Eveline shook her head. “Charles never does anything without an ulterior motive. I just haven't figured out what it is yet.” She sighed. “He's staying in London for another week. I suspect this won't be his last visit.”
Emery felt a surge of something possessive and fierce. “You don't owe him anything, you know?”
Eveline looked at her then, really looked at her, and a small smile softened her face. “I know,” she said. “Seeing him now, I wonder what I ever saw in him. He hasn't changed at all.”
The rest of the day passed in a blur of customers and cataloging. Emery's anxiety ebbed and flowed, the innocentmentions of Emerald Pearl from excited book club members sent it spiking, and quiet moments with Eveline, a brush of hands or a shared smile, temporarily soothed it.
By closing time, Emery was exhausted from the emotional roller coaster. She glanced at her watch and pulled a face.
“I've got to run,” she said, gathering her things. “I'm meeting Jax for dinner.”
“Ah, your friend from the other day?” Eveline said, looking up from the ledger she was updating.
“Mmm,” Emery said. “It's, um, been planned for ages. Her birthday.”
This wasn't entirely true, they were meeting to go over the contract for Emery’s next book, but it wasn't entirely a lie either. It was Jax's birthday next week.
“Have fun,” Eveline said. She took Emery’s hand as Emery was reaching for her bag, dropping a soft and quick kiss on Emery’s forehead.
Emery’s heart started to race. She put a hand on Eveline’s waist, feeling the curve of her body.
“Shop’s still open,” Eveline murmured in her ear.
“Right, right.” She took a breath, then a step back. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” said Eveline. “Perhaps we’ve got nothing to hide.”
Emery gave a sick smile, and then, with a quick wave, she hurried out, the evening air cool on her flushed cheeks.
The decision was made. First thing on Monday morning, she’d tell the truth, the whole truth. No more of this.
She'd made it halfway to the restaurant when her step faltered. Something was missing. She patted her bag, then groaned aloud when she realized what it was.
Her laptop.
She'd been working on it during a quiet moment that afternoon, and when a customer had approached, she’d gotten distracted, walking off to help find a book about diving.
Emery quickened her pace, heart hammering. Maybe Eveline wouldn't notice it, she told herself.
But by the time she reached the restaurant, she wasn’t feeling quite so confident. She spotted Jax at a corner table and rushed over.
“Something awful happened,” she said without preamble, dropping into the chair opposite.
Jax set down her wine glass. “Hello to you too. What's happened?”
“I left my laptop at the bookshop,” Emery said, closing her eyes.
“Well, I suppose you could rush back and get it, but why? You can just pick it up in the morning,” Jax said. “And Eveline doesn’t seem like the type to pry, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“You don't understand,” Emery said, eyes still screwed tight shut. “I got distracted helping a customer. My laptop is sitting open on the counter with the manuscript right there on the screen. Anyone walking by could see it. Including Eveline.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Eveline went down to The Turned Page earlier than usual on Saturday morning. Saturdays were always busy, especially during autumn when tourists wandered through Notting Hill's leafy streets in search of cozy bookshops. She wanted everything to be perfect before the day began.
The shop was quiet, morning light filtering through the windows and casting gentle shadows across the wooden floors. Eveline breathed in the familiar scent of books, paper and ink and the subtle aroma of aging pages as she moved toward the counter to begin her morning routine.
That's when she spotted it. Emery's laptop, still open on the counter where she must have left it the evening before. Eveline frowned. Emery was usually careful with her belongings, despite her tendency to bump into things. Leaving her laptop behind seemed out of character.
