The Little Bookshop at Herring Cove. Kellie Hailes

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СКАЧАТЬ look at the offer?’ Alexander’s head tipped to one side, as corrugated lines wrinkled his forehead.

      ‘I don’t need to. I’m not going to sell. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.’ Sophie stood, strode as purposefully as she knew how to the counter, then opened up her laptop and pretended to be engrossed with what she saw on the screen.

      Footfalls on the wooden floor told her Alexander was up and, hopefully, leaving. A shadow fell over the counter.

      Wishful thinking, then.

      ‘That piece of paper contains enough money for you to do anything you want in the world. To go anywhere. To start fresh.’

      Sophie fixed her most unimpressed look on her face, then looked up. ‘But what I want is to stay here in Herring Cove and run the bookshop. I don’t want to do any old thing. Go any old where. Or start fresh.’

      Despite his tan Alexander’s face paled, the hint of colour on his cheeks gone.

      She’d rattled him? Interesting. But not interesting enough for her to waste any more time on a man who wanted to take her life away from her.

      ‘Well, I’ve heard what you’ve had to say. You can go now.’ Beside the laptop, her mobile buzzed and lit up as an email notification came through.

      Sophie closed her eyes as she noted another reminder notice. This time for the power. Could she go without power? Could she run the bookshop without it? What did she really need power for? She ran through the list: no till, no cash machine, no kettle for cups of tea, no light to read books by late into the night. Conclusion? Allowing the power to be cut off was not an option.

      She glanced up at Alexander to remind him it was time to move on, but his eyes were on her phone, his hand on his chin, fingers stroking its smooth, freshly shaved skin.

      Had he seen the bill? Was he going to use it against her?

      His eyes met hers and he gave no indication that he’d seen evidence of her finances being in dire straits. Instead he pulled a wallet from the back pocket of his trousers, opened it and produced a nail.

      ‘Before I go, allow me. Please.’

      Before she could answer he knelt down, picked up the hammer and hit the nail square into the display shelf. He gave it a nudge and nodded. ‘That’ll hold.’

      ‘You didn’t have to do that.’ Sophie shut her laptop and made her way to the door, opened it. A sure sign to Alexander that it was time for him to leave.

      ‘I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.’ He gave the display shelf a pat that Sophie could almost describe as loving, then made his way to the door. ‘Well, thanks for hearing me out.’

      ‘No problem.’ Sophie waited for him to leave.

      And waited.

      Alexander showed no sign of leaving as his gaze flitted around the shop.

      ‘Waiting for me to bow?’

      ‘No, just thinking how great this place would look if the books were displayed in bookshelves like you find at a library. Though you’d need a few more bookshelves knocked up to make that happen.’

      Sophie followed his gaze. Saw what he saw. Row after row of bookshelves, the titles in order, neatly shelved, with popular books displayed throughout. One simple change could transform the store, without changing its rustic essence.

      One problem. Shelving cost money. And she didn’t have that.

      ‘Well, thanks for the advice.’ She inclined her head toward the street.

      ‘Anytime. See you round, Sophie.’

      ‘Ah, no you won’t. The deal is done, remember? You spoke. I listened.’

      A gleam of sparkling white teeth appeared as Alexander smiled, the lines of worry on his forehead disappearing. ‘I know that’s what I said, but here’s the thing. I don’t believe in the word “no”. I believe “no” is the first step of a business negotiation. It’s the first word on the way to a “yes”.’

      Sophie gripped the door knob, hoping it would hide her hand, which had begun to shake with anger. ‘If that’s the case, you’re about to discover what it feels like to hear a solid, firm, absolute “no” for the first time. I’m not selling All Booked Up. Not now. Not ever.’

      Sophie turned away from the door – Alexander could see himself out. Her outrage deepened as she caught his grin broadening. She curled her fingers into her palms, dug the nails in, let the pain focus her as she marched back to the counter.

      He had no idea who he was dealing with. Sophie had spent her life treasuring what was left of her family. The bookshop meant everything to her. And she wasn’t going to sell it or lose it without a fight.

      Alexander wouldn’t take no for an answer? He’d have to.

      Because Alexander Fletcher had met his match.

       CHAPTER TWO

      Alexander left the bookshop and Sophie without a backward glance. To do that would show Sophie how unsettled his encounter with her had made him.

      He dropped the grin he’d forced to his face and began the walk to the village’s only accommodation, a small B&B which, with its tiny rooms decorated with faded blue and yellow anchor-patterned wallpaper and shabby age-worn rugs, was a world away from his spacious mews home in London, where the colour scheme was shades of grey and off-white, and the furniture minimal.

      He shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and considered he and Sophie’s conversation.

      She was the first person he’d dealt with in over a decade of working in the family business to not open an offer letter. Most people couldn’t resist the crisp sheets of paper that held the answers to problems, offered the chance to chase one’s dreams. And once they saw the numbers written within the small square, couldn’t resist saying yes.

      He reached the end of the angled lane that led to a road that hugged the clifftops, along which cottages, mostly empty, sat in various stage of decay. He crossed the road, drawn to the view, leaned against the basic wooden railing, and took in the stretch of sapphire water that streaked out to the horizon where the sea and azure-coloured sky kissed.

      The rumble of rolling waves crashing upon the golden sand below and the fresh, briny air he breathed in did nothing to soothe him.

      His plan had not gone to plan. Not by a long shot.

      Get in. Make the offer. Show Sophie the benefits of having a Fletcher resort built in her village. Show Sophie the benefits of taking the deal offered to her. Then leave, and continue with the plan to bulldoze the businesses and create a first-class resort with top-of-the-line amenities and offerings. A day spa. Fine dining restaurant. Coaches on hand to teach everything from tennis to surfing to cake-baking if the person coughing up the money so desired.

      The end result being a transformed Herring Cove. Goodbye sleepy fishing village, hello vibrant, exciting place СКАЧАТЬ