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15
When Jen had texted asking for a hand in the shop, Holly’s stomach hadn’t just flipped: it had done a somersault routine an Olympic gymnast would be jealous of.
She’d fucked up yesterday, and not just a little bit. This was a colossal, irreversible mistake. Her body had only just recovered from what Jen did to her. She wanted to skip down the road, high-fiving people, smiling and chatting to strangers, wishing them a good day. Then her mind would warn her heart of reality, and it was like the storm clouds gathered, soaking her to the bone, extinguishing her good mood. The cycle had been on repeat since she woke up.
Her first intention had been to break the ice. But Holly would be lying if she said there wasn’t another motive. Yes, she was still navigating a break-up, but the attraction was undeniable. Busted heart or not, she was single – why not have some fun? Not that she ever thought Jen would agree to her plan.
But it was like thinking a thimbleful of wine would be enough. She’d had a taste, and now she wanted the whole bottle. It was all she could think about, from the moment she’d left Jen’s flat to now, only a few hundred yards from her shop.
Of course, now there was a new problem. She’d spent the entire twenty-minute walk reasoning with herself. Jen didn’t want a relationship, that much was clear. And Shona still felt so fresh. Was she ready, even if Jen did want one? After that kiss, her body was screamingyes. There was no harm in handing the reins of control over to the universe. She would act her part of the smitten girlfriend for the next two weeks and then deal with the consequences.
She wasn’t normally one for PDAs but, like she’d explained to Jen yesterday, that’s what being a couple was all about, especially if they wanted the public to believe they were the real deal. She would act on instinct; nothing was off-limits now.
She paused a few shops short of Jen’s and checked her hair in the window of a boutique. Everything was as it should be.
With a final deep breath, she made the short journey to Jen’s door. It wasn’t too busy, only two customers inside, but she could see that Jen was sitting on a stool at the till. She was in no state to be running to the stock room for replen.
‘Hey,’ Holly said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing to hide the smile taking over her face. It was a relief to see Jen grinning back. She gave the blonde’s shoulder a squeeze, resisting the urge to kiss her cheek. That was too far, too soon, especially with an audience. ‘You okay? Need me to get anything?’
‘I’ve made you a list,’ Jen replied, tapping a piece of scrappy paper. ‘Thanks again for coming in. It’s not too bad, but I don’t think standing on it all morning has done it any good, never mind hobbling back and forth to the stockroom.’
‘Don’t worry about it. I need to be next door for five, but I’m at your command until then.’
Jen held up the list. ‘It’s all in the back – should be straightforward, but if you can’t find anything, just shout.’
‘What about deliveries; do you need me to prep them?’
‘You’re on the ball, aren’t you? I’ll print them out and you can start on them after.’
Holly took the list and flashed Jen a smile. She desperately wanted another excuse to touch her.Rein it in, Hols. This is day one.
In the stockroom, she dumped her bag between shelving racks and set to work finding pouches. It wasn’t hard: Jen’s shelving was meticulous. The stockroom was tiny, just a sectioned-off area from the main shop floor, but Jen had utilised every free space: racking towered up nearly every wall, the only object being the large stainless steel fridge in the corner, and a sturdy table complete with its own shelving sat in the middle. Every box was labelled and neatly stacked. Jen obviously liked order.
She’d been worried about the state of her flat yesterday, but Holly couldn’t see much out of place: a few dishes in the sink and clothes on radiators. Nothing crazy.
She gulped at the memory of Jen’s underwear. High leg with a thick elasticated band around the top. Seeing that hadn’t helped her overactive imagination last night. Was she wearing them today? Holly sucked on her bottom lip at the thought, heat rushing to her core.
Jen’s outfit today didn’t help. Skinny jeans and a patterned short-sleeved shirt, unbuttoned to show the top of a vest and just the hint of cleavage.
The heat between Holly’s legs grew and she paused for thought, her hand hovering over a pouch of Sex on the Beach.
You’re here to help. Keep it in your pants, Taylor.
She couldn’t actually remember the last time she’d had sex. Things were bad with Shona way before the final bell sounded. Holly had long suspected that was one of the main reasons Shona cheated, not the other way around. That’s what hurt: why not just dump her? Why add insult to injury? She’d chosen to leave the question unasked, scared the answer would forever haunt her.
Why would Jen be any different? She popped a pouch of margarita onto her little stash, surprised by this new voice in her head. Shona had been nice at the start – why else would she move to London to be with her? But people change and relationships falter. Did she want to go through that again?
She shook her head, dislodging any doubts. Jen had been single three years; she wasn’t some player, trying to win Holly over. The complete opposite. Jen was the one that was closed off and Holly was the one considering more.
That kiss, though. She couldn’t stop replaying it in her head. She had all the time in the world to figure this out. There was no rush – Jen wasn’t about to hop on Tinder and forget about her.
She double-checked the list and was surprised to find they were alone on the shop floor when she headed back. ‘Where’d everybody go?’
‘Just a wee lull. It happens,’ Jen said with a smile. ‘Get everything okay?’
‘Yep, all present and correct. I need to grab the glasses, but I’ll get them in a mo – didn’t want to carry too much at once. These go in the fridge, yeah?’
Jen bit her bottom lip, fighting a smile. ‘Yeah.’
