‘Mab, just tell me what you’re talking about,please.’
‘The jacuzzi.We ditched the plans for it because we didn’t have enough cash, but I always thought that was one of Leo’s better schemes.How amazing would it be to come into a bookshop, feeling all tired and jaded, and to spend half an hour in the hot tub, listening to an audio book and unwinding?Each day the jacuzzi room would feature a different author’s books and a different sort of chocolate to taste.And then you’d have a huge mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles, and maybe a piece of flapjack or a clotted cream scone.And then, you’d definitely be in the mood to spend some serious money on books.’
Jess’s smile grew broader as she imagined this wonderful scene.
‘But wouldn’t it be a bit cramped in the tub?They’re not very big, you know.’
‘Six people can fit in the ones I’ve been looking at.You’d have to book your place the day before.You’d need to do that anyway because of having your swimsuit with you.We don’t want naked bodies everywhere, fun though it might be.We could provide the big, fluffy towels, and a shower for afterwards with posh shower gel and shampoo and suchlike.’
‘Mab, this is all going to cost well over £15,000, surely?’
‘No, honestly, I’ve costed it carefully.If Stan’s friend Kev could plumb in a couple of showers for us, and we take advantage of the sales that are happening everywhere, we could do it.Luxury items like hot tubs aren’t selling too well at the moment, apparently.’
‘But where would we put it?’
‘In the little back room, where we’d originally planned to have it.That was what I was going to ask George to map out for me, so that I could make a proper scale drawing to show Leo.That room’s full of everything that we don’t know what to do with, but if we have a skip, or get Stan and Kev to help again, we can soon clear it.And don’t you see, Jess?This will be our USP.’
‘Our what?’
‘Our Unique Selling Point.We can run a competition in theChroniclefor free places in the jacuzzi.It’ll be fantastic publicity.And Edward Crabtree will have to admit we’re not trying to take his trade.We’ll be different from any other shop in Clayton-on-the-Bream.’
Jess began to laugh.She took Mab’s hands and spun her around in a crazy dance, then stopped as suddenly as she had started.
‘Hang on, Mab.This is all very well, but you’ve forgotten one vital thing.We still don’t know if or when we’ll be able to open the shop.Are you honestly prepared to sink all your hard-earned winnings into something that might never happen?And £15,000 will never be enough.It’d be madness.’
‘Madness or not, if Leo agrees, I’m doing it.This is my chance to really be part of the business, and if that agent takes me on, I can write and work in the shop too, if… Oh, Jess, I’m so, so hoping Cameron James likes the rest of the book.I’m sure I can extend my overdraft a bit to bump up the £15,000 and we can get the rest somehow.Right, I’m going to ring Leo.And then there’s something else I need to talk to you about.’
26
Driving back towards Den’s flat the morning after his discovery, Leo felt so sick that he thought he was going to have to stop and say goodbye to the breakfast that Alex had insisted on cooking.He had half expected Den to turn up at the family home last night, or at least to call.There had been no word from either his older brother, or from Sophie.Did this mean they were past caring what Leo thought, or were they actually ashamed of themselves?
Leo had no idea what he was going to say to Den, but he knew that he couldn’t put off a showdown with Sophie any longer.The time had come to draw the line under his and Sophie’s engagement.Leo realised now that he’d been manipulated into buying Sophie’s ring during that fateful weekend in Marbella.Sophie had been on fire, dragging him back to their hotel room every half hour, it seemed, in retrospect.After a particularly demanding session (‘Yes, Leo, yes!Oh my God, you’re sensational!’) Sophie had showered, put on her most sophisticated dress, and led him into an incredibly expensive area of the town.There she had lingered outside a jeweller’s with only a very few hand-crafted pieces displayed on black velvet, moodily lit.
‘Oh, Leokins, look at these.Don’t you think white gold would look good with my tan?’
Leo had dragged his heels, worried about his depleted bank account and heavily hammered credit card.Sophie on holiday was even more dangerous financially than Sophie in Newcastle, but he’d finally given in, and entered the shop with her, only to find that the bauble that had caught her eye was a large and beautiful emerald ring.It sparkled in the dim light as the attentive assistant held it out on its tiny cushion.Sophie gasped with pleasure.
‘That’s the one, Leokins.Let’s see if it fits.’
As Sophie slid the ring onto the third finger of her left hand, Leo at last realised what was happening, and opened his mouth to protest.But the sight of Sophie’s delighted face made him close it again, and she smiled up at him ecstatically as the manager of the shop was summoned to look at this wonderful sight.Champagne was produced to toast the happy couple and half an hour later, Leo and Sophie wandered back out into the street, as Sophie pulled out her mobile.
‘Daddy, it’s me; guess what?I’m engaged!Yes, to Leo, obviously…’ She rolled her eyes at Leo in mock despair.‘So, are you pleased?Yes, of course I’m sure.Yes, of course I’ll still be your baby.Well, in Newcastle, of course, where else would we live?’
After this, it seemed churlish to mention that he hadn’t planned on getting married for years, and that if he had been thinking of moving in with someone, Leo wasn’t sure that Sophie was ideal for the job.She’d spent the rest of the day texting her friends and talking about what sort of wedding they would have.It would need to be at Mummy and Daddy’s house, and there would be a marquee, so it would have to be a summer wedding.She would have her dress made by a new and totally original designer, the new darling of the stars, who was apparently based in a divine cottage on Holy Island and had recently featured in an Apple TV documentary.Within twenty-four hours, the date had been set, the cake ordered and the vicar and photographer booked.Leo had always imagined that if he ever married, it would be in his local Catholic church with Father Brian officiating somewhat drunkenly.Sophie had no religious beliefs, not even the vestiges of any, so the church selected was the most photogenic one.
Needing to show willing, Leo had telephoned his own father and been congratulated in turn by all his brothers.Now he came to think of it, they had definitely seemed underwhelmed, and Den had laughed, and commented, ‘Good luck, mate, and I hope you’re prepared to do shedloads of overtime.’
Leo pulled up outside Den’s flat, feeling a sense of déjà vu.The curtains were still drawn but it wasn’t yet half past seven, and Sophie had never been a morning person.This time when he hammered on the door, a wary-looking Den answered.The shadows under his eyes were more pronounced than usual and he hadn’t shaved.
‘Oh, morning, mate.We were kind of expecting you,’ he said, grinning suddenly and lowering his voice to a whisper as he said, ‘Sophie thought you’d come back last night on your white charger and try to whisk her away.I guessed you might be pleased to see the back of her, myself.’
The beginnings of a red mist began to descend.Leo looked at his brother and saw him clearly for the first time.Tall, handsome, but incredibly smug.Why had he never noticed the third point before?
‘I want to speak to Sophie, if you don’t mind,’ Leo said, pushing his way past Den and walking towards the bedroom.
‘Oh, I don’t think…’
‘You don’t need to think, mate.Maybe if you’d done a bit more of that, you wouldn’t have fucked my girlfriend?’Leo was at the bedroom door now, and could see Sophie sitting up in Den’s king-sized bed, with the duvet clutched to her chest.
