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‘My shop is perfectly safe, thank you. And I’m much happier when I don’t stray from it.’ Noémi pursed her lips, feeling her face flush again. Her life had been much calmer before this unlikely human had sashayed into town. When would he step back into his Dickens costume and march back from whence he came?

‘I’ll talk you round,’ said Shay, as though he had every confidence.

No chance.

‘Ooh, where are you getting the reindeer from?’ asked Prisha, thankfully interjecting. ‘My boys would love that. Are your outings for little ones too?’

‘Of course. I’m fully insured for most ages. You know, I have thirteen nieces and nephews back in Ireland.’ Shay’s grin spread. ‘Kids should be encouraged to adventure from the youngest age. It’s so great for their tiny imaginations, isn’t it?’

‘As are books,’ Noémi muttered. ‘Where the best adventures take place – with zero chance of breakages.’ Or worse.

Shay shrugged as though he’d never really thought about books. The beast.

‘Fresh air, exercise, staying active. You can’t beat it.’ Shay took a deep breath as though imagining himself on some dewy-grassed mountainside. He might have sounded half-convincing if he wasn’t dressed as one of Santa’s pet deer. ‘Actually, about the reindeer,’ he added, like an afterthought. ‘They might be goats in fancy dress, not to mis-sell you. But they’re fine-looking creatures. I met a guy …’

‘Texan Jim,’ the others said in unison.

Noémi would have to warn Jim that his poor herd would soon need crash helmets and fire-retardant suits.

‘Well, that’s nice,’ said Prisha, enthusiastically. ‘He’s been looking for a use for those goats.’

‘I’ll pay him fairly,’ Shay insisted. ‘And I may need your costume-making services again, if you’re not too busy.’ He gave Prisha one of his winks.

Oh, so he dished those out to everybody. Noémi pushed down the strange feeling of disappointment that tried to bubble up, even if Prisha was too in love with her husband to care about Shay and his winky eyes.

‘I was just about to start …’ Prisha began, pointing to the box containing the Mrs Claus dress.

‘She’ll help you,’ Noémi butted in, not wanting any more focus on the dress.

Shay nodded his thanks and backed out of the shop, taking his A-board with him.

Daniel gave a low whistle. ‘He’s got eyes for you, Mi-Mi.’

‘Yessss, I definitely saw those sparks,’ Prisha agreed.

‘No sparks. Nothing unusual about anybody’s eyes,’ Noémi replied. ‘He was just gawping at this sad excuse for a Mrs Claus outfit.’

‘Which you will let me bring back to life.’ Prisha got to her feet.

‘No need!’ Noémi sing-songed. ‘Like I said, costumes are Shay’s territory.’

Just then, there was a commotion in the street. They moved to the window.

There was a small group of people heading to the bookshop, but they’d been accosted by an overexcitable Shay doing a galloping reindeer impression and trying to steer them to his shop. The crowd looked at the bookshop, shrugged, and followed Shay inside Real-Life Adventures, the red nose on his head flashing like a beacon.

‘He’s actively stealing my customers,’ Noémi hissed.

‘I’d say that’s treading on your territory,’ said Felix.

Noémi gritted her teeth. ‘Take the costume, Prisha. Daniel will carry it for you. Do your worst.’

Shay Cassidy wasn’t the only one who knew how to cross a line.

Updates to Noémi’s SOB List:

If you can’t beat them, join them. (Do not wear antlers nor try to dress a goat as Blitzen.)

Chapter 16