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Thea said, ‘What?’
‘Mark has been working hard in London, networking, going to a lot of job interviews. He’s secured a very well-paid position, working for an international bank in the city, and he’s heading up the opening of their new international offices in the States. First stop New York, then the new Chicago office. And we’re all going with him.’
‘You’re leaving?’ Thea couldn’t have been more shocked. ‘But your dream was to live in Suffolk and bring up your kids by the sea.’
‘Dreams change, Thea. Look at you. You once wanted to be a writer, then you wanted to be an archivist, like Dad’s best friend. I know why that was – he was the father you never had growing up; it’s little wonder you followed in his footsteps. But now it’s time to find your own way, follow your own dreams. I see the way your face lights up when you talk about the bookshop. Your dream life is here, Thea. This is your future. Mine is with Mark and my family in America.’
‘But what about all this? The house you’ve always wanted. You love that house.’
‘It will still be here when we get back, sometime in the future. Perhaps we’ll retire here, or if we return in a few years, my baby will go to school here when the twins have gone to university. Who knows what the future holds, Thea. You can’t plan for every eventuality. However, right now we’re going on an adventure together, as a family.’
Thea knew it would take some time to sink in. ‘Did you have any clue what he was up to in London?’
‘Not at all. It was the biggest surprise! I was so happy and relieved when he told me. And he told me something else.’ Jenna grinned. ‘He got the idea from you.’
‘Me? I swear I never suggested you move abroad.’ Thea started to feel a bit tearful at the prospect that they were moving thousands of miles away. She’d just started to get to know them, her niece and nephew, and now her sister would be having a new baby. She wanted to be part of their lives.
‘And you will be, Thea,’ Jenna replied when Thea voiced her thoughts. ‘You can come and visit us. And there’s always Skype, and of course in the holidays we’ll be back.’
‘But how come you said it was me who gave Mark the idea?’
‘It wasn’t actually you. It was Miles.’
‘Pardon? Mark hasn’t even met Miles.’
‘No, I mean what Miles does, jetting abroad, living and working in—’
‘It’s not true.’
Jenna stopped short. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I’ve taken some extended leave from my job. I found out it was all a pack of lies. He lives with his wife and two young kids in a flat in London.’
‘Oh, my god, Thea. Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Jenna, I’ve been such a fool. Why did I end up meeting a man who told me lies, and turned out not who I thought he was.’
Jenna hugged her close. ‘I know this won’t help right now, but you are my beautiful little sister, and I’m telling you that someone else will come along – just you wait and see.’
Thea brightened. ‘I think they already have!’
‘Where? When?’
‘Right here. Right now.’
‘Here – in Suffolk?’
‘Yes, I met him in Aldeburgh. He’s been helping me in the bookshop. I mean, there’s no other reason why anyone would want to spend their time scrubbing bookshelves and working for free. He’s been doing it all for me.’
‘Oh, how wonderful,’ said Jenna. ‘It sounds like a love story to me.’ She grinned. ‘Are you in love with him?’
‘I’ve only known him for a short time.’ Tears of happiness rolled down her face. ‘But I am, Jenna. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. Oh, I am.’
Chapter 56
It’s quite the turnout, isn’t it?’
Thea smiled at the reporter. It was almost midnight. She had been counting down the minutes until The Bookshop of Memories reopened.
