Bea’s Book Wagon

Chapter 2

Bea woke early the next morning with light flooding through her bedroom window. She shoved her pounding head back underneath the pillow.

‘Oh, God,’ she groaned, her mouth parched. She reached out to feel around for a glass of water on the bedside table. ‘Eurgh,’ she grunted, massaging her forehead. Exactly how much had she drunk last night? The last thing she remembered was dancing around Jess’s living room to ‘I Gotta Feeling’.

She rubbed her eyes and pulled herself up into a sitting position. ‘Oh, God,’ she whispered, as she remembered she’d quit her job yesterday. What had she been thinking?

She could hear her parents moving about in the kitchen downstairs, and a knot formed in her stomach. There was a muffled cry of ‘See you later, love,’ shouted upstairs to her as the front door clicked shut behind them. It was Friday morning; her parents were off to bowls club.

She slumped back down on the bed. How on earth was she going to tell them? she wondered.

Bea’s duvet was strewn with empty bags of crisps, and her laptop, which was still running, was covered in cheese puffs.

‘Jeez,’ she groaned, stretching an arm out towards it. The screen sprang to life. eBay? She hardly used the auction site anymore, not since she’d made a spur-of-the-moment drunk purchase and ended up with a dozen copies of It’s A Wonderful Life on DVD in the middle of August.

She clicked into her account to look at her purchase history.

What?

She rubbed her eyes and looked again. It must be a mistake, it had to be. She hadn’t been that drunk last night, surely?

Bea refreshed the page. It made no difference, the purchase from yesterday was still there, clear as day.

11.37pm Vintage Double Horsebox Trailer in need of refurbishment / Perfect for food truck conversion. ￡2500.

No, no, no, no, no! It had to be a mistake.

An amount like that would wipe out her savings; she’d have almost nothing left.

She didn’t even own a car to tow the damn thing, for God’s sake!

She’d have to email the seller and get the transaction cancelled, get her money back. It’d be fine. No need to panic.

But just then, a scene from last night flashed in her head. She was sat on the sofa with Jess, who was telling her what a great idea it was: a mobile bookshop she could take on the road…

A mobile bookshop? Is that what she’d intended the horsebox for? Sure, she’d thought about it after she’d seen that converted one at the farmer’s market, but she wouldn’t actually buy one. That would be crazy, wouldn’t it?

She pushed the laptop away and sank back into her pillows. Her head was thumping; she couldn’t think.

Exasperated, she hauled herself up and padded down to the kitchen, found a box of paracetamol and swigged a couple down with a glass of water. If she could just clear her head, perhaps that would help her to remember exactly what had happened last night.

Her mum had left a note on the kitchen table: Gone to bowls, see you later. Can you unload the dishwasher?

She’d have to call Jess. Hopefully, she could shed some light on the eBay situation.

Bea refilled her glass with water and headed back upstairs, settling herself under the covers. Jess picked up after a few rings, sounding even worse than Bea felt.

‘Hello?’

‘Jess, it’s me,’ said Bea.

‘Why are you awake already? I feel terrible.’ Jess croaked. ‘How much did we drink last night?’

‘Way too much judging by my purchase history on eBay.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Did I say anything last night about a horsebox?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ said Jess, slowly, ‘you were going on about that for ages. You’d seen a food truck in Rye, and you said it would be the perfect way to sell books. I thought it was a great idea—’

‘I’ve bought one.’

‘What?’

‘A horsebox.’

There was silence down the line.

‘Jess? Are you still there?’

‘Bloody hell, Bea!’

‘I know.’

‘How much was it?’

‘Two and a half grand.’

‘How much?’ Jess gasped.

‘That’s nearly all my savings gone.’

‘Christ! What are you going to do?’

‘Try and get my money back, obviously. The seller’s in Blossom Heath… Millcroft Stables.’

‘No way!’ said Jess, ‘that’s Charlotte’s place.’

‘Who’s Charlotte?’

‘She’s lovely. Comes in the shop all the time. I used to go riding at her stables when I was a kid.’

‘Do you think she’ll give me my money back?’

Jess paused before answering.

‘Maybe, but…’

‘What?’

‘What if it’s not actually a bad idea?’

‘Spending my life savings on a wreck of a horsebox – yeah that sounds like a genius plan,’ said Bea, her voice laced with sarcasm.

‘But what if it’s a sign, Bea? You’ve always wanted your own bookshop.’

‘But I don’t know anything about running a business, it was just a drunk, spur-of-the-moment idea—’

‘And sometimes those are the best kind!’

‘I don’t know, Jess…’

‘The stables are literally just down the road, Bea, that can’t be a coincidence—’

‘So, what, you think it’s all part of some grand plan that the universe has for me?’

‘Yes? Maybe? Oh, I don’t know… but manifesting is a real thing, loads of people are into it.’

‘I’m not sure drunk-buying a horsebox is the same thing.’

‘All I’m saying is, why don’t we go and have a look. Talk to Charlotte. You might regret it if you don’t.’

‘But where would I even keep a horsebox, let alone refurbish it? It looks like it needs tons of work; I wouldn’t know where to start. And I’ll need to buy stock too, I don’t even own a car to tow it either.’

‘Hmmmmm…’ said Jess, thoughtfully. ‘Who do I know that’s good with their hands and has tons of storage space, acres of it in fact… Nathan!’

Nathan Chambers was Bea’s childhood boyfriend.

They’d met at secondary school and dated right through to the final year of sixth form.

He lived and worked at Three Acre Farm on the outskirts of Blossom Heath.

He’d been her Dawsey Adams, a farmer with a poetic soul, just like in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

She’d thought they’d be together forever, but life had other plans.

‘Jess, no,’ said Bea.

‘I’m sure he’d be happy to help, he’s a good friend and you’ve been hanging out loads since you got back from London.’

‘Don’t you dare, Jess.’

‘Too late, I’ve already sent him a text.’

‘Jess!’ Bea shrieked, as she heard the ping of Jess’s phone.

‘He said yes! We’ve just got to let him know when to meet us at Charlotte’s.’

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jess!’

‘You email Charlotte and find out if we can go over there today.’

‘Can I have time to get over my hangover first?’

‘Of course, I’m not a monster. I’ve got a good feeling about this, though, Bea, I really have.’

‘I wish I could say the same,’ replied Bea and, as she hung up the phone, she was pretty sure that the queasy sensation in her belly wasn’t entirely due to how much tequila she’d drunk last night…

When they pulled into the yard at Millcroft Stables later that day, Bea saw a woman she assumed must be Charlotte, in the courtyard, brushing down a handsome chestnut stallion.

‘I hope you’re right about this,’ Bea whispered to Jess as they got out of the car.

‘Hi, Jess!’ called Charlotte, looking up. ‘And you must be Bea,’ she said, striding across the yard towards them.

‘I am,’ said Bea, smiling nervously. ‘Thanks for finding time to see us today, I hope my message made sense.’

‘I’m guessing the horsebox was an impulse buy?’ said Charlotte.

‘Drunk buy, more like,’ said Jess.

‘Jess!’ said Bea, nudging her friend in the ribs.

‘It’s fine,’ said Charlotte, ‘it’s a lot of money, I totally understand that you’d want to see it in person. If it’s not right for you, I’ll cancel the sale, no problem.’

‘That’s really generous of you, thanks, Charlotte,’ said Bea, beaming at her.

‘Here’s Nathan,’ said Jess, gesturing towards the old Land Rover that was pulling into the yard.

‘Morning, all,’ said Nathan, brushing his floppy brown hair out of his eyes. ‘So, you’ve bought a horsebox, eh?’ he said, beaming broadly at Bea.

‘Why don’t I take you to see it? It’s in the back field,’ said Charlotte.

‘That would be great,’ said Bea. ‘Thank you.’

They followed a path through paddocks filled with horses swishing their tails and flicking their ears in the morning sun.

‘Aw, they’re gorgeous,’ said Bea, as she reached out to pat a pretty, grey mare who had poked her nose through the wooden fencing. ‘Are they all yours?’

‘Duchess is,’ said Charlotte, nodding towards the grey horse, ‘but most of the others are here on livery, only six… no, five, are my own,’ she continued, correcting herself.

‘I was sorry to hear about what happened to Apollo,’ said Jess, softly. ‘He was a gorgeous boy.’

Charlotte had lost her champion stallion last year in an accident on the road, and it had hit her hard.

‘Thanks, Jess,’ said Charlotte, forcing a half-smile. ‘I still miss him every day, but it’s getting easier. Here we are,’ she said, pointing to the next field, ‘that’s the horsebox.’

‘Great, thanks,’ said Bea, her heart sinking as they got closer.

This was what she’d spent her savings on? It was a wreck. The paintwork was cracked and peeling, there was moss growing out of its roof and rust around the wheel arches. It had most definitely seen better days.

‘It needs a bit of work,’ confirmed Charlotte, reading the look on Bea’s face. ‘It hasn’t been used for a while, so it’s just sat here gathering dust and moss by the looks of things, I’m afraid.’

‘Well, you did list it as vintage,’ said Bea, forcing a smile.

‘Let me open it up so you can have a look inside,’ said Charlotte, swinging open the doors and lowering the ramp.

‘It’s very roomy,’ said Jess, encouragingly.

‘It’s got a divider to take two horses, but you can remove that easily, depending on what you’re planning to use it for,’ said Charlotte.

‘And what exactly are you planning to use it for?’ asked Nathan, raising his eyebrows.

‘Promise you won’t think I’ve gone completely mad?’ said Bea.

‘Depends…’ said Nathan, looking serious.

‘A mobile bookshop,’ Bea blurted in one quick breath.

‘A bookshop?’ said Charlotte, eyes wide. ‘Interesting.’

‘But what about your job?’ asked Nathan.

‘Bea quit yesterday,’ said Jess.

‘What?’ said Nathan, his head snapping in Bea’s direction. ‘You quit?’

‘Erm… yeah,’ Bea whispered.

‘Why don’t I leave you guys to it?’ said Charlotte. ‘Take a look around, have a think, and come and find me back at the yard when you’re done.’

‘Great, thanks,’ said Bea.

‘Wow, quitting’s a brave move,’ said Nathan, turning to face her.

‘I guess I’d had enough, Nate,’ Bea shrugged. ‘I just couldn’t stick it anymore.’

‘Hey, I’m not judging,’ he said quickly, holding up his hands, ‘you’ve gotta do what’s right for you. So, the bookshop idea? How did that come about?’

‘Well, I’d been thinking about opening an online store,’ explained Bea. ‘A sort of side hustle I suppose, and I thought maybe a mobile bookshop could work.’

‘Right, okay…’ said Nathan.

‘And then I got really drunk with Jess last night and woke up to find that I’d bought a horsebox to turn into a bookshop. Ta-dah!’ she said, sweeping her arms out in front of her.

‘Wow, that upscaled fast,’ Nathan laughed.

‘So, what do you think?’ said Bea, looking at him.

‘What do I think?’ said Nathan. ‘How am I involved in this exactly?’

‘Well, look at the state of it.’ Jess chimed in. ‘Do you think Bea’s going to be able to turn this into a bookshop on her own?’

‘No,’ said Nathan, flatly.

‘And who do we know that’s handy, local and has loads of space to store it while it’s being converted?’ Jess asked.

‘Don’t feel like you have to say yes,’ Bea said, quickly. ‘But you know more about this kind of stuff than I do, Nate. Is it possible, do you think? I mean it looks pretty dire to me.’

‘Well,’ said Nathan, circling the horsebox slowly. ‘It’s mostly cosmetic, I think,’ he said, stepping inside and bouncing up and down. ‘The structure feels solid,’ he continued, tapping the walls.

‘Really?’ said Bea, excitement bubbling up in her stomach.

‘And we could store it at the farm, no bother. I’ve got a spare barn,’ said Nathan.

‘Did you say we?’ asked Bea. ‘Does that mean you’ll help?’

‘Of course I’ll help,’ said Nathan, his face splitting into a grin.

‘Are you sure?’

‘I want to, okay? I can’t sell books, but I can help with the refit of this, no problem,’ said Nathan.

‘And how long will it take, do you think?’ asked Jess.

‘Hmmmm…’ he said, thoughtfully. ‘A few weeks, maybe? If we do it in the evenings and weekends, you’ll be surprised how quickly it’ll come together.’

‘That soon? Wow! Thanks, Nate, that’s amazing,’ said Bea, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him hard.

‘My pleasure,’ said Nathan, his cheeks colouring. ‘How are you going to tow it, though? Have you forgotten that you don’t actually own a car?’

‘I’ve got a plan: I’m going to ask Archie if I can use his – he barely uses it, it’s just sat on his driveway,’ said Bea.

‘Great idea!’ said Jess.

‘There’s so much else to think about, though,’ said Bea. ‘I don’t have a business plan, I’ve wiped out my savings and I’ve got no idea how to get started.’

‘I know it seems like a lot,’ said Jess. ‘But you’ll figure it out.’

‘Do you think I could ask Tori at the Cosy Cat for some advice, Jess? She set up the cat café last year, didn’t she? I’ve only met her a few times, but you know her pretty well,’ said Bea.

‘I’m sure she’d be happy to help, I’ll give you her number,’ said Jess.

‘I’ll ask Charlotte if she’ll give me a few days to think about it before I go ahead,’ said Bea.

‘She did say she’d cancel the sale if you’re not sure, so I reckon she’ll give you some leeway,’ said Nathan.

‘Looks like I’ve got a plan then!’ said Bea. ‘You know what, though? I think I might already have a name,’ she said, nodding towards the trailer.

‘What is it?’ asked Jess.

‘Bea’s Book Wagon!’ said Bea, looking at them expectantly.

‘Ooooh, I love it!’ said Jess, with a gasp of delight.

‘You realize now it has a name you’ll have to go through with it?’ said Nathan.

‘I’ll start thinking about a logo, too,’ said Jess, mulling it over. ‘I’ll get my sketchbook out when I get home.’

‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,’ said Bea, seriously. ‘This is all still hypothetical right now.’

‘Hypothetical, yeah, right,’ Jess sniggered. ‘As if.’

‘I’ve still got to talk to Mum and Dad – as far as they’re concerned, I’ve still got a job at Hobbs & Partners!’ said Bea. ‘That’s going to be a fun conversation.’

‘Ah,’ said Nathan. ‘How do you think they’ll take it?’

‘God knows, but I don’t think they’re going to be happy,’ Bea said, shaking her head.

But, as Bea walked back through the paddocks towards the stables, she realized that she’d already fallen more than a little in love with Bea’s Book Wagon.