‘Don’t ask,’ Quinn said. ‘So, you really want to do a book signing?’
‘If you’ll have me.’
Gladly.
‘Yeah, that would be good.’
Better than good.
‘What day will you have me?’
Any day of the week.
Stopit.
‘How about midweek?’
‘I can do midweek.’
‘Me too.’
‘Good.’
‘Cool.’
A silence spread between them until Ivy sang a rendition of ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’in the main hall, the acoustics of the building doing her voice dirty.
They both laughed, but it wasn’t cruel. It was a shared appreciation of the moment. Then Noah stepped into the room, and it was like that pesky demon had sucked out the air.
‘Mum is looking forward to talking with you,’ Noah said. ‘I wanted her to come tonight, but she couldn’t.’
‘It would have been nice,’ Quinn said. ‘I haven’t had a contract from her yet.’
‘She’s still getting it finalised,’ Noah said. ‘Hope you’re good with selling your soul?’
‘Aw, already sold.’
‘Same.’
A smile; a bond.
‘I imagine you’ll be at the house pretty soon. Although now you’re going to have a busy week?—’
‘I can still write the book.’ Quinn stumbled over his words, fearing his opportunity to get to write Hermione’s story was slipping away.
But it wasn’t just to write her story. And it wasn’t to have a back-up in case his shop disappeared. A small part of him hoped for an excuse to get closer to Noah, to learn about him from a trusted source. He hadn’t paid it much thought when he first submitted those chapters, but he knew now, with Noah standing before him, that it’d played a factor in Quinn’s decision.
Gosh. Maybe I am that stalker.
‘Of course,’ Noah said. ‘Thing is, I was thinking, you know, it might be a week or so before you come back to the house. But why don’t you join us this week for dinner? It’s a good way to get to know her off the record.’
Did he just ask me to dinner? Off the record?
‘Not a date.’ Noah smashed Quinn’s dreams.
‘I didn’t think…’
‘Oh, right, yes, good.’ Noah baulked.
