27
The next day, I press a pretty handmade floral sign on the glass door of the bookshop that reads:Find me by the Lagoon Bar for all your reading needs!Yes, my frangipani flowers need work, but it fits the tropical theme. After I lock up, I bike along the path, books stacked in my basket, ready to set up a pop-up table by the lagoon bar. I’m trying to work out peak times when the pool is at its busiest and cocktails are flowing enough, and guests are in a book-buying mood and not snoozing in the afternoon sun. It’s a fine line and so far I haven’t managed to time it exactly right. What I know for sure is the couple of hours around lunchtime, the bookshop does not welcome a single customer, and that’s been the case every day. My plan is to fill that two hours elsewhere around the resort and hopefully make some mobile sales.
Today, I’ve chosen a stack of travel memoirs and romantic summer reads that are sure to tempt the fussiest readers. Joji has already set up a folding table for me and is bringing another box of books in the golf cart.
‘Bonzour, bonzour!’ I practically yodel to the guests who are splashing away happily in the pool. They all wear those contented, relaxed holiday faces, and their eyes are bright, like they’ve slept well, the joys of no alarm clocks and no work.
I get a few waves, and a couple of people eye me from their sun loungers as I set up, just far away enough that the books are safe from random splashes. Soon enough, Doris jangles her way over.
‘Nice to see you again, Doris.’
‘You too, Harper. What’ve you got there? Anything new?’
‘Actually, I have some amazing titles from Gus’s curated reading list. Have you read any of these?’
‘Only one of them. I do like a good travel memoir. All the fun of it, without having to leave my own home.’
‘A holiday in a book!’
‘Yes, that’s exactly it. OK, which one, do you suggest?’
‘What about this one?’ I say. ‘An Embarrassment of Mangoesby Ann Vanderhoof.’
‘Sure. And if I don’t like it?’
‘Then you can swap it with a friend.’
‘No refunds?’
Ah, another expat trick. ‘No refunds, and you’d probably break Gus’s heart if he found out you didn’t like one of his favourite books. Actually, do you have Gus’s number by chance?’
‘What for?’ She narrows her eyes.
‘I have a few questions about the Barefoot Bookshop, that’s all.’
‘I don’t think we’ll be concerning Gus about that, do you?’
‘Why not?’
‘I take it by these leading questions you still don’t understand what’s going on, and I’m not going to be the one to tell you.’
‘That’s a shame.’
‘You’ll have to get a little craftier. The phone number trick was too obvious.’
‘Can I try again?’
‘No.’
Damn it. ‘Why is it a secret?’
‘Why is anything a secret?’
‘That’s how you’re going to play it?’
She grins. ‘I’ll pay you for this later. OK?’
‘No can do.’
