Page 24 of The Secret Christmas Bookshop
‘And Lucy? I saw her outside playing with a black mop. Strange toy for a nine-year-old.’
‘That’s mydog.’Sophie was incredulous. It seemed Harry Anderlywascapable of teasing.
‘I know,’ he said. ‘I met Clifton, remember?’
‘Lucy’s really well too.’ Dexter sounded cautiously bewildered, like he was waiting for the trick to be revealed. ‘How are you, Harry?’
‘I’m OK, thanks. Dealing with the consequences of listening to other people, rather than trusting my own instincts.’
‘You mean volunteering for festival planning?’ Sophie asked him.
‘Igotvolunteered,’ Harry pointed out. ‘And it makes no sense. I’m enemy number one because I want to protect the oak, so why anyone’s keen for me to get involved in their precious festival, I don’t know.’
‘Maybe it’s an olive branch?’ Dexter suggested.
‘Or it’s punishment,’ Harry said. ‘Not sure how getting me to do community service is an olive branch.’
Sophie folded her arms. ‘You think working with me is a punishment?’
Harry opened his mouth, and she had a delicious moment of seeing him lost for words.
‘Anyone would be lucky to work with you, Sophie,’ Dexter said sincerely, and she blew him a kiss.
‘We need to get together,’ Harry said abruptly. ‘Meet up to start planning it. The sooner we start, the sooner it’ll be over.’
‘That’s the spirit,’ Sophie said brightly. The look she got in return could have frozen her eyelashes.
‘Anything else for you, Harry?’ Dexter put his wrapped loaf on top of the glass cabinet.
‘Um.’ Harry released Sophie from his glare and looked at the display of pastries. He was closer to her now, and she remembered how he’d taken her hand, pressing gently, turning it over as if it was something precious. He smelled of fresh air and grass, something darker and spicier underneath. ‘A steak slice, please,’ he said, oblivious to Sophie’s scattering thoughts.
‘Good choice.’ Dexter got his tongs.
‘What shall we do first, then?’ Sophie forced herself to ask. ‘I wasn’t here last year, so I don’t know what it’s supposedto be like. But Winnie could be our starting point. I’m sure she’d help.’
‘She’d make it torturous,’ Harry said.
‘Why?’
‘Have you metWinnie?’
‘Of course! She’s nice – she runs the post office as well as the hotel. She’s clearly efficient.’
‘She’s also a menace.’
‘A menace whose hotel sells the best chocolate eclairs in Norfolk?’
‘May said you loved the eclair.’
‘What else did she say?’
Harry shrugged. ‘You’re right: we should speak to Winnie first. Otherwise we’ll be floundering in the dark.’
‘Great. When?’
‘What about when you finish work tomorrow, unless you have other plans?’
‘That’s fine,’ Sophie said. ‘We’re usually done at five on a Tuesday.’
