The Little Book Cafe Part 1

by Georgia Hill

  ‘Oh,’ she gasped. ‘Sorry.’ She tried to look away and failed. He was simply glorious. Broad shoulders, bulging pecs and biceps she wanted to curl up and die on. He’d obviously just jumped out of the shower because water beaded on his tanned body. It was all unbelievably erotic. Her face heated furiously and she glimpsed his grin before she turned and ran out.

  As she reached her room, she heard him call out, ‘If we’re going to share a bathroom, remind me to put a lock on the door!’

  ‘Oh Benji,’ she gathered the dog up and cuddled him. ‘That’ll teach me for putting off phoning Mum.’ She clicked on her mobile and rang Portugal, her mind still full of the sight of Kit in his half-naked glory.

  Her mother began by insisting they cut their holiday short and fly home, to demanding a full vet report, to finally calming down and actually listening to what Tash had to say. Tash ended the call, having reassured Nadia that both her and Benji were absolutely fine and wouldn’t be going anywhere near Adrian again. She hadn’t had time to draw breath before her phone rang. It was Pete Hingham.

  ‘Oh Pete, I’m so sorry about all this. I’ll get in as soon as I can,’ Tash began.

  ‘No worries. I can cover until things get hectic in September. You take all the time you need.’ He hesitated and cleared his throat before continuing. ‘Actually, Tash, I’m feeling a bit guilty about this whole thing. Some information came to light a while back about Adrian and I should have passed it on. But, you know, you seemed happy together and I wasn’t sure if it was just gossip. It came from Rob Eaton over at Iver Construction. You know they’re building that big development over Wellington way?’

  Tash swallowed. All the carefully built up calm and security from last night swirled around the sunny bedroom and disappeared. ‘Just tell me, Pete.’

  ‘Okay.’ He coughed again. ‘Thing is, Rob seems to think Adrian is married and has got a wife in the north somewhere.’

  Tash’s world shrank to the bedroom and its dancing cabbage roses. A butterfly flickered in and landed on the curtain, its wings stilled to drink in the sun. A wife? In some part of her brain it made perfect sense. She thought of his trips away and his refusal to discuss what he’d done, saying it had just been ‘boring business.’ Then she remembered his over-the-top proposal and felt sick. ‘What else do you know, Pete?’

  ‘You sure you want to know? Again, it’s hearsay. I don’t know how much truth there is in it.’

  ‘Tell me. I need to know everything.’

  ‘Well,’ Pete sounded unsure. ‘Rob used to work with Adrian when he lived up north. The bloke had a reputation. With women, I mean. Used to swank all over the place, trying to impress them with his cash and when they were slow to give him what he wanted, he used to spike their drinks. Or that’s what Rob heard. And all the time, he had a wife at home. This is a while ago, of course, well before he moved to Berecombe.’

  Tash’s insides went to liquid. Her head pounded. She thought it might explode. Everything was falling into place. Her constant dragging tiredness, her foggy brain – had Adrian been putting something in her food? And what about the letter to an Anna Williams that had mysteriously disappeared? Was that his wife? Her eye was caught by Benji vigorously scratching himself. Had Adrian drugged him too? Was that why he’d been sick? She gathered the dog to her. ‘Oh God.’

  ‘I know, it’s a shocker. He’s always come across as a decent bloke too. And, as I said, it’s gossip Tash. He seemed on the level whenever I met him. And all this stuff that Rob said happened a long time ago. Adrian might even be divorced by now.’

  ‘Yes. He might be,’ Tash said, hollowly, somehow knowing it wasn’t true.

  ‘So, you take all the time you need, okay? Emma and I can manage things. I’m on the lookout for another staff member too. You’ve done a great job but you need an extra pair of hands in there. Take it easy.’

  ‘Will do.’ She gulped and clicked off the call. Hugging a now protesting Benji to her, the tears began to roll down her cheeks. She sobbed quietly for a while, her heart breaking. Then she reached for a tissue, scrubbed her face and pulled herself together. Her world, the world that she had so carefully created with Adrian had been a false one. It had shattered into a million fragments and was stained by his sordid betrayal. For a second, Tash felt so desolate, her pride so battered, that she didn’t know how she was going to face the world again. Then, thankfully, a surge of pure white-hot anger powered through her. ‘The bastard,’ she seethed, to a startled Benji. ‘The absolute bastard!’

  Chapter 33

  Tash went downstairs and out into the farmyard to find Kit feeding the chickens, talking quietly to them as he did. She watched him unobserved for a few minutes. She liked how such an enormous man could be so gentle to the birds at his feet. The image of his impressive muscles flashed back into her vision. He must be strong but he rarely chose to demonstrate it. Adrian would be bragging about how many hours he spent in the gym, if he had even half the muscle tone. They were very different men.

  She took in a huge, healing breath and nearly choked as the ripe stench of goat wafted over from the field.

  Kit glanced up as he heard her cough. ‘Countryside smells can take a bit of getting used to.’ He laughed then registered her tear-stained face. ‘News?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Into the kitchen then. Tea, toast and you can tell me all about it.’

  Once they were settled at the life-marked pine table in the kitchen and had drunk their first pot of tea, she began, haltingly, to tell Kit what she’d just found out.

  Kit’s reaction was gratifyingly dramatic. ‘I’ll kill him,’ he roared as he jumped up, sending his chair screeching across the quarry tiles. Merlin growled and Benji went to hide behind Tash’s knees.

  ‘Kit, you can’t kill him. I’d quite like you around for a bit and not in prison. Sit down, you’re frightening the dogs.’

  ‘The fucker.’ He subsided and, collecting the chair, sat back down again. ‘How can you be so calm?’

  ‘I’ve had a whole twenty minutes longer to get used to it. I can assure you I wasn’t remotely calm when I found out.’

  Kit poured more tea. He shook his head. ‘How can he do these things? How can he sleep at night? I can’t sleep and the only thing on my conscience is a parking ticket.’

  Tash rubbed a hand over her face. She felt suddenly very tired. ‘I don’t know.’ She shrugged. ‘I thought I knew him but it’s all been a web of lies.’ Her bottom lip trembled. ‘He wanted to marry me, wanted me to have his babies and it looks like he was already married. And the way he messed with my head. Making up stuff and letting me believe I was going crazy.’ She looked out at the sunny August morning, staring hard until the tears were under control again.

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ She looked Kit in the eyes. ‘If he was drugging me and poor Benji, I haven’t got any proof. Whatever it was will have long disappeared from my system by now. And, although he proposed—’ at this Tash shuddered ‘—he didn’t actually get as far as committing bigamy.’ She swallowed. ‘So, I suppose there’s little more I can do except go back to work, find somewhere to live and pick up the pieces of my life.’

  ‘Jeez.’ Kit was silently thoughtful for a moment. ‘You can stay here as long as you like. Until your parents get back or until you find a place.’ His lips twisted with sudden humour. ‘There’s plenty of room, only one working bathroom being the exception. And besides, I seem to make a habit of taking in waifs and strays. I’ve got a batch of ex-battery chickens coming over later.’

  ‘Perhaps that’s what you should do,’ Tash said, glad of the change of subject though not happy with the idea of being thought of as either a waif or a stray. ‘Turn this into an animal sanctuary, I mean.’

  ‘It’s a thought.’ Kit gave Merlin and Benji a crust of toast each. ‘Not sure how I’d make it pay though.’

  ‘Sponsorship? Paying visitors?’ Tash shrugged. ‘I don’t know. How do other
places do it?’

  ‘I’ve absolutely no idea. I’d have to look into it. But, more importantly, what are you going to do next? Take some kind of revenge?’

  She shook her head.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because I know Adrian and that’s exactly what he wants. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing I care.’ She lifted her chin. ‘The only thing I want Adrian Williams to know is that he’s out of my life. Forever.’

  Chapter 34

  Tash, despite Pete advising her otherwise, returned to work immediately. She left Benji with Marianne who was delighted to have him and said he’d be company as she gardened. Adrian hadn’t tried to contact her but he loomed, threateningly, in the background. Once, Tash woke in a panic, convinced she’d heard the Porsche’s engine gunning along the lane to the farmhouse. She’d lain awake, heart racing, listening to the owls hoot and the rustle of something nocturnal outside but nothing had come of it. She’d clasped a snoring Benji to her and had eventually slept.

  Emma was hugely relieved to have her back and they treated themselves to a girly lunch to catch up. She was as confused as Kit had been to hear Tash was going to ignore Adrian.

  ‘But don’t you want to go and cut up his suits, or key his car or something? I know I would. I know,’ Emma squealed, jumping up and down in her chair in the beer garden of the Old Harbour. ‘Sew pilchards into his curtains. They go off when the heating gets put on and he won’t be able to find out where the smell is coming from!’

  Tash laughed. She’d been right to get back to normal as soon as possible. This was doing her good. She picked up a chip and dipped it into ketchup. ‘Nope. I’m doing nothing.’

  Emma blinked. ‘I don’t understand. Why not?’

  ‘Because realising I don’t care enough to do anything spiteful to get back at him is going to annoy the hell out of him.’

  ‘Has a certain logic to it, I suppose.’ Emma frowned. ‘You’ll want to get your stuff back though, won’t you?’

  Tash sighed. It had been preying on her mind. She needed to go to the house to pack the rest of her belongings. ‘Yes, I’ll need to do that. I suppose I could just rock up.’ She bit her lip and shivered, despite the hot sunshine. ‘I can’t face going back to that house though.’

  ‘I’ll come with you, if you like.’

  Tash smiled at her friend. Emma loved a bit of drama.

  ‘Thank God the mortgage is in his name.’ Emma picked up her lemonade. They had to go back to the office that afternoon and Tash had insisted on soft drinks. ‘You can have a clean break. Just walk away.’

  ‘And that is precisely what I intend to do. Now, tell me what’s been happening at work. Any viewings on the Morrisons’ bungalow?’

  ‘Sod the Morrisons.’ Emma leaned forward. ‘I want to hear all about the divine Mr Oakley and whether you’ve done the dirty with him yet?’

  Tash grinned and then blushed.

  ‘I knew it. I knew it!’ Emma said in triumph. ‘All that rubbish about how you couldn’t see why we thought he was sexy.’ She made a face. ‘And all the time you had the lusty thoughts for him.’

  ‘It’s not that simple though, is it?’

  ‘Isn’t it?’

  ‘No. I’m living under his roof. I can’t just jump his bones.’

  ‘Why not?’

  Tash put down her chip. She’d lost her appetite. ‘It’s all too soon. I need some time on my own first. I don’t want to go straight into anything new. Besides, I’m not even sure he’s interested.’

  ‘Oh come on, Tash.’ Emma was scathing. ‘Anyone with half a brain can see he’s drooling after you.’

  Tash picked at a splinter in the rough wood of the Old Harbour’s picnic table. ‘Not sure about that. He’s just being very, very kind.’

  ‘You always have the men falling at your feet. Think even Pete’s got a bit of a thing for you.’ Emma picked up her glass, drained it and pointed it at Tash. ‘It’s cos you’re so beautiful.’

  ‘Am I?’ Tash was genuinely surprised. ‘I can’t see it.’

  Emma shook her head. ‘Arsehole Adrian’s got a lot to answer for. He’s nearly destroyed you. You’re clever, funny and top dollar gorgeous, Tash, and you’d better believe it. And he’s had you thinking the opposite. I could see how he affected you. I’ve seen it for ages.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say something?’

  ‘Oh, come on. Would you have listened?’

  ‘Probably not.’ Tash grinned and straightened her shoulders. ‘I’m just glad I’m out of it.’ She tensed. ‘Did you hear a car?’

  Emma looked around. ‘No. Only cars allowed this far along the harbour are the fishermens’ trucks. And I can’t see one of them. Old Davey’s makes a hell of a racket.’

  Tash took a gulping breath. She needed to stop jumping at shadows. It was over with Adrian. All over.

  When they got back to the office, Emma frowned down at the bouquet resting against the locked door. ‘What’s this, flowers from a grateful client? We haven’t completed on anything this week.’ Picking up the lily and rose bouquet, she added, ‘Oh, there’s a note.’ She passed it over to Tash, unlocked the door and disappeared into the office. ‘They’re gorgeous though, aren’t they? I’ll find a vase.’

  Tash opened the tiny envelope. The note held only two words: ‘I’m watching.’

  Chapter 35

  Tash’s hand trembled as she slid the key into what used to be her front door. It slipped and her fingers became clumsy. ‘Oh God Em, I think he’s changed the locks.’

  Emma glanced behind her anxiously. ‘Try it again.’

  ‘Maybe we should just go. I don’t want to come face to face with him. I couldn’t bear it.’

  ‘Look, it’s our only chance. Pete’s friend Rob said Adrian was on the site in Wellington and was going to be there all day. And we’ve got Kit watching the road. We’ll shove as much stuff into the bags as we can and scarper.’

  ‘Scarper? Where did you get a word like that from?’

  ‘I read a lot. Go on. Try the lock again.’

  This time it gave. The women fell into the hall. Tash looked around. It looked exactly as it always had done. White, minimalist, sterile. Then she gasped. The mirror, the one Adrian preened in before he left the house, was shattered into three jagged pieces.

  ‘Looks like our Adrian had a hissy fit,’ Emma observed. ‘Come on, let’s get started. I’ll do upstairs, it’ll be easier for me to spot what’s yours.’ She took a bundle of the laundry bags off Tash and headed for the stairs. ‘Get a move on, Tash,’ she hissed. ‘Don’t just stand there!’

  Tash staggered into the sitting room, her legs were refusing to work properly. There was hardly anything she wanted. Going to the mantelpiece over the fake white wood burner, she recovered the Wedgewood box her mother had given her. Then she added the photograph of her parents’ wedding and one of her as a teenager. Getting into her stride she added the grey and cream union jack cushions. She’d bought them with her first commission when she’d begun at Hughes and Widrow. They were definitely hers. She’d brought them from her bedroom at her parents’ house and Adrian had always moaned they didn’t go. She went to the window and peered out at Kit standing guard at the end of the drive. The sight reassured her. Glancing at the row of expensively-framed photographs on the windowsill, of her and Adrian, she was surprised he hadn’t done anything crass like cut her out. She didn’t want any of them.

  Heading into the kitchen, she shoved the omelette pan her mother had bought her into another bag, then added a few mugs she knew were hers. A collection of cooking knives went in next, along with a couple of saucepans and that was about it.

  Suddenly, an urgent anger at the fact that she had to do this took hold. It gave her a furious energy. She ran into the utility and began to gather her coats which were hung on the back of the door. As she heaped them on the floor, one of Adrian’s jackets fell off. It was his favourite leather one. Tash regarded it with distaste; he’d worn it
on the night he’d proposed. Holding it between finger and thumb, she picked it up and hung it back on the hook. As she did so a plastic bottle bounced out and skittered across the tiles. Nudging it with her foot, she could see it contained small white pills. She gasped. Could this be the evidence that would prove Adrian had drugged her? Heart pounding, she took several photos on her phone. She went to pick up her bundle of coats and stopped. Fishing out a tissue, she picked the bottle up and put it back into the pocket it had fallen from. Then, making sure she didn’t touch it, she took several more photos. She had no idea if they would even count as evidence but it was her only chance. Releasing a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding, she grabbed her coats and ran into the hall. Putting the bags by the front door, she flung the coats on top.

  On trembling legs, she went upstairs to give Emma a hand but was stopped on the landing.

  ‘All done,’ Emma proclaimed over-brightly. ‘Let’s get out. This place is giving me the wiggins. How could you live in a completely white house?’ She shuddered and blocked Tash from going into the main bedroom. ‘No need to go in there, I’ve got all your clothes here.’ She gestured to the pile of bags on the landing.

  ‘I just want to check you’ve got everything.’

  ‘Yup. All of it. Even your stilettos.’

  ‘Let me past, Em.’

  Emma refused to move. ‘You don’t want to go in there, Tash. Trust me.’ She stopped her by the arm.

  ‘Emma, let me go.’ Tash pushed past and went into the bedroom she’d shared with Adrian. And gasped in horror. The once pristine white bedding was covered in an ugly dark stain. Lined up, against the headboard, were the beheaded remains of the cuddly penguins that Adrian had bought her. They too, were splattered with gore. She went nearer.

  ‘Don’t touch it, Tash. I don’t know what it is.’ Emma had come in silently behind her.