Page 58 of The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop
‘Isn’t that what all the best people do?’ She thought of Max’s own challenge: being forced to give up his entire career, the way he’d used it as an opportunity to start Sea Brew, becoming successful and loved in the town after dealing with such a serious health issue.
He picked up the trail of paper chains, wound the loose end around Ollie’s back, and tugged again, more firmly this time. Ollie had stapled them together, so they held fast, and she took his hint, leaning towards him. She put her hand on the sofa cushion next to his knee.
‘Would you call this a problem, or an opportunity?’ he murmured.
Ollie swallowed. ‘What? Being tied up in paper, next to you on the sofa?’
He nodded. His gaze held hers, and she could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
She licked her lips. ‘I suppose some people might say it was a problem – the whole being tied up bit. But havingyou here, next to me … of course that’s a good thing. But an opportunity? I suppose—’
Max dropped his head, exhaling a laugh.
Ollie blinked, the spell broken. ‘What is it?’
He looked up at her. ‘My flirting needs a whole lot of work.’
Her insides flipped. ‘I disagree.’
‘You actually thought that was seductive, what I just did?’ He waggled the paper chain, and Henry lifted his head. Ollie wondered if it sounded similar to her rattling his treat jar.
‘I was enjoying it,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t thinkingwhat an idiot,or anything.’
Max grinned. ‘Good to know.’
‘I guess sometimes,’ she went on, her heart pounding, ‘flirting is overrated. Sometimes it’s less hassle to bypass it completely.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean … this.’ She closed the gap between them, reached a hand up to cup Max’s jaw, and pressed her lips against his. His hesitation lasted for a second, and then he was responding, moving his lips against hers, sliding his fingers into her hair and tugging at the hairband to release her ponytail.
Kissing Max, Ollie had enough brain power to realise, was like a white-water rapids ride, and floating in an infinity pool all at once; fireworks and a cosy fire; simultaneously calming and earth-shattering. He was strong and steady, his intent – after that first breath of hesitation – was undeniable, and it gave her the confidence to kiss him back with all she had.
Max pulled back slightly, so he could whisper against her lips. ‘This is better than flirting.’
‘I think so. I certainly hopedit would be. Actually, I was fairly confident.’
‘Were you?’ He kissed her again.
‘I was,’ she murmured. ‘Glad I was proved right.’
‘Me too, Ollie,’ Max said, pulling her closer, changing the angle of his head to get better access to her lips. ‘Me too.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
On Monday, Ollie stood looking up at A New Chapter, at its honeyed stone and the colourful, elegant window displays. It was a clash of old and new that was somehow harmonious. Could children’s workshops really work here?
Ollie knew that more complicated events like this required a lot of thought. There were safeguarding concerns, extra rules and guidelines to follow, but she had spent most of Sunday researching similar events: the groups they held at the library in Truro, other bookshops that ran successful children’s sessions.
Her nerves followed her all morning, and while she had planned to sit Thea and Becky down properly and talk it through with them, they all ended up at the shop counter at the same time, and Ollie’s mouth decided there was no time like the present.
‘I was thinking we could have craft sessions for children upstairs.’
Thea’s expression was curious. Becky narrowed her eyes.
‘Making Christmas decorations to start with,’ she went on. ‘Paper chains are fun and easy, the materials are cheap, and they’d all have something festive to take home at the end. If it works, we could move onto bauble painting – I’ve found kits you can buy online. If they’re popular, we could do them on a regular basis.’
Thea was nodding, like a solar-powered toy in soft evening light.
