‘If it is, I’ll leave you to him, shall I?’ The man smiled to reveal a perfect set of far too white veneers. But good nose: it’s Black Orchid by the very man.’
‘Oh, the moody bastard does have a sense of humour then.’
With that one smirk, Sabrina could tell that he liked her too.
Sabrina hurriedly swapped her shades for her tortoiseshell specs and stood next to him in the vacant space. It was empty aside a small counter, a high stool and one battered hardcover book that was spread out, cover up, on the dusty wooden floor. There were empty shelves dotted everywhere and an archway that led to a small kitchenette, with a room that led to a storeroom and small toilet. A through door led to a small courtyard via the back door. A No Entry sign attached to a rope blocked the stairs leading to the flat above.
‘Does the flat come with this place then?’
‘Sorry to disappoint, but no. Brian, the guy whose space this is, is coming back in the new year so he just wanted to make the extra cash on the empty unit but to save sorting all his personal possessions, just lock up and leave his flat. So, I’m just doing the deal for downstairs. He said it’ll pay for his trip to Australia, and who am I to argue with a man on a mission?’
‘You’re going to tell me it’s cash only in a minute only, aren’t you?’
He looked to his left and coughed. ‘Umm, yes, it is.’
‘I see. So, what’s the deal then?’
‘Well, it’s available for three months from beginning of October– or earlier, if you want it– and we can sort a pro-rata amount for any extra weeks. Rent is £1150 a month which includes utilities, which in my eyes is extremely cheap considering the state of the economy at the moment. You get one key. And need to leave the place exactly as you find it by midnight on December the thirty first.
‘How very Cinderella,’ Sabrina said wryly.
‘Anyway, you’re clearly not a tourist if you’re considering this. What’s your name and where do you come from?’
‘What is this, the TV showBlind Date?’Sabrina smirked. ‘But it’s Jilly and I’m staying in Penrigan.’
He screwed up his face, clearly not knowing what she was on about, then held out his hand and shook hers tightly. A firm handshake was a must for Sabrina. Another tick– not that she was keeping count…
‘Lowen Kellow, your friendly market inspector, pleased to meet you Jilly…’ He paused. ‘I take it you do have a last name?’
Sabrina grimaced, then catching sight of a stray book on the floor added. ‘Yes, it’s Dickens. Jilly Dickens.’
‘And what’s the nature of your business, Jilly Dickens.’ He slowed his words on her name and then, as if reaching for her soul, stared directly at her with his one green and one bluey-green eye. ‘You do know what you are going to be selling surely?’
The book title came up trumps this time. ‘Gifts. Mainly… erm, Christmas gifts. That’s it! That’s what I am going to be selling. All your festive frivolities, from novelty crackers to seven-foot trees.’
‘Wow, that sounds perfect– and you won’t be upsetting any of the other sellers as it’s a unique sales proposition to here. So, I take it you’re interested?’
Sabrina gulped. What was she doing? Here was that impulsive side of her that hadn’t reared its head for a while. She didn’t need the money, she was supposed to be taking some time out for herself and even though she had worked in her mate’s interior design shop, she had never actually run a shop in her life, but suddenly she felt a sense of excitement that she had never felt before. The cheeky chimp of doubt on her shoulder began its process of justification. After all, it was only for three months and things would have most certainly settled down for her publicly by then when she returned to London. She had always adored Christmas. And as a child, she’d loved playing shops with her brother, when he could be bothered. She’d had one of those press tills, where a price shot up and the drawer sprung open to reveal plastic coins and paper money. And what was the worst that could happen?
‘Do you have a lot of interested parties?’ Sabrina noticed his lips were a decent shape, not too big, not too small. She couldn’t be doing with a man with a non-existent top lip. Not that she was considering doing anything with them– or him…
He glanced down at his phone. ‘Looks like blinking Jemima Puddle-Duck was just wasting my time, so you’re my first today. But tomorrow I have a couple of early viewings, then Monday I’m flat out. If you don’t take it pronto, I guarantee it will be gone by Tuesday. It’s a prime space here and if you play it right you could make yourself a pretty penny. Anyway, Jilly, what’s your story? Because I would have sure remembered seeing a beautiful woman like you in these parts.’
‘Said the salesman to the buyer.’ Sabrina winked. ‘Look, I’m in a hurry, I have an appointment at the bank.’
‘To get the cash for me, I hope?’
Sabrina laughed. ‘You’re unbelievable.’
‘Yes, I am– and I also can be whatever you wantmeto be.’
‘Touché, Mr Kellow. Now, do you have a card? I left the newspaper with your number in it on the bus.
‘Here.’ He handed her a simple black and white card, then held his hand flat out to her and grinned. ‘Yours?’
Sabrina smirked. ‘I’ve gotta run.’
‘I’m afraid sales doesn’t work like that. What if I have to urgently contact you to let you know there’s a bidding war or to…’ He stopped himself.
