My mouth falls open. ‘Is he the best boyfriend in the whole wide world?’
Roxy nods. ‘He really is.’
‘What’s her name I wonder?’
Roxy speaks to them and translates for me. ‘Her name is Alyssa.’
I squeal. We have a range of Alyssa Cole books in the romance section but because everything is in colour order, not alphabetical, she’ll have to hunt for them. I don’t give away the secret but I hope she spots them within her first three-minute perusal of the shop.
Roxy chats to them. ‘He’s filming it for her BookTok account.’
Gran wanders in with Zeus by her side. We tell her what’s going and her face breaks into a wide smile.
‘What fun!’ She turns to the birthday girl and speaks in clunky Greek. Alyssa lets out a squeal mirroring my own. I turn to Roxy for an explanation.
‘Gran said she’ll get them ten per cent off the total.’
‘Aww, that’s sweet!’
We stand behind the counter so we’re not in Alyssa’s way. Her boyfriend starts the timer and Alyssa goes straight to the romance section to check out the books on offer. I’m holding my breath, hoping she’ll find the Alyssa Cole books so she can double her time. Alyssa puts a finger to the spine of certain books as if anointing them, reminding herself where they are on the shelf. For three minutes she familiarises herself with the layout of Bibliotherapy and tracks back and forth chatting away to the camera as her boyfriend films.
Roxy laughs behind her hand. ‘She’s telling him she’s counting her steps, working out the quickest route around the shop so she doesn’t double back and lose time.’
It’s the sweetest thing ever, watching them film, having so much fun, pointing out books she’s been dreaming of buying for months. Alyssa has a handle on all the new releases and books made famous by TikTok.
The boyfriend turns and speaks to Roxy.
‘It’s time!’ Roxy says, clapping her hands.
He brings his girlfriend back to the entrance of the shop and does what I presume is a countdown. With a screech she’s off and running with Zeus trailing close behind. The big dog doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on and barks as he chases her around the shop, darting in front of her almost tripping her over.
‘He says the dog is great – he’s slowing her down,’ Roxy says and laughs. Zeus finally seems to get the idea that’s she’s book shopping, so begins to nose titles for her.
‘Aww, Zeus has his own recommended reads,’ Gran says. ‘What great taste he has. Who doesn’t love a romcom with an accidental female serial killer?’
‘Gran, don’t get any ideas.’ Shedefinitelydoesn’t need a cheat sheet.
A minute later Alyssa’s arms are full, and she still has two whole minutes on the clock. She walks slowly, filling the gap between her elbow and the tall stack of books resting on her palm. She spots the Alyssa Cole book at the end of her time. ‘Yay, she found one with her name! The clock starts again!’ The boyfriend does a faux eye-roll but it’s evident he’s happy she gets to start over again and potentially double her stack of books. Alyssa places her original armful of romance novels on the counter, readying herself for the timer to start again for the second round.
Time races away. We’re cheering for her and telling her she can fit more in her arms if she’s careful. There’s no way she can see over the stack of books, so she cranes her head to the left and reaches out slowly to pick up more tomes and fit them somewhere like she’s playing a game of Jenga. Before long she’s got another armful of colourful romcoms and a couple of books on long-distance running.
I point to the odd ones out and Roxy says, ‘She got them for him.’
‘Young love. Is there anything sweeter?’ Gran muses.
The timer goes and we clap. ‘I so want to do that!’ I say.
‘Same!’ Roxy says.
The couple wrap up their filming for BookTok. We ring up their purchases and Gran gives them a nice discount. Roxy chats away with the couple and then translates for me. ‘Alyssa says thank you so much. It’s the best birthday, ever!’
They wander out hand in hand, with him carrying her books for her like the perfect gentleman.
‘He’s a keeper – I can always tell,’ Gran says.
I manage not to recoil in surprise what with her history of husbands and all. ‘How can you tell, Gran?’
‘When you’ve been married as often as me you get to know a thing or two.’
