Page 73
“I’m too busy, actually,” she added quickly.
Nick nodded and shifted closer, unsure if she was telling the truth. “I can understand that. I don’t date a lot these days either. I’m mostly in the office.”
Brow creasing, she opened her mouth like she was about to say something—
“Eves!” Fiona cut her off as she ambled past with a young mum and two little kids cuddling puffins as tall as they were. “We need to order more toys.”
Whatever Evie was about to say was gone, replaced by shop talk. “We can’t keep those in stock.”
Nick lifted his cup, watching the puffin parade make its way to the biscuit shelves. “Glad to see Tammie Norries are still hot sellers.”
“You always reminded me of a puffin,” said Evie.
Nick snickered above his coffee and glanced back with affection. “Because I’m cute and loved by the masses?” He took a tentative sip.
She snorted. “Conceited, much?”
He licked milky foam off his lip and laughed. Evie’s gaze slipped then quickly leapt upward again.
“I’m kidding! In my case it’s more like forgotten by the masses.” Nick traded his cup for his ham and cheese. “So how exactly am I puffin-esque?”
“You’d return every summer and vanish every August. You were always flying away.”
I guess I deserve that. An enduring ache throbbed in Nick’s chest. “Well, if I was a puffin then you were a swan.”
Evie shot him a bewildered glare.
“What?! Swans are lovely and regal—”
“And nasty!” Her eyes followed his sandwich to his mouth. “At least the ones at Stenness Loch are. I’d like to think I’m more…a watery pleep.”
Nick chewed quickly. “What is that?”
“A redshank, a wading bird that stays in Orkney and never strays far.”
Motioning toward her with his free hand, Nick set down his lunch. “But this redshank was an outlier. You flew the coop to London, right?”
Evie looked down. “I guess you know all about that.”
“I don’t.” He held up his right hand, palm facing out and his thumb holding down his little finger. “Scout’s honor.”
“You weren’t a scout.”
Nick lowered his hand. “No, but you rarely post on social media and Rupes and Fi never told me what you were up to. I’d ask, but…” He picked the crust of his sandwich. “Did you stay a while? Did you work?” Did you look for me?
“I had jobs with the Churchill War Rooms and Buckingham Palace’s gift shop, but my favorite was with a bakery/café in Notting Hill. They even promoted me to manager.”
“Smart people.”
A glimmer sparkled in her eyes. “Most nights I’d bring biscuits home for Sunita. We didn’t have much money, so we’d eat them for dinner then go out dancing. Get lads to buy us drinks. Sometimes a cheeky McDonald’s, too. At the time I thought we were totally basic and uncool, but in retrospect, we didn’t do too badly for two nerds from a small island.” She paused for a moment, a hint of a grin retreating like the sun behind an encroaching cloud. “Anyway…”
More than anything, Nick wanted to ask about her Crohn’s, but coming from him, it was a loaded question. Bringing it up in her workplace wasn’t really the proper way to go about it either.
Evie swept her hand over her apron, brushing away nothing Nick could see. “I should get back to the kitchen.”
As much as he would’ve loved to visit longer, the fact that they’d chatted for ten minutes was a major win. He nodded. “Thanks for lunch and the company.”
Evie eased her chair back and stood. “See you tomorrow.” She glanced over her shoulder, adding, “Hopefully.”
