Amelia gave her a look. ‘How do you feel about Daniel? I can see you’re torn.’
‘I wasn’t expecting to get tangled up in any sort of relationship, but I do like him… really like him,’ Fern admitted.
‘There’s a “but” coming…’
‘Not a “but” as such. Oh, I don’t know. He’s so… chill and I’m the complete opposite. I plan everything. I write lists for my lists. He probably decides what to eat ten seconds before cooking it.’
Amelia chuckled knowingly. ‘Opposites attract for a reason. It can work, if you let it.’
Fern smiled a little. ‘He’s easy to be around, which is very new for me. With Daniel, everything is calm, enjoyable, but is that enough?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m ambitious, and he’s happy to try and sell a few antiques that are mainly not worth anything. Why an antique shop out of all the things Matilda could have left me?’
‘Maybe because it came with Daniel.’
Fern smiled.
‘That smile says a lot.’
‘Feeling like this after such a short time is very new to me.’
‘Maybe he’s the one.’
Fern felt herself blushing. ‘Stop it!’
Amelia leaned back. ‘Just saying. What I’m gathering is the only thing keeping you from taking the money and running is Daniel.’
‘That’s not entirely true. I can’t deny that I’m starting to question a few things… no, a lot of things actually, like living in London, my job, all of it. It used to mean everything. Now I’m not so sure.’
‘Apart from the shop, has something else happened?’
Fern nodded. ‘My best friend has just admitted to sleeping with the guy I was kind of seeing before I arrived here, and now I’m beginning to question if we were friends just because of our shared history. Since I’ve been here– and before that, if I’m being truly honest with myself– the friendship has felt like it’s becoming more… surface-level.’
‘How do you feel about the guy?’
‘I don’t.’
‘What about the friend?’
‘I think the word friend is probably questionable now.’
‘Which is very understandable. And the job?”
‘I enjoy it, but based on my last interview and the gig… I think I’m outgrowing it. I always wanted to work up to being an editor, but maybe that’s not the path for me. Could I go freelance? Definitely. I’ve made a name for myself and have lots of contacts. But I keep thinking there’s a reason Matilda left me this shop. Could I make it work? Maybe. But the thought of stability and a decent salary– what I have now– is difficult to give up for the unknown.’
‘It’s a tough one,’ Amelia admitted. ‘Maybe it’s not about picking the easiest route, maybe it’s about choosing the one that feels like it matters more. I’ve seen the shop’s following on social media– it’s growing by the day, and the number of people I’ve had wandering into The Story Shop in the last few days asking where to find No. 17 Curiosity Lane has been fairly substantial.’
‘We’ve had so much fun setting that up. Daniel is getting rid of stuff that’s been in there for years.’ She hesitated. ‘I didn’t expect the shop to matter to me. But it does.’
‘Then trust that feeling.’
‘I also don’t want to be foolish. Selling the shop to the anonymous buyer would put money in my bank account that would set me up for life.’ Fern finally took a bite of toast. ‘I think I just needed to say it all out loud.’
Amelia smiled. ‘And now that you have?’
Fern looked up. ‘I’m still confused. But maybe slightly less.’
