Page 57 of The Breakup Bookshop

‘Oh Eilidh, I know. I can’t imagine how hard that would be. But the boys have an amazing life here with you every day. A week away won’t change that. Plus, you could take them away sometime, too, if you wanted?’

She shakes her head. ‘I don’t think I could right now, Ava. It is taking all my energy just to get through the day, you know? I’m in sheer survival mode, doing the bare minimum until I can collapse in bed at the end of the night.’

‘I get that. You should start thinking about what makes you happy, though, Eilidh. I know you’re all about the sales and spreadsheets, but don’t you have a passion for something? Maybe something creative that you could turn your attention to for a bit of an escape?’

‘I don’t have a creative bone in my body,’ she says, and I laugh. ‘But the books that you’ve recommended are good. I’m reading constantly. It’s really helping me, actually.’

‘Nothing like a good murder story to cheer you up. That was Granny’s advice,’ I say. ‘Well, you’re welcome here any time. You know that. And not just so you can lecture me on my finances, either. Will I get a bill for this chat, by the way?’

‘As if. You know, you’re right. I might just try and book a holiday, even if it’s only away to a caravan for a few days. Our camping holidays were always their favourites.’

I smile at the idea of Harry and Caden, who have everything they could ever ask for and more, with the biggest house I’d ever seen in real life, losing their minds at the idea of a caravan holiday.

Having money isn’t everything.

But not having it, well, I’m realizing that isn’t ideal either.

*

Finlay pops his head into the bookshop at lunchtime. ‘Hey, Local Hero. Can I have your autograph?’

‘You’ll need to speak to my agent.’

‘How did you get Rory to agree to speak on national TV? He gets embarrassed if people overhear him talking in the pub.’

‘I didn’t ask him. Well, I did, and he said no. But then he changed his mind.’

Finlay raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again.

‘Where are all your little dog friends?’ I ask. ‘It’s weird to see you without your army around your ankles.’

‘I know, I feel naked without them. I’m on my way to Rory’s to pick up Piper just now. Then I’m going to get Bonnie, Donna’s poodle. She’s high maintenance.’

‘Donna or Bonnie?’

‘Bonnie! I can only really take Bonnie on her own or with Piper. She gets anxious and nippy around the other dogs.’

‘You could ask if Donna wanted to accompany you on a dog walk sometime? Or you could come along to the next breakup bookshop? I happen to know you’ll find her here.’

The looks they give each other, the awkward little interactions, their shared history. There’s definitely something unresolved between Donna and Finlay. While I know logically that relationships take a lot more to work than a shared interest in dogs, I can’t shake the feeling that they’re meant to be together. And that optimism is really something, coming from someone who is right at the bottom of a deep, dark love-hole. It would be amazing to see them try and work it out.

‘I’m trying to avoid her right now,’ he confesses.

‘Why would you want to avoid her?’

‘She hasn’t told you? Iknewshe was embarrassed about it.’ The tops of his ears turn pink.

‘Tell me.’

‘We had been getting… close again recently.’

My hand flies to my mouth. ‘Closeclose?’

‘Yep, after the whisky night,’ he nods. ‘But she’s clearly embarrassed about it or regretting it. She broke up with me all those years ago. I asked her to reconsider; I would have done anything to get back with her. I told her I was ready for the works: marriage, family, everything. I guess she didn’t want that with me then or now. I should just move on and let her go again.’

He lets out a long sigh. Poor Finlay. I shouldn’t have pushed him to tell me all this. Donna hasn’t mentioned rekindling with Finlayat all, so maybe he’s right. Maybe she does regret it.

‘I’m sorry, Finlay,’ I say. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed it. Maybe she’s just… shy?’