Page 113 of Love Letters on Hazel Lane

‘But you’ve still got to find somewhere,’ said Kate. ‘For when the hall is sold? It probably won’t take long. There’s such a shortage of housing round here. A developer is sure to snap it up.’

‘I know. Trouble is, there isn’t anywhere else. Not that we can afford, anyway. And I’ve got to think of something, Kate, because the future of the Scrabble club depends on it. And Razz said he’d forgive me for the fibs I told on my internet dating profile if I do.’

‘Ah yes, those fibs,’ she said. ‘They were my fault. And I’ve a confession…’

‘Go on.’

‘Razz had written that he was a big Scrabble fan on his Buzzz profile, and I told him to remove it, but it was ages before I met you, Jo, I promise. He was having lunch in the (Not So) Little Board Game Café with Ludek one day and I went in to see Emily. And you never actually told me that you liked Scrabble or I’d have set you up on a date. I’m so sorry, Jo.’

‘It’s fine. He already told me. Although I can’t help wondering how different things might have been.’

*

Alongside her day job and Project Self-Esteem – walks with Kate, hot baths, healthy eating and chanting, ‘It’s not you, it’s them’ twenty times a day in front of the mirror – Jo now embarked on Project Find-a-New-Venue. She made lists. She started a spreadsheet, with columns for the venue name, address, contact phone number, name of person she’d spoken to, availability and price per hour.

The availability column mostly consisted of one word: NONE.

When there was availability, the figure in the price per hour column was way out of their budget.

She drew a complete blank.

No-one wanted them. There was nowhere they could go.

One possibility was the Quaker meeting house, but the only evening they could offer was a Tuesday.

‘That won’t work,’ said Razz when Jo told him. ‘We have so many kids and parents now for the session at half five. They mightn’t come on a school night.’

It was back to the drawing board.

*

Jo was scouring the internet one lunchtime – as she often did – for a new venue in Hebbleswick. There was no point in looking too far afield; many of the Scrabble group members didn’t have their own transport. There were buses, of course, but Jo couldn’t envisage the older ones wanting to take the bus at night.

‘What are you doing?’

She turned round to see Leona standing behind her.

‘It’s my lunch hour,’ Jo said defensively.

‘I wasn’t accusing you. Just curious.’

‘The hall where our Scrabble club meets is being demolished. I’m looking for a new venue. But it’s hopeless. Truly hopeless. Anyway, how can I help?’

Leona glanced round the office, empty now as the rest of the team had gone out for lunch. ‘Would you mind checking over a spreadsheet for me? I’ve a meeting with David this afternoon.’

‘Okay.’ Jo nodded. ‘Email it to me. I’ll look at it later. When my lunch hour’s finished.’

‘Oh, of course. Thanks.’ Leona turned to go.

Jo took a deep breath. ‘Will you tell me something, Leona?’

‘Yes, sure.’

‘Why were you so unkind to me? You disliked me from the word go.’

‘I’m ambitious.’

‘So?’