Page 71 of The Winter of Second Chances
Finally, she settled for:
I don’t mind at all. It’s probably sensible for you to have my number anyway, in case of emergencies, which I don’t anticipate, but then nobody ever does, which is why they are called emergencies.
Yes please to helping with Halloween. A grumpy forty-something man will be a welcome addition to proceedings. Annie
She added and deleted a single smiley face emoji several times before deciding that John Granger was not the smiley face emoji type. She hoped that he would be encouraged by her sign-off to start using her name rather than addressing her as Ms Sharpe, which made her sound like a Dickensian spinster.
She pressed send and laid back against the pillows. She was wide awake now. There was something furtive about late-night texts, and despite herself she felt a thrill of something rising up in her chest...Or maybe it was just the garlic mushroom and leek mac n’ cheese she’d had for supper repeating on her. Would he reply to her text? Was he even now smiling at her witty response? She reprimanded herself for the consideration. Was he one of those people who replied straight away or left the message hanging for a day? Would he reply at all?
Annie wasn’t sure why she was allowing this to take up so much space in her thoughts. She sighed loudly, disturbing Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, who squinted at her disdainfully before going back to sleep.
It wasn’t like she fancied John Granger, though he was undeniably attractive – in a scowling sort of way. But just because someone was pleasing to the eye didn’t make them pleasing company. His features, she thought, would be considered by most to be agreeable, though his nose was pencil sharp at the tip and he probably had to pluck his eyebrows to prevent a naturally occurring monobrow. His eyes were blue-grey, deep-set with black lashes which were annoyingly long, hiding away beneath a prominent brow. Max had grown a beard as he’d got older, conscious of his weakening chin, whereas John’s chin remained distinct, his jawline strong and untouched by the softening of age, shadowed permanently by a beard awaiting permission to grow through. Her musings were punctuated by her inner self wagging a warning finger at her. Annie blew a raspberry at her inner self and checked her phone. Nothing. She tutted at herself. It was clear that she wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon, so she openedLady Audley’s Secretat her bookmark and began to read. She was an hour in when her phone vibrated beside her on the bed. She snatched it up.
Great. I’ll probably be over late morning. John
Annie placed the phone back down and opened her book again. She realised she was grinning like an emoji. Her phone pinged again. It was John.
If you could only have one drink for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This was such an odd, unexpected question that she burst out laughing.
What?
Just answer the question, Ms Sharpe.
Annie took a moment to consider, before replying:Tea. I know that’s probably terribly boring but there really isn’t a situation which can’t be soothed or made better by a cup of tea. You?
Irn-Bru. I’m Scottish, it would be treasonous to choose anything else.
Annie gave this three laughing face emojis and a thumbs up.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
You will indeed.
Annie was all of a flutter. John Granger really was most surprising. She picked up her book and went back to reading the shocking exploits of Lady Lucy Audley, though her eyes kept slipping to the bedside cabinet where Mr Knightley lay waiting, wrapped in one of her linen scarves, ready for action.
On Friday morning, John Granger strode into the cafe to be greeted like a prodigal son by Annie’s Willow Bay customers and eyed curiously by those from out of town, who were trying to ascertain if he was someone they ought to recognise. Annie was busy at the coffee machine.
‘What can I get you?’ she asked, noting with pleasure that for the first time he was properly taking in the changes she had made to the cafe. ‘I’m afraid I’m clean out of Irn-Bru.’
John smiled at her.
‘Can you do a flat white?’ he asked.
‘Of course!’ She determined to make him the perfect flat white.
‘It looks good,’ John said, nodding to the shelving and the new arrangement, though Annie could see it cost him to say it.
‘Thank you,’ said Annie. ‘I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out. I think your aunt would approve.’ She saw his jaw clench ever so slightly and felt satisfied.Can I do a flat white indeed!she thought.
‘I hope it didn’t cost you too much. I wouldn’t like you to be out of pocket when it sells in the new year.’
Annie saw one or two wry smiles and raised eyebrows around the cafe.
‘Nothing I’m not already well on the way to recouping,’ she replied sweetly. ‘As you can see, business is booming.’ A little queue was forming at the kiosk window. ‘Mari’s been very supportive.’
John smiled. His eyebrow twitched infinitesimally, Annie noticed and grinned inwardly.
