Page 36 of The Breakup Bookshop

I walk outside to gaze at the shop’s exterior. It has changed completely, from the off-white dull unit to a mint-green shop front proudly declaring the shop’s name: The Next Chapter.

As I look up at the bookshop sign, Rory walks outside and leans against a lamp post.

‘Admiring your work?’

I nod proudly. ‘Yup. I can’t believe it’s all finished. I think I’ve aged at least ten years in the past two months, but it’s done. You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you? You’ll talk to everyone about the mural and not utter a single word about how my bookshop isn’t needed in Ullapool, correct?’

‘Scout’s honour.’

King Rory of Ullapool is my local VIP guest, alongside the actual VIP in Richard the author, who is going to stay at a local bed and breakfast. The whole village has been on ‘Richard watch’ for days. No one has spotted him in the wild yet, but rumour has it he’ll arrive very soon.

‘What are your plans to celebrate?’

‘I’m going to take my first ever soak in the bath upstairs,’ I declare. ‘I’m going to stare at the garish green tiles in the bathroom and picture you removing them. Only one month until I’ve won our bet.’

‘Nothing wrong with the tiles.’

‘There won’t be, as soon as you change them. Anyway, I’m going. Don’t work too hard.’

Climbing the stairs from the bookshop up to my apartment is like going from heaven into hell. I can’t wait to start bringing in some cash so I can, first of all, break even, and second, start transforming my flat. The ideas are all lined up and ready to go, but my bank balance is sternly against me taking any action just yet.

As I start to run the bath, I glare at the green tiles that line the narrow bathroom. My nemesis. I can’t wait for Rory to rip them off the wall. I plan to cheer triumphantly behind him as he does it. I run the water for a couple of minutes, the old pipes taking a while to warm up.

I take out some bubble bath and pour it under the water, hoping the scent overpowers the musty scent in the bathroom. Pressing play on my independent women playlist, I turn the volume right up as I start to undress while dancing around the small space.

I lower myself into the bath and stretch out, enjoying the perfect temperature. If I close my eyes, I don’t even have to look at the tiles. I can dream of my Pinterest board instead. As the song comes to an end, I hear a weird screeching sound outside. I ignore it, hoping it will go away and stop disturbing my peace. But, as the next song starts, I hear it again, despite the beat of the music. I sit forward, turn the music off and listen intently.

‘Ava!’

It sounds like a man straining his voice outside. Weird. I jump out of the bath, wrap a towel around myself, and listen for it again.

‘Ava!’

There it is.

Even in the two syllables of my name, I detect the urgency.

I dash along the hallway wearing only my towel. I take the stairs as quickly as humanly possible down to the bookshop. Seb flashes into my mind. Is hehere? I shake my head. Surely not. Just because the voice is male, it doesn’t mean it belongs to Seb.

‘Ava!’ he roars again.

I fling open the door. Rory stands outside in the street, gazing up at my flat.

‘I’m here,’ I call over. ‘What is it?’

He glances at my towel before rather too deliberately meeting my eye. Do I detect some hesitancy in his expression? Like he doesn’t know where to look. He runs a hand over his hair and starts to knead the back of his neck. I pull the towel up higher and hold it tight to my body. Jesus. How embarrassing.

‘I think your bath is leaking,’ he says. ‘I’ve got water seeping in through the ceiling.’

Oh.

Fuuuuuck.

My hand flies to my mouth. Rory averts his gaze just in case, but thankfully the towel remains in place.

‘I can come and have a look?’ Rory offers, before clearing his throat. ‘At the bath, I mean.’

His face flushes. I wonder what he’s getting all flustered about. I’m the one with water pouring into his shop space. I nod as he follows me inside. I pad along the bookshop floor towards the stairs. Rory stops and gazes up at the ceiling.