Page 23 of The Bookshop By the Loch

Tobias Black and Trevor shook hands. Tobias then patted his uncle on the back. Trevor kept staring at him as though he couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

The older man’s smile was awkward. “Yes… Er… you look well, Tobias, but to say this is a surprise is an understatement.”

The younger man gestured to the bookshop again. “Not as much as this is to me, Uncle. Mum told me Book Ends was closing down.”

“That’s right. It was.” Trevor pushed his hands into his jacket pockets and continued to gawp at his nephew. “But as you can see, it isn’t now. I changed my mind.”

Tobias’s expression glowered with disapproval at me. “Or someone changed it for you,” he muttered under his breath.

My mouth sprang open with indignation. “Pardon? I hope you aren’t inferring anything underhand.”

Tobias ignored me. “Uncle, I’d appreciate a quiet word with you about this. In private please.”

Trevor shot me a sideways glance. He opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds, before rallying. “Yes, of course. The three of us should go inside and we can discuss it further.”

Tobias reeled. “Sorry?”

“Let me explain,” insisted his uncle. He gestured for Tobias to lead the way. “Shall we?”

I trooped in after them, stung at this rude man’s inference. He thought I’d coerced Trevor into keeping his business? How dare he!

As soon as we stepped inside the doorway of the bookshop, the cacophony of scents hit us again: wood panelling, paint and sawdust.

Tobias Black wasted no time in whirling round to confront his uncle. “So, can you explain what’s happened to Book Ends?”

Trevor aimed a brief glance my way. “Nothing has happened to it, except for me upgrading it with Lexie’s help.”

Tobias Black looked like he’d trod on something sharp. “This is crazy. I had hoped there might have been some sort of mix-up.” Disbelief gripped his stormy features. “And Ms Dunbar has been appointed manager?”

Trevor nodded. “That’s right. For a year. We want to give it twelve months, to see if we can turn the business around.”

There was an awkward silence that seemed to last forever, before Tobias let out a cross between a laugh and a snarl. “This is ridiculous! Why weren’t Mum and I told about this?”

Trevor eyed his incandescent nephew out of his round spectacles. “I didn’t tell your mother because it was – and is – none of her business.”

Tobias shook his dark curls. “She’s your sister-in-law. Apart from Tamsin, we’re the only family you have left, Uncle Trevor.” He flashed me a glance. “And if you haven’t forgotten, I do have shares in the business.”

Shares? My heart sank further.

“Aunt Naomi asked for my help a few years back when the shop was having a lean time and––”

Trevor cut his nephew off. “Yes, I’m aware of that and I appreciate it, but it’s still my business.” His face carried an odd look. “Naomi should never have asked you to invest in the shop in the first place.” Then Trevor stunned me, by letting out a sudden rumble of sarcastic laughter. “But as for family? We never see each other or keep in touch.” He pulled a wry smile. “Only when it suits your mother, that is.”

Tobias’s eyes burned. “What does that mean?”

Trevor didn’t respond.

I shuffled from foot to foot. This appeared to be some sort of awkward family issue and I didn’t want to intrude, but at the same time, I didn’t want this Tobias Black trying to con his uncle. The fact that he also had a stake in the bookshop was gnawing at me. “Perhaps I should go,” I interjected into an atmosphere so frozen it would give the Arctic a run for its money.

Trevor shook his fine head of swept back, dark hair. “I’ve appointed you manager of this place, Lexie. There’s nothing more to discuss.”

“Oh, but there is,” growled Tobias, folding his muscular arms over his grey T-shirt and black leather jacket. “This shop has been struggling for a while. Mum heard there were rumours circulating around Bracken Way about Book Ends having a tough time of it and I’m looking for new business premises.”

His uncle appraised him with a cool stare. “Well, news does travel fast, doesn’t it? The gossip hotline between here and your mother is obviously in full working order.” Tobias moved to say something, but undeterred, Trevor ploughed on. “After your aunt passed away, I did think about closing down and leasing it, but I’ve come to realise it isn’t what she would have wanted.”

Then he turned to me with an appreciative smile. “Lexie here has made me see that Book Ends still has so much to offer the Bracken Way community.”

Tobias started to protest. “But in the current economic climate, Uncle, do you think that’s wise? What if your plans for the shop don’t work? Wouldn’t you be better calling it a day and retiring?”