“I’ve been reading the cards for you.” Mum dug a tarot deck out of her pocket and spread the cards across the table. “Every time, I see the same outcome. You’re running from the past straight into trouble.”
“You don’t believe in tarot cards, Mum. Seriously, I’m okay.” I finished my tea, dropped my cup in the sink, and opened the bottle of cider. “What are we going to do about dinner? I was thinking grilled cheese. Or Indian takeaways from down the road?”
“Let’s go with grilled cheese. I spent all my cash on the power-plates…” Mum took the bread out of the cupboard while I grabbed the cheese and a tomato. I started slicing the cheese, but Mum waved me away. “Go sit down, honey. I’ll make these. Just think, it won’t be long now until we can hire a personal chef.”
“Sure, Mum.” I sipped my cider.
Her brow wrinkled. “You’re just sosad, Mina. You don’t seem excited about my business. Oh, I know what will cheer you up. I can’t believe I forgot to tell you, I saw Helen Greer at the post office when I was picking with the power plates, and she said Ashley’s visiting. She’s staying right up until Christmas.”
I froze, my teacup halfway to my mouth.Ashley.
“Isn’t that nice, Mina? You two will be able to hang around together, just like always.”
No. This can’t be happening. I can’t deal with my ex-best friend. Not with everything else going on. Not after she…
I leaned back in my chair and tipped the entire bottle of cider down my throat, not even stopping when the bubbles shot up my nose. I stood up, pushing my chair back so hard it hit the boxes. “I’ve just remembered, I’ve got to… practice my glower in the mirror. Mr. Earnshaw said I’d better match the shop’s vernacular.”
“Mina—”
“Call me when tea’s ready. Later, Mum!” I scrambled to my room, flicked the stereo on full blast, and slammed the door behind me. Leaning against the frame, I sank to my knees, letting the angry wails of Sid Vicious roll over me as I swiped at the tears rolling down my cheeks.
I moved to the other side of the world to get away from Ashley, and now she’s here. Why does the universe hate me so bloody much?
Chapter Three
It’ll be fine,I tried to tell myself as I tossed and turned in bed, trying to sleep.___field is a big place. I bet I won’t even see her.
I’m strong,I repeated as I pushed the straw around in my QuikFit Pure Plus Strawberry Smoothie (at least this one was mildly edible).I’ve handled much worse in my life – growing up poor and without a dad, all the years of bullying at school, Mum being… Mum, my diagnosis, losing the job with Marcus… I can deal with a run-in with Ashley.
Ashley hates reading,I reminded myself as I stamped up Butcher Street to Nevermore’s front door in my favorite pair of vintage Docs, the cherry-red patent leather ones.She’ll never even think to come into the bookshop.
I checked the time as I twisted the door handle. Eight thirty on the dot. Not a minute earlier or later.I’ll impress Earnshaw today and he’ll grow to like me and maybe one thing in my life will go right—
The heavy door wouldn’t budge. I walked around the side of the shop and tried the back door. Locked as well. I went back around the front and banged on the door.
“Will you keep it down out there!” A crotchety voice yelled from across the street.
“Good morning, Mrs. Ellis,” I called back to the woman leaning from her upstairs window. Mrs. Ellis had been a schoolmistress back when I was in secondary school. She was a plump, red-cheeked and kindly old woman who loved three things most in the world – teaching, teacakes, and raunchy romance novels. Right now she leaned out a window, her blue-tinged hair rolled in tight curlers and wearing her best do-not-mess-with-me-young-lady expression.
“Mina Wilde, is that you?” She peered through her tortoiseshell glasses, her stern features evaporating into a wide smile. “I thought you’d gone away to the Big Smoke.”
“I did, Mrs. Ellis, but I’m back for awhile. I’m going to be working in the bookshop—”
“That’s nice, dear. Please remember that some of us were up late at choir practice last night.” She tutted as she flung open the blinds. “I can’t hold my communion wine like I used to.”
“Pipe down, you legless old biddy!” Mr. Pearsons called out his window down the road.
“It wasn’t me, it was the Wilde girl,” Mrs. Ellis screeched back. “Not that she knows a thing about being wild. Back in my day we had orgies that lasted for days—”
“Argh!” I clapped my hands over my ears.
“What’s all this racket, then?” The butcher next door poked his head out.
“Shut up, shut up, all of you.” Another window sash banged open.
I pounded on the door. “Mr. Earnshaw, open up!”Please? Before I end up tarred and feathered in the street, or are forced to hear more about my former teacher’s sex life.
A window flung open from the balcony and a head of unruly black curls protruded from within. “Can’t you read the sign?” A deep voice boomed. “We’re closed.”
