Winter at Wishington Bay

by Maxine Morrey

  I waved through the window at Flora as I made to pass by on the way to get some groceries and restock my currently sad-looking fridge. She made a beckoning motion and I poked my head through the door.

  ‘I won’t keep you,’ she said, bustling over to me for a brief hug. ‘You sure you’re all right to cover tonight still?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘And Nate’s still coming?’

  ‘As far as I know,’ I said, shrugging casually.

  ‘He seemed a bit hesitant once he knew he’d have to dress up.’

  ‘But he didn’t say no.’ I got the feeling that Nate had done very little out of his comfort zone for quite some time so this actually could be good for him. An opportunity to build some of the confidence that had been chipped away at. I knew something about that. But I also knew it was possible to rebuild it. And sometimes you found reserves you never even thought you had.

  ‘I have a feeling he’s going to look rather wonderful as a Victorian gentleman,’ Flora gave me a nudge and I shook my head, smiling.

  ‘I’m sure he will.’

  ‘Well?’ she asked.

  ‘Well, what?’

  ‘You. Him.’ She made a gesture as if to say the rest was obvious.

  I gave her a smile and a roll of my eyes. ‘Hardly.’

  ‘What? Why not?’

  ‘I can think of about ten thousand reasons to start with,’ I replied.

  ‘Oh, what’s distance when it comes to love?’

  I gave her a look.

  ‘Fine, fine. But it seems like a bit of waste. Both of you single and you seem to get on well.’

  ‘We do. Which is nice, but Nate’s not looking for anything, and I’m not about to get involved with someone who may or may not still be in love with his ex-wife.’

  ‘Do you think he is?’

  ‘I think it’s a possibility, whatever he says. Plus, I’m not really the type for flings, which is all it could ever be. He’s leaving again in a few weeks’ time.’

  ‘And here you are wasting all this time you could be sharing a bed!’

  I laughed, half in amusement, half in exasperation. ‘I have to go now. I’ll see you later.’ Waving, I stepped out into the cold December morning, closing the door behind me hurriedly in order to keep as much warmth as possible in the cosy shop. The chill air cooled my skin and I relished the feeling as Flora’s comment about Nate’s bed had sent a rush of unexpected warmth through my body that wasn’t exactly helpful, bearing in mind I had to spend the entire evening with him later. And yes, once Nate had got over the surprise that his volunteering to help in the shop this evening would involve him dressing up, there had been some fleeting thoughts of how sexy Richard Armitage had looked dressed as a Victorian gent in North and South. But that was TV and no one last year had had the ability to induce the kind of reaction Mr Armitage elicited in his Victorian costume so, as lovely as Nate was, there were definitely no plans for swooning in my foreseeable future.

  Ten minutes before I was due to re-open the shop for the evening’s fayre, the door rattled as someone tried to enter. I looked up to call that we weren’t open and saw Nate raise a hand in greeting through the glass of the door. Hurrying over, I pulled the bolt and stood back to let him in.

  ‘Hi,’ he said.

  Suddenly there seemed a lot less air in the room, which was only due in part to the tightness of my corset. I stole another look at Nate. And I’d thought Richard Armitage looked hot… All I could think of right now was where I might be able to obtain some smelling salts.

  ‘You OK?’ he asked.

  ‘Hmm? Yes. Definitely. Just a bit nervous, you know. I’ve never run the shop on my own before and I’m just a bit, well, you know. Want to get it right and everything. You look nice.’ The words rushed out in a torrent and I sucked in a breath at the end. Well, as much breath as this damn corset would let me. I knew I shouldn’t have let Flora help me with it.

  ‘You’ve already got a gorgeous figure, but we may as well go for broke, eh?’ she’d giggled as she had given the laces on it another good yank. ‘If not tonight, then when?’

  That was a fair question as now, between only having half my lung capacity and Nate looking hotter than any man had a right to in a stiff Victorian collar, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going to make it through the evening.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said, giving the lapels on his coat a bit of a nervous tug and consequently making it lopsided.

  I faced him, gently batting his hands out of the way before straightening the coat back up. ‘There.’

  ‘I’m not really used to anything like this.’ His hands began to travel nervously back up and I caught them.

  ‘Stop fiddling. You look great.’

  ‘Sure?’ he asked.

  Looking up I saw the genuine disbelief on his face.

  ‘I’m positive. In fact, I might just have you stand at the door and wait for the female stampede.’

  ‘Oh, ha ha.’ He gave me a half smile, the merest hint of blush tinting his cheek.

  I turned away and began to walk back to the cash desk. Probably safer that way. ‘The funniest thing is you think I’m joking.’ I glanced back over my shoulder. Yep, he looked just as good from a distance. Damn. Still, it was only for a few hours. I could do that, and like I’d told Flora, I wasn’t in the market for a quick fling.

  ‘What can I do?’ Nate asked, following me across the shop.

  I looked up at him. ‘Relax, for starters. This is supposed to be fun.’

  ‘It’s a little out of my comfort zone.’

  ‘Maybe that’s a good thing.’

  He gave a little head wobble. ‘Maybe yes, maybe no.’

  Ugh. The layer of vulnerability added to the already undisputable package of gorgeousness wasn’t exactly helpful.

  ‘Let’s go for yes,’ I grinned up at him and he returned it more fully. Oh crikey. Where the hell were those smelling salts?

  An hour and a half later, and the shop was humming with activity. It was always busy but I hadn’t missed the stolen glances sent Nate’s way, some far more obvious than others. He, in contrast, missed them all entirely but did seem to be enjoying himself and after a little while had got into the swing of it. His shoulders were no longer rammed up by his ears and he was chatting and laughing with the customers far more easily. The large glasses of mulled cider the grocer had popped over with earlier may have helped a little with this, but most of it was Nate just being who he was. Perhaps because he was finally being allowed to be himself, or at least rediscover that man?

  ‘Hello, Nate.’ I glanced over from where I was rearranging some goods to fill the spaces where we’d sold out and saw Nate look up from where he was leaning on the counter and come face to chest with Corinne’s cleavage. Rather than the more demure look many of us villagers had gone for, Corinne had chosen to head down the busty serving wench road. And frankly, she looked like a knockout.

  ‘Oh… umm, hi Corinne.’ Nate stood straight.

  ‘I just wanted to pop in and say that I hope we can still be friends.’ She moved to the side of the counter and wrapped her hands round his arm, pressing herself against him and gazing up. His eyes flicked down then back up again. Even the most determined of men would be hard pushed to avoid what Corinne was clearly on a mission to flaunt.

  ‘Sure. Of course. No hard feelings.’ He smiled briefly and looked over towards me, an unmistakeable plea in his eyes. I took the hint.

  ‘You having a nice evening?’ I asked, heading back towards the counter, doing my best to keep my tone light and conversational, despite the lack of friendliness in Corinne’s own eyes.

  ‘Yes, thanks. I’m just waiting for my date.’

  ‘Oh, right.’ Corinne never was one to hang around but I got the feeling, from the quick look she threw at Nate, that this comment was more for his benefit than mine. ‘Have you been round the fayre already or just heading out now?’ I was aware of the inanity of my words but I seemed the only one there attem
pting to make any sort of effort. Nate’s shoulders were back welded to his ears, and Corinne was busy lazing over the counter, flipping through the magazine Flora had left stashed under there.

  ‘Yeah,’ she replied, not looking at me and clearly not listening to me. I met Nate’s eyes. He issued a small shrug and I gave up.

  ‘God, that looks just like Holly’s place. Don’t you think?’ Corinne turned the magazine to face Nate and I felt my face colour, suddenly realising what Corinne was looking at.

  Nate looked down at the picture under the gossipy headline about the mystery of the popular house-proud account. ‘I guess. Lots of places look the same though now, I think.’ He flicked a glance at me and met my eyes. He knew. ‘They’re all styled just to get Likes and stuff.’ He shrugged as Corinne looked up at him. ‘Or that’s what my ex-wife was always saying.’ I could have kissed him. And not just for the obvious reasons.

  ‘I guess,’ she replied. ‘Although do you reckon this could be Holly? I mean, I only saw the place when I came round to see you so I haven’t exactly got intimate knowledge of it.’ She lowered her voice on the word and gazed up through a teasing look. ‘But it really does look like it. I know Holly has a lot of individual pieces since she started that sideline of revamping furniture and that cabinet just seems so familiar.’

  ‘I think she’s got an account so maybe she posted something and someone’s copied the idea. I guess that happens?’ Nate’s tone was nonchalant.

  ‘Yeah, I s’pose. Shame. It’d be cool to get in with a proper influencer. She might be able to help me boost my own account. I’d love to do something like that. But with clothes and make-up, obviously. They get all this stuff given to them for free! And sent all over the world, staying in top hotels. I’d be so good at that.’

  ‘I’m sure you would.’ He smiled at her, and she returned it, pacified, it would seem. Or else just basking in that smile, which I totally understood too.

  ‘Ready, babes?’ The Peaky Blinder lookalike who’d just entered the shop took in Corinne still standing close to Nate, and we both saw the assessment in his eyes. ‘Didn’t you have something in that jeweller’s you wanted to show me?’ The platinum pinky ring, set with an exquisitely cut ruby, together with the very un-period Rolex hinted that Corinne’s date had more money than his market trader accent initially suggested.

  Corinne’s eyes lit up. ‘Oh hi! Yeah, let’s go. I’m dying to show you. I mean, it’s way too expensive but I’m hoping to save up for it.’ His arms wrapped around her as she reached him. He threw a glance back at Nate. Nate smiled, no hint of jealousy on his face. The other man studied him for a moment, and it was hard to work out whether he seemed pleased about that or not.

  ‘Bye, Nate.’

  He raised his hand briefly as they left the shop.

  ‘Bye, Sophia,’ I mumbled in a high-pitched voice, glancing over at him. He grinned.

  ‘Just be thankful she’s gone.’ He pointed to the magazine. ‘This is your account, isn’t it?’

  I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. ‘Yes. Thanks for covering for me. Corinne’s the last person I want finding out that’s mine. I’m still thinking it might be better to take it down completely.’

  ‘Do you want to?’

  ‘Not especially. I enjoy doing it. I’ve just no interest in making it a big thing. I know to people like Corinne not wanting to be “discovered” might seem impossible to understand but it’s never been about that for me. It’s merely a bit of fun.’

  ‘So keep it then. This will all blow over. You know how long an attention span people have these days.’

  I let out a sigh. Well, as much as I could in this damn corset. ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. I don’t really want to be dictated to as to what I can and can’t do. But I don’t want the attention either.’

  ‘Would it really be so bad if you did get some?’

  I thought of my mother finding out I knew one end of a toilet brush from the other. I’m not sure she’d ever recover. And of course, then she’d know where I was, which was far worse.

  ‘Yes. It really would.’

  Nate shifted his weight and looked at me. ‘You’re not on the run, are you?’

  I let out a breath that was part laugh. ‘No. I promise.’

  ‘Shame. I could have done with a bit of living dangerously.’

  ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you.’

  Nate reached out, hooking one of the curls that had escaped the myriad hair grips I had plunged into my updo earlier and tucked it behind my ear.

  ‘Now that is something you definitely don’t do.’

  I looked up, meeting his eyes, the warmth of where his hand had rested against my face still lingering.

  ‘I do, however, get the feeling there’s a whole lot more to know about you than you’ve told me.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not sure you’re missing out on anything.’

  He took a step towards me. ‘You know, actually I think I really might be.’

  ‘Nate…’

  He moved again, one hand lifting to rest at my waist as he stepped closer.

  ‘Sophia, I—’

  The bell on the back of the door jangled loudly and we both jumped, moving apart quickly, me stumbling as I caught the heel of my boot in the hem of my long skirt. Nate’s arm was back around me, steadying me quickly as I simultaneously tried to act normal for the small group of customers now entering the shop.

  The next couple of hours passed in a haze of activity as the fayre got into full swing and Flora’s shop did brisk business. There was little time to think over the moment that Nate and I had had. I mean, I think it was a moment. It felt like one, but then it had been a heck of a long time since I’d had anything like that, so maybe I’d been mistaken.

  At half past nine, I waved the last customers out of the shop, turned the sign to closed and locked the door. Underneath I tacked the sign that Flora had made, announcing the shop would be opening a little later, at ten, tomorrow morning, which gave her and George time to get back from their night away. Leaning against the door for a moment, I let out a sigh. Nate came over from where he’d been tidying the counter of the remains of the gift wrapping supplies, ensuring we left it perfect for when Flora returned. His eyes fixed onto mine and I knew that, however out of practice I was, I hadn’t imagined anything.

  ‘You look exhausted.’ His words were soft, brow creasing in concern.

  ‘I’m fine,’ I said, knowing my face and body probably told another tale. ‘But I am glad you were here. I had no idea we’d be quite so busy. Thank you for helping. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’

  Nate reached around me, pulling the blind down to cover the glass of the door. ‘I’m glad I was here.’ His body stayed close. ‘Truth is, I don’t know what I’d have done without you the entire time I’ve been here. I thought I knew what I did and didn’t want from this break but then I met you and it kind of threw a spanner into the entire works.’

  23

  I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt like this. I knew it was complicated for all the reasons I’d listed to Flora but right now, stood here with Nate, it didn’t seem complicated at all. I didn’t reply but closed the final distance between us and leant my head on his chest. Nate’s arms wrapped around me and for the first time in a very long time, I felt wanted and safe. Valued for who I was – not for who people thought I was, or what they thought knowing me might be able to do for them. Of course, I would tell Nate the truth, but somehow, I didn’t think it would matter to him. I just had to find the right moment. But right now, all I wanted was to feel his arms around me.

  I felt him shift and I lifted my head.

  ‘I think we need to get you off your feet.’

  ‘It’s fine.’

  ‘OK. Then I’m knackered and need to sit down. I was just trying to couch it in a way that made me look less of a wimp.’

  I laughed, stepping back, sorry to feel his arms drop away but thrilled as
he caught my hand before I could leave his touch entirely. ‘You’re not a wimp. Shop work isn’t as easy as it looks, is it?’

  ‘Definitely not,’ he said, letting go of my hand as I checked that all was as it should be for Flora’s return, scribbling a note of the takings and tucking it under the charity box for her to see in the morning. We stepped out into the night air, and I shivered. The Victoriana dress I was wearing may have had plenty of layers, but none of them were doing much to keep me warm against the cold night.

  ‘Here,’ Nate made to slip the longline coat off and hand it to me but I stopped him.

  ‘It’s all right. It’s not like we’re going far and you’re more likely to freeze than me. I’m accustomed to the temperatures.’

  ‘That’s true but generally you have more layers on.’

  ‘You’d be surprised at how many there are going on under here!’

  He grinned. ‘I always was keen on history. I’m happy for you to enlighten me on that aspect of it.’

  I gave him a playful prod in the chest. ‘Don’t think that smile is going to get you anywhere.’ Although in truth, right now, it’d have taken him pretty much anywhere he wanted to go.

  ‘I wasn’t. You just make me smile.’

  ‘And those smooth lines aren’t going to work on me either.’

  He laughed, pulling me close to him.

  ‘I’m not sure I’ve ever used a line in my life.’

  ‘Now that I don’t believe.’

  Actually, I did. He really didn’t seem the type and frankly, the way he looked, I’d guess that lines weren’t terribly necessary.

  ‘It’s true,’ he said, curving a finger under my chin. ‘Besides, I’d never want to use a line on you, even if I could. I’ve had more than enough of trying to say the right thing. I love that you just say what you think and let me be the same. I think the first thing I noticed about you, once I’d recovered from the fact there was an extremely hot woman in my bathroom aiming a toilet brush at me, was how honest you are.’