Page 118 of Love Letters on Hazel Lane

She looked up. ‘Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.’

‘I thought we were celebrating. We have a venue, thanks to you, but you don’t seem that happy about it.’

‘I’m tired, that’s all. And I have stuff on my mind.’

He was right, though; she should have been ecstatic; in a few weeks, she’d be leaving Pop! Productions behind and making a fresh start, and the Scrabble club had a new venue. But all she could think about was that letter.

‘Is there anything I can help with?’ said Razz. ‘I’m a good listener, Jo.’

She hesitated. She wanted to tell him about the letter and she wanted to ask him what Sarah was like. Razz had actually met Si’s current wife, when she’d come to the Scrabble club looking for Jo, but would he remember her? And was it such a good idea to share her own troubled relationship history with the man she wanted to be in a relationship with? Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure.

‘I’m fine, Razz. Honestly.’

Judging by his concerned face, she knew he didn’t believe her.

He took a sip of his shandy. ‘You know, if you ever need someone to talk to, about anything, ever, well, you can count on me. You know that.’ He paused for a moment, then clearly recognising that she might want to change the subject, said, ‘So are you going to tell me how you pulled it off? Mr Morgan was adamant that we couldn’t use the school hall on a Friday evening.’

‘The school’s getting a new manager,’ Jo said, ‘and she loves Scrabble so is happy to stay on Friday evenings. Which sorts out the problem with the insurance.’

‘God, that’s a coincidence,’ said Razz.

She looked at him blankly; she couldn’t believe he hadn’t guessed. ‘Razz, I am the new manager.’

He laughed. ‘I know. I was just kidding you.’

She slapped his arm. ‘I can’t believe you kept a straight face! You should play Poker instead of Scrabble. Anyway, I made it a condition that the Scrabble club could play there when I accepted the job.’

‘You’re not leaving your job in TV to work in a school because of the Scrabble club?’

Jo shook her head. ‘Much as I love Scrabble, Razz, I’m not that daft. I’m not happy at Pop! Productions. I don’t feel valued. I got passed over for a promotion recently. And I like the school. I like the atmosphere. I think I’ll be appreciated there.’

She took a sip of her wine.

‘Well, congratulations on your new job.’ Razz picked up his shandy and clinked glasses with her. ‘And the vicar? How did you persuade him?’

‘I dunno.’

‘Come on, what did you say? I know it had something to do with you. Did you agree to go to church every week for a year?’

‘Nope.’

‘You shagged him?’

Jo shook her head. ‘He’s a vicar.’

‘He’s still a man. I know, you promised your first-born daughter will become a nun.’

‘Don’t be silly. The estate agent happened to be someone I’d dated. And he said that if I had sex with him, he’d sort it for us to stay on in the hall until it was sold.’

‘Shit, Jo.’ Razz shook his head. ‘I never meant for you… I mean, taking the job at the school was one thing. But…’

‘Hang on, I didn’t do it. I recorded the conversation on my phone and played it to the vicar.’

Razz sighed and downed the remains of his shandy. ‘I think I might need something stronger. I thought for a moment you’d…’

‘Razz, I’m not that sort of person. Casual sex… well, it’s not what I’m into. And definitely not with Tarquin.’

‘Tarquin? Don’t tell me, you dated him because his name scored 16 points?’