Page 23 of The Secret Christmas Bookshop
‘Right.’ Dexter nodded, then looked away.
‘God.’ Lucy sighed. ‘Adults areso awkward.’
‘Just wait until you’re a teenager,’ Dexter said, then gave Sophie a horrified look. ‘My daughter is going to be a teenager.’
‘Not for four years.’ Sophie didn’t point out that she was already acting like one.
‘You’re so cringe, Dad,’ Lucy said. ‘Can I go outside and play with Clifton on the grass?’
‘Uncle Clifton would love that,’ Sophie told her. Lucy grinned and hurried out of the door. ‘She’s a happy handful,’ she said to Dexter once they were alone.
‘Yeah, she’s amazing.’ Dexter rolled his shoulders. ‘She keeps me on my toes, which I need. And she’s happy, which is the main thing I care about.’
‘She’s very lucky to have you.’
‘Right.’ Dexter looked pensive all of a sudden, so she took the initiative to stop him from having to ask.
‘I can’t exactly speak with much authority, but I think having one stable, loving parent is a gift. Of course, Lucy will miss some things not having her mum in her life, but you’re doing an amazing job of being all the parent she needs.’
‘I worry about it,’ Dexter said. ‘But I always make her my priority – or I try to.’
‘It shows.’
‘Jane Eyrewas the book you were given by this mysterious, secret bookshop?’
‘I know.’ Sophie laughed. ‘One of the most famous orphans in literature. But I’m creeping up on forty, so I don’t really think of myself as an orphan any more.’
‘It was someone who knows you well enough, though,’ Dexter said. ‘To know that about you, I mean.’
‘But we live in Mistingham,’ Sophie pointed out, remembering how May had mentioned her upbringing the other day, too. ‘It only takes one person to have that nugget of information, then the entire village does.’
Dexter returned her smile. ‘One of the curses of living here.’
‘How many curses can one place have?’
Sophie jumped at the deep voice behind her, and Dexter’s easy smile morphed into shock.
She turned to find Harry Anderly in the doorway. He was wearing jeans and a grey and black checked shirt, the sleeves rolled up, showing off forearms that were tanned despite it being November. His brown hair was unkempt, and stubble covered his jaw. It was obvious that he didn’t care a whole lot about his appearance, and yet he was talland broad-shouldered, his features classically handsome, then with all the edges roughened in a way that should have dulled the effect but somehow enhanced it.
His glance flitted between her and Dexter while they both stared at him. Then he shrugged and said, ‘It was a rhetorical question anyway. What specific curse were you talking about?’
Sophie found her voice first. ‘The curse of everyone here knowing your business after you’ve told a single person.’
‘Ah. That one. It’s why I tend not to share details too widely.’
‘Except about your dogs—’
‘Could I have a seeded sourdough please, Dexter?’ Harry spoke over Sophie, then gave her a stern look.
She felt a pleasant shiver run through her, but she set her expression to mild indifference and murmured, ‘You can’t keep it quiet for ever.’
‘I can try,’ he said, leaning towards her. ‘I see it was a mistake to trust you with it.’
Was heteasingher? She mimed zipping her lips closed.
‘How are you, Dex?’ Harry asked.
Dexter took a few seconds to reply. ‘Great, thanks. Yeah, I’m … I’m good.’
