Page 42 of The Bookshop By the Loch

I couldn’t help but laugh against my champagne glass. Then I got annoyed at myself for finding Tobias funny. I took a sip and caught a glimpse of Rhiannon flirting with her new artist companion through the bodies of people. Even if this Lester was a womaniser, he’d have met his match in Rhiannon.

The morning vanished, more customers filed in during the afternoon and by closing time we were frazzled but happy.

So many books had been sold, a few of Tobias’s pieces had also been bought and several others reserved, and the white tablecloths were adorned with abandoned, empty champagne glasses, which we had gathered together and washed before we returned them to Mrs Hegarty.

Mum and Grandpa looked happy but exhausted, so I ordered them home just before closing, so it was just me, Tobias, Trevor and Chloe who remained.

“That was a very special first day,” exclaimed Trevor.

“And a lovely surprise that your publishing friend was able to make it too,” piped up Chloe.

Yes, Rhiannon had delighted me by turning up like that.

Then a thought occurred to me and I glanced around at the empty floor space, which during the day, had been clotted with bodies. “Come to think of it, have any of you seen Rhiannon?”

“Not since she vanished with that young man earlier,” said Trevor, frowning, as he replaced the roll of receipt paper in the till.

I turned and stared past the bookshelves and up towards Mirror Image.

Tobias was engrossed with his phone, frantically typing away.

“You don’t happen to know where your friend Lester and Rhiannon have got to, do you?”

He slid his mobile into the pocket of his dapper waistcoat and strode down towards me. “Sorry, Lexie?”

I repeated my question to Tobias about Lester and Rhiannon’s whereabouts.

“I can’t speak for your friend, but Lester left about two hours ago on his own.”

A kernel of worry about Rhiannon implanted itself. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Why do you ask?”

I shot concerned glances at Trevor and Chloe. “We haven’t seen Rhiannon since.”

“I’m sure she’s fine,” assured Tobias. “She’s probably returned to her hotel. Maybe she wanted a rest or forgot something.”

“I’ll give The Drawbridge a ring now,” offered Trevor. “Find out if she’s got back to her room yet.” He headed off towards the office door and slipped inside to ring the hotel.

But a sudden loud knocking on the shop door made the three of us start.

It was Rhiannon, grinning.

A mixture of relief and irritation fired up inside me, as I marched over and unlocked it. “Where the hell have you been? You’ve been gone ages!”

Rhiannon swept in, her designer leather bag dangling from her shoulder. “I was having a drink in the local pub.” Her eyes sparkled with a combination of alcohol and teasing.

“What? With a guy?”

“No, a dog. Of course, with a guy,” she giggled. She hooked her hair back behind one ear and glanced over her shoulder. She dropped her voice to a tipsy hush. “He’s just outside, round the corner.”

I arched one brow at her. “So come on then,” I urged. “Who is he? We’ve been worried about you.”

Rhiannon attempted to steady herself in her white strappy heels. “There’s no need to worry about me, Lexie. I met this guy down by the loch, we started chatting and then he invited me for a drink.” She flushed pink. “He’s a bit of a charmer.” She flicked me a coy look. “A little bit older than what I usually go for, but he’s rather tasty.” She let out another drink-induced laugh. “Hang on a sec. I’ll invite him in. He was very interested in you and your bookshop.”

She swung round and walked like a gazelle on stilts back out the shop door to retrieve her new drinking buddy.

“What’s going on?” asked Trevor, emerging from the office. “I just rang The Drawbridge and they said your friend hasn’t been back there.”