Page 43 of The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove

‘No, I am.’

Snotty tears streamed down my face as we fell into a childhood competitive tradition. I was so glad that my brother had finally realised that I wasn’t the only one who deserved a different life and I hoped beyond words that one day, his princess would come and she would not be called Sabrina.

As I glanced over at Dennis, I saw he was grinning at me and I mouthed the word ‘sorry’ over my brother’s shoulder as he grabbed me in a bear hug.

‘It’s fine,’ he whispered and winked and my heart felt a little safer than it had before.

‘Sorry, mate, I interrupted you again, didn’t I?’

‘It’s fine, Dan. I really hope you get yourself sorted out, and if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know. Nancy and me. We’ve got all the time in the world.’

But had we?

25

Once Dan had gone and we’d got the place to ourselves again, we talked a lot of shop. For some reason, we were a little nervous around each other now, so it was easier to focus on Dennis’s ideas. He wanted to do another open-day event, so we could invite Cornish bloggers and authors. The shop was large enough to run a workshop at the same time. He’d clearly been working on lots of ideas while he’d been away. I didn’t want to think about what else he’d been doing but by the time he left he seemed to be more relaxed.

‘What are you doing later?’ he asked.

‘What, tonight you mean?’

‘Well, for the rest of the day? And then tonight too?’

The way he looked at me made a shiver run down the whole of my spine. He looked like he wanted to devour me. I’d never felt so wanted. It was an unusual feeling. Sure, I’d fancied people in the past and they’d fancied me back, and I’d had my moments over the years but it had never set off fireworks in my body like in the books that I read.

‘I thought we could go and do some beachcombing for shells. I know you love to do that.’

I felt a little disappointed. But then realised that it was a lovely thing to do.

‘I’d love to.’

‘And then, I’d like to take you to dinner. Maybe we could go to the bistro?’

‘Oh, you are kidding me. If we go to dinner at the bistro, we’ll be the talk of the town and they’ll have us marching up the aisle before the night is out.’

‘Ha, yes, I forget that Driftwood Bay is a lot smaller than where I come from. I do think we need to go somewhere to talk though. I think we’ve got a lot to discuss.’

‘Yeah, we definitely do. I want all your ideas for this launch event.’ I smiled at him, and narrowed my eyes in what I thought was a seductive way, but hey what did I know?

‘You OK there? Something in your eye?’

I over-blinked a few times. ‘I’m fine. I think it’s gone now.’

Embarrassed, I told him about a little Italian restaurant I used to go to sometimes on a teachers’ night out. It was hard being a teacher in a small community. Parents didn’t respect the fact you might need a night off and would happily approach you in the local bistro and question you about little Tommy’s in-growing toenail over your tagliatelle.

Dennie went out the back and booked a table and then we headed off to the beach. Walking side by side seemed a little strange after we’d kissed so passionately only hours before, but he took my hand in his and we strolled along the furthest away beach, scouring the sand and collecting several large shells between us. Holding his hand seemed the most natural thing to do even if people might see us. I just didn’t want to live out the whole of our relationship in front of prying eyes. There was enough pressure itself that I was putting on the situation without everyone else throwing their oar in too. Dennie might not even be seeing it as a relationship. In fact, I had no clue whatwe were doing, and at that thought, I started to panic again. It was almost like I was willing things to go wrong before they’d even had a chance to go right. Even though I’d spent a lot of time with Dennis over the past few weeks, I really didn’t know him at all.

After we dropped the shells back at the shop, he gently kissed my cheek and told me that he’d pick me up at 7p.m.

I was all fingers and thumbs getting ready, trying to curl my hair when Mum came in and offered to help.

‘You really like him, don’t you?’

‘Yeah, he’s nice.’

She smiled.

‘I knew it at your book event, you know.’

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