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‘Well, I can’t say I wouldn’t like some time away from the shop,’ Grenville mused. ‘I have been thinking of starting to run more reduced hours. The custom isn’t what it was. I could do a couple of tours a week at the distillery, certainly. And close for two afternoons a week.’
‘I think you’d find that there would be ways to increase custom at the shop from the contact with new customers at the tours, too,’ Liz suggested. ‘If people enjoyed their tour with you – and why wouldn’t they? A charming, local character such as yourself – then it would be easy for them to come and find the shop in the village and continue their whisky experience. That benefits you, but it also benefits the village as a whole if we make it somewhere known to be full of whisky expertise. A place whisky enthusiasts can visit and really immerse themselves in the history and the culture.’
‘That’s true. My, my, I would never have thought of that!’ Grenville glowed at the compliment. ‘They could come here and I could teach them all about the different malts and distilleries. All the old stories.’
Liz thought that, if she could persuade Grenville, then he would be amazing at making some short, sharable videos for social media. He had that kind of old school, classic camp way about him that people would love, whatever he was talking about. She’d have to shoot the films herself, but it would be worth doing. She smiled to herself, feeling some of that old spark coming back. This was just the kind of thing she had done before – a fun part of the job where she could use her creativity, and she loved it.
‘Yes. In fact, Ben,’ Liz turned to him, ‘youcould also do a walking tour of the local area, like you did with me. Tell people all aboutuisge-beath. You could even make it, out there in the hills, if you had some equipment in a little campervan or something,’ she suggested. ‘You could show them the local flowers and plants, just like you showed me.’
‘Oh, no. I don’t know about that.’ Ben blanched at the idea. ‘I didn’t mind taking you. But I don’t know about a group of strangers.’
‘Why not? It’s unlikely you’d get anyone difficult. And if you did, just push them off the top of the hill.’ Liz shrugged, smiling sweetly.
‘No, it’s not that. I dunno. I’m shy in front of people I don’t know.’ He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. ‘But Grenville doing the distillery tour’s a great idea.’
‘Well, Grenville, let me have a little time to get everything set up, and I’ll be in touch.’ Liz made a note on her phone. ‘And, Ben, don’t think I’m going to forget about theuisge-beathwalk thing. I think that’s got legs, too.’
‘Hmmph. Maybe.’ Ben gave her a half-smile.
‘Certainly. I shall look forward to it. Ben, don’t you let this one go. She’s a marvel.’ Grenville leaned over unexpectedly, took Liz by the shoulders and kissed her firmly, once on each cheek.
Despite the fact that Grenville’s kiss was a little inappropriate by modern standards, Liz didn’t really mind. Yes, Grenville was one of those old-fashioned men, who probably needed to be told not to call grown womenyoung lady. But he also seemed like a sweet man with a good heart. Liz found that she liked him more than she expected to.
Ben and Liz said goodbye, and walked back out onto the high street.
‘I knew it’d be a good idea to show you around the village.’ Ben looked like he wanted to hug her, but he settled for giving her a huge grin instead. ‘If I didn’t know it before, then I definitely know now, you’re a hundred per cent the right person for this job, Liz.’
‘Thank you. He’s quite a character.’ Liz looked up at the exterior of The Wee Dram. ‘Thanks for bringing me here. I have to say, I had a preconceived notion of what it’d be like in there. I mean, I was right,’ she laughed, and Ben laughed too.
‘Yeah. It’s kind of… traditional, let’s say,’ he chuckled as they walked along.
‘Right. The window really doesn’t do it any favours,’ Liz agreed. ‘But Grenville is a real treasure. I hope you don’t mind me kind of taking over in there. I just thought, he’d be so great as part of the team. He’s got that kind of old school gentleman charm people would love.’ Liz realised they were walking past the book shop she had noticed earlier, and she stopped to look in the window.
‘Liz, if it wasn’t clear already, then I don’t mind you doing your job.’ Ben stopped next to her, but instead of looking in at the shop window, she felt his gaze on her. Liz glanced up at him, and a long look passed between them. Ben reached over and, without warning, he brushed a stray hair from her cheek.
‘Oh… thank you,’ she said, feeling a blush come up in her cheeks as it often did around Ben.
‘You’re welcome.’ He smiled, and his fingertips stayed on her cheek for one second longer than they should have.
‘I know that I can be a little direct in my work life. It’s just how I am.’ She cleared her throat, returning to their conversation and pretending that the moment hadn’t happened. Though it had, and it was probably the most erotic thing that had happened to Liz in a long time.
‘Are you apologising for being great at what you do?’ Ben raised an eyebrow. ‘Because it sounded like you were, just then.’
‘No, I wasn’t apologising. But, sometimes, people have found me a little… too much.’
‘Liz. I don’t know what happened in your previous workplaces. Or, in life in general.’ Ben touched her shoulder, gently. ‘But please know that I do not, or will ever, think you aretoo much. And whoever told you that you weretoo muchwas a complete idiot.’
He was staring intensely into her eyes, and she returned his gaze steadily. For a long moment, neither one of them spoke.
‘Okay,’ she said, quietly.
‘I just meant…’ Ben trailed off, still holding her gaze. ‘Never mind. I meant what I said.’
‘Thank you,’ she breathed.
‘You’re welcome,’ he replied, quietly.
There was something happening between them, and Liz was unprepared for it. Yet, caught in the moment, she found that she wanted to pursue this unexpected new feeling of… what? Attraction? She wasn’t blind. Ben was an attractive man, for sure. Tall, dark and handsome, as if someone had animated one of those old-fashioned romance novel covers and brought one of the dashing heroes to life in front of her.
