‘Yeah, hopefully. Aiden mentioned something about meeting up next weekend before his dad goes home. A meal out or something.’
Elle smiled. ‘Long may all this happiness continue for both of us.’ She hugged Pippa as her phone beeped.
‘Aww,’ she said, reading a text from Noah.
‘Gosh, it must be love if he’s already texting you. He only left a couple of hours ago!’
‘I’m saying nothing!’
‘Right, I’m in the bathroom first,’ Pippa said, bounding towards the kitchen door. ‘You can daydream out the kitchen window while you wash the dishes.’
‘Cheeky!’ Elle shouted after her.
* * *
A few hours later, Pippa was entertaining children in the reading corner while Aiden rearranged the crime fiction shelf and Elle trawled through her unread emails. Unless she wanted to speak to Russian women online or lift saggy skin without surgery, there really wasn’t anything interesting in the inbox.
A shadow fell over her computer and Elle looked up to see Jenny.
Jenny smiled. ‘Good morning.’
‘Morning! What a lovely surprise! I wasn’t expecting to see you.’
Jenny had a sense of calm about her and she looked rested. ‘I was passing and just wanted to make sure you were okay after Saturday.’
‘I am, and you?’ Elle asked just as another email pinged into the inbox.
Elle took a quick glance at the screen and moved the mouse over the message as she briefly scanned the words.
‘What night would you be free to come over and meet George? He’s really looking forward to it.’
‘Sorry, what did you say?’ Elle’s eyes were still locked on the screen.
‘Elle, you’re shaking. Are you okay?’
‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh,’ she repeated. ‘I don’t believe this.’ A huge smile spread across her face. ‘Jenny, I’ve won!’
‘Won what?’ she asked, confused.
Elle sat back in her chair and gasped. ‘I don’t believe this,’ she muttered.
‘Pippa! Aiden!’ Jenny shouted over to them. Pippa was just wrapping up her reading session.
‘Everything okay?’ Aiden asked, hurrying over.
‘I don’t know,’ Jenny replied. ‘Elle’s won.’
Aiden was joined by Pippa. ‘Won what?’ he asked.
Elle turned the computer screen towards them.
Pippa was first to finish reading the email. ‘Holy blooming moly!’ she screeched at the top of her voice.
‘Shhh! You can’t swear – it’s a library!’ Aiden hushed her but grinned.
Elle’s stomach churned with excitement.
‘You won, Elle! You won!’ Pippa exclaimed.
