‘I’m sure I have much to learn.’ Leona smiled without it reaching her eyes. She half-turned so that Emma was given the cold shoulder. Literally.
Whoops. From the sour look on Leona’s face, that hadn’t gone down well. Emma didn’t want to start out on the wrong foot. They’d be working in a small team and it helped to get on together but it seemed whatever she said to the woman got misconstrued. Without thinking, she launched into a jokey apology. ‘Oops. Soz. Me and my big mouth. I didn’t mean to imply you’re unfriendly. It’s just that a small town is different from a big city.’ It couldn’t have been a worse thing to say.
‘In so many ways,’ Leona replied, without turning.
Stop talking now, Emma said to herself. You’re just digging that hole even deeper, girlfriend. She sucked her lips shut and made a mute appeal to Tash.
Tash glanced between the two. ‘I’m sure there’s no offence taken, Em.’
Leona shrugged her thin shoulders ever so slightly. ‘Of course not.’
‘You’ve been handpicked by our ex-manager Pete, haven’t you?’ Tash added, pointedly changing the subject. ‘And you’re on the fast-track programme? That’s fantastic. And a degree as well?’
Leona preened. ‘That’s right, Tash. In Business Studies from Plymouth uni. A first, actually.’ She gave Emma a look from under immaculate mink-shaded eyelashes. ‘Can I ask your backgrounds?’
Tash explained she’d come straight into the job from A levels. ‘It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,’ she added. ‘And I really wanted to learn on the job. ‘Made it to become the youngest branch manager in the company a year ago.’
‘How marvellous,’ Leona said. ‘And what about you, Erin?’
Emma refused to rise to the bait. In truth, she didn’t know how to. She got on with most people she met and was fairly easy-going. This immediate and undeserved antagonism was new to her. ‘It’s Emma,’ she answered, equably. ‘And I never really knew what I wanted to do.’ She shrugged. ‘Did a few dead-end jobs, pubs and waitressing mostly, and then joined here when I was twenty-two. Liked it, so I stayed.’
‘Emma’s skill is her ability to hone in on what people want,’ Tash said, loyally. ‘I’ve yet to meet anyone she couldn’t charm. In this business it’s people skills as well as qualifications that get the job done.’ She smiled. ‘That, and the ability to stay calm when all around you is chaos.’
‘And that is my real talent,’ Emma put in, laughing. ‘If you live with a family like mine, it’s a developed survival tactic.’
‘Fascinating,’ Leona said, making it clear it was anything but. ‘So neither of you have any qualifications beyond school?’
Tash and Emma’s eyes met. ‘Nope,’ they said in unison.
‘Oh.’
The phone rang, piercing the frozen silence and making them jump. Emma rose to answer it. ‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to manage this,’ she muttered. ‘What with only my GCSEs and all.’
Tash shot her a look. ‘Let’s go into the back office, shall we, Leona? I can fill you in a bit more and we can agree on your workload for this week.’ They got up and disappeared through the kitchen.
Emma watched them. She and Tash got on well and had done so ever since they’d begun working together. Despite Tash being her boss, they were more like friends. She hoped the arrival of Leona, who had the makings of being a prize A bitch, wouldn’t change that. Fervently praying that it was just first day nerves that had made the woman so unlikeable, she picked up the phone. She put on her best estate agent’s voice and answered it.
The creamy evening September sunshine, shining through the vast, double-height windows of the reading area in Millie’s bookshop, turned everyone a mellow autumnal shade. Since its launch, the previous month, the bookshop had turned into a roaring success. Much to the relief of owners, married couple Millie and Jed, and manager Amy. Even at this late hour there were people downstairs in the main shop, browsing the bookshelves and enjoying its unique, chilled atmosphere.
Emma looked around at the mezzanine reading area with admiration. ‘Another book group.’ She rubbed her hands together. ‘I love it! Millie and Jed have made a real success of this place – and in such a short space of time too. It’s a fabby extension to their café.’
‘I know,’ Tash answered. ‘Doesn’t seem five minutes since the launch party last month. I’m so pleased for her. I really admire her – so hardworking. She had a shitty time when her parents died. Had to give up going to university and everything. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she took over the café and worked 24-7. And it’s lovely to see her so happy with Jed too. She deserves all the happiness she can get.’ She sipped her wine appreciatively. ‘The catering is always great at book club too.’
Emma eyed her. ‘You going soft in your old age? Not like you to be sentimental.’
‘Nothing sentimental about it. Millie just gets on with things and I respect that. I’ve got to know her a bit better lately at the commerce meetings and she’s always full of enthusiasm about everything she does. And she’s got a lot on her plate too. The café, the wedding planning business, and now this place.’
‘Just as well she’s got Petra in to manage the café, then.’ Emma winked salaciously. ‘Mind you, I’d be pretty motivated to get into work too, if I worked alongside a husband who looked like Jed Henville. There’s something about him that makes me very … enthusiastic.’
Tash laughed. ‘Emma, it’s about time you stopped lusting over other men, isn’t it? What with you having the lovely Ollie in tow.’
‘Ollie is lovely,’ Emma said, robustly. ‘But I’ve still got eyes, haven’t I? And hormones. No harm in looking. Keeps the blood flowing, or so my Auntie Tess says.’ She screwed up her face in a leer, a picture of Jed’s blond hair, wicked brown eyes and long legs springing into her mind. ‘And come on, Tash, have you seen the man?’
‘He’s very easy on the eye, I agree,’ Tash agreed, serenely. ‘And, more importantly, he is completely and utterly besotted with his wife, Millie,’ she said, emphasizing the word “wife”.
‘As if I’d do anything to stop that! Even if I could. Great believer in the sanctity of marriage, me.’
‘Are you?’ Tash looked at her curiously. ‘I never knew that.’
‘Yup. You might think it’s old-fashioned but I think marriage is the only way. Got some great examples in my family. Mum and Dad, Uncle Ken and Aunty Tess. They bicker like crazy but they love each other to bits, really. That’s what I want. Eventually.’ Emma stuck her nose into her glass and swallowed some wine, aware she might have revealed too much. She and Tash didn’t often get this deep. She deflected the focus back onto Tash. ‘And here’s you, all loved up with a fit new man.’ Emma made googly eyes. ‘You’re still at the stage when you don’t notice anyone else, let alone a hottie. Maybe it’ll be you asking Millie to plan a wedding next. How long’s it been now?’
‘Since