Page 67 of Twilight at Croftwood Library
Lois sighed silently to herself. She was trying so hard, and he was so oblivious. Linda grabbed her coffee and said thanks before disappearing back to the children’s library.
‘Thanks. We’ve just found out we’re on the shortlist for the Library of the Year Awards.’
‘That’s fantastic! Congratulations, Lois.’ He leaned across the desk and kissed her on the cheek. It took her by surprise, but she tried not to show it and anyway, the gorgeous smell of him had dazed her somewhat.
‘Thanks. It’s been a massive joint effort and the book club definitely wouldn’t have been such a success without you.’
‘Lois, it’s all you. But I’m happy to have helped.’ He smiled, then dropped his gaze to the floor. ‘I missed you on Wednesday. You haven’t been around at all lately, you’re not avoiding me, are you?’
Did he really not know why she’d been staying away, after what he’d told her about Amy?
‘Oliver, I can’t carry on as if I don’t know Amy’s bothered by us being friends. It’s awkward and I think being around you a bit less, not coming into the coffee house, it has to help.’
He gave an exasperated sigh. ‘It’s not down to you to worry about Amy. We’re friends and I’m not going to let that change. Christ! We’re not bloody teenagers. I can have a girl who’s a friend.’ He shoved his hands through his hair, ruining the quiff he’d probably spent some time on that morning.
‘Look, I know you think that, and I appreciate it but to be honest I could do with distancing myself a bit anyway.’ She paused to gauge whether he realised what she was trying to say without her having to say it. Clearly not. ‘After what happened… what almost happened. With us. It’s difficult. I like you. Do you hear what I’m saying?’ Because this was excruciating.
‘Right. No, I get it. And I’m sorry.’
His belligerence had gone. He looked beaten as he turned and left, not saying anything else, leaving Lois with a coffee and muffin that she just wanted to cry into.
‘Everything alright?’ asked Linda, looking concerned as she came out of hiding.
‘Yes, fine,’ sighed Lois.
‘You never know, it might not last with him and Amy.’ Linda had adopted a conspiratorial tone. ‘He’s not going to put up with getting told who he can and can’t be friends with, is he?’
But he might. Linda wasn’t accounting for the guilt factor which seemed to be driving Oliver more than anything or that he and Amy were giving each other a second chance and that seemed to come with a higher tolerance level for what each of them were willing to take before they snapped. The stakes seemed to be higher for Oliver and he seemed willing to stick with Amy whatever that meant he had to go through. The worst part was, Lois knew he wasn’t happy.
‘Maybe not,’ smiled Lois. ‘Anyway, are you up for spreading the word about our victory?’
‘Oh, definitely. I’ve already written the posts in my head. You’ll have to get a new frock for the ceremony. It’s so exciting!’
Lois hadn’t thought as far ahead as the ceremony. She’d have to let the County Libraries office know in case they wanted to send some of the top people, but she hoped as they’d not been that involved with the process, they might leave the places for Lois and her colleagues at Croftwood.
It was still drizzling when she left the library that evening. Cycling in the rain never bothered her normally but after her encounter with Oliver, she had struggled to lift her mood and the rain wasn’t helping. As she cycled up the high street she concentrated on the Christmas tree at the end of the road instead of torturing herself by trying to catch a glimpse of Oliver through the coffee house windows like she usually did, only to end up seeing a snapshot of him and Amy locking up the shop together or chatting at a table.
She could hardly believe it was only two weeks until Christmas. Her Christmas spirit seemed to have deserted her this year. The tree and the lights were pretty, but she wasn’t excited. She’d have to go to her brother’s house where everyone would be judgy about the fact she wasn’t with Alex anymore. They would think it was her fault and would wonder what she had done to ruin a perfectly good relationship. That was probably what was at the bottom of her gloom. Maybe once Christmas was over, she’d feel better. This one would be a write-off but one bad one out of thirty or so wasn’t the end of the world.
Oliver was cleaning the coffee machine. Rosemary had been in before he closed to say that the County Libraries people had decided that he and Lois should go to the Library of the Year Awards ceremony to represent Croftwood Library. Unfortunately, she’d picked the moment that Amy had chosen to perch at the end of the counter and now he was concentrating on cleaning the coffee machine so that he didn’t have to give the impending argument his full attention. All the arguing was wearing him out.
‘You can’t go, not with Lois.’
‘It’s not like it was my idea, Amy. Come on, it’s great publicity for the coffee house.’ He wanted to go, and he wasn’t going to let Amy talk him out of it.
‘Oliver, apart from you letting them use the coffee house for the book club, it’s nothing to do with you. Why do you have to get so involved with this?’
‘It’s great for the town.’ He sighed and polished the steam wand more vigorously.
‘You always say that when it’s something to do with Lois as if there’s nothing you can do about it and actually, I think you just like doing stuff with her.’
He already knew it was the wrong thing to say but it came out anyway. ‘I do like doing stuff with her.’
Even though he wasn’t looking at Amy, he could feel the vibes.
‘Would you stop cleaning that bloody machine and talk to me?’
He turned around and put the cloth down on the counter. ‘There’s no reason for me not to go, Amy. I want things to work between us, but I won’t be dictated to about who I can be friends with. It’s crazy.’
