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‘I’ve not looked,’ Albert said through deep breaths. ‘I was too scared.’
‘Let’s see.’ Kate took charge and used a key to cut through the tape on the cardboard box.
Sophie pulled open the flaps and lifted out the flyers. She looked at Albert, who was grimacing while he waited for Sophie’s verdict.
‘These are great, Albert. You’ve done a fantastic job,’ Sophie said finally, passing the flyers around for Kate and Albert to see.
They were the right festive colours, contained the correct information and dates, and included the name of June’s charity at the bottom. Perfect. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Greg,’ Sophie shouted over the increasing bustle of the coffee shop.
He looked up from where he was frothing milk behind the counter.
‘Can I put a couple of these up?’ she asked, waving the newly printed flyers in the air.
‘Of course, love.’
Sophie pinned a couple to the notice board and left a little pile for people to take – a few patrons moving over to see what the fuss was about even before she was finished.
‘Christmas Eve concert,’ Sophie said, thrusting a flyer into their hands. ‘It’s going to be very festive.’
‘And this one’s got a solo,’ Kate added, much to Sophie’s embarrassment.
‘We’re supposed to be making people want to come,’ Sophie said as they left the coffee shop.
‘They will. And you’ll be wonderful.’
Sophie wasn’t so sure, and the familiar tightness appeared momentarily in her throat.
‘You will,’ Kate said, reacting to Sophie’s silence. ‘Now get home and get ready, please. I need you to go to Liam’s tonight and create some gossip for me.’
‘I’ll try my best,’ Sophie said. She laughed but couldn’t help feeling incredibly nervous inside.
Sophie spent an hour getting ready, and the time raced past. For some reason, she didn’t feel nervous any more. She knew where she stood after Liam’s revelation in the pub on Wednesday, and for some reason, removing the uncertainty helped her feel less anxious and more confident. It wasn’t familiar to Sophie, but she liked it. She spent the drive over to Liam’s running through conversations, scenarios, how she’d greet him when she got there. OK, so maybe a little anxiety was creeping in, but she was also smiling and excited.
She pulled into the courtyard outside the farmhouse and got out of the car, pleased to have chosen more appropriate footwear this time around. She knocked on the front door.
Liam opened it. He was in well-worn jeans and a grey jumper, his hair tightly curled and still damp where he’d not long been in the shower. He smelt of soap and aftershave.
‘Hi,’ he said.
‘Hi.’ Sophie knew she was grinning like a crazy person, but she couldn’t stop herself.
‘Come on in.’ He stepped back to let her pass. ‘How was the drive?’
She turned back to speak to him. ‘It was fine. You’re right, it was a bit icy, but I took it slow and I’m here in one piece.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ He smiled. ‘Tea?’
‘Please.’ She was relieved that the initial greeting was over and that she’d survived the small talk. In the kitchen, Liam made them a cup of tea and they sat at the dining table. They talked some more, still guarded, still shy.
‘Where’s Cassie?’ Sophie said.
‘Playdate with Jocelyn.’
Sophie smiled at that. She was happy that Cassie and Jocelyn were building a friendship and pleased that Liam was nurturing it.
‘I need to swing by and pick her up, if that’s OK? It wasn’t the plan, but she asked to stay a little later as she was having so much fun.’ He did air quotes with his fingers.
