers while I plucked them out of the box and began slotting them into the white wooden display.

As I glided then into their respective slots, I increased the volume on my iPod and hummed along to the rock tunes I had placed on shuffle. I wiggled this way and that, sashaying around.

So engrossed was I as I threw some shapes that I missed the dinging noise of the shop doorbell.

‘I think you might have missed your calling.’

I leapt up, embarrassment flooding through me. I let go of half the cards in my hand and they skittered across the wooden floor.

Dexter stooped down and gathered them up.

I reached for my hair and hoped half my make-up hadn’t slid off during the morning. I found myself also adjusting my shirt collar and dropped my hand in frustration. What on earth was I doing? Brilliant. Just brilliant. Dexter had seen me dancing around, making an utter tit of myself. ‘Do you always sneak up on poor unsuspecting shop owners?’

He paused, still holding the cards he had picked up for me. He appraised me with his thickly lashed eyes. ‘Only the very pretty ones.’ Then he remembered he was holding the greetings cards. He thrust them back towards me.

I took them, the glitter and gloss designs rubbing against my skin. ‘Thank you.’ I felt my cheeks flame.

He was dressed in a navy-blue V-neck jumper, petrol-blue combats, and dark trainers. He sifted one hand through his blueberry hair.

My heart was starting to gallop against my ribs.

Grandma’s words of warning pinged around my head, so I placed the greetings cards onto the counter. Heat crawled up my neck. ‘Is there something I can help you with, Dexter?’

He blinked at me, recovering himself. ‘Of course. Right.’ He glanced over his shoulder, checking that the shop was still quiet. ‘I wondered if we could have a chat about what to do next with this whole Linda Carlucci thing?’

I beckoned him to come behind the counter and into the kitchen area. From there I was still able to look out onto the shop floor to keep an eye out for any customers wandering in.

I had been thinking about the Linda Carlucci situation last night and all morning. I decided not to divulge what my Gran had told me about her falling in love with Linda’s brother. It was all still fresh and new to me and I didn’t want to betray my grandmother’s confidence.

‘I don’t know if this will work,’ I warned, choosing the chair opposite Dexter rather than directly next to him, ‘but it could be worth a shot.’