Page 32 of Slow Burn Summer

The expected delay on the line was definitely a few seconds longer than necessary.

“Hot. Relentless. I don’t know how I lived here for so long.”

“You’ll be home soon,” she said. She wondered how he’d found being thrust back into the movie-making community he’d been a part of; if he’d run into his ex-wife, even.

“I’ll raise a glass to you later.” He sounded tired, reminding her it was the middle of the night for him.

“Liv’s locking up, I think that’s my cue to go book-spotting,” she said. “Night, Charlie.”

“Morning, Kate,” he murmured, ringing off.

Thoughts of a bedside lamp being clicked out, a middle-of-the-night hotel room thrown into darkness, spooning into comfort and sleep.

Liv danced across from the other side of the shop, tapping her watch. “Come on, then, Kate Darrowby. Let’s go find your book in the wild.”

17

“Can you see it?”

Kate and Liv stood in front of the wall of paperbacks in the supermarket, scanning.

“It should definitely be in here today,” Kate said. “Prue said so.”

“Maybe they’ve already sold out,” Liv suggested, frowning.

“Surely not.” Kate bent to check the lower shelves. “Why can’t I find it, Liv?”

In all of her imaginings of shelf-spotting her first-ever copy of the book, she hadn’t considered it just not being there.

“Shall I ask someone?” Liv said, glancing around.

“I’ll do it.” Kate spotted a guy with a name badge loitering farther down the aisle. Clearing her throat, awkward, she said, “Excuse me, do you have any copies ofThe Power of Loveby Kate Darrowby, please?”

The guy put his head to one side, scanning the books. “Have you looked all over?”

She wrinkled her nose and nodded. “It’s not there.”

“I think we had a delivery this morning.” He looked doubtful. “I can go and check if you want?”

She nodded, giving him a grateful smile.

“What was the name again?”

“Darrowby.The Power of Loveby Kate Darrowby.”

He wandered away, and Liv elbowed her, laughing. “How did you resist telling him you’re Kate Darrowby?”

“Because I’m not a complete nob?” Kate said, looking at the myriad of book covers in front of her. “I know I’m biased, but my cover is the prettiest, don’t you reckon?”

Liv nodded. “I’m just going to go and grab some milk,” she said. “Be right back.”

She disappeared around one end of the aisle just as the guy ambled back around the other holding a couple of books in his hands. Kate’s heart banged as he drew nearer. So this is what it felt like. Her palms were actually clammy, but she wasn’t about to wipe them on the beautiful launch-day dress Liv had made her.

“Is this it?” He handed her a thriller by someone called Kate, but with a totally different surname and title.

“No,” she mumbled. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, didn’t think it would be. Sorry.” He passed her the other book in his hands, the latest Jojo Moyes. “In that case, try this one, my missus loved it.”

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