Page 87 of The Breakup Bookshop

She nods. ‘I knew he wanted to get back with you. He told me after our last fight. I begged him to keep trying to make us work, but his mind was obviously made up. I gave up our friendship, the most important thing to me, but it wasn’t enough.’

‘So, you’re here… why? To try to bring him back to London with you?’

She shakes her head. ‘I don’t know. I’m not expecting you to forgive me, I just wanted you to know that he wasn’t just a whim for me, the way I was for him.’

We sit in silence, looking out to sea. I sigh and reach across and pat her hand.

‘Macy, you deserve so much better than Seb. We both do.’

*

As we walk back to the bookshop, I keep Macy close beside me. I know she’s hurt me in the worst way possible, but I can’t help but feel protective of her. She’s been blinded by Seb and all his promises, like I was once upon a time. I hope she can move on from this, from him.

I hear raised voices up ahead. I look across at the hairdresser’s, where they’re all at the window gazing over at the bookshop, like the day I arrived. I wonder what they’re all looking at. Shit, what have I missed?

I blink as I see Seb come crashing out of the bookshop, falling to the ground. What the hell is going on? I rush forward, leaving Macy open-mouthed behind me.

‘Ah, fuck,’ Seb says, rubbing his elbow. ‘Do you know how much this suit cost? You’ll be paying for the dry-cleaning bill, you mark my words!’

I look up as Rory comes charging out, his face bright red, his fist clenched.

‘Dry-cleaning bill?’ he snorts. ‘Away and boil yer heid.’

‘Rory, what the hell?’

He turns to face me and points to Seb, who’s on the ground brushing dirt from his elbow. ‘This is him? The London guy who cheated on you? You let him stay here?’

‘No, Rory, I…’

‘Did he stay here last night, Ava?’ He doesn’t wait for an answer. ‘He’s talking about taking you back to London with him. I guess the summer’s really over this time, isn’t it? God, I’ve been so stupid!’

He paces up and down in front of me as my face flushes. This is bad. Rory knows that Seb has stayed here. Why did I even let that happen? I should have flung him out, like my instincts told me. Yet again, I’ve allowed Seb to worm his way back in, and now he’s caused a divide between me and Rory.

I swallow. ‘Rory, no, it’s not…’

But he doesn’t listen. He turns on his heel, walks past The Toolbox, and jumps into his car, speeding off into the distance. I want to run after him and beg him to stop, but I find myself rooted to the ground. I can’t seem to make my brain catch up. It’s all too much; Seb’s here, Rory’s back early and Macy is shaking beside me.

‘Macy?’ I hear Seb’s small voice say, as my hands shake.

She is in floods of tears. Full, uncontrollable sobs. I can’t abandon her, not when she’s like this. I need to help her fight back and stick up for herself. She needs me.

Seb sighs and puts one hand on his head. ‘Jesus, Macy, you followed me all the way here?’

‘What else was I supposed to do?’ she hiccups.

I usher them both into the bookshop for a more private conversation, away from the eyes of the salon’s clients.

Seb lets out a huge sigh before turning to me. ‘You’re not coming back to London, are you?’

I shake my head. ‘I’m not. Not with you. And I’d like you to leave.’

He rolls his eyes at the inconvenience of it all, without a glance towards Macy to see how she’s feeling. Hedging his bets, as usual, wanting us both but not enough.

‘I’ll go upstairs then. Grab my stuff.’

I nod, left alone with Macy in the bookshop. She glances around, taking it all in. The vibrant colours, the shelves packed with books, the warm lighting that creates the perfect reading ambience.

‘It’s beautiful, Ava,’ she sniffs. ‘I can’t believe you’ve done all this. Congratulations.’