Page 25 of A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
Witt wanders over to where the Cinderella dress is on display. We’ve dedicated one of our two windows to it, and it’s set up on a mannequin with the shoe displayed on a clear Perspex table that’s draped with fairy lights, and Scarlett has hand-chalked signs that say similar things to the posters. ‘You really made it?’
I nod when he looks at me.
‘It’s truly majestic.’ He glances at me again. ‘I know you think I only remember this thing about her, but I don’t. I was trying to describe the dress because I thought you might remember it more than whoever bought it.’
‘You don’t have to explain yourself to me.’
‘Maybe I want to.’
I quickly get off the subject. ‘So, this website Scarlett’s set up. Apparently there’s a contact form for any potential Cinderellas to send their stories to, and I’m sure she can grant you access so you can check it from your own phone.’ I get the key out of my pocket and go to unlock the door. ‘Come in, I’ll show you.’
He stops me. ‘No, no, you’ve finished for the day, and it’s my fault for being late. No one has a decent work/life balance as it is, and it would be unfair of me to impose when you’re on the way home. I’ll come back tomorrow.’
‘I’m sure you’re busy,’ I say, because even though I appreciate how polite and considerate he is, another day of watching the door and waiting for him to show up doesn’t sound appealing. Better to get it over with tonight.
‘I am, but if there’s any hope of finding her then it’s worth all the time in the world.’
Aww. That’s so sweet that I can feel my heart softening towards him. ‘Scarlett’s got her boyfriend to set up the website. She’s started a blog about it, and… you know what, you may as well come in.’
‘May I walk you home? I mean to save time. You could tell me on the way and I won’t have taken up any more of your evening.’
‘I don’t think it’s the best idea…’
‘No, of course not. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cross any lines.’ He stutters a response as though he’s done something terrible. ‘I wasn’t trying to be overbearing or anything, I just…’
‘It’s not that.’ I beckon for him to follow me and we walk the three steps round the corner of The Cinderella Shop and arrive at the side door to the flat. ‘Congratulations, you just walked me home.’
He looks up at the window on the second floor and then starts laughing as he realises what I mean. ‘You live here.’
‘It’s my aunt’s, but she lets me stay in exchange for always being on hand to open and close the shop and never being far away from the sewing machine to put in plenty of overtime.’
‘I’m disappointed. I was looking forward to a walk with you.’ As soon as the words are out, he looks as if he wishes he hadn’t added the last two. ‘Er, I mean, I’ve been stuck inside all day as well. It would’ve been nice to get out for a bit.’
‘You can still enjoy a walk. There are some lovely trails through the Full Moon Forest that go right around behind the castle and out to the river.’
He glances cautiously towards the trees at the end of Ever After Street and then back at me. ‘Would you do me the honour of accompanying me?’
Accompanying me. That prince-like charm again. No one has ever asked me to ‘accompany’ them before, and I wonder if we’ve accidentally taken a wrong turn and wandered into a Jane Austen novel. On the one hand, this is clearly aterribleidea, but on the other hand, his smile has set off butterflies in my stomach, and the thought of spending time with him is absolutely irresistible.
‘If it's not weird to walk in the woods with a strange man,’ he continues before I’ve answered. ‘Not that I am strange. Well, everyone's a little bit strange, aren't they? I just meant in terms of being a stranger and a man. A stranger man. A man stranger?’
I'm laughing so hard that I no longer care if he's a stranger. ‘I’d love to.’
His answering smile takes my breath away. It seems as though nothing has ever made him happier and I feel as I did at the ball – like we’re the only two people in the world. He holds his arm out and I hook my hand through the crook of his elbow just like I did the other night, and he glances down at it, and for just a second, I’m certain heknows, and I wait for the inevitable confrontation, but it doesn’t come.
I don’t know if I’m disappointed or relieved. Maybe both? Iwantedhim to have paid enough attention the other night to realise who I am, but at the same time, the plan of finding the missing Cinderella and any chance of bringing our shop back to life would have been over if he did, so it’s probably for the best.
Ever After Street is shaped like a wishbone; the narrow end is the entrance from the main road, and then it gradually widens until it splits in two, and in the middle is an area with flowerbeds, benches and picnic tables. The fork of the road to the left leads to a craft area for children and a carousel to ride, and then onwards to the Full Moon Forest and the castle, and the fork to the right leads to more fairy-tale-themed shops and meanders further towards Christmas Ever After, the section of the street where it’s Christmas all year round.
We wander towards the castle end of Ever After Street in gentle silence. There’s a noticeboard by the carousel, and he stops to frown at one of Scarlett’s flyers and the photo of himself. ‘When I was looking at the posters just now, I couldn’t help noticing all the anti-supermarket stuff that’s up too. Selling the castle is not a popular decision around here, I take it?’
‘No. Particularly not to a supermarket, who we’ve heard is the most likely buyer?’ I ask pointedly, hoping he might chime in with some insider information, but he stays frustratingly quiet, so I continue on. ‘There have been a lot of protests, there’s an anti-supermarket campaign on social media and every shop is running its own petition, which are collated on a weekly basis.’ I explain about the impact a supermarket would have on Ever After Street and he listens intently. ‘But we’re helpless, really. The castle belongs to whoever it belongs to and we can’t stop it being sold. I just wish it was to someone who would keep it as it is, not demolish it and turn it into a supermarket. The world doesn’t need more supermarkets – it does need more fairy-tale castles.’
‘At least supermarkets are useful. What good is a decrepit old castle to the world? Just another thing that some poor sod has got to keep pouring money into for maintenance. Better to knock it down and be done with it. Still, maybe you’ll get your wish – the ball was intended to attract more interest and higher offers. That’s how I was forced into letting it go ahead.’
‘That was you?’
‘I’m in charge of the castle on behalf of the owner while the sale goes through. I’m not one for parties and I hated the idea. I’m trying to empty the castle and I’ve had to work around teams of decorators bringing more stuffin, and cleaners, and they had to get the electrics checked after so long, then there were plumbers, and…’ He makes a noise of frustration. ‘It’s been a whirlwind. I was supposed to be in and out, but it’s put me so far behind. The estate agency thought it would be worthwhile, but it doesn’t seem to have earned my potential buyers any goodwill from the locals.’ He points to a picture on the noticeboard of a supermarket that someone’s printed out and painted a big red X over.
