by Carol Wyer
‘You don’t have to do it. I understand you were put on the spot,’ says Sean.
‘It just came out. I didn’t want to confess I was a writer and I saw you and…’
‘It’s not a problem. You don’t have to take up my offer. I’ll tell people I decided to keep the shop closed on Wednesdays. Some excuse about not enough customers.’
‘But there would be customers if you kept it open.’
‘There would. Especially if I let the toddler group use it. I’ve already had a few minor complaints from some who have come by on a Wednesday, only to find the shop shut and I miss out on passing trade, but you don’t have to step up to the job. I know how tough it is for you.’
Chloe thinks of William and the pride on his face. She’s come a long way in a few months and she might be able to take yet another step – an important one. It isn’t as if she’s never worked in a bookshop before and if the toddler group comes in it will be super. She’d love to see the little ones’ faces as they read through the picture books. It could work out for them both. ‘If you’re willing to take me on a trial basis, I’d like to do it.’
Sean holds out his hand and shakes hers. ‘Then, I’d be delighted to employ you, Miss Piper.’
Chapter Twenty-Four
Saturday, 3rd March
‘Is Eleanor not here yet?’ Jacqueline said before tugging off her gloves with her teeth.
‘She’s on her way,’ Chloe replied.
Jacqueline shoved the thick leather gloves into her helmet and looked about. ‘Where’s Alex? He is coming, isn’t he?’
Chloe thought back to earlier that day when Alex had knocked on the door…
‘Morning, I came to check you are going to the event today. I haven’t seen you for so long I’d almost forgotten what you look like.’
‘I look like this,’ she says, pointing at her face.
‘Ah yes! Now I remember. I keep meaning to come around to visit and then something else goes wrong and I have to buzz off. I haven’t had a minute to myself. Dad’s left me to it again.’
‘Where’s he gone now?’
‘Rome. It’s their ruby wedding anniversary and the old romantic whisked Mum away for a few days. I couldn’t complain about him going though: forty years is worth celebrating.’
‘Definitely. I think that’s a lovely way to spend an anniversary. He is a romantic.’
‘Like father, like son,’ he says with a grin.
‘Are you a romantic too?’
‘Oh yes, totally, candlelit meals for two, snuggling under one blanket in front of log fires, roses.’ he replies.
She suddenly starts. The roses she received on Valentine’s Day have come from Alex and she hasn’t thanked him. Eleanor told her she’d seen him near her house. She speaks again, ‘I never thanked you.’
‘For what?’
‘The flowers. The beautiful roses you left for me. I should have thanked you straight away and I didn’t. They meant a lot.’
He gives a nonchalant shrug. ‘You’re welcome. Just wanted you to have something pretty in your new home.’ He glances at his watch. ‘Must dash. I told my folks I’d pick them up from the airport, so provided there are no flight delays I’ll get to the event on time. I wanted to let you know in case you thought I was avoiding you or bailing on you. See you there.’ Chloe’s veins fizz at the revelation that the flowers have come from Alex after all, and yet she is puzzled by his ambivalence about such a romantic gesture. She has no time to pursue it further. He is striding away, leaving her staring at his retreating form and wondering what might happen next between them.
‘He had to fetch his parents from the airport.’
‘I thought they went away over New Year. One of the Balearic Islands.’
‘They came back from that trip. They’ve been in Rome this week. It was their wedding anniversary.’
‘That’s sweet. Never been to Rome.’
‘Me neither. I’ve never been abroad.’
‘You’re kidding.’
‘I have a dog,’ said Chloe quickly, hoping Jacqueline would make the assumption she didn’t travel on account of Ronnie. She did.
‘I guess you don’t fancy putting him in kennels.’
‘He’d tunnel out on day one and escape.’
Jacqueline didn’t quite meet her smile. She kept looking about, searching for others to arrive. Chloe assumed she was waiting for Sean.
‘How did the chocolate-making date go?’
‘It was good,’ Jacqueline replied.
‘You chosen your next date?’
‘Yes… at the Wedgewood factory in Stoke. It’s a tour followed by a lesson, learning how to throw a pot.’
‘Sounds brilliant.’
Jacqueline nodded. ‘Yes, can’t wait. How are you enjoying the bookshop?’
Chloe had only worked a few afternoons since she’d agreed to help out and had enjoyed the experience far more than she expected. In spite of her concerns, the shop had remained quiet and the few customers who’d visited were elderly individuals who’d been delighted to find the place open on a Wednesday afternoon. The small group of three and four-year olds who’d trailed in in brightly coloured coats and wellingtons had been another matter. Chloe’s heart had melted at the sight of their looks of pure joy at opening various books with pictures of animals or pop-up fire engines. She’d cooed after them, making sure they were settled in the more private of the reading rooms, and observed them as they enjoyed story time, legs crossed, bright faces lifted to the woman reading from one of the books. It had been another hurdle surmounted. She felt comfortable there and happy to watch people walking by, cocooned inside the charming shop. She’d bought four books and read them while working. Sean had joked she’d end up spending all her wages on books if she didn’t get more customers in. She didn’t mind. Little by little she was changing and the bookshop was another milestone in her journey to combat her ever-present anxiety.
‘It’s a super place to work. I’m loving it. Especially when the little kids come in for story time. They’re adorable.’
‘That’s good.’
Chloe couldn’t put her finger on it but Jacqueline was aloof and not her usual self. As soon as Jacqueline spied Danielle’s car, she excused herself and scuttled off, leaving Chloe puzzled about what might have caused the change in attitude. They’d become good friends but today there was something different. William who’d also pulled into the car park, strode towards her, raising his hand in Jacqueline and Danielle’s direction as he passed them.
‘Hi!’ He stood so closely she could smell his cologne, fresh and light. She breathed in the citrus scent and recalled how on nights when he’d been away, she’d spray it on her pillow to feel as if he was in bed with her. She flushed at the memory.
‘Hi.’
‘How’s it going?’
‘Good.’
‘You working at Sean’s bookshop?’
‘Only for one afternoon a week.’
He nodded approvingly. She noticed he hadn’t asked about the writing.
‘Not seen you for a while. Not spoken since…’ he left the rest of the sentence hanging. She knew what he was referring to: the phone call.
‘I’ve been busy. Ed’s started work on the garden and I’ve had stuff to do.’
‘I understand. I just hoped you might’ve picked up the phone and called me.’
She lowered her eyes and looked at her shoelaces. Maybe she ought to have rung to see how he was. He’d bared his soul and she hadn’t rung him since.
Others arrived, and their conversation was interrupted as Fairfax began to usher them towards the entrance to the sports centre.
‘Come on folks. We have to get you trained up before the others arrive.’
‘Have you any idea what he’s talking about?’ asked Tim who’d appeared by Chloe’s left shoulder.
‘Not a clue.’
Tim continued animatedly. ‘That’s one of the best things about this club, you never know what w
e’ll be doing.’
Kaisha had sidled up to him quietly and offered her suggestion. ‘Might be goggle football. My brother played it at a stag party. You wear weird goggles that make everything look too near or too far away and then play a 5-a-side football match. You try to kick the ball but it isn’t where you think it is, nor are your opponents. My brother said it was like being drunk. The video they shot of their match was hilarious. They kept missing the ball and falling over.’
Ed shook his head and said, ‘I’m not much of a footballer. I can miss a ball and fall over without goggles.’
‘Maybe you can claim you already have a handicap and not wear them,’ Kaisha said. Tim chuckled at the comment.
‘What’s this about being drunk? We making and drinking cocktails? That’ll be a good afternoon.’
‘Danielle! I was talking about goggle football,’ Kaisha said with a laugh.
‘Oh, Lord, I hate footie. My old man used to watch every sodding football match. Hope it isn’t that,’ Danielle grumbled.
Chloe expected Jacqueline to join in the banter as she always did but she kept her head down and trailed beside them in silence. Something was definitely up with the woman. Ordinarily, she’d be the first with a wise crack. She glanced at her friend. Sean must have picked up on it too because he bent and said something to her. Jacqueline shook her head.
They grouped around Fairfax and waited for instructions. ‘Great to see you all. We’re very excited about today’s event. Ah, here’s Alex.’ He stopped as the front door clattered open and Alex rushed inside full of apologies. ‘You’re just in time. I’m about to take you through and hand you over to Neil, who’ll explain everything. This way please.’
The doors to the gym opened and they entered. The room had been set up on a court. On both ends stood five huge black and white inflatable stones, in front of which stood black boxes marked with five spots resembling a face of a large dice. Masks, bows and foam-tipped arrows were laid out on a trestle table close to round archery targets on stands.
Fairfax introduced them to their two instructors, and Neil, a broad-chested young man in a tracksuit began the briefing. ‘Welcome to archery tag. It’s a sort of mix between dodgeball and paintball but using bows and arrows. I hasten to add the arrows are foam-tipped so it’s almost painless if you get struck by one. Notice I said, almost painless.’ He got a titter from Danielle and Neats. ‘In a while we’ll be holding a game, so for all of you Hunger Games fans, it’ll give you a chance to perform like Katniss Everdeen. But first, I’ll demonstrate how to use the bows and you can have a quick practice run.’
Set up with appropriate equipment, five of them faced the targets, each drawing back bows and aiming for the centre. Chloe watched and waited for her turn and didn’t hear William as he sidled up to her again until he whispered, ‘I didn’t get a chance to ask earlier. Did you like the roses I sent you for Valentine’s day?’
She swallowed hard. The flowers hadn’t been from Alex after all. William didn’t wait for a response, instead he whispered, ‘For you my heart is full of love, floating to the clouds above.’ That was the verse in one of the Valentine’s cards. He moved away before she could respond. Her heart sank. All morning she’d assumed the roses were from Alex, and worse than the disappointment they weren’t was the thought she’d thanked him for them. Why had he let her believe they were from him? It made no sense.
‘Can we have the next five contenders, please?’ Neil’s voice brought her back to the moment. She moved towards the table and took her bow, staring assiduously at her target and avoiding William’s smug gaze as he lined up next to her.
Chloe was drawing back her bow for the second time when she heard a knock at the door and a soft ‘Hello!’ The sound of footsteps and shuffling indicated a group of people had trooped in. Chloe’s pulse accelerated and her hands turned clammy. Strength seemed to drain from her shoulders and the arrow slipped out of position and flopped onto the floor. William caught her eye and gave a small shake of his head along with a sympathetic smile. It was his way of reassuring her. He understood the arrival of the strangers would have triggered an anxiety attack. It was what he used to do when they went out together – an unspoken command. She would look to him and be reassured. No sooner had she acknowledged his smile than she was angry with herself. She’d managed for weeks without William and here she was, turning to him the first time she encountered a difficulty. If he hadn’t been there, she’d have coped. That coupled with the fact he’d sent the roses and was trying desperately to get back into her good books irritated her further. He should leave her alone to get on with her life. He had no right to wriggle his way back and confuse her again. She rubbed her palms with her fingers to remove any moisture, drew back the bow once more and fired directly at the target scoring a bullseye.
‘Nice shot!’ Neil removed the arrow from the target. ‘Right, now you’ve had a chance to practise, I’ll go through the game with you while our newbies have a quick practise with Tyron.’
Chloe turned around. At least ten people were gathered beside Eleanor, a sea of smiling faces. She was introducing them as their team rivals. Rooted to the spot, Chloe could do no more than stare at the floor. A warm arm on her shoulder alerted her to Sean, who’d moved immediately behind her. He whispered, ‘It’s cool. I’m here with you. We can go take a walk if you want.’
She shook her head. Eleanor was still talking, hands waving and face expressive. She’d missed what had been said.
‘And so, please don’t kill them all off too soon. Be gentle with them,’ said Eleanor. The new group moved away as one to collect bows and take their spot in front of the practice targets.
Chloe took several deep breaths. You’re stronger than you think. ‘It’s okay. I’ll be fine,’ she mumbled.
‘Well done. We’re a team. We’re all here together.’ Sean’s voice was soft and melodic, his words a balm to her panicked soul. She knew her teammates. She could do this. Sean’s hand continued to rest lightly on her shoulder, warmth seeping through her jumper and skin to her very bones. She drew another breath. William broke off from the group and joined them.
‘You okay? Don’t let that bunch of hacks put you off.’
Her knees almost buckled. They weren’t just new singletons, Eleanor had gathered together a group of journalists and was going to show them a good time. Her livelihood depended on what happened at the event. Chloe couldn’t let her down and bolt.
‘It doesn’t matter who they are,’ Sean growled.
William ran a hand through his hair. ‘I’m only trying to help. Be supportive, mate.’
‘Well, you’re not succeeding, so back off.’
‘There’s no need…’ William began then checked himself and showed white teeth. ‘Sure. I don’t want to make it worse. I’m here if you need me, Chloe.’
The group, oblivious to the exchange, had huddled around Neil who was explaining the game rules to them. Chloe now over the initial panic and with Sean by her side was able to concentrate on the instructions.
‘In summary, both teams hide behind the inflatable bunkers and try to be the first team to knock out the centres of the five-spot target on the opponents’ side of the field or eliminate all the members of the opposing team,’ Neil explained, pointing at the dice-shaped target. ‘It’s a game of skill and fun. You’ll have to duck and dive to retrieve your spare ammunition from that point over there and you know what to do to get a player back into the game.’
Once clear, they collected protective masks and bows for the game. Chloe was back on course, her initial wobble over. The journalists were clustered around Tyron receiving the same information they’d just had in preparation for the game. Eleanor glanced across at her and lifted crossed fingers in her direction. Judging by the intense expression on her face, this was her big chance to show off what the singleton club could offer.
Chloe shut her eyes for a brief moment and imagined her sister, Georgia, who would have been the heroine of the hour
, dodging arrows and throwing herself wholeheartedly into the game. It would take a powerful imagination to pretend she was Georgia but Chloe had that in her favour. She gritted her teeth as she slid behind a bunker and waited to kill off the enemy team.
* * *
Danielle ran a comb through her hair and with a shake of her head to let her hair settle back into its natural hairstyle said, ‘What an absolutely brilliant game! We showed them what we were made of, didn’t we?’
‘Certainly did. When Alex caught that arrow and brought you back onto the team, I wanted to hug him,’ Ed replied.
‘Didn’t we all,’ Danielle said, elbowing Chloe and giggling.
Chloe chugged the water from her bottle. The mood was infectious. The team had not only killed off all the opposition but taken out every one of their targets, and Chloe had proved to be a decent markswoman.
Alex was pink-faced after all the exertion. He’d thrown himself wholeheartedly into the event and had saved three of the team. ‘It was a team effort.’
‘I wonder if we’ll be in the newspapers,’ Tim said.
Kaisha nodded. ‘Pretty sure that’ll happen. That skinny bloke with the orange-framed glasses asked me how to spell my name and how old I was.’
‘Nah. He fancied you. It was a chat-up line, wasn’t it, Jacqueline?’ Danielle guffawed.
Jacqueline smiled wanly. ‘Definitely a chat-up line. Look, I have to get off,’ Jacqueline said as she stood up. ‘See you all next time. Bye, Dan. Bye, everyone.’ Jacqueline gave a small wave to Sean who returned it with a broad smile.