Page 121 of The Romance Library

My stomach was more knotted than a bunch of computer cables, I felt like I wanted to throw up and my heart was hammering so hard against my ribcage I half expected it to burst through my skin.

‘You okay?’ Theo asked, his face creased with concern.

‘Not really.’

If it was anyone else I probably would’ve put on a brave face and said I was okay. But I knew I could be honest with Theo and he’d understand.

‘You’re going to be fine. Trust me. Whatever happens we’re both going to be good.’

If only I had his confidence.

After Theo’s dad dropped that Lady Penelope bombshell, I’d gone straight to our bench to clear my head.

My mind had spiralled. I’d trusted Theo and thought he’d lied to me. I thought we’d had a special connection. In my heart I wanted to believe it couldn’t be true, that he was a good person. But the devil on my shoulder told me it wouldn’t be the first time I’d made a mistake with a man.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I’d gone into defence mode and told myself to get my head out of the clouds and get back to reality.

People like me didn’t get great opportunities like the chance to run a romance library. I’d had a brilliant few weeks in this adorable town and a romantic adventure with a sweet guy, but all fairy tales had to come to an end and my time was up.

So I’d messaged my old bosses and asked them to put me down for as many shifts as possible from next week. Knowing that I had work lined up would help soften the blow if I didn’t win the pitch.

I was glad that at least I’d cleared the air with Theo, though, and hadn’t let that misunderstanding about Penelope get in the way.

When I saw him on the beach, I couldn’t believe it. At first I wondered how he knew I’d be there. But somehow he seemed to be in tune with what made me happy. And I knew he loved that bench as much as I did.

Theo opened the door to Seaview High and we stepped inside.

‘Good luck.’ Theo kissed me on the cheek.

‘Thanks.’ I took his hand and squeezed it. ‘All the best to you too.’

‘Ready?’ He stood outside Edwin’s door.

‘As I’ll ever be.’

Theo knocked. Edwin opened the door, then invited us in.

‘Please, take a seat.’ He gestured to the chairs. Once we’d sat down, Edwin leant forward. ‘Thank you for your presentations this morning. They were both very impressive. You certainly didn’t make it easy for me. Anyway, I’m going to cut straight to the chase. I’ve decided to sell the site to the person whose proposed venture will most benefit the community. And that person is…’ He paused for what felt like an eternity.

It was like I was a contestant on a reality TV competition show, waiting to find out if I’d won the multimillion-pound prize.

Just as Edwin opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang.

‘Sorry, please excuse me one moment.’ Edwin got up and left the room, further prolonging my torture.

‘Do you think he planned that call for dramatic effect?’ Theo leant over and whispered in my ear. I loved the sensation of his warm breath on my neck. I was going to miss that.

‘Might’ve done!’ I smiled, despite my pulse racing.

A few seconds later, Edwin returned to the room.

‘Sorry about that. Now where was I?’

‘You were telling us that you were going to cut straight to the chase…’ Theo smirked.

‘Ha! Yes. I promised that call wasn’t planned. My wife needs me to pick something up on the way home. Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve chosen the person whose idea was most fitting for the community. This wasn’t a decision I took lightly, and I consulted with key residents over lunch to get their thoughts. And the person I’ve decided to sell the site to is… Jessica.’

‘Oh my God!’ I jumped out of my seat. ‘Seriously? Did you say me?’

---