Page 58 of Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop

LILY

‘Get that down you.’ Kadence placed a steaming bowl of carrot and coriander soup in front of me on Thursday lunchtime and pushed a basket of warm bread buns across the table.

I pushed them back. ‘I’m not hungry.’

‘It’s not optional.’ She shoved them towards me again with a little more force this time.

‘You’ve barely eaten a thing since you turned up on Monday and I’m not having you driving an hour back to Whitsborough Bay on an empty stomach.

Choose a bun and get it and your soup down your neck because you’re not leaving until you do. ’

‘Do you talk to all your patients like that?’ I asked, feeling both intimidated and impressed by my sister’s authoritative tone.

‘Only the ones who won’t do what’s good for them.’ She pushed the butter dish in my direction too. ‘You wouldn’t want to do battle with a pregnant woman, would you?’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake! If I eat the bread and the soup, will you stop your nagging?’

‘Absolutely, because my work here will be done.’

I picked up a bun and buttered it. Admittedly, it did smell delicious and my stomach was feeling empty. I dipped one half in my soup and bit into it, unable to resist an appreciative, ‘Mmmm.’

‘Good, isn’t it? You keep doing that until there’s nothing left.’

I took another bite.

‘So, what are you going to do about Lars?’

‘Kadence! You said you weren’t going to nag me.’

‘Not about food, but I am going to nag you about this. I don’t get you.

’ She shook her head. ‘That’s unfair. I get why you’re here and why you’re upset and I even understand your logic around not confronting him about what you heard.

What I don’t get is this… Even if he does have plans in place for some epic Nordic adventure, why would you even think of jumping ship?

I have never seen you as happy as you are with Lars.

We’ve all noticed it. You two are made for each other.

So what if he wants to explore his roots?

Let him go on his travels, get it out of his system or whatever, and then he can settle down and live happily ever after with you. ’

‘Let him travel? Let him get it out of his system? Just like Mum did with Justin? Cos that worked out well.’

Kadence clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. ‘No, Lily! Is that what this is really about?’

I lowered my eyes, stirring my soup. ‘It’s not just that but, yes, the travel thing scares me. Justin promised Mum he’d come back and he never did.’

‘Which turned out to be the best thing that he could ever have done. Remember what Mum always says – the unexpected things in life are often the best . Yes, he broke her heart and he’s been an absolute dick towards you, but him abandoning Mum took her to Whitsborough Bay where she met Dad and our family became complete. ’

‘I hear you and I agree it was ultimately for the best. But what if Lars gets the travel bug too and he never returns?’

‘And what if he never goes? What if he just goes for a week? What if he takes you with him and you do Nordia together?’

I couldn’t help smiling at that. ‘There’s no such place as Nordia.’

‘Well, excuse me, geography police, but you’re missing the point. Lars is nothing like Justin and, for the record, he’s nothing like Ewan or Wes either. He’s on a whole different level.’

I knitted my eyebrows at her. ‘I thought you liked them.’

‘Liked, yeah. Never loved them, never missed them when they were gone, never believed they were perfect for you.’

‘But you think Lars is?’

‘I know he is and it’s a two-way thing. Talk to him, Lily. Don’t walk away without letting him explain because it might be nothing. And if it’s something big like three, six, twelve months away, then you have a decision to make but don’t make it before you know his intentions. Promise me?’

‘I promise.’

‘Do you want to know what I think?’

I smiled again. ‘Haven’t you just told me?’

‘Ha, ha! I think that, even if he does want to travel, you’ll wait for him because, deep down, you know how deeply he loves you and that he will come back for you.

And you also know how deeply you love him too.

Deeply enough to let him do whatever he needs to do to reconnect with his family and follow in the footsteps of Vikings.

Now stop yakking and get that soup eaten. ’

* * *

I did finish my lunch so Kadence gave me permission to finish packing and return home.

As she hugged me goodbye, she told me to think about what she’d said and, all the way back to Whitsborough Bay, I’d done nothing but think about it.

She might be six years younger than me but my sister had a very wise head on her shoulders.

I felt a bit silly for fleeing now. I stood by my need for time and distance while I wrangled with my emotions, but I could have handled things better with Lars.

A lot better. I’d been spectacularly unfair to him by ignoring him and he hadn’t deserved it.

I could have at least sent him a message to say I was dealing with a few things right now and we’d talk soon.

As for not keeping him in the loop about the work rota, that was downright unprofessional.

What must he have thought, turning up at the bookshop and finding Alec instead of me there?

If he chose to ignore me now, I certainly couldn’t blame him.

Pulling up on the drive at home a little later, I messaged Dad before I got out the car to say I was back and I’d be over when I’d unpacked. As I unlocked the door, a reply came through.

From Dad

I’ve put some post on your dining table. The big box arrived at work but it was marked private so my dad dropped it off for you. See you later x

There was indeed a pile of post on the table – a few envelopes, a couple of small packages and a box with my name, the shop address and private and confidential on it.

It was long and wide but not very deep and not particularly heavy so I couldn’t for the life of me think what it could be.

I hadn’t ordered anything personal to be delivered to the shop.

Grabbing a pair of scissors from the kitchen, I carefully scored along the parcel tape and eased the lid open.

Whatever was inside was carefully wrapped in several layers of bubble wrap and I couldn’t see through it, but there was a folded handwritten letter lying on top and my breath caught as I saw who’d written it – Eva and Axel Hansen.

Dear Lily

We were so touched to receive your email about your friend, Lars, and how much our mother’s book meant to him and his sister. Having experienced our own tragedy, our hearts go out to Lars for his loss.

We’re delighted that you stocked Anna and the Snow Dragon in your bookshop and that you’re eager to support the thirtieth-anniversary relaunch.

We’ll be going on a countrywide tour of bookshops and libraries and would be delighted to include Whitsborough Bay in the schedule.

We’ll be in touch in the spring when we’re ready to confirm plans.

Going back to Lars, we were sorry to hear that his sister’s book went missing.

We know it’s not quite the same, but we’d be honoured if he’d accept this replacement copy.

It seems our mother signed several copies for competition prizes before her untimely death but those competitions never ran.

If the relaunch is a success and our mother has success posthumously, as hoped, we’ll auction them for charity but we were unanimous in wanting Lars to have a copy.

We’ve also enclosed a couple of pieces of signed artwork – one from Mother which you’ll recognise from the first book and the other drawn by us from Mother’s rough sketches for book three.

We’d ask that you don’t share the latter until after that book has been published to avoid spoilers.

With very best wishes to you, Lars and your respective families this Christmastime and we very much look forward to meeting you next year.

Eva & Axel

I couldn’t in a million years have predicted that my email to them would have led to such generosity.

Carefully peeling back the layers of bubble wrap, I took out the signed book, breathing in its aroma before gently placing it aside.

Each piece of art was in a cellophane wrapper with cardboard backing to keep it straight.

The first image was one of my favourites of Anna and the snow dragon hugging each other on a snowy mountainside.

I remembered the exact moment in the story it depicted.

The second one was a night-time image of Anna flying on the snow dragon’s back with the northern lights glowing in the sky.

It was stunning and, even though I didn’t know the story, it moved me to tears.

I gazed at the northern lights, thinking about how much Lars loved them and all the places he wanted to visit from which the aurora could often be seen.

Kadence was right. I loved Lars more deeply than I ever imagined it was possible to love someone and I knew he felt the same way about me.

He should definitely spend time with his Icelandic family and visit the other countries that called to him and I’d wait for him for however long that took because I didn’t want to lose him.

It had taken us long enough to get to this point. No way was I going to let him go.

After packaging everything back up into the box, I dug my phone out of my bag, wincing at the notifications of missed calls and messages from Lars and also from Cassie. I had some explaining to do to her too.

I found the number for Frank Elliott, the owner of Whitsborough Frames on Castle Street.

Last year I’d tracked down an out-of-print copy of a book his wife loved for a milestone birthday and he’d said not to hesitate to ask if ever I needed a framing-related favour.

Well, I needed a favour now, although I was hesitating as it was a bit of a liberty.

‘I know I’m asking for the impossible,’ I said when Frank answered the phone. ‘Especially at this time of year.’

‘We’re snowed under, Lily, but as it’s you and as we’ve just had a customer postpone the collection day for the order we were about to start on, you’re in luck. Just get here as soon as you can.’

Despite the urgency, I couldn’t leave without checking in on Dad first but he was engrossed in writing his latest Master’s assignment and assured me he didn’t need anything.

‘I’m more concerned about you, Lily. We all are, especially Lars.’

‘It’s been a tough week but my head’s clear now and I’m going to get things sorted, but that’s why I need to dash.’

‘Don’t let me keep you.’

I ran out to the car and set off into town. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.