Chapter 35
Bea hurried away from the shop, tears flowing freely down her face.
She wiped them away with the back of her hand and took a deep breath.
Lochlan had done this? Her shock turned to anger.
How could he? And why had he sent her flowers if he was just going to go behind her back and buy the building?
She shook her head. It made no sense. She sat heavily on one of the benches by the duck pond and tried to calm down.
‘Bea?’ asked a hesitant voice. ‘Are you okay?’
She looked up to see Katerina standing in front of her, cup in hand.
‘Oh, Katerina, hi,’ Bea said, in a wobbly voice. The last person she wanted to see, mid-meltdown, was a world-famous author.
‘Is everything all right?’ Katerina asked, her face full of concern.
‘Oh, I’ve just had a bit of a bad news, it’s nothing really, but thank you,’ said Bea, trying, and failing, to smile.
‘It doesn’t look like nothing,’ said Katerina, sitting down next to her.
‘No, actually, it isn’t,’ Bea sniffed, ‘it’s pretty catastrophic,’ she sobbed, unable to hold back the tears, covering her face with her hands and letting them fall.
‘Here,’ said Katerina, pulling a pack of tissues from her bag and handing one to Bea. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘Not unless you can find out why the guy I’m seeing has gone behind my back and scuppered my plans to open a bookshop?’ said Bea.
‘You were going to open a bookshop? Here in the village?’ Katerina asked.
‘I was, yes,’ Bea nodded. ‘I went in today to sign the lease, but…’ she hesitated. ‘It turns out the company he works for has made a cash offer to the landlord, so the deal’s off.’
‘Oh, Bea, that’s awful. I’m so sorry,’ said Katerina, patting her hand. ‘God, men are shits sometimes,’ she added.
‘Yeah, they really are,’ agreed Bea.
‘But a bookshop, though? That sounds exciting!’
‘I know, it would have been great,’ said Bea, mustering a weak smile.
‘Will be great,’ Katerina cut in, a determined look on her face. ‘This is a setback, it’s not the end. There’ll be other shops, other men, too, for that matter.’
‘Well, I suppose I do still have the loan…’ Bea muttered. ‘And you’re right, the old Pink Ribbon isn’t the only shop in the only village in Sussex.’
‘Exactly. You’ve had a shock, of course, finding out what this man – and I use that word loosely – did,’ said Katerina, a look of disdain on her face. ‘What’s his name, by the way?’
‘Lochlan,’ said Bea. Even saying his name made her angry all over again.
‘Terrible name,’ said Katerina, twitching her nose. ‘I’ll name my next villain after him.’
Bea couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Lochlan appearing in K. L. Fletcher’s next bestseller.
‘As I said, you’ve had a shock and you’re entitled to feel upset…
betrayed. But don’t let it linger. Take a beat, move on, and when you do open your bookshop – and I’ve no doubt you will – let me know.
I’ve got good contacts in the industry: editors, authors, agents, movers and shakers, people who owe me a favour.
I’ll get them all down here for the launch and do a signing event for you. ’
‘Really?’ Bea asked, surprised. ‘I thought you didn’t do public appearances?’
‘I don’t, but I’ll make an exception for you,’ said Katerina, patting Bea’s shoulder. ‘I’m very fond of you, Bea.’
‘Wow, gosh, I don’t know what to say, but thanks,’ said Bea, ‘that would be amazing!’
‘Now, I really must go, I’m on a deadline,’ Katerina said, getting to her feet.
‘How’s the word count going?’ Bea asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
‘Good. Better than good, actually. Strange as it sounds, being here has helped me find my mojo again.’
‘That’s brilliant news!’ said Bea, smiling.
‘Well, my editor certainly thinks so! Now, what’s your plan? You can’t sit here moping all day.’
‘No, I know,’ Bea agreed. ‘My courage always rises at every attempt—’
‘To intimidate me,’ said Katerina, finishing the quote from Pride & Prejudice.
‘I need to talk to Lochlan,’ Bea said.
‘You give him hell,’ said Katerina.
‘Oh, don’t you worry,’ Bea replied. ‘I intend to.’
Bea didn’t even know if Lochlan was back from London yet, as she pulled up outside his house less than half an hour later.
But she couldn’t wait, she had to find out what the hell he had done.
Part of her was hoping that it was all just a misunderstanding and there was an innocent explanation for how EliteHaven Homes had found out about the Pink Ribbon, but she knew, deep down, there wasn’t.
She jabbed her finger on the gate buzzer with force.
‘Hello?’ he answered.
‘It’s me,’ said Bea, her voice flat and emotionless.
‘Bea!’ he replied, sounding genuinely pleased she was there. The entrance gate creaked open, and, as Bea pulled up at his front door, she saw him leaning casually in the doorway, seemingly without a care in the world. That is, until he saw the look of thunder on her face.
‘Hey, what’s up?’ he asked.
‘What’s up?’ Bea shouted, furious. ‘I’ve just been to sign the lease on the shop.’
‘Ah,’ he said, his usual confidence slipping. ‘So, you know, then?’
‘Yeah, I know,’ she mimicked his tone. ‘I know you’ve gone behind my back and offered the landlord cash.’
‘It’s just business, babe,’ he shot back, stepping towards her.
‘Just business?’ she said, recoiling. ‘And don’t you fucking dare call me “babe”, you fucking arsehole.’
‘Hey, calm down, Bea, this has got nothing to do with… us’, he continued, ‘it doesn’t change things.’
‘Are you insane? It changes everything.’
‘It’s just a shop. There’ll be others,’ he scoffed.
‘It isn’t just a shop, Lochlan. It’s my dream and you’ve just… trampled all over it.’ She couldn’t believe he was gaslighting her like this.
‘Do you think I got where I am today by letting my heart rule my head? No. Success in business is about making tough decisions, and sometimes you have to upset people along the way, that’s just how it is…’
‘People?’ Bea repeated, her eyes blazing. ‘Is that what I am to you… people?’ She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
‘Of course you’re not “people”,’ he conceded, his tone softening. ‘But you’re not going to let something as silly as this ruin what we have, are you?’ he demanded, flashing her his best smile.
The smile that used to make her heart swell. But not now, not today, not ever again.
‘God, you’re not even going to apologize, are you?’ she asked, her hollow laugh louder than she expected.
‘It’s business,’ he repeated. ‘I could turn that building into six luxury apartments and I’d make a killing, too.’
‘Luxury apartments? That’s your plan? You’ll never get it through planning—’
‘Don’t bet on it,’ he said, slyly.
God, he disgusted her now. What had she ever seen in him?
‘Listen, try to get it all in perspective: we’ll have a great time in London—’
She cut him off sharply,
‘I wouldn’t go to London with you if you were the last man on earth,’ she said, her fists balled at her sides. ‘We’re done, Lochlan. I don’t ever want to see you again.’
‘Oh, come on, babe, don’t be stupid—’
‘Stupid?’ she repeated, rage bubbling up inside her.
‘I didn’t mean—’
‘Oh, and you can have this back,’ she said, yanking the necklace from her neck and throwing it at him. ‘Tiffany isn’t really my thing, after all. Turns out I’d much rather have a book,’ she said, the memory of the beautiful gift Nathan had given her flashing into her mind.
‘I can’t believe it,’ said Jess, pulling Bea into a tight hug. ‘What an absolute arsehole!’
‘I just didn’t see it coming,’ said Bea, pulling a woollen throw around her shoulders as she snuggled down on the sofa back at home. Even though it was a warm summer’s day, Bea couldn’t stop shaking.
‘Well, of course you didn’t! How were you to know what a sneaky, manipulative git he would turn out to be,’ said Jess, through gritted teeth.
‘Here, take this,’ said Archie, passing them mugs of hot chocolate. ‘I’ve put extra sugar in yours, Bea,’ he nodded, ‘you know, for the shock.’
‘Thanks, Archie,’ said Bea, appreciatively.
‘If I ever see him again…’ Jess said, her eyes flashing.
‘I just want to move on and forget him,’ said Bea, her eyes hot with rage.
‘That’s going to be hard to do once they start work on that building,’ said Archie, brows furrowed.
‘God, I’d not even thought about that,’ Bea groaned, pulling the blanket more tightly around her.
‘Surely he won’t get planning permission, though? I’m pretty sure that building’s Grade II listed,’ said Jess.
‘Maybe we could start a petition, or something?’ said Bea, resting her mug on the arm of her chair. ‘I could talk to Violet now she’s chair of the parish council?’ she suggested.
‘That’s a great idea! She hates change, and luxury flats being built right next to her cottage? I don’t think so!’ said Jess.
‘She’s always been a great supporter of the wagon, too, so I’m pretty sure she’d rather I open a bookshop than EliteHaven Homes build flats there,’ said Bea.
‘Why don’t you go and see her now?’ suggested Archie, giving Bea a gentle nudge. ‘I’m sure this is just a setback, that’s all. It’s not over till the fat lady sings, remember?’
‘You’re the second person to say that to me today,’ said Bea, thinking of Katerina’s advice earlier.
This is just a setback, that’s all.
And, as Bea sipped her hot chocolate, she knew that things weren’t over yet. She would find a way through this … she had to.