Page 52 of The Breakup Bookshop

My post-breakup-bookshop glow lasts for days.

Everyone seems to be talking about it, and next week’s attendance list is growing daily. Donna raves about it to her clients as she styles their hair, Fiona encourages her cafe clientele to come along, and Pete mentions it on his postal rounds.

Rory, to my surprise, agrees that the breakup bookshop may have thawed the ice queen upstairs. He turns up one afternoon, paintbrush in hand, declaring it’s time to fix the mural in the shop that Margaret seems so taken with. My heart thuds with appreciation; I haven’t even had to ask him. Verging on friends with Rory is a much better place to be. I take over The Toolbox that afternoon and the following day, until it’s completed. This time, I leave him a thank you note with a cheque for the full promised payment, tucking the envelope beneath a plastic waste pipe on his counter, so he doesn’t miss it.

The next morning, as I gaze gratefully up at the mural, restored to its full glory, my phone processes the updates. Somehow, overnight, I’ve gained a whole raft of new followers on my social media pages.

I scroll through my feed trying to make sense of it. Several people seem to have tagged me in a post. I frown, wondering what has happened.

Then I notice that the great and gorgeous Richard J. Walker has tagged me in a post. I click on it. Not only has he written a social media post praising the bookshop, he’s also included it in his weekly column in theDaily Courier. A national newspaper. My heart thuds in my chest as I access the link. This kind of publicity is priceless.

He starts the article by saying that an ‘old friend’ invited him to speak at a bookshop in Ullapool and goes on to say he’s been ‘utterly charmed’ by the village’s beauty, character and residents (I am pretty sure Eilidh is the only one he actually looked at while he was here, but that’s by the by). He proclaims that The Next Chapter bookshop is fast becoming the beating heart of the Ullapool community, with its quirky ideas, from the blind-date books to the breakup support group. Apparently, he’s been keeping up with my antics online.

Yes! I punch the air and step back out into the courtyard to call Eilidh.

‘I’m in love with your ex,’ I say, as soon as she answers the phone.

‘Oh, good morning, Ava, you’re on speaker. I’m taking Harry and Caden to school,’ she shouts back.

‘Oh, sorry. Hi boys!’

They call hello as I die inside.

‘They’re just getting out of the car now,’ she shouts, and there are some muffled reminders about lunchboxes and schoolbags. ‘Okay, they’re gone.’

‘Oops, sorry,’ I say.

‘Don’t worry, they were squabbling so loudly in the back I doubt they heard you. Why are you in love with my ex?’

‘He’s written an article in theDaily Courierabout his wonderful visit to Ullapool and my bookshop! I will kiss him if you don’t!’

‘Wow. That’s amazing, Ava.’

‘I know! I’m sending you the link right now,’ I say, pinging it over to her.

She sits in silence for a moment as she reads the article. ‘It sounds like he was completely captivated by Ullapool. When Mark first came here, all he could do was talk about leaving. But Richard writes about the place so beautifully.’

‘The one that got away…’

‘I don’t know about that. Anyway, I’m delighted he was able to come along and write about the bookshop. Job done.’

‘I need all the help I can get, don’t I? Can’t hide from you, Eilidh, the Ullapool Savings Expert. You’ve seen my figures.’

‘It takes every new business time to get established and start making a profit. But yes, looking at the stats, you do need all these fantastic ideas and initiatives to start paying off soon,’ she admits.

I take a deep breath. ‘Okay. It will happen. I’m manifesting it. We’re putting good energy into the universe that Richard J.’s article is going to propel the bookshop into financial success.’

‘I’ll stick to the spreadsheets.’

‘We all have our strengths, Eilidh. You stick to your facts and figures, and I’ll continue to live in a fantasy land with my books.’

‘Well done on the article. Everything he said is true, by the way.’

‘Send Richard a message to say thank you! And ask him on a date!’

She laughs again. ‘I am not asking him out, Ava. But I will message. Just to say thanks.’

‘You can say thanks with a dinner?’