That sounded like a pretty big enterprise to me. “And you run it yourself?”
He shrugged. “I manage and work it, but we have employees.” Suddenly he slipped off the stool. “Speaking of which, I need to get back. We’ll be here at seven for dinner. I’ve already reserved a table.”
“That was presumptuous,” I teased.
“Well, I figured you might need a buffer before venturing back into the local.” He chuckled before pressing a quick, surprising kiss to my cheek. “See you at seven.”
Ignoring the flush of pleasure I felt from the kiss, I focused on his comment. Why would I need a buffer?
“What does that mean?” I asked as he gestured to Shadow to follow him.
Roane just shot me another boyish smile before descending the stairs out of view.
“Roane!” I called after him. “What does that mean?”
The only answer I got was the sound of his deep chuckle.
However, hours later, as I walked into The Anchor accompanied by Roane and Shadow, I finally got my answer.
A roomful of eyes met us as we strolled in, and I felt suddenly self-conscious. This only worsened when four men turned on their stools at the busy bar, saw me, shared a knowing look, and then burst out into song.
“When you’re good to Mama, Mama’s good to you!” They gestured to me comically.
While most diners stared on in confusion, others let out barks of laughter, including Roane, whose guffaw was the loudest.
Realizing I’d met these men the night before and had no memory of it, I made eye contact with Milly, who was hee-hawing behind the bar.
Mortification flooded me but so did something else.
They were teasing me.
Like I was one of them even though I was a visitor.
Much like how Roane had befriended me even though Milly said he usually steered clear of tourists, I somehow sensed this was unusual behavior for the locals.
Pleasure seeped into the mortification, and I couldn’t help but laugh through my groans of embarrassment.
* * *
• • •
Evie, you can do whatever you want, pet. That’s the point.” Penny gave me a reassuring smile.
The next day the rain had cleared, the sunshine bringing more tourists with it. A few came into the store to browse and I tried not to act giddy at my first sale. The woman had called my window display adorable and purchased a copy of A Midsummer’s Night Dream along with a few little key rings with the Northumbrian flag on it.
Not long after, while I was pondering splitting the display with all the books and information on Northumberland so I could continue the Shakespeare theme, Penny had come to the store to see how I was doing.
I’d told her about the sale and asked her if I could put the books on Northumberland on the bottom half of the case and more Shakespeare titles on the top half.
Grinning at her answer, I was antsy to start riffling through stock for more Shakespeare plays.
“So, you’re doing fine then?” Penny asked.
“Oh, I’m doing great.”
Her smile widened. “You’ve made quite an impression here.” She nodded to the window. “The locals love your display when it’s lit up at night.”
People had talked about my homemade, whimsical display? Pleasure suffused me. “Really?”
“Aye. It’s very cute. Probably the most memorable display I’ve had at the shop.”
“Well, yay me.”
“And everyone up at The Anchor loves you. The folks here have never been so taken with a renter before.”
Remembering how welcoming everyone had been after the teasing last night, I beamed. Roane and I had stayed at The Anchor until closing, but this time I didn’t consume alcohol. Instead I enjoyed the company of the locals, including Penny, as they told me their life stories without artifice. I’d also learned that Roane’s closest friend from university lived in Scotland, just across the border, so his closest friend in Alnster, from what I could tell, was Bobby Hopeton. Bobby worked with Roane in some capacity. I wasn’t sure in what way—they kind of brushed over that when we were chatting last night. He was around the same age as Roane and me, and married to a woman named Jill, whom I hadn’t met yet because she was at home with their two kids.
Bobby wasn’t much of a drinker from what I could see, and sounded like a homebody. He gave me the impression he was only at The Anchor to get a look at me. This made me wonder what Roane had said about me.
“Everyone is so welcoming.”
Penny snorted. “Not usually, pet. Folks don’t want to be friendly with someone who isn’t sticking around. But they can’t seem to help themselves with you. Especially with Roane being so taken with you.”
“We’re friends.”
“Oh, aye.” She nodded but didn’t look convinced.
Hmm. Let her think what she wanted to think. Let them all think it. Roane and I knew what we were and that’s what mattered.