Juliet’s eyes travel to the display table, piled high with Oliver’s latest. She gasps. ‘Was that Oliver James who was in here the other day?’
‘Yes, he has paid for your book. Your story touched him. You must let him know how your trip to Spain goes.’
She hugs Miguel’s book. ‘Please thank Oliver, and will you tell him that I promise to report back?’
I watch her walk away, gazing longingly at Miguel’s book, and a warm feeling engulfs me.
Miranda walks towards me. ‘His ex-girlfriend has had a little girl.’ Her eyes are red and puffy. ‘I need someone to talk to.’
‘Why don’t I make us both a cup of tea?’
She nods, and I rush out the back. Before long, I’m bringing two mugs of tea back into the bookshop. In my back pocket, I also have two packets of tissues as I sense Miranda is going to dissolve into floods of tears.
She sits behind the counter and wraps her hands around the mug. ‘Thank you, Nelly. This is what I need. A cup of soothing tea.’
‘Has Frank gone to the hospital?’
‘Yes. He left me instructions on what to cook his mother for her tea as he won’t be back till late.’
‘Oh. Is his mum pleased about the new arrival?’
Miranda shakes her head. ‘His mother hates young children as much as I do.’
‘I see.’
She takes a sip. ‘This is a mess.’
‘I’m sorry, Miranda. This must be hard for you.’ I watch her put down her mug and dab her eyes. She looks devastated. This is a good reminder for me. Love rarely ends well. I need to remember this image of my broken boss.
Miranda rubs her temples. ‘I know this sounds weird, Nelly, but I’m secretly relieved.’
Air gets trapped in my throat. ‘Relieved?’ I croak.
She sits up and wipes her eyes. ‘This situation gives me a way out.’
‘A what?’ I stare at her.
Something flickers across her face. She sits up straighter. ‘If I’m honest, my relationship with Frank has been stale for years. I spend a lot of my time lusting after other men. Frank’s new baby has given me a golden opportunity.’
‘Look, you’re upset?—’
She stands and puts her hands on her hips. ‘I know what I need to do.’
‘Don’t make any rash decisions.’
‘Nelly, this situation needs rash decisions.’ A smile spreads across her face. ‘I’m going to leave Frank. This heartbreak is a blessing in disguise.’
Oh, God, the heartbreak has made her delusional. ‘Miranda…’
‘Nelly, you will need to close the shop. I have things to do.’
Before I can say another word, she’s hurried away to the back room.
Even though she claimed it was a blessing in disguise, I believe the shock of Frank’s infidelity and the arrival of his child will eventually catch up with her. Tonight, she’ll be teetering on the brink of a nervous breakdown while his mother enjoys her favourite meal. There’s nothing positive about heartbreak; this is why I’ve avoided it like the plague for years.
34
‘How was your evening?’ I ask as Oliver climbs into bed behind the pillow wall.
