Chapter 17 Rose
Rose
Silversmiths looked completely different again when Harriet and I arrived there at five o’clock.
The shop entrance was surrounded with a huge balloon arch, silver, gold and bronze balloons, window art over each of the three big panes, the corners of each decorated with painted flowers so it was easy to see into the shop.
Inside there was a team of people, all wearing Silversmiths’ sweaters so they stood out from the crowds of people who were already there, even though the event had only just started.
I gave our names as it was a guest list, and accepted a glass of prosecco, staring round the store at the huge amount of books, the vast majority hardbacks and a good number of them limited editions with pretty sprayed edges.
“Have you set yourself a spending limit?” I murmured to Harriet. “I think it would be healthy for you to have a boundary here.”
“I do not agree with any boundaries in a bookshop. Or library. One must be allowed to indulge when it comes to books.” She gave me an assured looked. “I have a box that’s only half full I can add to for moving.”
“I think that’s the one I’ve fallen over twice.” I also had the bruises to prove it.
“That’s because you’re clumsy.” She picked up a fantasy novel that had a limited edition cover and sprayed edges that meant the book had to be displayed on a shelf with the edges facing out. “I think this is coming home with me. We are getting a taxi home, aren’t we?”
“It looks like it.”
She already had her eyes set on her next target.
“Rose, Harriet, thank you for coming.” Laurie tapped me on the shoulder, her hair looking professionally put up, her tight black jeans and sparkly low cut sweater making her look effortlessly glamorous.
“Harriet, there’s a twenty percent discount on whatever you buy, same for you, Rose, but I’ve been warned Harriet’s discount could bankrupt me. ”
“Who’s told you that? It makes it sound like I have a problem.” Harriet actually looked perturbed.
“Did that hit a little close to home?” I said, keeping it low.
Harriet poked me with the book she held.
“Carter mentioned it. But seriously, go nuts. There’s a special limited edition over there which was compiled just for the opening – you might want – oh, she’s gone.” Laurie watched as Harriet launched herself over to the display Laurie had pointed to.
“There’ll be no getting any sense out of her until she’s satisfied she’s found every book she could ever wish to possess, which means there’ll never be any sense to be found.
” I watched my friend meander round the displays, scoping out the shelves, occasionally pulling out a book to inspect with as much delicacy as if she was handling a Ming vase.
“Perfect customer.” Laurie was smiling. “What about you? Are you here for the books or for someone else?”
“The books. I’m as big a bookworm as Harriet, just not quite as obsessive about owning everything I’ve ever read or am going to read.
I’m not sure her new house is going to fit all her books inside it.
” There had already been a conversation about how she could get the loft boarded out and have shelves built in, so she had a tiny reading room, or whether she should just have a garden room installed that became her library.
I hadn’t offered an opinion because I suspected she would end up with both anyway.
“You can always find room for more books.” Laurie took a glass of fizz from one of the staff members walking by. “Especially signed limited first editions.” She looked round the chamber we were in, the fantasy and romance room. “At least I hope so. I’ve got a lot riding on this.”
“Judging by how many people are here already, I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. How has the rest of today gone?”
“Well. We’ve been busy all day. The social media campaign has worked like gangbusters, and the live spots we’ve done have been better than I expected.
We’ve had a huge increase in the subscription boxes in the last couple of days for both here and the US, so I’m pretty optimistic.
” She nodded, satisfied. “And it wasn’t awkward with Jay – the crime writer. ”
“Is he here?”
Laurie nodded. “He’s doing a signing in about an hour, so I’m expecting another crowd of people to turn up because he’s got an obsessive following – mainly middle-aged women. You’ll get it when you see him.”
“I’ll get a copy of his new book for my mum, she’s a fan, so that ties in because she’s middle-aged.”
“If you want her to wind your dad up, get a photo of Jay signing it for her. He’s easy on the eyes.”
“Especially your eyes.” I could tell she was still smitten.
“Well, yes. I guess. He hasn’t said anything about it yet.
We’ve both been avoiding talking about what happened.
” Laurie took a long inhale. “I’d better circulate.
If you need a break, feel free to haunt the back.
The machine’s stocked up on hot chocolate.
” Laurie briefly touched my arm before striding off towards a man in a suit who looked rather formal, given most of the customers were either older and wearing sensible shoes for shopping, or hipsters.
I wandered about the shelves, catching brief glimpses of Harriet engaging in conversation with different people, speaking animatedly, her hands gesticulating like they did when she was enthusiastic about something.
I suspected she was talking about the library in Stratford, the pile of books she was purchasing in a basket next to her.
She was going to do fine in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and I would be fine as well. I’d barely seen her the last couple of weeks because her life had been busier than usual, but that’d meant we’d made up for it when we did get time.
I was in the crime section, looking at the books by Jay Cornell, when Laurie approached me again, not looking as at ease this time.
“I need to let you know something.”
I stood up, tensing, because anything that was introduced with a statement like that wasn’t good. “What?”
“One of my grandfather’s business partners, for want of a better term, is stopping by, so Carter and I might look a bit familiar.” She didn’t look happy at the idea. “Briefly. I’ll have to introduce him as my fiancé.”
“What about Jay?” There were other questions I could’ve asked, but that seemed to cover most bases.
“I’m hoping he doesn’t notice anything. This is going to be the lowest of low key things. You might not even notice, but I didn’t want you to see something and think 'what the fuck?' Have I done the right thing warning you?”
She looked worried, as if my opinion really mattered. Then I remember why she’d moved over here, that she knew practically no one, and after the wedding and the handing over of her trust, she’d be without her family too.
“You have. I’ll keep my distance. I don’t need to see it.”
Laurie nodded. “Thank you. You might want to check in on Harriet, by the way. I think she has one of my authors planning on proposing to her, but he’s in his sixties and has a thing for young, vibrant females so she might need rescuing.”
“I’ll find her.” Which was kind of imperative, given how Harriet wouldn’t read what the author’s intentions were, unless they were written on a page for her to analyse.
It would also give me something to focus on so I didn’t have to overthink what might happen and the awkwardness and jealousy it might elicit.
Harriet was deep in conversation with a man who had short white hair and a thick beard, but also had charisma and presence that meant he didn’t look in his sixties at all.
He was looking at my friend as if she was going to be a tasty meal, and Harriet was utterly oblivious to it, talking animatedly to him.
I approached them, standing next to her and smiling, hoping she’d realise I was there.
“Rose, this is Ged Harrinburg, who wrote Seventy-Five Steps. Do you remember reading it?” She almost waved her glass of fizz all over me.
“I do.” I didn’t think the author looked like this though. “It’s great you’re here for the opening. It’s such an amazing store.” I’d watched my grandmother make small talk at countless parties and formal receptions, and I’d learned something of the trade.
I pulled his attention away for long enough for Harriet to get her shit together and realise what was going on. He was pulled away by a man he introduced as his agent, which gave me a couple of moments to fill Harriet in about Laurie and her family friend.
“I’ll keep my eye on it. You mooch in another room. Is Carter here yet?” She looked around almost discreetly.
“I haven’t seen him.”
A woman came over to us who clearly knew Harriet, and another twenty minutes flew by as they got stuck into a conversation about something to do with an author’s backlist.
I wandered away, nerves starting to flicker like butterflies that were just emerging and immediately saw Carter enter through the main doors. He spotted me straight away and smiling, heading straight in my direction.
“Hey.” He had his hands stuffed in his pockets.
“Hey. How was work?”
“Two emergencies. Both have made it through though. It was a good shift. Laurie’s messaged me about the extra guest.” He pressed his hands deeper into his coat pockets.
“She came over and told me. She’s really nice, Carter.” There was no doubt about it, Laurie was lovely.
“She’s a good person. But I only like her as a friend.”
I nodded, feeling my cheeks burn. “So how do you like me?”
His grin and the way he looked at me through narrowed eyes was new. The effect it had on my body, starting from my stomach and working its way both up and down was also new.
“Maybe you shouldn’t answer that here.”
“It can wait for another time. I should go and see Laurie and get this meeting out of the way.” He took his hand out of his pocket and briefly touched my side, hand just above my waist. I felt a jolt, something else that was new, and bit my lips together, not entirely sure what would come out of my mouth.