Page 45 of Tattered Edges

I turned from where I sat on the couch, propping my arms across the back as I smiled at him. “Yeah. The joys of home ownership, I suppose. I’m getting used to it.“

He gave me an expression that was a mix between a scowl and a raised eyebrow. “How long have you had this leak? You haven’t mentioned it. You can’t just keep collecting water, you know? You’ll get mold, and who knows what other damage.”

My smile fell. While I couldn’t dispute I needed to get the roof repaired, I hadn’t thought about mold.

“I know. You’re right.” Flashing my most innocent smile, I asked, “Do you happen to have a good contact who could help?”

“He owns a pub, babes. Work behind the bar long enough, you’ll meet all sorts of blokes in every field of work. I’m sure he knows someone,” said Oscar good-naturedly.

I looked from Oscar back to Rory, hoping this was true.

“Yeah. I know a guy,” he muttered. “I’ll look him up and send you his information. Don’t procrastinate reaching out, either.”

“Okay, bossy,” I teased.

He shook his head at me, as if he found me ridiculous; but when he didn’t fire back a rebuttal, I knew he didn’t mind my banter.

“I need to go change. Should have time for a drink before I start my shift. Just give me a minute.”

As he headed for his bedroom, the rest of us began to ready ourselves to leave. After Maya wrestled Daisy into her coat, she turned to me and said, “Sawyer, I almost forgot! I was wondering if you had any plans Friday evening?”

“Fridays I’m in the shop by myself. I’ll have to be around to close up around seven, but other than that, I don’t have any plans. Why?”

“I’ve got tickets to the theater. Or, rather, Graham was gifted with a pair. It happens every once in a while, when his boss is feeling gifty. Anyway, Graham hates to go, but I love it. Rather than force him to attend, I invite my sister or one of my girlfriends to join me. A bit of a girl’s night out. Would you be interested?”

Hugging what remained of my snack mix against my middle, I looked from Maya to Graham—who nodded encouragingly, practically pleading with his eyes that I accept.

I didn’t need convincing.

“I would love to go,” I replied. “What’s the show?”

“Moulin Rouge. I’ve heard the stage adaptation is a bit risqué, but the reviews I’ve read say it’s marvelous. It starts at eight. You’d probably want to leave as soon as you close the store, so don’t worry about dressing up. I won’t either.”

“Sounds great.”

“Perfect. You have my number, and I’ve got yours. We’ll be in touch and meet there.”

I said goodbye to the Davies family, assured Oscar I’d see him in a minute, and then let myself out, grabbing my umbrella as I went. While I walked through the rain, I felt almost giddy at the prospect of my first girl’s night out in London. I missed Diane, and I could hardly wait for the time when it would work out for her and Brady to come visit—but in the meantime, the friendships I was making across the pond meant a lot to me. I wasn’t the type who needed a crowd of people around me all the time, but I wasn’t very good at being lonely, either.

Maya was in a different stage of life than I was, but that didn’t make her any less relatable. Even though I had most of the week to get through, I was really looking forward to my Friday night plans.

The rain not quite as heavy as it had been that morning, I returned to my bedroom to find the pot only three quarters of the way full. As I swapped it with the empty one I’d left in the bathroom, I hoped the rain would continue to taper as the day wore on.

When my phone buzzed inside of my pocket, I reached for it and smiled when I saw a text from Rory. In it was an email address for his contact at a roofing company. Remembering his comment about procrastination, I clicked on the link immediately and sent a message introducing myself, naming our mutual connection, and explaining about my leak. When I was finished, I replied to Rory’s text, assuring him I’d done my part, then I returned my phone to my pocket and headed for the door.

Rather than walkthroughthe bookstore, I decided to make the journey around the block to the pub. It wasn’t far, and it was easier than having to unlock and then lock a series of doors along the way. As I approached the front entrance of Tattered Edges, eyeing the display of new books Victoria and I had stocked only a couple of days before, I discovered something that made me relieved I hadn’t decided to walk through the store.

Except, greater than my relief was the panic that coursed through me when I saw the entrance door ajar. I stopped and stared at it for a moment. It didn’t make any sense. The store was closed on Sundays, and I was sure I’d locked the door the night before. Victoria had waved goodnight to me through the glass as I did it.

The lights inside were off, and my gut told me Victoria was not inside—but she and I were the only ones who had keys. Mr. Johnson made that clear to me when I first arrived. That left only one explanation.

Someone had broken into the store.

I collapsed my umbrella as I tentatively made my way toward the door. My heart was racing as I crossed the threshold. Once inside, my rapid pulse was the only sound that filled my ears. I opened my mouth to call into the darkness, but then thought better of it. I wasn’t quite sure what the right next move was, but startling an intruder didn’t seem like the brightest idea when all I had to defend myself was an umbrella.

Then I saw it. The mess.

There were books strewn all over the floor, as if someone had gone to every table adorned with stacks and brushed them off in a rage. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like one of the armchairs near the middle of the store had been knocked on its side, as well. It didn’t make any sense to me.

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