Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

T aking her laptop to the table, Bea set it down before looking out of the large window onto the green. It was almost dark outside already, and with the wind blowing the trees, the branches took on a live of their own dancing across the skyline.

She looked across to the door to the flat as it opened ajar and Isaac peered through the small gap. ‘Auntie Bea?'

‘Hey, Isaac. I thought you were in bed?'

‘I was but I woke up. I had a bad dream.' He held onto the door handle tightly.

‘Oh, sweetie. Where's Mummy?'

‘She's asleep on the sofa with Peony.'

Bea smiled. It didn't surprise Bea one bit, she'd heard Lindsey get up at least three times during the night last night with Peony. Standing up, she walked across to the door and held her hand out. ‘Shall we go and find your special teddy?'

Nodding, Isaac took her hand and followed her back up to the flat.

At the top of the stairs, Bea opened the door and saw that Lindsey had fallen asleep, curled up on the sofa with Peony in her arms.

‘I don't want to go to bed on my own, Auntie Bea.' Isaac looked up at her, his eyes wide.

‘Don't worry we'll see if Peony will come with us.' Letting go of Isaac's hand, she gently scooped Peony up in her arms, holding her breath as she did so. The last thing she wanted was to wake her young niece. If she did, she knew Lindsey would wake too as Bea wasn't sure she'd be able to get her back to sleep.

‘Shh, shh, let's get you to bed, Peony.' Bea whispered as she carried Peony through to the spare bedroom. Once inside, she looked across at Isaac as she knelt on the floor next to the makeshift bed Lindsey and Rob had made for the kids. ‘Can you just pull back the covers for me please, Isaac.'

Nodding, he did as he was asked.

‘Thank you.' Laying Peony, down, Bea watched as she flopped her tiny arms above her head, her eyes still closed. ‘Come on then, your turn.in you get.'

Isaac climbed onto the makeshift bed and snuggled down next to his sister, closing his eyes the moment Bea tucked him in.

‘Night, night, sweethearts.' Bea whispered as she quietly closed the door behind her. Once in the living room, she picked up the woollen throw from the armchair and laid it over her sister.

Closing the door to the flat again, Bea turned and stifled a scream as she spotted a figure at the bottom of the stairs.

‘It's just me, Bea. It's Rob.' Holding his hands up, palms forward, Rob spoke quickly.

‘Sorry, I didn't hear you come in.'

‘Haha, sorry.' Rob grinned. As he shook his trainers off into the heap of shoes by the door. ‘You'll be pleased to hear the house is almost liveable again. The electrics have all been checked today so we can start the clean-up operation tomorrow.'

‘Oh, really?'

‘You sound disappointed? Don't tell me you're enjoying being woken up by Peony three times a night and that you'll miss the mess.' Rob chuckled.

Bea shrugged. ‘Umm, I won't miss the screaming wake up calls, but I'll miss you guys, yes. The flat will seem eerily quiet when you all move back home.'

‘Well, I'm sure we can dump the kids off with you every couple of weeks to babysit.' Rob gave her one of his lop-sided grins.

‘You're more than welcome to.' She smiled.

‘Anyway, he's a good bloke, that Scott.'

‘Scott? What's anything to do with him?'

‘Well, he was the one who came and checked the electrics for us. Fitted us in between another job, he did. Free of charge too.'

Bea opened her mouth to speak before closing it again, unsure how to answer. She cleared her throat. ‘Did he… umm… say anything about last night?'

‘He did.' Rob walked halfway up the stairs before sitting down and tapping the step next to him.

Walking to meet him, Bea sank to the carpet, her hands clapped in her lap. ‘What did he say?'

‘He said he knew he'd made a mistake, that he'd spoken out of turn, but he cares about you.' Rob looked at her. ‘I think the exact words he said were something along the lines that he can feel himself falling for you.'

‘Falling for me?' Her voice, even to her own ears, sounded high-pitched.

‘Yep. Pretty sure that's what he said.' Rob nudged her with his shoulder. ‘And he was asking my advice on how to make it up to you, how to show you that he knows he made a mistake.'

Bea clasped her hands tighter. ‘And what did you say?'

‘I told him to just speak to you. To tell you he was sorry and ask you to forgive him.'

She frowned. ‘So why hasn't he got int ouch then.'

‘Because he was planning to take you to dinner to apologise but he only just left our house when I did.'

‘Oh.' She slumped her shoulders. ‘But picking up the phone is better than not picking up the phone.'

‘I know that, you know that, but he wants to impress you. Look, don't tell him I said anything, will you. Act surprised in the morning when he comes round, okay?'

He was coming round in the morning? She closed her eyes. She'd have preferred it if he'd just spoken to her. She didn't need a fancy meal; she didn't need to be wined and dined. She just needed him. That was all. ‘I won't.'

‘Good.' Standing up, he patted her on the shoulder. ‘Night, Bea.'

‘Night.' She listened to his footsteps as he mounted the stairs and heard the door open and closed before she lowered her head into her lap. She wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand she was touched that he was planning this big surprise tomorrow but on the other she just wanted to feel his arms around her. Now.

‘Come on, come on.' Bea jerked her head up to look at the clock before tapping the return button on her laptop again. She had ten minutes to get this order form submitted or else Mr Daly's books wouldn't arrive in time. She normally ordered them straight away after he'd been but with everything going on she'd forgotten and now she might just end up letting her best customer down.

Taking a deep breath, she tried again. Nope. Still nothing. Why wasn't it sending? Leaning her elbows on the table, she dug the heels of her hands into her eyes trying to think. She could ask Rob but after the disaster he'd caused at their house when trying to fix the plumbing she didn't fancy her chances.

That left only one other person. She'd have to wake Lyndsey. No, she couldn't do that. Although Lyndsey was a whizz with the computers, she was asleep and she needed to get as much sleep in before Peony woke up again.

So that was it. Mr Daly wasn't going to get his books next week. She'd failed as a bookshop owner.

Unless… No, she couldn't. Looking at the laptop again, she pressed her thumb against the return button again.

She'd have to. She'd have to run across the green and ask Scott. Scott who she hadn't seen all day. Scott who she'd had a go at the last time she'd spoken to her.

She bit down on her bottom lip. Scott who, according to Rob, was falling for her. Scott who, again according to Rob, was busy planning an apology meal. Scott who wanted to get back with her. Scott who she wanted to get back with.

She looked up at the clock again. Seven minutes now. She didn't have time to sit here and list the pros and cons of asking him for help.

Standing up, she tucked the laptop under her arm and rushed around the table towards the door. Pulling it shut behind her, she crossed the road and ran across the green, slowing to a walk as she crossed the road on the other side.

Pausing outside his shop, Bea jumped from foot to foot. What if he was asleep? He'd had a busy day, she knew that from what Enid and Rob had told her, he might well be asleep now. She didn't want to wake him.

As she looked at his shop window, she spotted movement before the light was switched on, a brilliant white shining around the edges of the blinds. He was awake.

Running to the door, she knocked gently. After a few moments, she tried again, louder this time.

She stepped back as the locked rattled and the door was pulled open and Scott appeared in the doorway.

‘Bea?'

‘Umm, Scott.' She shifted her laptop beneath her arm before tucking her hair behind her ear.

‘I've got so much I want to say to you. I'm so sorry for what happened last night. I can't tell you how many times I've picked up the phone to call you but a phone call just didn't seem enough. I…'

‘Sorry, Scott. Could you help me with something first? Please?' She hopped from foot to foot. All she wanted to do was to fling herself into his arms, to tell him she forgave him, but she needed to get that form sent off.

‘Yes, of course.' Shaking himself, he stepped aside. ‘Come on in.'

Walking inside, Bea lowered the laptop to the counter and opened it before checking the time. ‘I've got about three minutes to submit this order and the return button is stuck.' She jabbed at it again.

‘No problem. Let me take a look.' Pulling the laptop towards him, Scott began tapping away.

Turning around, Bea leaned against the counter as she took in the sight in front of her. Scott had pushed the middle aisle to the side and instead had placed a small circular table in the centre, covered in a red tablecloth and set with plates and candles. Fairy lights were strung across the shelves and vases of flowers placed between toasters, kettles and hairdryers on the shelves.

Bea gasped. Was this why he hadn't picked up the phone? Was this what he'd been planning?

Scott cleared his throat. ‘All done.'

‘Thank you.' She spoke quietly, still taking in the scene in front of her. ‘Did you do all this?'

‘I was going to ask you over for dinner tonight, but I got back a bit later than planned.' He ran his fingers through his hair.

‘Because you were helping Rob with the electrics at the house?'

‘That's right.' Scott manoeuvred himself so he was standing in front of her, the table behind him. ‘I really am sorry for the way I spoke to Adam yesterday. I've… I've not had much luck with exes, and I spoke out of turn. I really am sorry.'

Taking his hands in hers, she felt herself instantly relax at his touch. ‘Enid told me about your ex.'

He nodded. ‘I thought she might. I know it's no excuse but when I heard him trying to move in on you…'

‘He wasn't trying to move in on me. He was being self-centred.' She shrugged. He had just been being selfish, hadn't he? Not that the reason really mattered now. Scott mattered. Their relationship mattered, she could see that now.

Scott nodded. ‘I just… I should have let it lie.'

Now it was her turn to nod. ‘Thank you.'

Letting go of her hands, Scott held his arms open wide.

Stepping forward, she leaned her head against his shoulder as she felt his arms wrap around her and smiled. This was where she wanted to be.