Page 22 of The Summer That Changed Us

‘Thanks, Katie, for helping me through something I’d been dreading. And who knew there was so much to learn about putting a bra on.’

She looked at him, waiting for the comment about him being more used to taking them off. But it didn’t come. And she liked him a bit more.

‘And thanks for making me feel at home in a new female world. I’m Barney, by the way.’

‘You’re very welcome.’ Katie beamed at him. ‘Shall I choose some for you to take home and give her, or would you rather make an appointment and bring her back with you?’

He scrunched up his face thoughtfully. ‘The thing is, it’s hard for a man to bring your daughter’s chest up in conversation. We talk about everything under the sun normally, but this would be the first time the conversation turned intimate. She might not have even thought about bras yet.’

‘She will have done, trust me,’ Katie replied. ‘Some girls can’t wait to start wearing a bra, especially those who are body conscious. There’ll be girls in her class who started developing at age nine.’

‘Jesus,’ Barney muttered. ‘I think Amber was still running around on the beach topless at that age. I think I’ll buy her a couple and just leave the bag on her bed with a note.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ Katie looked across the racks of underwear. ‘Is she sporty?’

He nodded. ‘She was in the football team at her old school.’

‘Then how about keeping it on a more practical level and getting her a sports bra, plus a couple of everyday ones?’

He nodded. ‘I’ll do that. Good idea.’

While Barney finished his coffee, Katie wrapped several different bras carefully in tissue paper to make them look extra special. She thought about how sad it was that Barney’s wife didn’t get chance to share this moment with her daughter and on impulse added a sample of perfume to the bag. Sophia married a decent man, she thought, sliding a sideways glance at him.

Barney handed over his credit card and once Katie had taken payment, she wrote her number down on a business card and dropped it into the bag.

‘I’ve written my name and mobile number for you.’

Barney slotted it into his wallet. ‘Oh, right.’

‘I meant for Amber, not you,’ Katie said, worried he’d misinterpreted her.

‘I see.’

‘So she can make an appointment to come back in and get measured properly. That’s all.’ She was gabbling. Once she started it was very difficult to stop. ‘I wasn’t trying to give you my number. Except I had to give it to you, to give it to her. I’ve made myself blush. I’m shutting up now.’

Barney grinned. ‘You’ve been a star. I mean it, thank you.’

‘You’re welcome, I’m really glad you came in.’

‘Me too.’ He tucked his wallet back in his pocket and picked up the bag. ‘Right, I’m going to go and google bralettes and balconies and all that other stuff you talked about and then I’m going to probably make a fool of myself in front of my teenage daughter. Wish me luck.’

She laughed. ‘Good luck.’

Barney got as far as opening the door when Alice, the post lady, bustled through it, red-faced and out of breath and almost ran into him.

‘Gosh, hello Barney!’ she said, flustered. ‘Didn’t expect to see you in here.’

Katie smiled to herself. Trust Alice Jennings to know him; it wasn’t that she was nosy, she just always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

‘You didn’t see me,’ he said, holding up his shopping bag and tapping his nose. ‘OK?’

‘Ooh, right,’ she giggled much to Katie’s amusement. Someone else who seemed to have fallen for Barney’s charms. Not that she had, of course, well not beyond him shooting to the top of the list of favourite customers, anyway. ‘Mum’s the word.’

Katie cringed at her turn of phrase, but Barney didn’t bat an eyelid. ‘Thanks. Goodbye ladies!’

‘You know him?’ Katie asked, trying not to make it too obvious that she was following his progress up the high street.

‘Of course.’ Alice was rummaging around in her post bag. ‘That’s Barney Larkin. Moved into Mr Lewis’s old cottage a couple of weeks ago with his daughter, Amber. Such a sad story, his wife was killed in a terrible car crash. Amber survived but with serious injuries. Although she seems OK now.’