Wish You Were Her(9)

“Well,” said Allegra, who felt suddenly awkward and unsure, “I was thirteen when I last saw you in person.”

Her career had meant family and friends falling by the wayside and the guilt, while always present, was suddenly loud and stifling. The years had sped by while she flew all over the world and spent months on location in Ireland or Croatia or New Zealand. Their video chats were always harried and rushed, usually from cars or airport lounges.

“Well, I see you on the small screen every Monday,” he reminded her. “I watch all of them. Reruns, too.”

Allegra smiled shyly. “Thanks.”

She wanted to say that people never looked like they did on television but she was highly aware of the two boys her own age standing close by.

“So, these are my two trusty booksellers. That’s Simon,” George said, gesturing to the blond by the window, and then to the one on the ladder, who had dark eyes, dark curls and a dark mood, “and this surly one is Jonah.”

“Thanks, fearless leader,” said Simon, and Allegra’s eyes shot to his face.

Hadn’t she heard that expression in one of the emails?

“Welcome to Lake Pristine,” Simon said warmly.

So here he was.

Allegra gave him the smile she reserved for red carpets and thanked him. She wondered if he knew, too. If he had worked it out. His enthusiastic greeting had been such a blast of warmth, it made her feel like they shared a delicious secret. He was good-looking, too. Especially as he wore such a sun-filled smile. The other bookseller wore a face full of thunder.

“Right!” Her father clapped his hands. “I think we should close up for an hour and have lunch out the back on the terrace.”



* * *



The five of them—two parents, two booksellers and one global superstar—sat around the outdoor dining table with a huge salad and a couple of takeaway pizzas. Allegra felt like a little girl again as she watched her parents. She chewed on a slice of chicken pizza and analyzed every move they made. Her mother had remarked on the town being almost exactly the same and George had shrugged and quietly stated that it was better and brighter now that Roxanne was back.

Allegra held her breath but Roxanne merely smiled at the compliment and then looked away.

“How was the journey in?” her father asked her mother, quickly masking any disappointment he felt.

Allegra knew they would occasionally meet up while she was on location but she had never been able to fully analyze or label their relationship.

“Pretty good,” said Roxanne. “How’s the festival coming along? Surely it’s not just the three of you running things?”

“Not anymore. George caved and hired a PR firm two years ago and that’s what we do each summer,” Simon said.

Allegra had to admire how at home Simon felt with two complete strangers.

“So, how long have you both worked for George?” her mother asked the two booksellers.

“This is our third summer,” Simon answered. “Mary and Nick come in on the weekends to help, but it’s mostly been us for the last couple of years. We both used to hide here after school.”

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” Simon said, answering for Jonah too, who Allegra noticed was facing away from the group and staring into the distance.

“Going to university in September?”

Simon glanced at Jonah, clearly checking in with him and making space for him to join in. When he remained silent, Simon spoke once more for the both of them. “Me, yes, him, no.”

“It’s going to be a hunt to replace Simon,” George said.

The look of surprised delight on Simon’s face made Allegra wonder how often her father praised them for their work.

“I just have to say something,” Simon said, after everyone had eaten a little more of the food. He beamed at Allegra. “It is … surreal to be sat across from you right now.”

Allegra allowed a small, polite smile. People always thought this kind of fawning was enjoyable for her. For a while, maybe it had been. Now it just made her feel panicky.

“She’s just in need of a nice, chill summer,” Roxanne said, with only the tiniest note of reproach in her voice.

“Yes, no leaking Ally’s location, boys,” George said firmly. “She’s here for a break. Leaks will be a sackable offense.”

“Unrelated, but you need to get a mobile phone,” Roxanne told her ex-husband with a disbelieving laugh. “You have been impossible to get hold of these days. You only have the old landline in the shop, and you never answer it. We were praying the voicemails got to you.”

“The boss can’t cope with technology,” Simon interjected. “I even have to do your emails, right, George?”

Allegra smiled at that, while George shrugged and looked at her mother.

“You can always write me a letter, Roxy.”

Allegra watched her mother soften and look away.

“I should probably open the shop back up,” Jonah said, speaking for the first time, his voice deep and detached.

Allegra watched the dark-haired bookseller stalk back into the shop with a touch of dismay. She had tried to be funny about the little social blunder from before but he seemed extremely vexed. His pride was clearly wounded.

“I don’t think I’ve made a very good first impression with him,” she told the rest of the group.