By Virtue Fall (The Shakespeare Sisters 4)

When he closed his eyes, he could picture her, the way she’d looked after he’d punched Thomas in the face. The shock in her eyes, the panic, her trembling lip, all of them he’d taken as rejection. He’d been furious at her, for throwing his support back in his face, when all she’d tried to do was calm the situation down.

What a macho idiot he’d been.

His fingers were aching with the need to touch her, to hold her. He wanted to feel her silky hair between them, tangle himself inside. He’d known no tranquillity since he’d last been with her. Without her everything seemed muted and low.

A cab pulled up, and as the first person got into it, the line shuffled up. He tapped his feet on the paving slabs again, unable to stand still, unable to wait. It was as if he was at the starting line, his body ready, muscles tense, but with nowhere to go. If he wasn’t fifty miles from Shaw Haven, he might’ve considered running there.

He needed to make things right. Even if she never wanted to talk to him again. He needed to tell her that he was a fool, that he didn’t mean a word he said, that he wanted her in his life.

That without her, a fresh start meant nothing.

Maybe, all along, he was the one who needed a knight in shining armour.

As far as he was concerned, the cab couldn’t get him there fast enough.

‘Momma, your phone is buzzing.’

‘It’s okay, whoever it is can leave a message. Come over here and hold this for me, I want to twist the ivy around the frame.’

Poppy skipped over to help, putting her small fingers on the end of the strand while Juliet threaded the leaves through the wire. It was the third Christmas wreath they’d made so far today. They couldn’t go fast enough to keep up with orders, and if she was being honest it was a great excuse not to go home and think about things too much.

‘Is this the one for my classroom?’ Poppy asked, as Juliet tied the wire off and clipped the ends with her scissors.

‘That’s right. I’ll make a garland, too. We can deliver them on Friday, all ready to put up at the weekend.’

‘Mrs Mason is going to love it.’ Poppy’s face shone with pride. ‘I bet she’ll tell everybody my momma made them.’

Juliet smiled at her daughter. The guilt she’d been feeling for not helping decorate the classroom on Saturday disappeared. She was never going to win class mom of the year, but the fact she was still making her kid happy felt like enough.

‘I’m gonna head on home if that’s okay?’ Lily walked out of the back office, pulling a red woollen hat over her blonde bob. ‘I’ll start on the Devereaux order first thing tomorrow.’

‘Sounds perfect. Thanks for all your help today. I really appreciate you standing in for me.’

‘Any time. I was happy to help.’ Lily grabbed her purse from beneath the counter. ‘Those look great, by the way.’ She inclined her head at the wreaths. ‘I took orders for another ten this afternoon.’

‘Looks like it’s going to be a busy few weeks.’ Juliet couldn’t help but feel relieved. Her business was blooming, both literally and figuratively. It was a weight off her mind.

‘Well, don’t work too late. See ya later, Poppy.’

‘Bye, Lily.’ Poppy waved at her as Lily turned the sign on the door and then let herself out, flipping the lock behind her.

Juliet glanced at her watch. It was just gone five o’clock. Outside, darkness had already descended, lit only by the orange glow of the street lamps, and the strings of festive lights the bookshop across from hers had affixed to its windows. ‘Let’s finish this one up and then we’ll head out,’ she told Poppy. ‘Maybe we should stop at the diner for tea?’ She was still avoiding going home.

‘Can I have a hot dog?’ Poppy clapped her hands together. ‘And a chocolate sundae?’

‘Why not?’ Juliet ruffled her hair. ‘As long as you promise to clean your teeth really well tonight.’

Poppy nodded, her expression serious. ‘Of course I will. Teeth are very important. I’d look stupid without them.’

It was hard not to laugh. Juliet bit her lip to stop her chuckle from coming out. ‘That’s very true, sweetheart.’

It took them another half hour to finish up, and clear all the clippings away. Juliet checked the water levels in the pots of flowers before switching the main lights off and heading toward the alarm controls. ‘Have you got everything, honey?’ she asked her daughter. ‘Your bag and your colouring pencils?’

‘Yup.’

‘Okay, let’s go.’ She lifted her hand to key in the alarm when her phone buzzed again. She’d forgotten all about checking it for messages. Sighing, she pressed her thumb against the button to unlock it, and it sprang to life. As soon as the photograph of Poppy sticking her tongue out appeared on the screen the notifications started to flash across it. Texts and WhatsApps, emails and voicemails.

Her mouth went dry. Thomas had been bombarding her with messages ever since she left his estate, and she’d managed to ignore every one of them. If he wanted to talk to her, he could do it through their lawyers.