‘Aunsof! Aunsof!’
Sophie opened her arms wide and Bella ran straight into them, wrapping her little arms around Sophie’s neck, the force of her affection nearly sending them crashing to the floor.
‘Hey Bella.’ Sophie sniffed Bella’s hair and gagged. ‘Oh Bella, have you been sick?’
‘Yup.’ She nodded enthusiastically and held up her hand. ‘Five times.’
‘And did your mum wash your hair?’ She glanced up at Natalie and shot her a mock-glare.
‘Yup.’ Bella dropped her thumb down. ‘Four times.’
Natalie shrugged. ‘By the fifth time I wasn’t sure what the point was. Typically, though, she hasn’t spewed again, so I’ll give her what will hopefully be the final hair wash tonight.’
‘Tummy bug?’
‘Looks like it. At least this one was over and done with quickly enough. She’s back to eating everything in sight.’ Natalie leaned down and planted a kiss on Bella’s cheek, then straightened up and placed her hands on her hips. ‘So, are you ready to see your new online store?’
‘As I’ll ever be. The laptop’s all fired up.’ Sophie jerked her head to the computer sitting on the counter.
‘Joe, Bella, play nice. Don’t destroy the store.’
Joe rolled his eyes as he took Bella by the hand and led her to the children’s book section.
‘He’s sprouted up this summer.’ Sophie ran her finger over the trackpad, bringing the black screen to life, then twisted it in Natalie’s direction. ‘She’s all yours.’
‘Sprouted up and grown an attitude to match.’ Natalie’s fingers flew over the keyboard. ‘I wonder if it’s because his dad’s gone? Maybe he needs a male role model or something… Not that I have any intention of providing one anytime soon. Anyway,’ Natalie tilted the laptop towards Sophie, ‘here we go.’
Sophie’s heart fluttered as she saw her store’s name in elegant calligraphy appear on the screen. Behind it was an image of books arranged on shelves. Just like a library. Exactly how her store would look once Alexander had finished building the bookshelves and she’d stained them and filled them with stock.
‘It’s beautiful, Nat. I can’t believe you’ve managed to do this in a couple of days.’ She draped her arm over Natalie’s shoulders and brought her in for a half-hug. ‘It’s amazing. You are amazing.’
‘Oh shush.’ Natalie flapped the compliment away. ‘It’s simple enough once you’ve done it once. It took me an age to figure out my salon’s website – especially the online sales part – but now that I know all the tricks and stumbles, it’s pretty much a breeze.’
‘Take the compliment, Nat. I couldn’t do this. Not in a million years. You’re wonderful. So, what do I need to know so that I don’t break it?’ The familiar sound of the clomp-clomp of footsteps followed by timber being dragged across timber told her Alexander was bringing in his latest piece of work.
‘Alexander, come, look. I have a website. All Booked Up’s gone twenty-first century, thanks to Nat here.’
Alexander set the bookshelf down and strolled over. Sweat beaded his temples, and dark shadows under his eyes spoke of his early start, but made her wonder if he’d slept much the night before. He’d been distant all morning. Since their chat yesterday afternoon, in fact.
Sophie had put it down to his burning the candle at both ends, but she wondered if it was more than that. She suspected his family’s demands placed a huge weight on his shoulders. Caused a huge division in him: who he wanted to be versus who he had to be, and the push-pull of his situation was wearing him down.
Despite all the warnings whispered to herself, all the reasons she regularly told herself as to why she couldn’t trust him, shouldn’t trust him, her heart went out to Alexander.
Their conversation the previous day had changed something. He was no longer the out-and-out enemy. Once stripped of his suit and his little squares of paper with numbers written on them, Alexander was a good guy. A really good guy. Someone who’d been pigeonholed. Forced to be someone he didn’t want to be. And he’d done it for family, because how could he not?
That she understood. She’d do anything for family. Everything. And that meant saving the bookshop. Doing right by it.
Except… did she really have to? Was sticking to her guns going to see her stuck in a bad situation, like Alexander was? Was all this work going to end up with her losing that which meant the most to her? Leaving her with nothing? When taking the offer and moving across the road could give her a fresh start, while still doing that which she loved?
She blanked the thought. Their situations were totally different. Worlds apart. He came from a dynasty. He grew up knowing his fate. Alexander was forced to keep his family business thriving, whereas she wanted to keep her business alive. Wanted to breathe life into it.
‘Soph? You okay? You’ve gone a bit… pale.’ Natalie inspected her closely. ‘God, maybe you’ve picked up Bella’s bug? I’ve had so many of them I’m all but immune. Joe, too.’
‘No, I’m fine. Sorry. Just… distracted for a second there. All this change, all this excitement, it’s a bit much for this old girl.’ She faked a yawn, then smiled at Alexander as he came to stand beside them.
‘Distracted.’ Natalie’s gaze went between the two. ‘Because you’re old. Riiiiiight.’
Sophie nudged Natalie’s foot with her own and widened her eyes in a way she hoped conveyed the ‘there’s nothing going on here, he’s just helping me out as a friend’ message that she had been repeating to herself all day.
Stupid muscles. Dumb handsome face. Daft kindness. In any other world Alexander would be Mr Perfect. Just her type. But not in this world.
Not after what Phillip had done. Not when she could no more trust her heart, trust her instincts, than she could trust a man.
Alexander bent closer to the computer, his forearm brushing hers. Not moving. Like a magnet kept it there. Kept her arm there. Because as much as she knew she should move her arm away from his, she couldn’t.
‘That looks fantastic.’ He looked over Sophie’s head to Natalie. ‘You really are very talented.’
Natalie shrugged the compliment off.
The second time today, Sophie noted. Had her friend’s self-confidence taken more of a battering that she realised when her husband cheated on her, then left? Had she been that wrapped up in her own worry that she’d not noticed?
‘It’s paint by numbers stuff once you know how. It’s only scratching the surface of what can be done, but it’s a start.’ Natalie moved the arrow to the top left corner and clicked. ‘See here, Sophie. This takes you to the back end. It’s where you can load up the inventory. You can create deals from here. Monitor who’s visiting your website and from where. You can create campaigns and promote them on social media. I’ve added an email app so you can email clients about new books you’ve got coming in, and events. Which reminds me, how’s the Midsummer’s Night Market coming along? And have you managed to find a writer to speak at the shop?’
‘I’ve not heard from Lucille Devine yet, but I’ve reached out to some other local authors to let them know we’re available for book launches.’ Sophie clicked around the website as she talked, amazed at how much her friend had achieved in such a small amount of time. ‘And the market’s coming along well. Lots of stalls confirmed.’
‘And permission came through from the council this morning.’ Alexander flashed her the thumbs up. ‘All sorted.’
‘You helped her?’ A hint of a smile flitted about Natalie’s lips.
‘I figured I have the connections so I may as well use them.’ Alexander shrugged like it was no big deal.
But it was a big deal. Huge. He could’ve left her floundering. Could’ve let her get herself in trouble by putting together a market that could have been shut down, making a fool of her in front of hundreds of people.
Except he hadn’t. He’d given her a helping hand, above and beyond that which he had to, or felt obliged to. Like someone you could trust would.
‘Alexander’s being too modest.’ Sophie smiled up a him. ‘He’s been such a help. Building bookcases. Fixing my display shelf.’
‘You make it sound like I’ve done all the work.’ Alexander shook his head. ‘You’ve been at my side handing me wood, nails. Keeping me fed.’ He patted his flat stomach. ‘I’m going to miss that bread of yours once I’m gone.’
‘Then maybe you shouldn’t go.’ Natalie winked at Alexander as her elbow dug into Sophie’s side. ‘You two make quite a team. Imagine what you could accomplish if you stayed.’
Sophie fought the urge to face-palm herself. This was why Natalie was acting strange the other day. She thought there was something between Sophie and Alexander. And here she was thinking Ginny was the matchmaker of the two. Although the way Ginny was digging for girlfriend information at the pub, it wouldn’t have surprised Sophie if Natalie and Ginny were conspiring to bring the two of them together, even though they knew her stance on relationships.
She dared glance over at Alexander, who’d gone quiet. And a touch rosy in the cheeks. Poor bloke, he was just here trying to be helpful, not hooked into a relationship.
The shrill pitch of a mobile rang through the air. Not breaking the awkward moment, but distracting from it.
‘That would be me.’ Alexander pulled his mobile out from his short’s pocket. ‘I’ll take it outside.’ Alexander strode out of the room, leaving Sophie and Natalie alone.
‘Well, that wasn’t obvious at all.’ Sophie forced her shoulders down, sucked in a huge lungful of air and tapped the laptop, bringing it to life once more.
‘It was a bit on the nose, wasn’t it? Here I was aiming for subtle.’ Natalie screwed her nose and eyes up tight, then released them. Her eyes all apologies. ‘I’m sorry, Soph. I’ve been so busy with the kids. The salon. I’m up half the night trying to improve my web design skills. I’ve totally forgotten how to be cool about things.’ Natalie rubbed her eyes and Sophie noticed the bags under them. ‘I do think you’d make a great couple though. You work so well together.’
Her friend wasn’t just tired. She was exhausted. And delirious if she thought Sophie and Alexander were couple material.
‘You haven’t seen us bicker. We’re good at it.’ She waved the relationship talk away. ‘You’re right though, you’ve been crazy busy. And a lot of that has to do with helping me with the website. How about I take the kids out for the afternoon? I’ll close up early and we can go have a swim at the beach. You stay home, have a nap. You deserve a break.’
‘What about the shop? What if someone comes by?’
‘No one comes by at this time of day in the middle of the week. Besides, I won’t shirk my work completely. I can take this here…’ She tapped the laptop. ‘Link it to my phone’s data and start loading up inventory. Now how about you show me what to do?’
Natalie wrapped her arms around Sophie and brought her in for a hug. ‘You’re fab, Soph. What you’re doing here is brilliant. And…’ She lowered her voice. ‘I wasn’t joking about you and Alex. Maybe it’s time you gave love another chance.’
‘I’m not kidding when I say you need to get some sleep, Nat.’ Sophie laughed off her suggestion. ‘You clearly need it.’
She glimpsed Alexander out the window, his face a picture of seriousness as she spoke into his mobile.
Perhaps they did make a good team; perhaps she could trust him. Maybe Natalie was right. But there was no point starting something with someone who could never stay.