Page 121 of The Bookshop By the Loch

I turned. “Good morning.”

His hair was in damp curls, skimming his broad shoulders. He offered me a lazy smile. “How’re you today?”

“I’m very good, thanks. You?”

I unlocked the door and he raised his arm above me and pushed it open. We exchanged private smiles. “Never better,” he said.

The air in the shop crackled as we went about our usual routine, firing on our electronic tills and switching on the spotlights.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“Not so much.”

“Me neither.”

He came striding towards me in his black trousers and navy shirt. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. It got so bad; I ended up working on one of my commissions for a bit.”

We glanced around to make sure no customers had snuck in while we weren’t looking. Chloe, Daryl and Octavia were due in soon too.

Tobias slid one arm around my waist and pulled me to him.

“Funny you should say that,” I said, stroking the collar of his shirt. “I did a similar thing last night. Well, not painting, obviously.”

“Oh?”

“I sat up most of the night and wrote the epilogue for Celeste’s book.”

“Really? I’m impressed.” Tobias lowered his mouth to mine and grazed my lips with his. “Do you think I might have given you some inspiration?”

I pretended to ponder the question. “I’ll have to think about that one.”

Our mouths became greedier for one another and I became lost in him – until my ringing mobile cut through the passion.

We both let out frustrated groans.

Maeve’s number appeared.

“Good morning,” I chirruped, happiness exploding in my chest. “How’s things?”

My blood froze at the sound of Maeve choking back tears. “Oh, Lexie,” stammered Maeve. “It’s Mum.” She struggled to sound coherent. “She’s slipping away.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ireached for Tobias’s hand as we made our way towards the residential home entrance. My laptop was suspended over my other shoulder.

It was bruising and bumping against my side, but I didn’t care.

Maeve was standing looking lost at reception. The three of us exchanged silent, tight hugs.

“I’ve tried to get hold of Corinne, but she isn’t picking up. I did leave a message though.” She rubbed at her watery eyes. “It’s as if she knew deep down Corinne would come and see her. She’s hung on till then.” She raised her damp face. “Now that she has some peace, it’s like she feels she can let go.”

Hot tears were on the verge of spilling down my cheeks. “Can we see her? I wrote the epilogue of her book last night.”

A breakfast trolley trundled past, the crockery rattling like false teeth on top of it.

“Oh, how wonderful. Mum will be thrilled.”

I glanced up at a solemn Tobias beside me. “Maybe I could read it to her. I want her to know I did it. For her. That’s why I brought this.” I indicated to my laptop case over my shoulder.