Page 33 of The Bookshop By the Loch

Unfortunately, someone else had been harbouring the same idea.

Tobias was peering through the bookshop windows and scribbling in a small notebook.

Oh shit.

My lips were rictus. I managed to grind out, “Good morning. What are you doing here so early?”

He appraised me. “Good morning. Well, seeing as I’m staying in Mrs Hopkirk’s bed and breakfast just round the corner, I thought I’d make use of being close by. That’s until my furniture is transported through from my rented place in Glasgow, of course.”

Oh, wonderful.

“It shouldn’t be too long until I can move into my new flat here.”

I forced a strained smile. “You really have thought of everything, haven’t you?” So, he wasn’t staying with his uncle Trevor then. Very odd.

Tobias gestured to Book Ends. “I see we have the same idea.”

I hoped I looked nonchalant. “And what idea might that be?”

“Getting our ideas together. Hit the ground running.”

“I’ve already hit the ground running,” I announced. “I know what I’m doing. This place will bounce back.”

Tobias stuffed his notebook into the pocket of his jeans. He crossed his muscular arms. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?”

I squinted with irritation under the milky morning sky. “I’m not trying to convince anybody, certainly not you.”

“Ouch. That’s no way to talk to your business partner.”

Oh, bloody hell! I wished he would just sod off. “We are not business partners, Mr Black. I think you’ll find we just happen to share the same workspace.” I found myself clutching the strap of my bag over my shoulder. Oh, how I wished Rembrandt wasn’t here, with those scorching eyes of his.

I took an exaggerated look at my watch. “Shouldn’t you be off somewhere, painting by numbers?”

Tobias let out a bark of deep laughter. “You wouldn’t say that, if you saw my etchings.”

A flood of colour took over my face. “No, thank you. I’m rather choosy whose etchings I look at.”

He bathed me in his stare. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Hoping he wouldn’t notice my flaming cheeks, I marched away back up the street, not quite sure where I was headed. I would wait until he’d gone, before coming back.

Idiot!

Tobias informed us he’d opted for not one, but three part-time members of staff to run the gallery whenever he wasn’t there.

Tobias’s employees turned out to be three attractive young women called Octavia, Suki and Anais.

I was hardly surprised. They were all legs and long fringes.

Book Ends was finished now in terms of the refitting and redecorating and Tobias’s team of decorators were putting the finishing touches to Mirror Image. John had been approached by Tobias about undertaking the decorating for him, but he’d already committed to a large job at a new, local fish restaurant. That meant Tobias had recruited a decorating firm from town instead, who probably charged him three times the amount but they did a very good job.

Silky mint-green paint now adorned the walls in Tobias’s section of the bookshop and the delivery of his new-age glass counter was scheduled for the following day.

Both our shops signs were now also in situ, nestled side by side above the entrance: Book Ends with its sweeps of dove-grey and white paint and next to it, was Mirror Image Portraits, the lettering running along the silver sign in bold charcoal.

We stood outside Book Ends, gazing up at our respective signs.

“I think you’ll find that you made the right decision,” Tobias breezed. “The gallery will draw people in and Book Ends will benefit from that.”