My eyes fall to the phone on its cradle. The phone I wasn’t supposed to pick up,dammit. I promised I’d leave the calls to him. It seemed so important to him when we made our ‘rules’ last weekend, but we’ve broken so many of them by now, I didn’t think it would matter anymore. ‘Sorry,’ I shout out after him, but he’s gone already.
The rest of the afternoon is quiet, or should I say disquieted? I can’t shake off the memory of the way Elliot scurried away to talk with whoever was on the phone. He was gone for quite a few minutes if it reallywasa wrong number, although he might have been hiding from Minty, waiting for her to leave?
I can’t help it. The anxious part of me – the part with the long memory that’s smart enough to bear grudges – is trying to tell me something. I’ve seen someone behave like this before. The spectre of Mack and my humiliation is back, haunting my beautiful bookshop and making me doubt myself, making me doubt Elliot, until I’m not sure what to think.
That’s it. Tonight we’re talking. I want to know every little detail about this guy, starting with why he’s here all by himself, why he hasn’t called or texted anyone since he arrived – not that I’ve seen, anyway. Doesn’t he have loved ones missing him? And why does he shrink whenever anyone asks him about his personal life?
Somehow I have a feeling that Elliot, who is so expressive and intuitive when we’re in bed together, won’t be quite so open and careful of my feelings when I start quizzing him.
Chapter Nineteen
The rest of the day has dragged. I’ve sold a Jean Rhys, a Stephen King, a book of Dolly Parton lyrics, and a volume on Copernican economics, all to a married couple on holiday for the week, but those only came to fifteen quid. I seriously wonder whether the holiday let money is the only thing keeping this bookshop going.
Just as I’m turning the sign on the door at five o’clock, I spot Anjali outside on the steps, and she’s grinning. I let her in, followed by Aldous on a lead. At least, Ithinkit’s Aldous.
‘Wow!Somebody’s had a makeover.’
‘We had to shave his tummy for the operation so I figured while he was unconscious I might as well give him his quarterly haircut. Grooming’s not my area, to be honest,’ she says.
He does look a little odd, like a hastily shorn sheep, and he’s surprisingly pink and skinny under all that matted fur but he looks clean and tidy for a change, and he’s wearing a new collar. ‘How did you get him on a lead?’
‘We’ve been helping him practise his lead work at the surgery, taking him for short walks to aid his recovery. I know he’s used to roaming wherever he likes, but he’d do better walking with his owner from now on.’
I bend down to scratch him. He doesn’t seem very interested in the attention, but at least he lets me touch him. ‘See, Aldous, youarea real dog!’
Anjali hands over a big bag of dog food and tells me Jowan’s paid for it. ‘Give him one scoop every morning, mixed with water. If he doesn’t eat it, leave it in his bowl until he does. He’s stubborn and holds out for something better, but this Bedlington has eaten his last scone, I’m afraid.’ Her eyes dance around the shop. ‘No Elliot today?’
‘Oh, uh, no. He closed the café at four and went out for a run,’ I tell her.
He runs to clear his head. He told me that on our first night together when we ate at the Siren, but he hasn’t wanted to run recently, not since we got closer. I thought it might mean something, like maybe he was feeling less restless when he was with me, but since the phone call and Minty’s visit this afternoon I guess he suddenly felt the need to seek out some freedom again? I hide all this from Anjali, of course.
‘What a pity I’ve missed him,’ she says, then recoils wide-eyed. ‘I mean… I don’t mean Imisshim, miss him. Oh dear! But… Jude, do you mind me asking? You’re not… dating, are you? I mean, you both arrived here separately, right?’
I wonder if Mrs Crocombe’s popped over to Anjali’s parents’ place for a chat, otherwise how would she know about us arriving alone? Unless Elliot got chatty during Aldous’s surgery? I can see how that might have been a bonding experience for the two vets.
‘Ah, well…’ I hesitate. Are we dating? I’m not sure we are. We kind of skipped right to the other stuff, the stuff you do after lots of dates and sharing of anecdotes and sweet words. ‘We’re notnottogether,’ I say weakly. ‘It’s… it’s a bit complicated… too early to say what this is.’ Or maybe it’s already too late, and we’re not really anything at all? I can’t get my head around today’s sudden change in atmosphere.
She looks so horrified I want to give her a hug and tell her not to panic and that it’s fine, but that would probably scare her even more.
‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,’ she cringes. ‘I’d better get back to the surgery. Will you give Aldous some clean towels to sleep on until his stitches are completely healed?’
Anjali’s hurrying out the door. I wish she’d stay. We could have a cup of tea and chat like girlfriends, but maybe that would be weird since it’s no secret she likes Elliot now. I don’t have much experience with girlfriends so I’m not a hundred per cent sure what’s normal in these situations. Probably not this embarrassing scene. I can see her wincing as she tries to get out the door as fast as she can.
‘See you, then,’ I call after her. ‘And thank you, for everything you’ve done for Aldous.’
‘My pleasure. See you at the fox and field day on Friday?’
‘I haven’t been invited to it,’ I call out, making her pause inside the doorframe.
‘Invited? No, don’t worry about that. Everyone in Clove Lore will be there. We’ve had it on our calendars for a year, and only the dignitaries get proper invites. The gates open at ten to the villagers, OK?’
‘I’ve got to pop by the estate around nine-thirty, I’m dropping something off for Minty,’ I say. ‘To be honest though, Anjali, I’m not really sure if it’s something I’d enjoy.’
Anjali’s pulling a face like I’m talking nonsense – something I’m growing used to round here – when the phone rings for the second time today.
‘I’ll leave you to get that,’ she says, and bolts.
Aldous ignores Anjali’s departure and stands frozen on the rug waiting for someone to take his lead off, but I’m staring at the phone. I promised Elliot I’d let him pick up, but he’s not here, is he? It’s probably Jowan anyway, checking his dog’s home safely.
