Page 59 of Twilight at Croftwood Library
‘Go for it. Ready for a nice cuppa?’
‘Lovely, thanks.’ Dottie expertly folded the buggy, picked out a board book for Bert and sat down next to Eunice.
‘Did you enjoy the Lady Glenconner book?’ asked Eunice as Steph poured the tea for them all. It had been their book club choice.
‘Oh my goodness, I loved it. What a life she’s had,’ began Dottie.
‘Hold your horses.’
They both looked at Steph in astonishment.
‘What are you both doing next Wednesday evening?’ They both continued to look blank. ‘It’s the Croftwood Library book club and I’ve wangled a minibus so I can pick everyone up. You two are at the top of my list. Are you in?’
‘I have no plans on Wednesday, I’d love to come. What a wonderful idea, Steph.’ Eunice looked at Dottie expectantly.
‘Actually, I think I can make it. Nick’s working from home next week. Are you sure about the bus Steph because I can drive Eunice and myself if it’s easier?’
‘No way! It’s more of a night out for you if I do the driving and the bus ride will be half the fun. Plus, I have it on good authority that there’s mulled wine on offer if you want it.’
‘How exciting. So, we shouldn’t talk about the book today, is that right Steph?’ Eunice asked. ‘We should wait until Wednesday.’
‘Exactly. I think you’ll enjoy it, I’m so glad you can both come.’
‘Are any of your other customers going?’ asked Dottie, as she took a biscuit, broke it in half and shared it with Bert.
‘Yes, there are another four of my regulars and one of them has read the same book as you.’
‘It’ll be lovely to meet some other mobile library customers, more of your regulars like us.’
‘Ah, they’re not all like you, Eunice,’ said Steph. ‘I’ve only invited my favourites.’
‘Oh, go on with you,’ said Eunice looking as pleased as anything.
‘I’m just so glad you get the chance to join in with the book club properly.’
‘Should we meet you here?’
‘God, no. You don’t want to be wandering around here in the dark. Let me know your addresses and I’ll pick you up from the door.’
‘Gosh, that’s wonderful, Steph. Thank you.’ Eunice had tears in her eyes.
‘Right, another biccie anyone?’
It had been hard deciding how to bring the book club to her customers. The fact was that at some stops there just weren’t enough people to make a mini-club. Eunice and Dottie were pretty lucky and would have been happy to have their book club meeting today, but Steph knew they’d both love the proper meeting at Oliver’s and if she hadn’t suggested it they wouldn’t have thought to go by themselves. In the end, Steph picked the people who were really into the idea and who had been supportive of the mobile library. As well as Eunice and Dottie, she was taking Bill from the Red Lion Inn car park, Flora and Jerry who lived on a smallholding near her Grove Hill stop and had no car and Audrey who was partially sighted and came to the Wells Green stop. Steph always made sure to have a good selection of regency romances in large print for her. Zoe from Old Hollow was keen to join in but was going to make her own way since she couldn’t commit to going on the bus with everyone else in case she was late finishing work.
Lois had said that she should let Rosemary know whether any of her customers would need pairing up. She thought Eunice and Dottie would want to be together as they’d planned to discuss the book with each other anyway. It would be more fun for them to do that at Oliver’s, but the others would probably enjoy meeting new people so once she’d made her last stop of the day Steph emailed Rosemary with their names and which books they’d read so she could add them into her pool of people.
She pulled out her phone and dialled Max. It went to his answerphone, so she left a message.
‘Hi, it’s me. I’m really sorry but I have to work late tonight. I’ll call you tomorrow.’
They had planned to meet for dinner, but Steph was starting to feel cornered. Whether Max would believe that someone who ran the mobile library van would have to work late was debatable, but Steph was sure he would get over any disappointment pretty quickly. She tried not to think about how this relationship was following the same path as all the others she’d had and how once again she’d thought things were different with this one. But they weren’t.
The rose-tinted glasses had fallen off the night before when she’d gone round to his and he’d answered the door wearing a pair of Y-fronts from circa 1980 even though she’d arrived at the time they’d arranged. Was it too much to ask that if he had to be semi-naked, he at least wore his best pants? Perhaps they were his best pants. It felt like it was all going to be downhill from there.
33
Lois and Linda had decided to tackle organising the teenage library after work that day. The beanbags had been delivered and were stacked, still in their boxes in the corner of the children’s library.
