Page 17 of Twilight at Croftwood Library
‘I’m not very good at social media,’ said Linda, ‘but I’d love to have a go at that.’
‘Great, I’ll put you in touch with Claudia at the Hive. One session with her and you’ll be away. I’d also wondered about starting a book club.’
‘There are so many book clubs, Lois. Do you think it’s necessary?’ asked Rosemary, her tone of disapproval back, it seemed.
‘That’s true,’ said Lois patiently. ‘Our book club needs to be different. I haven’t quite got it sorted in my mind yet, but I was thinking of some sort of date-with-a-book kind of thing? We pair readers up with someone who has read the same book as them and they discuss it over a coffee or something. It might be less intimidating for people who aren’t keen on groups; you always get the odd one or two who dominate things. I don’t know, it’s just something that came to me, something that Oliver said gave me the idea. I haven’t quite thought out how it would work yet but it’s a start.’
‘I think it’s a delightful idea,’ said Rosemary, surprising both Linda and Lois with her renewed enthusiasm. Perhaps the mention of Oliver had changed her mind. ‘Some book clubs can be dreadful and often never even discuss the book, it’s just an excuse for a gossip and can be very cliquey. The idea of going for a coffee or what-have-you with a fellow book lover, well that’s wonderful.’ She was smiling and shaking her head. Lois hadn’t expected the idea to be so well received.
‘Would you mind having a think about how we can do it, Rosemary? I also thought we could get my colleague Steph involved somehow with the mobile library so that people who don’t find it easy to get into town could still join in.’ The more Lois thought about it, the better the idea was forming in her mind.
‘Thank you, Lois,’ said Rosemary, as if Lois had bestowed some marvellous honour on her. ‘I will enjoy that very much.’
‘Great. Now that we’ve all got something to get our teeth into let’s make this meeting weekly so we can keep track of our progress. Linda, do you mind if I have lunch first today?’
‘Not at all. I’m happy whatever you want to do.’
Lois headed straight for Oliver’s, no longer able to remember why she’d been avoiding it for the whole week.
‘Hey Lois, good to see you. Skinny latte?’
‘Great, thanks.’ There was no queue behind her. ‘Have you got time to join me?’
His face lit up. ‘Give me two minutes to get this sandwich made and I’ll be with you.’
Lois went and sat down in what had become her usual seat. Oliver worked quickly, scooping the sandwich onto a plate and cutting it in half before delivering it to a guy who was working on his laptop at one of the tables near the window. Then he picked up the two coffees he’d already made and came over to join her.
‘How are you getting on with the book?’ she asked.
‘Oh, god. You haven’t come to talk about it already, have you? I’ve only had it a couple of days.’ He’d gone pale and looked so genuinely frightened that Lois couldn’t help laughing.
‘I was just wondering, making conversation. I just fancied a change of scenery.’
He stared into his coffee for a few seconds then lifted his eyes to look straight into hers. ‘So, the other day at the library…are you okay? It seemed like it might have been one of those times when you start off laughing but end up crying.’
Lois was touched that he cared enough to ask although it was quite worrying that he’d thought she was that emotionally unstable that she’d end up hysterically crying in the library, even if that’s exactly what she’d thought was going to happen too.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Quite a lot has changed for me recently. The job, obviously, and I split up with my boyfriend a couple of months ago.’
‘Sorry to hear that.’
‘It’s okay. It was probably a long time coming. Anyway, I think sometimes, things just build up and I don’t know why I thought it was so funny, you getting that old library card out of your wallet…’ she couldn’t help giggling for a second, ‘but it was funny and I just let myself go…or something.’
‘You certainly did that.’ His eyes were sparkling, and she was relieved to see he thought it was endearing rather than bonkers.
‘Well, so often you can be thwarted in letting your emotions take their natural course.’ He was so easy to talk to, she felt like she could tell him just about anything.
‘Thwarted is a great word,’ said Oliver smiling. ‘And allow me to welcome you to the singles club.’
So, he was still single despite the Old Friend.
‘Thanks. That sounds appropriately tragic.’
He laughed. ‘It is a bit tragic once you get to our age, I suppose it’s harder to find the right person. I’m probably too hard to please. Once you hit thirty and you’re still single, you’re kind of set in your ways.’
‘Speak for yourself. Anyway, you haven’t been single that whole time surely?’
‘Surely because I’m a great catch?’ He grinned then looked embarrassed and said, ‘Sorry, don’t answer that.’
