Page 74

Yes, I’m probably hugely overthinking at this stage. It’s just that I’d sworn off love, and I was happy like that. Or so I thought.

And then there he was.

Fantasy Man:

All is great here, thanks. (In fact, I’d usually be asleep by now if a certain lady hadn’t kept me up past my bedtime. I know what you mean about kisses that rock your world. When did I become the sort of man who could be bowled over by a bit of smooching, I ask you?)

Anyway, I’m made up that this neighbour has the potential to make you happy. (Who is he, the devil?!) Though let me bring you back to that word you mentioned. Could you be overthinking it if it’s still early days? Do you always need to know how a book ends when you begin? Or is it OK to get pulled along by the story, and just … see how it goes?

Hmm. Actually, she did prefer to know how a book was likely to end. She carefully selected those happily-ever-afters, because who would set themselves up for a flop? But she took the point. The enjoyment was sometimes in the twists and turns. And she deserved a bit of fun, didn’t she?

Anyway, Shay was only likely to offer one swift chapter. She rarely got hooked until at least chapter three – and he’d be long gone by then.

Random thought for Noémi’s Save Our Bookshop (SOB) List:

Do I need to plot my life with alllll the lists? What if I just go where the story takes me?

Chapter 42

11 days until Christmas

Noémi dusted the shop window that morning with an extra flourish. In fact, after last night’s cosy reading and magical first kiss with Shay, she’d been positively twirling around the bookshop since breakfast.

‘Someone’s cheery,’ said Daniel, with a wry smile. ‘Nice evening?’

Daniel had seen Shay arrive at the bookshop the evening before as he and Tommaso were leaving, and that morning, he’d sent her at least twelve messages begging for ‘schmooze news’ and spamming her with suggestive aubergine emojis, which had put her right off her jammy croissant.

‘It was a nice evening,’ she gushed, barely able to contain herself. ‘And I’ve decided that singles night with a book is on. We’ll call it the “Merry Singles Mingle”. We should make a poster and get the emails out.’

Whatever this floaty feeling was, everybody deserved a chance at it – even though it would only be temporary for her.

Daniel gave a jump for joy and hugged her, then they peered out of the bookshop window, Noémi hoping for a glance of Shay and Daniel looking for Tommaso. Behind them, Wanderer was giving her usual bog-eyed fishy stare and Noémi made a mental note to get her a friend when life was less busy.

A fresh layer of snow had fallen in the night and Noémi felt relieved, as though somehow the thickness of solid precipitation might be all that was keeping Shay and his latest snow-themed antics in Hazel Blooms. She knew the snow would melt and he’d then be off on his next adventure – maybe to the Highlands of Scotland, as she’d heard him talking excitedly to Carrie about. Or perhaps somewhere much farther and sunnier. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t make snowballs while it lasted.

‘Are you going to tell me what happened?’ asked Daniel, casually rearranging the window’s fairy lights.

‘We kissed, that’s all.’ Her fingers flitted to her lips, and she could already tell her face was getting hot at the memory.

Because that was all, but that wasn’t all. And Daniel had spotted it.

He gasped and turned her around to face him. ‘You like him.’

‘Well, yes.’ She shrugged. ‘I don’t go around kissing people I actively dislike.’

‘You’re avoiding my point, mademoiselle. Does this mean you’re back on the love train?’

‘No!’

She huffed and sank down onto the bay window’s patchwork armchair, Daniel sinking to his knees at her side.

‘He’s not sticking around,’ said Noémi, trying to mask her glumness. ‘And that’s OK. They say people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Shay Cassidy is purely seasonal. That’s one step braver than liaising with fantasy men online, isn’t it?’

Daniel squeezed her hands, his eyes brimming with sadness. ‘Oh Mi-Mi. You deserve your chance at Mr Lifetime – if such a thing exists. But I know what you mean about small brave steps. I like Tommaso, but I also like that he has a flirtatious spirit and isn’t pushing for more. Commitment feels hard after Asher, especially at this time of year. And I know you feel scarred by what happened back then. I don’t want my shit-show of a life to hold you back from happiness or to keep us both stuck having perpetually rubbish Christmases.’

Noémi felt her own eyes filling with tears. ‘Your life is not a shit-show, and there’s every chance this year will be better, if I don’t bloody lose this bookshop.’ She quickly crossed her fingers. ‘And I am truly considering the happiness thing – though this man doesn’t come with a lifetime upgrade.’

‘And if he did?’