Chapter 8
“Well … It’s not that bad.” Mum leaned on her crutches to glimpse the inside of the bookstore, which was, in fact, that bad.
Somehow worse in the unforgiving daylight, which shouldn’t have been true considering there were no longer several waterfalls gushing through the ceiling.
But the lack of water meant there was nothing to cover up the holes where the plaster hadn’t been able to hold, nor all the damp bubbling beneath the stained wallpaper.
A large dehumidifier whooshed by the door, offering a steady drip, drip, drip that irked Eiley. It would dry the place out, but it wouldn’t clean the mess. And if it was this bad here, two floors down from the burst water source, how awful would her flat be?
Needless to say, she hadn’t slept last night.
Her arrival had woken a befuddled Mum, and Eiley had broken down in her arms before she could even tell the story.
Just like old times. She was grateful to have a mum who was so easy to talk to.
Unlike Fraser, she didn’t rush to fix things.
She could sit beside Eiley and her sadness rather than try to find a miracle solution.
Probably because she knew pain better than anyone, both with her arthritis and her lack of support when they were children.
Knew that some troubles couldn’t be swiped away with a well-intentioned bat of the hand.
That Eiley found herself in the same position not thirty years later, with three children and no partner, felt like a cruel pattern.
“Oh, morning!” The other firefighter from last night appeared in the doorway that led to the stairwell – the less terrible one who had stopped Warren from barking any more lectures at her. A light sheen of moisture coated his forehead beneath floppy dark curls.
Eiley fought the urge to hide behind her mum like a child. Like Warren, he’d seen her at her absolute worst, a raging lunatic who had almost shouted down the entire bookstore.
At the thought of him , an uncomfortable flutter began in her belly. Would she have to see him again today? Would it be different after the ride home, or would he be eager to tell her off a second time?
“Hi,” she said, awkward as ever. “Sorry. I thought you’d be gone by now.”
Or hoped. The big fire engine was no longer outside, leaving just the emergency response car that Warren had driven her home in. The sight of that alone left her heart pumping faster, the memory of that strange, unpredictable static between them having plagued her all night between other worries.
“We’re just finishing up.” A friendly smile dimpled the firefighter’s round cheeks.
He wasn’t nearly as intimidating as his co-worker – but then, not many people were – with a less daunting physique and a rounder bone structure.
If he judged her for last night, it didn’t show as he rounded the counter and retied the sleeves of his jacket around the soft flesh of his stomach.
“We’ve secured the building so you’re welcome to roam freely, although be careful on the stairs.
You shouldn’t have much need to go up there; we’ve placed as many of your belongings as we could save at the bottom of the stairs to make it easier for you. ”
Eiley nodded, peering into the empty corridor. A flutter danced in her to see Oliver the Octopus’s pink tentacles on top of the pile, as well as her lost slipper.
Warren had remembered.
The firefighter crossed his arms, displaying a full sleeve of colourful tattoos on his right arm. “Don’t worry. It’s his day off.”
She felt herself blush. “Whose?”
Her feigned innocence might have been believable if it hadn’t come out all squeaky.
“Aye, I want to know that, too,” Mum chimed in, waggling her brows. “You haven’t bagged yourself a wee firefighter, have you, love? Now that’d be a lovely little silver lining.”
“Oh my god, Mum. Stop.” Eiley covered her face with a trembling hand, regretting her decision to bring Mum here. Not that she’d had much of a choice. She’d been ready with buttered toast and an empty suitcase bright and early this morning, eager to help Eiley move back home, as expected.
The fireman snorted and nudged Eiley. “Maybe not for this one, eh? It was like an episode of Corrie in here last night.”
She shot him a pleading look before he said any more.
The last thing she needed was for Mum to find out about how reckless she’d been with her safety last night.
She might not have been a fixer, but she was a worrier, and with her next treatment coming up soon, she could do without the high blood pressure.
“Whatever do you mean?” Myra curiously leaned closer.
“Oh, nothing. Just …” He wafted his hand vaguely, grimacing under Eiley’s scrutiny as though afraid. Had she been that awful? “Anyway, we’ll be handing this over to your landlady, now, but if you need anything, even just a helping hand, I’ve left my personal details on the counter.”
Eiley softened. “That’s very kind of you. And so was moving my things. Thank you …”
“Nate,” he supplied, shaking her hand. His skin was rough, calloused. Come to think of it, she remembered seeing Warren chatting to someone with the same dark curls at the pub – which meant they weren’t just co-workers, but friends.
She probably wouldn’t be calling Nate for help, then. They’d likely be rehashing the story of the mad woman who had made their jobs harder over beers tonight. Half the town would know about it by tomorrow.
“Are you single?” Mum blurted. Eiley squirmed away, mortified.
Nate’s laugh came straight from his belly, a light, musical sound that reminded her of the bell above the shop door.
“Depends who’s asking.” He gave a playful salute before wishing them goodbye and heading out of the store, the door remaining propped open to let the warm air pour in and the stagnant damp pour out.
Eiley whirled on her mum. “What on earth was that? I don’t need you to play matchmaker for me!”
“Why do you assume I was asking for you? He was dishy, and I’m single.
Harper said it’s time for me to enter my Cougar Era …
” Mum’s wink only made Eiley cringe further, and she threw her handbag on the counter with a despairing thud.
The floor was sopping, but she didn’t care.
Her worry was for the books, many of them wilting on the dusty carpet.
She didn’t dare venture upstairs yet. One heartbreak at a time was about as much as she could handle.
She retrieved a wooden chair by the children’s section for Mum to sit on, drying it off with the sleeves of the old, ratty jumper found at the back of her wardrobe this morning. “Here. Take a seat.”
Mum did, but she was quick to rise again when another face appeared in the doorway.
It was Maggie this time, as perfectly made up as ever with her coral lipstick and glossy brown hair.
Her luxurious lifestyle smoothed away any signs of middle age – well, that, and what Eiley suspected was Botox, since her forehead didn’t often move.
With long nails shimmering like pearls and high, bronzed cheekbones, she put Eiley’s bedraggled appearance to shame.
She was the kind of adult you were meant to aspire to be, like a flouncy model on a shampoo advert.
As she stepped inside, she cast them both a tentative wave, then whistled through her teeth as she beheld the aisles of damaged books.
“Well, this wasn’t a great first week for you, was it? ”
Eiley shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat. She would not cry today. She’d done enough of that last night and probably still had splotches all over her face because of it. “I’m really sorry, Maggie.”
“Oh, dear, it should be me apologising to you! I had a right earful from one of those firemen this morning about how irresponsible it was not to replace the old water tank.” That, Eiley could believe.
At least she wasn’t the only one to have received a scolding.
“Honestly, I hadn’t even thought to check. Completely my fault.”
“I’m sorry you had to rush back from the Lakes.”
“Well, I wanted to make sure you and the shop were all right. It looks like we won’t be opening for a while. I’ll give Fergus a bell later, too. You did enough last night. He can do his share of the clearing up.”
Eiley’s shoulders sagged. She’d finally found a job she enjoyed, and it was already gone.
No more curating shelves and getting excited with every new delivery.
No more peace and quiet. “It’s OK. I was planning on spending the day here, trying to save as many books as possible.
The top shelves are fine, and maybe those with less damage can be dried out and sold second-hand? ”
“Yes, yes, perhaps.” Maggie already seemed preoccupied by the bubbling ceiling. “Blimey, this is going to cost a fortune in repairs.”
That left Eiley with a pang of fear. Would Maggie even bother, when she had so many other successful properties to run?
In a small voice, she asked, “What will you do? We won’t lose Thorn & Thistle, will we?”
“Crivens, no! You’ve nothing to worry about there, dear.” Maggie patted Eiley’s cheek. “It just may be a while before we’re back on our feet. Perhaps we’ll have to boost our online sales, maybe even find a temporary site, though in such a small town, it might be difficult.”
“What about an outdoor stall?” Mum suggested. “The autumn festival’s coming up, and the weather’s been fine – perfect time for it!”
Maggie clicked her fingers, green eyes sparkling. “I like it, Myra. I like it a lot.” She put her hands on her slim hips and looked around. “What about you, dear? If you’re in need of accommodation …”
“I’m going to stay with Mum.” Eiley forced a smile, but it only felt stretched and wrong on her cheeks.
“All right. I still feel terrible. How about I cover your rent for a few months once this is all fixed? And I’ll up your wage, of course! This all surely counts as overtime.”
“Really?”
“Of course! This place needs you now more than ever.”
Eiley’s tension eased a little. She hadn’t given Maggie enough credit, thinking she might just give up. At least if she still had a job, she’d have a little more financial security. Enough to pay her half of the rent at Mum’s, too, though Mum would likely refuse, as she had last time.
Mum squeezed Eiley’s shoulder. “See? Everything’ll figure itself out.”
“Absolutely. We’ll muddle through together.” Maggie checked her phone. “Are you all right getting a start on this? I’ll make some insurance calls, but my daughter’s expecting me for lunch, so I think the real work will have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Of course.” Eiley would happily spend the rest of the day here if it meant she could feel more of this hope. She wasn’t alone in this, and she still had a job. She was going to be okay. Eventually.
Bidding them goodbye, Maggie tiptoed around the mess and left the store, still beaming as though the problem hadn’t fazed her in the slightest. Eiley envied that sort of relentless confidence, then reminded herself she should never judge a book by its cover (even if she did do that, quite often, with actual books).
She of all people knew that some kept their struggles on the inside.
She perched against the arm of the couch, wondering if this would at least provide an excuse to purchase some new furniture for the cosy window nook. Perhaps Fraser had some ideas up his sleeve.
Fraser . A jolt of panic shot through Eiley. He was still looking after her kids. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell him yet, nor break the news to the children. They deserved a few more hours of fun with their uncle, as originally planned, and Eiley needed the space to figure things out.
As though sensing her thoughts, Mum began, “I can call your brother, now …”
“No!” Eiley shot back quickly. “Just … let him think I’m still enjoying a nice weekend for a few hours longer, okay? We can tell him when he drops off the kids tonight.”
“He’ll be a big help, sweetheart.”
“I know. But the kids running around here won’t, and honestly, I don’t want them to see our new home in tatters.” Her voice threatened to crack again. “I want to make this as easy for them as possible.”
“Okay,” Mum agreed solemnly. “Then how about we pack up your things, and I’ll go home and get their room all set up for them while you work here? Might make them feel more settled if everything’s back in its old place, aye?”
“That would be perfect. Thank you, Mum. I’m really sorry that we have to do this to you again.” Eiley’s chest swelled with gratitude. They were so lucky to have her.
“Nonsense. You know I love having you all home. It’s too quiet without you.” A gentle kiss was placed on Eiley’s cheek. “Chin up, love. It’ll be sorted in no time.”
For a moment, Eiley believed it.