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‘Yeah.’
Thea didn’t know what to say. Unfortunately, it was a blank for her too. ‘I’ll email your grandmother.’
‘All right. But she’s, like, incommunicado most of the time, isn’t she, in Nepal? That’s what Mum calls it.’
‘I’m afraid so. They discourage the use of modern tech at the retreat, apparently. She tends to get online mostly when she makes a trip into the nearest town, where there’s an internet café.’ Thea had emailed her about Jenna’s accident, but so far had heard nothing.
‘Yes, that’s what Mum said too.’
They both fell silent, Thea stroking Winston, who was sitting by her feet, and Katie tickling Dickens under the chin, which he seemed to enjoy; he was holding his head up and closing his eyes.
‘So, can I come at the weekend and help out?’
Thea looked at her apologetically. ‘Your dad is coming home from London at the weekend, I’m afraid.’
‘So what?’
‘He’s going to want to see you guys.’
‘That’s okay. He can come and help in the bookshop too.’
‘Oh, er … I suppose you can ask him.’
‘You’re not going home yet are you, Auntie Thea? You don’t have to, you know. Daddy is working away. Even if he comes back at the weekend, he’ll most likely have to return to London on Monday. And even if Mummy is out of hospital next week, she’s going to need help for a bit, until the cast comes off. Will you stay? Please say yes.’
Toby walked out of the back room, hand in hand with Caitlin. He’d overheard his sister pleading for Thea to stay. ‘You can’t go now. We’ve still got things to do before the bookshop opens.’
Thea looked from her niece to her nephew. Even Winston seemed to be pleading for her to stay. The dog put his head on her lap, puppy dog eyes staring up at her. Thank goodness she’d already spoken to Gracie to extend her stay.
‘I’d already decided to stay on a bit longer.’ She stared wistfully around the bookshop, wishing that she could stay there forever.
‘What about Callum?’ Toby asked.
Callum reappeared. ‘Um, what about me?’
‘Are you staying until the bookshop reopens?’
Thea hadn’t thought to ask him how long he was staying in Suffolk. She suspected it was because she was afraid to ask when he was planning to return to America.
‘Yes, of course I’ll stay.’
‘Good.’ Toby ran up and gave him a hug.
Callum patted him on the back.
Katie stared at her brother and shook her head in wonderment.
Thea saw the look on Katie’s face; her brother wasn’t such a dork after all. In fact, Thea imagined what Katie was thinking – that she had the coolest brother in the world.
Chapter 52
‘So, this is Lexi. Lexi meet Thea.’
It was Tuesday morning, and Callum had been alone in the bookshop with Thea for the best part of the morning – just what he was afraid of. Thea had started to ask him questions about his life, his childhood.
He’d been saved by the sound of the door to the shop opening. Just as she’d promised, Lexi had arrived after her morning shift at the library. She had the afternoon free, and she was going to spend it with them.
Callum noticed Thea’s expression change the moment she set eyes on the young American.
