Page 121 of The Bookshop of Memories

‘Well, as you’re here on holiday, it might be a bit difficult trying to order DVDs online and getting them delivered.’

‘Exactly – it’s not like I have any DVDs of my show lying around.’

‘I’ll bring them along with me tomorrow. She told me where she keeps them.’

‘Won’t she miss them, though?’

Toby said, ‘No, they’re online now, on a catch-up channel she watches. But I don’t expect the old ladies have things like that.’

Callum shook his head. ‘That’s doubtful.’

Thea said, ‘That’s fine, I’ll put it in the diary in my phone so I remember to bring them with me.’

‘Great.’ Callum watched her get her mobile phone out. He wanted her number. ‘I’ll nip across the yard and let them know I’ll have the DVDs for them tomorrow.’

Callum was just walking to the door, when Thea said, ‘You’re an actor, right? How did you learn bookbinding? I know it’s quite a specialised skill.’

Callum said, ‘My dad.’

‘Hey, what a coincidence. My dad used to do that too. He used to run this bookshop.’

Callum swallowed. ‘What happened to him?’

‘He disappeared when I was nine.’

As Callum stepped out of the shop, he got out his wallet and took out the photo of the two girls. When he turned around, hiding the photo behind his back, he caught her smiling at him through the open doorway. His face dropped when he saw the little girl in the young woman standing before him.

Oh, my god. I think she’s my sister.

Chapter 45

‘Hey, it’s nice to see you,’ said Thea. ‘Did it slip your mind about our plan yesterday to have lunch, and then help Toby out bookbinding?’

Callum had just stepped into the shop. Thea was there with a bucket and a sponge. She was wearing a pair of Marigolds. She had already cleared the outdated bestsellers from the display in the shop window and had been scrubbing the window when she’d spotted him enter Cobblers Yard and head straight in her direction. She’d waved and had been relieved when he’d waved back.

The previous day, Thea had been getting on with sorting out some of the books and had been surprised that Callum hadn’t returned after visiting the ladies in the charity shop across the yard. She’d wondered if his absence was down to something she’d said. He had seemed surprisingly keen about the plan to help Toby and her in the bookshop – not to mention having lunch together. She’d wondered what had changed his mind.

Toby had been looking out for him too, waiting all day for him to return to show him the next step in the bookbinding process, and Thea had felt guilty that it might have been her fault that Callum hadn’t shown up. Perhaps she had been a little too forward yesterday, and had made him feel uncomfortable.

Her joy at seeing him again was tempered with the possibility he might just be there to tell her the plan was off, and that he wasn’t coming back.

She mopped her brow with the soapy Marigold glove. ‘I remembered to bring the DVDs with me,’ Thea said hopefully as he walked up to her in the window. Perhaps that was all he’d turned up for.

Callum held up a paper bag. ‘I brought croissants, and—’ from behind his back he produced a tray with three takeaway cups, ‘two coffees for us, and a hot chocolate for my protégé. I am so sorry about yesterday. I …’

‘There’s no need to explain,’ said Thea. She was just over the moon to see him again.

‘Well, um … something came up. But I’m here now, ready to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in!’

Toby had been sitting on the couch with Winston, reading a book. They both got up at the sound of Callum’s voice and ran into the shop front. Winston ran straight up to Callum for a fuss.

The dog got a hiss for his troubles.

‘You’re back!’ exclaimed Toby. ‘And so is the cat!’

‘I have a confession to make,’ said Callum.

Thea stared at him, noticing that unlike the previous day, when he had been all smiles – and she’d assumed coming on to her – today he seemed … different. She saw him look at the cat by his feet.

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