‘No, I overheard rumours in the Co-op that Jack must have finally got his hands on the theatre because people have spotted his crew, who’ve worked on properties in the town, in the theatre.’
‘Please don’t tell Oliver you saw me with Jack,’ she whispered. ‘It’s not what you think.’
‘So why didn’t you tell me who you were meeting when you asked me to look after Barney?’
‘Because I knew you’d think what you’re thinking.’
‘And that is?’
‘That there’s more going on. There isn’t.’
Reggie studied her. ‘Are you sure?’
Her cheeks burned.
‘Tread carefully, Bridie,’ he said quietly. ‘Jack has always wanted that theatre.’
Bridie rolled her eyes. Talk about déjà vu. It wasn’t the first time she’d been warned.
Footsteps again. This time on the stairs.
She cast her gaze up to the ceiling. ‘Please,’ she murmured. ‘Don’t tell Oliver.’
Reggie sighed. ‘He’s a good boy. Always has been. Don’t break his heart.’
‘I’d never hurt my friends,’ she said and realised immediately it wasn’t true. She’d hurt Jack when she’d dumped him to go to London all those years ago.
‘Love triangles never end well,’ Reggie said. ‘I speak from experience.’
Before she had a chance to ask if he was talking about him and the actress, Isobel Raine, and her dad, they both turned at the sound of Oliver walking down the stairs.
Bridie quickly reiterated, ‘There’s nothing going on between me and Jack, I swear. It’s just business.’
Reggie said, ‘Are you sure about that? I heard his marriage is going down the pan.’
Bridie sighed.If one more person says that,she thought. She quickly added, ‘And there’s nothing going on between me and Oliver.’
‘So, what he is doing here, late on a Friday evening?’
‘I don’t know,’ Bridie whispered back.
‘I heard he’s held a torch for you all these years. That’s why he’s still single.’
Bridie shot back, ‘Is that why you never married, because you held a torch for Isobel Raine, but she loved another – she loved my dad?’
Bridie raised her eyebrows, wondering why she’d said that. But the look on Reggie’s face said she’d hit a nerve. ‘Is it true?’ She added, ‘Did my dad and Isobel have an affair? Am I—?’
Bridie was interrupted by the door to the stairs opening.
Oliver stepped into the shop and immediately caught the atmosphere. He looked at Reggie, sitting on the sofa staring into his coffee, and then at Bridie, biting her lip and frowning.
Oliver said, ‘I’d better go.’
‘No, Oliver,’ Reggie said briskly. ‘I’d best be off.’ He stood.
‘Here, take this.’ Bridie handed Oliver a hot cup of coffee. He was still shivering.
Bridie got up as well and put a throw around his shoulders as he took a seat. Barney immediately jumped on the sofa and put his head on Oliver’s lap.
