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Paige didn’t know what to process first. There was every chance her gran would find the man of her dreams between wherever the hell she was and Manchester. It had happened before. Her gran had been spending the last five years getting over the end of marriage number five, her widowhood taking her across the world. Several times over in fact. The rather substantial inheritance had provided Connie with enough money to live the rest of her life on a permanent cruise and, as much as Paige missed her gran, she couldn’t complain too much as it had also given Paige the money to set up her bar.
‘But hang on, where are you staying?’ Paige asked, worried about the possible response.
‘With you, of course. But don’t worry, you won’t cramp my style. We’ll sort out a hooking-up system so that we don’t disturb each other.’
Paige smiled at the same time as her stride slowed and shortened. Her gran was coming home. She’d help. She’d know what to do. As it really sunk in, Paige could feel her muscles loosen. Connie would make it all better. And as for the hooking up, well, Paige very much doubted there would be any issues there, at least from her side. Paige had been pretty absent on that front for a while now.
‘So, make up the spare room, make sure Mr Higgins knows I’m on my way. I can’t wait to meet that ball of fluff, and round up all the eligible bachelors, it’s time for me to get husband number six. Or do you think a woman this time? Maybe I should consider a wife, do you think that might work? I’m not sure I could do without the man meat.’
‘Yeah OK, Gran,’ Paige said shaking her head quickly. ‘That’s too much information. Do you have a rough idea of when you’ll be here?’
There was a little tut over the phone. ‘Why don’t you guess?’
Paige sighed. ‘Come on, Gran.’
‘Your doodah still off then?’
‘Yes,’ Paige conceded reluctantly and with no small amount of petulance.
‘Maybe it’s a good idea I’m coming back now. Maybe it’s to help you get fixed back right again.’
Paige very much hoped that was the case.
‘Have you met someone?’ Gran continued.
‘What do you mean? I meet people every day, I run a bar,’ Paige pointed out.
‘You know exactly what I mean, and your being obtuse tells me I’m right. The only time I ever lost my doodah was when I met your grandad.’ Connie’s voice fell into a soft sigh at the mention of her first true love.
‘I don’t think you’re on the right track there, Gran’—and if an image of Melanie in her pencil skirt and heels popped into her brain that was a coincidence and nothing to ponder further—‘but, it would be incredible to be working properly again so if you can help me, well, I’d . . .’ Her throat tightened and for one scary second Paige really thought she was going to do that thing she’d seen other people do sometimes — and cry. Instead, she cleared her throat, and added, ‘I’d really appreciate it.’
Paige clung on to that hope that Connie could help her as she pushed open the door to All The Beans. She quickly waved at the staff behind the coffee bar, getting the nod that she was allowed to go through towards the staff room.
‘Hmm. Yours might be broken but mine’s just fine. So, I think I should be there by Friday at the latest. I suspect an intense but short-lived romance somewhere between Southampton and Birmingham, which will be lovely. Thank you, Kevin — no, wait there.’
Paige could hear her gran twirling the glass in her hand, the ice cubes clinking against the sides, before she took a drink. ‘It’ll do, thanks Kevin. So, gather the girls. We’ll have a party night on Friday. I’m going to need to nap Friday afternoon on the account of my shenanigans, disrupting my sleep patterns.’ Connie slurped her drink again.
‘OK Gran, but look I have to go, I’m about to go into a meeting.’ Paige took a seat at the large but informal and well-worn table.
‘You sound thrilled by the idea. Love you, Book.’
‘Love you too, Gran.’
‘Pssshh, I’ve told you it’s Connie in public.’
Paige laughed. ‘OK, fine, love you Connie. I’ll see you soon.’
‘Oh, I get the feeling this meeting might be quite interesting for you after all. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’ That didn’t really leave a whole lot.
The loud beeps in her ear signified that Connie had already gone. Paige sat up straighter in her chair, and looked around the room, seeing the lockers, the notice board and the big health and safety poster. She was looking for something, anything to stop her falling back into her bad mood as she waited for the other members of the Neighbourhood Business Alliance to show up.
If her mojo was working properly she would have known the right time to set off and would not have been so bloody early.
If her mojo was working she wouldn’t have ended up stomping the whole way here like a stroppy teenage speed-walker.
Hopefully it would be a quick meeting, and in no time she would be back in her apartment, snuggling up with Mr Higgins, the only male she’d ever loved, watching something in the Disney family. She hoped. She didn’t know though, and the reminder, the constant reminders that she was broken made her head ache. As she frowned she realised her jaw was clenched tight.
Then Melanie came in.
