The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove

by Kellie Hailes

  Alexander surveyed the hustle and bustle of people finishing off their display tables. Decorations fluttered in the breeze. Products were stacked high. The village buzzed. And there wasn’t a five-storey resort anywhere in sight that could take credit for the vibrant ambience.

  ‘Imagine all this,’ he indicated to the scene before them, ‘times twenty. That’s what a resort would bring.’

  ‘If that’s what you have to keep telling yourself to help you sleep at night, son, then you keep the phrase on repeat.’ Rob lifted his glass to his mouth, his eyes never leaving Alexander. ‘Anyway, enough of the resort talk. I prefer it out of sight, out of mind. I’m more interested in your business with our Sophie.’

  Alexander’s gut constricted. From one difficult topic to another. He barely understood what was happening with Sophie himself; to have to explain it to another person?

  ‘I may not have kids but I can’t help but feel a bit protective when it comes to Sophie and, from what I saw while tinkling the ivories the other night, I’d say that there was some interest, on both sides. The question I have is just how deep does that interest go?’

  Alexander shifted in his padded seat. Seconds ago, it had been comfortable, now it could have been made from rock. And not because Rob was asking him a tough question. The easy answer was that he was very interested in Sophie. The hard thing to answer was, just how far could you take things with someone who inhabited a different world from you – in all senses. It wasn’t fair to start something he couldn’t finish. But something had already been started, and he didn’t know that he had the power, or the will, to stop it.

  ‘You see, Alex, Sophie may not have family of the DNA-derived type in this village, but she’s got people who look out for her, love her, all through this tiny spot on the map. For all her independence, for all her outward show of positivity spiked with determination, she’s got her fragile spots. That’s why that wall of hers is as high as it is thick. She doesn’t let anyone behind that wall easily, and if someone did manage to get through, then took a bulldozer to her heart?’ Rob swung an imaginary mallet through the air. ‘Well I don’t know that Sophie would be able to rebuild that wall again. And even if she did, it wouldn’t hold strong. And she sure as hell would never let anyone behind – or anywhere near it – again.’

  Alexander gripped the back of his neck and tried not to think about how Sophie had not half an hour ago allowed him behind said wall. ‘What you’re saying is that if I hurt her you’ll not so much see me out of town as throw me out?’

  ‘That’s if you choose to leave.’ Rob finished his beer and set the glass down with a thump made Alexander jump in his seat. ‘You’ve found your way into the bubble, remember?’

  Alexander pushed his beer away. Any appetite for it gone. ‘I would never hurt Sophie, not intentionally,’ he said as much to himself as to Rob.

  ‘That’s the thing though, boy. All the best intentions in the world won’t always stop you hurting someone you care about. Or love.’ Rob reached out and slapped him on his back. ‘But I do believe you when you say you’re not out to hurt our girl. I just want you to know that if you do, you’d better leave and never come back. Small places have long memories.’

  ‘Duly noted.’ An uncomfortable mix of duty and desire sat heavy in Alexander’s chest. He slid off the stool and nodded a silent goodbye to Rob, who returned the nod with solemn eyes.

  Alexander pulled his sunglasses from his pocket and placed them over his eyes before heading out into the bright day. A smile rose unbidden as he saw Puddles attempting to catch a butterfly. Leaping up, his furry white paws missing as the butterfly ducked and weaved its way through the air. He squatted down and clicked his tongue, distracting Puddles from his mission. The cat trotted towards him and lay flat on the ground, belly up, waiting for some love.

  Rob was right – Herring Cove had pulled him into its bubble.

  He’d come expecting to expand the Fletcher empire. Instead he was on the verge of blowing his entire life up.

  And a tiny, rebellious part of him didn’t think that would be a bad thing.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ‘You keep touching your lips and getting this goofy grin on your face.’ Natalie popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth and raised her eyebrows. ‘How much longer am I going to have to wait before you finally admit that I walked in on you and Alexander having a moment of the kissing kind?’

  Sophie focused on straightening up a pile of books. She refused to look Natalie in the eye, knowing that if she did the game would be well and truly up. Not that kissing Alexander was a game. In fact, it felt the opposite. Something not to be taken lightly.

  She smiled at a woman who’d paused at her stall and was thumbing through a recipe book. ‘Twenty per cent off all books this evening. Market special.’

  The woman returned her smile, set the book down and wandered off down the lane towards the small stage where Rob had set up his piano and was playing songs on request, with the proviso that if he didn’t know the song he’d donate money to the local community charity. Lucky for him he knew most of the songs or Sherry would have made good on the mutinous glare she’d shot him when he’d announced his plans to all and sundry.

  The result had been a cheer from the community and added vibrancy to the event as he belted out hits from the past six decades.

  ‘How long are we not going to have this conversation about you and Alex that I feel we really need to have?’ Natalie picked up a book and swatted Sophie on the bum playfully. ‘Because it’s not going to work. I need the tongue-tangling nitty-gritty. I have to live vicariously through you these days because I’ve no intention of going down that path again.’

  ‘Who’s living vicariously?’ Ginny strolled up, her cheeks red with exertion as she hauled about armfuls of bags, with flowers tucked under each armpit. ‘Soph, can I leave these with you? I think I might have gone a bit overboard, and there’s still more things I want. I saw the most adorable handmade wooden block set, and I have to get it for the nursery Mike and I are putting together.’

  ‘Sure. Here, let me.’ Sophie grabbed the flowers and placed them in the shade under the table, then relieved Ginny of the rest of her load.

  ‘Thanks for that.’ Ginny placed her hands on her hips and did a slow turn, letting out a long, low whistle. ‘Would you look at this place? It’s heaving. Are you going to make it a regular thing? Actually, don’t make it a regular thing. My bank account couldn’t afford it.’ She tapped her chin. ‘Or maybe it could. My wee stall sold out in an hour, I’ve made a killing.’

  ‘I’ve done okay too.’ Natalie tweaked a line of shampoo and conditioner. ‘Moved some hair product, which will make life easier when I close the business and leave. And a few people have taken my website design business card, which is good.’

  Grief twinged in Sophie’s chest. She’d put Natalie leaving out of her mind. Refused to think about it. Promised herself she’d deal with it when the time came. But time was marching on, and the thought of saying goodbye to Natalie and the kids wasn’t getting any less painful.

  ‘I still can’t believe you’re going.’ Ginny pouted. ‘I’ll miss you, but I can see how it’s for the best. Nothing like a fresh start, a change of pace. Besides, you’ll stay in Cornwall, yeah?’

  ‘Of course. I don’t want to be hours away from Mum and Dad, or you guys. Far enough away to erase the memories of that pillock ex of mine, but close enough that we can still catch up without it being in the too-hard basket. Although after what I walked in on this morning I suspect Sophie will be too busy heading up London way to visit little old me…’ Natalie turned to Sophie, a smirk on her face.

  ‘Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?’ Ginny squeaked, her hands flying from her hips to her cheeks in delight. ‘That’s more than I could hope for. I had a feeling there was something between you and Alexander. A connection. You’ve every reason to keep away from each other, yet you’ve been circling each other with desire i
n your eyes since the moment you met.’

  ‘You two are infuriating. And we have not.’ Sophie rolled her eyes at Ginny, who was too busy jumping up and down in excitement to notice. ‘There’s no circling here. Just a man helping me out to ease the guilt of building a resort around me, and me taking advantage of free labour. Beggars can’t be choosers and all that.’ She pressed her chin to her chest, furrowed her brow in warning, and waited for Ginny and Natalie to back off from the topic of Alexander.

  ‘Oh no, dear Sophie.’ Natalie threaded her arm through hers. ‘You’re not getting off that easily. You two had passionate guilt written all over your faces. That and Alexander’s T-shirt was rumpled like someone’s hand had recently been scrunched up in it. Oh, and your hair was mussy in a way that wasn’t “I did this on purpose” cute.’

  ‘Oh, this is good. This is very, very good.’ Ginny rubbed her hands together, glee lighting up her face. ‘If Alexander meant nothing, Sophie wouldn’t have hidden it, would you, Sophie?’

  ‘Yeah, well…’ Sophie fought not to look away, to confirm the truth through denial. Even if she was attracted to Alexander, and he to her, what was the ‘truth’ between them anyway? It wasn’t like anything more could happen between them other than a fling. He had a life in London. She had a life here. It couldn’t be more. Even if she wanted it to be.

  ‘“Yeah, well”? Is that as good as you’ve got?’ Ginny tapped her chin with her finger. ‘Methinks the lady is more smitten than she cares to admit.’

  ‘Methinks you’re right. Me thinks she’s also freaking out about it. Big time.’ Natalie draped her hand around Sophie’s shoulders and brought her closer. ‘Me also thinks it’s nice to see you being vulnerable. Even if it means that my inner mummy wants to wrap you in cotton wool and bubble wrap to stop any chance of you getting hurt like last time.’

  Sophie wriggled out from under Natalie’s hold. ‘And I think you both need to get into my shop, make your way to the language area – now situated to the back left of the shop, three bookshelves in – and relearn the English language.’

  Ginny laughed. ‘We’ve got her, Nat. She’s taken to insulting us. I never thought I’d see the day.’ Her features smoothed out as she shook her head, her eyes wide with wonder. ‘Sophie Jones has fallen head over heels.’

  ‘And you’ll be pushed head over heels if you don’t stop harassing me.’ Sophie stuck her tongue out at her friend, then cracked up when her friend returned the gesture and upped it with a two-fingered salute.

  ‘No can do.’ Ginny turned around, stood on tiptoes and surveyed the crowds. ‘Where is Alexander anyway? I want to see you two together.’ Her body rippled in a shiver. ‘How delicious. Love. Seeing people fall into it. Yum.’

  ‘What’s yum?’

  Sophie jumped, along with Natalie and Ginny, at the sound of Alexander’s voice behind them.

  She clutched her heart and spun round. ‘Are you trying to give us heart attacks sneaking up like that?’

  Alexander grinned, sending a flurry of miniature lightning bolts zipping and zapping through her stomach.

  ‘Wasn’t sneaking. Just saw that it was easier to go behind the stalls in order to see you than in front of them, so that’s what I did. This place is packed.’

  ‘Oh. Right.’ Sophie dropped her gaze as a warm flush hit her cheeks.

  Big mistake. In avoiding Alexander’s handsome face, she was faced with impeccable dress sense – olive-green cargo shorts paired with a navy polo – that only served to emphasise the muscles she’d noted during his shelf building sessions, muscles she’d touched far too briefly earlier that day. The man was perfection, through and through.

  She glanced down at her red sundress flipping around her knees and was glad she’d dressed up for the market instead of wearing the faded khaki shorts and wrinkled grey marl T-shirt she’d had on earlier.

  ‘You said you wanted to see Sophie, Alexander?’

  The amusement, the ‘knowing’ in Ginny’s voice was obvious, and Sophie wished she was standing beside her instead of across the table so she could dig a sharp elbow into her waist.

  ‘I did. Actually, Ginny, I was hoping you might be so kind as to look after Sophie’s stall so I can escort her around the event. Show her what she’s managed to achieve? What do you say, Soph?’

  ‘She’d love to go.’ Ginny bustled round the table and flapped Sophie out of the way. ‘Stay away for as long as you like.’

  ‘Wonderful.’ Alexander slipped his hand in Sophie’s and pulled her in the crowd.

  Sophie twisted around to see Ginny and Natalie waving her off, triumphant looks upon their faces.

  She poked her tongue out at them and turned back round to see Alexander looking at her with amusement.

  ‘Is that how you normally say goodbye to your friends?’ Alexander nodded at acquaintances he’d made over the course of the week as they weaved their way through the crowds towards the back of the market.

  He’d made progress with some of the locals today. The crowds and allure of money had seen those who’d been unconvinced that a resort would be beneficial to Herring Cove waver. New faces and money changing hands had that effect on people.

  When stall holders had stopped him and asked if this was how busy other villages became once the Fletcher Group had moved in, he knew his job was about to get much easier.

  He’d done as his father would expect and said yes it was. That it would, in fact, be busier. Not a lie. It would be. With the right marketing and implementation of facilities there was no reason why Herring Cove couldn’t be as vibrant and alive as it was today all summer long.

  His mouth had said all the right things, but his heart hadn’t been in it. Not when the stories came out of how much Herring Cove meant to those living there, their histories long and rich, their love for the place – for its tranquillity and charm – so apparent.

  One stall holder, a fisherman, spoke of going out on the boats with his father since he was knee-high, the way his father had before him, and his grandfather before that. He talked of days when local families would pick up bread and pastries from the bakery, ham sliced fresh from the butcher, and take it down to the beach along with fruit from the farm that would soon be a golf course. He reminisced about how those long, hot days became bonfire-filled nights where the kids would play, the adults would chat, and a community was forged, bonded.

  A local dressmaker, who’d given up her shop on the small main street due to a reduction in her customer base, spoke of creating wedding dresses for women all around the area. How her business had then fallen over almost completely due to not having a store-front. How she hoped people seeing her dresses and skirts would re-spark interest. Perhaps enough that she could open a new store.

  He didn’t have the heart to tell her that once the resort was opened, lease prices would rise and she’d be priced out of the market. Along with so many people who’d turned up to sell their wares. Crafted straight from the heart, and deserving to be seen, to be loved.

  ‘You’ve gone quiet.’ Sophie shook his hand. ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Of course.’ Alexander forced a smile. Now was not the time to get gloomy. Now was the time to show Sophie how successful her venture had been. How it had brought so much joy to both locals and people from the surrounding areas.

  The small stage loomed. He caught Rob’s eye and flashed him a subtle thumbs up. It was time for Sophie to shine, for people to see the brains behind the beauty of the market, and to hopefully support her and her shop in the future.

  ‘Don’t get angry at me.’ Alexander tugged Sophie to a stop.

  Sophie’s eyes narrowed as she turned to face him. ‘I’ve yet to hear of a conversation that goes well when it starts with those words.’

  ‘Well, there’s a first for everything.’

  Three taps on a microphone echoed over the crowd, followed by a slight cough.

  ‘Hello. Good evening.’ Rob’s voice rumbled loud and clear, bringing the murmuring masse
s to a halt. ‘Thank you for coming this evening to the first-ever Herring Cove Midsummer’s Night Market.’

  ‘First ever? He’s making it sound like this is going to be a regular thing,’ Sophie muttered, her brow furrowing more and more by the second.

  ‘No reason it couldn’t be,’ Alexander murmured, tightening his grip on her hand in case she attempted to make a run for it.

  ‘It’s been fantastic to see our main street filled with people having a good time, and discovering what makes our place special. It’s not just the beautiful beach and astounding panoramic views that make Herring Cove a wonderful place to visit, it’s the people who live here who give it its heart, its soul. Speaking of which…’

  Rob gave Alexander the nod, and Alexander pushed his way through the crowd, a reluctant Sophie in his wake.

  ‘This event was the idea of one of Herring Cove’s most beloved citizens and the owner of the most unique bookshop around, All Booked Up, which you can find up the way there and there is twenty per cent off all books for tonight only. May I introduce you to Sophie Jones. Get up here, Sophie. Say a few words and take a bow.’

  Alexander reached the stage and gave Sophie the nudge she needed to step up.

  ‘You are in so much trouble.’

  He grinned at her growled threat. She could yell at him all she wanted, but this was for her own good. She needed to see how much support she had around her, how much love. To know that if she was ever in trouble again – whether it be of the personal or professional kind – she could ask for help and people would gladly step up. Not out of duty, but because they cared.

  Sophie took the microphone from Rob and turned to the crowd. ‘Er, this wasn’t planned so I’m afraid I’ve not got anything witty or funny to say, but what I will say, I’ll say from the heart.’

  Sophie paused and, even from his distance some metres away, Alexander could see her eyes becoming glassy with emotion.