Page 35 of The Bookshop By the Loch

I’d been taking a surreptitious mental note of the books Trevor had been selling from before and while there had been some real treasures there, Trevor didn’t seem to go in for as many novels at the commercial end of the spectrum as he should.

I hoped my suggestion of including more works from mainstream, popular authors, would help to entice a wider range of clientele through the doors.

I stuffed a duster into the back pocket of my filthy old jeans. “That’s the new books here!”

Grandpa was seated behind the now gleaming counter, examining the electronic till and credit card machine as if they were about to lunge for his throat.

I thought getting involved in hectic preparations for Book Ends’ rebirth might be a bit too much for my grandfather, but he insisted on helping out. “Don’t be daft, lass. I can assist you with restocking the shelves,” he had said. “I’m not sitting at home like some useless old relic, while you all graft away.”

Grandpa’s intrigued expression zoomed to the shop entrance and out of the mullioned windows.

“Ah. Just in time!” called Mum to Trevor, who had arrived. “I’ll get the kettle on.”

My heart quickened at the sight of the first batch of sealed cardboard boxes being off-loaded and ferried towards the shop entrance. “Delivery for Book Ends,” exclaimed the driver, puffing out his red cheeks.

I leapt forward, angling the first few boxes onto the top of the counter, with the driver’s kind offer of assistance. I dived underneath the counter and located a pair of scissors and began tearing open the brown tape. I was like a child on Christmas morning.

I marvelled at the rainbows of covers peeking out from under the box flaps.

Embossed foil lettering on the beautiful jackets, candy-coloured artwork, silhouettes of creepy houses, broody-looking heroes – which for some obscure reason, conjured up an image of Tobias – and pensive heroines, glossy pictures of moody castles, cosy cottages and intimidating shadows. I hoped I’d managed to cater for every reader’s tastes.

My heart jumped even higher at the sight of the assorted book spines, as I began to ease them from their boxes. Chloe let out a series of dreamy sighs.

It brought back a tumble of memories about working in publishing. Some joyous and satisfying as authors held their latest book in their hands; others stress-filled, as I recollected the toiling hours and relentless pressure.

Trevor grinned over at me. “It seems much more real now, doesn’t it? Like starting over again.”

“It does.”

Grandpa gave me a smile as he helped Mum and I lever out the novels, before I took a note of them on my laptop spreadsheet and he started placing pricing stickers on them. Then we proceeded to slide the new arrivals in alphabetical order according to the author’s name, onto the glossy, towering shelves that snaked all around the bookshop walls.

The signs highlighting the assorted genres sat atop each partitioned section.

Another lorry grumbled to a stop outside on the cobbles.

Mum reappeared, manoeuvring a tray bearing six mugs of tea, which included one for the grateful delivery driver, who gulped his down before vanishing back out onto the main street to retrieve the last few boxes of novels.

“This is a hive of activity.” Tobias’s deep Scottish burr made me stop what I was doing.

Oh, just great. What pearls of wisdom was he planning on coming out with today?

I put down copies of the latest fiction titles with an eye roll and made my way round the bookcase. I tried to arrange my expression into something which resembled a polite one. “Good morning.”

He pointed over his shoulder to the grumbling black lorry burring outside. “It would seem you’re not the only one in receipt of stock today, Ms Dunbar.”

“Oh?”

“That’s my artwork arriving.”

“Good for you,” I replied with a cool smile. “And for goodness’ sake, call me by my first name. It’s Lexie. There’s no need to be so formal around me.”

Tobias flexed a brow.

Mum’s cheeks flushed as I called Tobias over to introduce him to my mother, Chloe and my grandfather. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” he grinned.

Mum and Chloe couldn’t stop staring up at him. He also charmed my grandfather, with a firm handshake and a polite, “How are you, sir?”

Unbelievable!