Page 132 of The Romance Library

I reckoned that a couple of weeks after the opening would be good. Then we would’ve been through most of the teething problems and things would be much calmer.

Until then, I had to focus on getting someone to help me out.

‘Erm, hello. Are you Jessica?’ A soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

When I looked up, there was a petite woman with glasses, white skin and brown hair tied up in a bun. Her cream blouse was buttoned all the way to the top and she wore a calf-length pleated grey skirt and brown ballerina shoes.

I didn’t know why, but I instantly liked her.

‘Yep, I’m Jess!’ I smiled warmly. ‘Are you…’ I glanced down at the CV in front of me, ‘Jane?’

‘Yes. Sorry I’m early. I can come back in fifteen minutes if you like?’

‘No, no, you’re fine. Please have a seat.’

So far so good. I got a nice vibe from her and she was early, which was a positive sign.

‘Thank you.’

After I’d ordered Jane a drink, we got started.

‘So what made you apply for the role?’ I asked.

‘Firstly, I love books,’ Jane replied. I noticed that she spoke very softly. It was a good thing the bakery was quiet—otherwise it’d be hard to hear her. ‘Especially romance novels. I’ve been reading them since I was a teenager.’

‘What do you love about them?’

‘Where do I start? There’s so many things! I love the butterflies I get watching a couple fall in love. The escapism. The way great books help you forget about real life. They give you hope and make you believe in love. I like that I get to fall for a new book boyfriend every time I pick up a novel. My experiences with romance in real life are… well, limited.’ She hung her head. ‘So reading about the characters going through those emotions is reassuring. Knowing that they’ll always get to live happily ever after is really comforting.’

She was spot on. That was exactly what I loved about romance novels too.

Hearing Jane’s response made my thoughts drift back to Theo. The time we spent together was the kind of swoonworthy romance I loved reading about. It was a shame we didn’t get our own happy ending.

‘It says on your CV that you’ve worked in a library and a bookshop before?’ I forced myself to focus on the interview again.

‘Yes. I spent a few summers working in a library in Hastings and for the past year I’ve been working in a bookshop in London. But it’s really expensive to live there, so I’ve had to move back home with my parents.’

‘In Sunshine Bay?’

‘No, in Shamwick—a town a few miles from here.’

‘And how’s that going?’

‘Um, it’s… difficult. That’s why I’d really love this job. I’m a really hard worker and I’m passionate about books. Honestly, this would be my dream job. I follow you on social media, so I know how important The Romance Library is to you. And I know there’ll be a lot to do to get it off the ground, especially in the beginning.’ Jane was speaking so quickly now, like if she didn’t get all the words out in one go she’d forget what she wanted to say. ‘But if you give me this opportunity, I promise I’ll do whatever you need to help you make it a success.’

Jane blew out a breath, like she’d used all her energy to answer my question and had nothing left.

I loved everything she’d said. And most importantly, I believed every word.

‘When can you start?’ I asked without hesitation. I was scheduled to interview someone else tomorrow, but I’d call straight after this to tell him the position had been filled.

‘Oh!’ Jane’s eyes bulged. ‘Erm, tomorrow? I’m not due to work at the bookshop again until the weekend and I only have another week’s notice left to work.’

‘That’d be amazing! Actually…’ I paused. ‘I’ve just remembered, I have to speak to the accountants about setting you up on the payroll and do all the other paperwork first. And I don’t know how long that’d take.’

All of this was so alien to me. I tried to pretend I knew what I was doing, but the truth was most of the time, I was just winging it.

‘Don’t worry. You must have loads on, so why don’t I start tomorrow anyway and you can work out the official stuff whenever.’

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