Prologue
The closer they got, the more Effie began to relax. Huddled in the back of her parents’ car, her university belongings packed up and stuffed in beside her, Effie was a storm of emotions. Disappointment at failing to get to grips with the city life she’d so desired mixed with relief that she was returning home to her beloved Cornwall. They’d travelled mostly in silence, the radio turned down low, her mum making small talk as the miles rolled by. Effie still had her graduation dress on, a deep navy blue that felt far too formal. She could still feel the indents on her head from her mortar board, and her face ached from the false smiles she’d forced.
So that was it. Three years done and dusted and what did she have to show for them? A nice middle of the road 2:1 degree in English Literature. A dissertation that had kept her up to the small hours in frustration the past three months. A few numbers in her phone she knew she’d never use. Air-kisses and empty hugs as they’d handed back their gowns and filed off to whatever their futures held.
Effie ran through them in her head. Jobs in journalism, internships in publishing houses, a summer spent backpacking around Thailand. Everyone had buzzed with the joy of being unleashed into the world, whilst Effie had hovered there, frozen, terrified by a future she had zero plans for. Out the corner of her eye she had spotted Brad, all chiselled jaw and flawless floppy hair, handsome as a romcom hero. Effie’s heart cracked at the thought of him. The memories of their brief romance that had spanned her final year, a romance that she had pinned her future on.
Even now she was embarrassed to think of the plans she’d hung on their rickety frame. Brad was heading back to Manchester to work in some vague start-up business with a few school friends. Effie wasn’t sure of the exact details, but, then again, neither was Brad. Effie had tied herself in knots trying to convince herself that Manchester would be a fun, cosmopolitan place to live and she’d have Brad to show her around. She began to apply for jobs in bookshops and libraries. Even though she’d disliked the busyness of London, Effie had convinced herself Manchester would be different. She wasn’t sure how, but it was a hope to cling to.
That had been her plan until Brad had sat her down a week before graduation to let her know she didn’t feature in his plans. It had been fun and all that, he’d said, but it was time to go their separate ways, he didn’t want to be tied down during his next chapter. The only thanks Effie could give was that he’d broken up with her before she’d told her parents her plan to move with him. How on earth had she got her wires so crossed? The only thing that soothed her was the thought of going home to Cornwall.
Effie had still been choking back the sting of being dumped as she’d put on her graduation robes. Brad had been sitting in the row in front of her during the ceremony, but he’d given her no more than a brief nod before resuming bants with his friends. Effie had sat there, her future in tatters, as everyone around her thrummed with the excitement of life. Glancing at her watch, she had realised that she only had an hour left of faking it in this world, before she could leave. The relief washed over her like a wave.
Effie focused on that metaphorical horizon until the sea appeared on the literal one. Her heart rate slowed, her body relaxed, she could put London behind her now. Pretend it never happened. Build something here. But what?
Her dad pulled the car up outside the little cottage they lived in. Home, the feeling flooded through Effie, all warmth and familiarity. They sat for a few moments in silence.
‘I think I’ll go and stretch my legs,’ Effie said.
‘Don’t you want—’ her mum began only to be cut off by her dad.
‘Let her go. It’s been a long day.’
Effie let herself out of the car and made her way through the town and down to the seafront. Penzance. A place she’d once yearned to leave was now the place she was thrilled to come back to. She breathed in the clean sea air. It was overcast, the sky and sea merging into one swathe of pale grey. A swimmer in the bay was moving methodically through the waves. She watched them for a while. When the woman emerged, she made her way over to Effie.
‘You should give it a go, does you the world of good.’ She was glistening with seawater but it was the exhilaration that shone in her eyes that captured Effie. She wanted to know what that feeling was like.
‘There’s a swim club,’ the woman told her as she rubbed herself dry with a towel. ‘Join us. Thursday mornings.’
‘I might.’ Effie found herself smiling. She loved to swim. Being held by water had always been her sanctuary. The sea had been the thing she’d missed most about being landlocked in London. The swimming pool had been a poor substitute.
‘Here, have a flyer,’ the woman pulled one from her bag and shoved it into Effie’s hand.
The kindness brought a tear to Effie’s eye. She made her excuses and, turning away, made her way along the promenade. Every step she took centred her. She crossed the road and headed back through the town towards home. As she walked, she trailed her eyes over shop windows, searching for vacancies. There was nothing until she came to Books by the Sea, her favourite childhood shop. Happy memories of choosing books to spend her birthday money on assailed her. As she went to push open the door, her eyes caught a small notice stuck in the window.
Shop assistant needed. Full time. Apply within.
The possibility of those seven words settled on Effie, restoring her faith that coming home to Cornwall was the best path she could have chosen. Who needed gap years or inflated family promotions when there was the possibility of selling books by the sea?
Chapter One
Eight years later
Effie paused, hand raised, ready to knock. For the millionth time she wondered why she’d received a summons to the office of Clive Trevellyn, owner of Books by the Sea. First thing on a dreary March Monday morning too. Stifling a yawn, having tossed and turned the previous night, her mind whirred as she tried to figure out what she had done wrong, sure she was going to get the sack, then panicking about what she’d do next. Effie loved her job in the bookshop. Books were everything to her. She didn’t think she’d be above begging or bargaining to be kept on. Knowing there was only one way to find out, Effie knocked. A bit too timidly at first, before applying a bit more force.
‘Come in!’ Clive called.
Effie pushed open the door and slipped inside, tugging her rainbow knit cardigan around her like a comfort blanket. ‘You asked to see me.’
Momentarily confused, Clive shuffled some papers. ‘Er, yes, I did. Sit down.’ He pushed the spare chair across to Effie, and she balanced expectantly on the edge of it. Clive fiddled with his tie. ‘The thing is, well . . . do you want a cup of tea or anything?’
Effie shook her head, her stomach clenched. Whatever this was, she wanted it over with as quickly as possible.
‘Right.’ Clive rubbed his bald head. ‘The thing is, I’ve been thinking of expanding for a while. Opening another shop,’ he explained when Effie still looked at him blankly.
Wishing she’d said yes to that cup of tea, just for something comforting to wrap her hands around, Effie asked, ‘A new shop?’
‘I’d like you to run it,’ Clive put simply, ‘you’re our longest serving member of staff, the customers love your window displays, you have experience. You love books more than the rest of us put together. I also trust you to get it up and running and make a success of it. What do you think? Your own shop, Effie. Well, technically it’d be my shop, but . . .’ He shrugged.
