AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Callum couldn’t have been more flummoxed if he’d tried. The last person he’d expected to see walk through that door was the pretty young woman he’d been unable to take his eyes off in the bakery.
‘It’s you!’ he blurted, feeling surprisingly shy under her gaze. He never usually felt that way. He was a pretty confident, outgoing guy, but not in her presence – clearly. Under her gaze, he felt tongue-tied, embarrassed, and rather intimidated, which was silly – it was just she was even more beautiful up close than he had realised.
She looked just as surprised as he did. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘He’s showing me how to bind books,’ said Toby before Callum had a chance to respond.
She cast her gaze down at the desk. ‘Um, yes … I can see that. But—’
‘It’s my fault, Auntie Thea, I forgot to lock the door. He didn’t see the ‘closed’ sign in the window, and just wandered in. But it turns out he knows how to bind books, so he’s teaching me bookbinding.’
Callum looked at Toby. ‘Er, yeah – that’s right. I was about to leave,’— even as he was saying it, Callum couldn’t believe what was coming out of his mouth— ‘but your nephew mentioned that you were thinking of selling the bookbinding equipment. He has an interest in learning how to do it. So as I was here, in the neighbourhood so to speak, I thought that I might as well show him.’
Callum didn’t add that he had been waiting for Winston to turn up, thinking he was Toby’s dad, in order to have it out with him regarding what he thought he was doing by trespassing. Now he’d found out it was her, he had just clammed up.
‘Don’t you recognise him, Auntie Thea?’
Callum caught the colour rising in her cheeks as she stared at him. Was she too feeling suddenly shy and embarrassed under his gaze? They had exchanged a smile in the shop. Of course she recognised him.
‘He’s the guy in the yellow campervan who passed by the café the other day. Remember the one Katie pointed out?’
Callum rolled his eyes.Oh, no.He knew what was coming next. This was going to spoil everything. That bloody character he played felt like a curse on his relationships. Not that he was in a relationship right now. He stared at her. But he might like to be.
What about the bookshop?A voice in his head reminded him. Callum ignored it, for now.
Callum looked at Toby, and thoughtplease don’t tell her—
‘He’s the guy, the actor. Katie was right!’
Thea looked at Callum apologetically. ‘I honestly don’t know what they were talking about. I’ve never watched your show, so I have no idea who you are. Sorry.’
Callum stared at her.
‘I’ve offended you – haven’t I?’
‘Offended me?’Oh, my lord,thought Callum. How refreshing to meet a young lady who had no idea who he was, or what character he’d played, and had no expectations.
‘Not at all. I prefer that you haven’t watched the show, and have no idea who I am.’
‘Why – is it embarrassing?’ She offered him a quirky smile.
Callum stared at her.Is she flirting with me?
‘Embarrassing?’ Toby looked at his aunt. ‘Of course not. I mean, I’m not into the show, but I’ve caught some of the episodes when Katie was watching them on DVD and it is good.’
Callum raised his eyebrows. ‘Your niece has some of the episodes on DVD?’
‘Oh, my god. She hasallthe seasons on DVD,’ said Toby. ‘The moment the next one is out, she said she’s going to buy it.’
The last one, thought Callum.
Thea nodded. ‘That’s right. She offered to give them to me to watch. Sorry, but I turned her down.’ She winced.
‘Truly, I’m not offended. So many people just confuse me with the character I play. It’s refreshing to meet a woman – er, I mean a person – who doesn’t think they know me just because they’ve watched me on the show.’
‘Well, I’d like to get to know the real you.’ Thea looked away embarrassed. ‘God, I don’t know where that came from.’
Callum grinned. ‘How about lunch at The Two Magpies Bakery? I’d like to get to know the real you, too.’
