The last thing Ruby needed was anyone talking about her and, eyebrows raised, I stared at him. ‘I thought you didn’t go in for gossip?’
‘You’re right.’ As if remembering himself, Wills straightened himself up. ‘I don’t. That was naughty of me.’ He finally handed over his money and retrieved the reel of cotton. ‘I’m just glad things between you and that man of yours are still good.’
‘Like I said, I have a lunch date to get to.’
‘Oh, yes. Don’t let me keep you.’
I stepped out from behind the till.
‘I wouldn’t want to get in the way of romance.’ He gave me a knowing wink, despite knowing nothing at all.
I refused to discuss my relationship any further and ushered him to the door.
‘Say hello to him for me,’ Wills said, as I eased him out into the street.
‘Happy sewing,’ I replied.
Locking the door behind him, I flipped the open sign to closed and hastened upstairs to get ready.
CHAPTER7
Despite wearing my bobble hat and mittens, I was freezing, but as I crossed my woollen clad fingers and whacked on the van’s temperamental heater, I was met with a cold blast of air. ‘Please, Beryl, don’t do this. Not today.’ She evidently couldn’t hear me over the sound of her engine and with no warmth whatsoever coming through, I turned the heater off again.
Gideon was forever complaining about my van’s rumbling. He constantly badgered me to take Beryl to a garage, but I’d always had more important things to do with my money. Buying stock for the shop, food and paying my electric bill had to take priority. However, as I chugged along, willing Beryl to go faster, I wished I’d taken Gideon’s advice. The drive to his office seemed to take forever.
My resolve waned and I wondered if I was being irrational. If I should simply wait until our next date night to talk to the man; have a heart-to-heart about my concerns.
Gloria Chalmers tried that,Gran reminded me.And look where it got her.
I considered Gran’s words for a moment. ‘You’re right,’ I said. ‘Better to know the truth sooner rather than later.’ Pressing my foot down on the accelerator, I put pedal to the metal, willing her forward.
Beryl, the only vehicle I could afford after Gran passed, was stubborn and she refused to go anywhere near the speed limit. Not that my impatience helped the journey. Unlike Beryl, my imagination over Gideon and what he was up to readily went into overdrive.
Inhaling and exhaling to control my rising pulse, I tried to force my inner pendulum back the other way by insisting Gideon was as faithful as a puppy and instead of being irrational, I should turn around and go home. I tried to reassure myself that the only reason I’d questioned his fidelity was because of Erin’s quip about himgetting it somewhere elseand Joyce’s talk of Gloria Chalmers. But it was no good. My friends’ suggestions had obviously attached themselves to my brain’s frontal lobe and no matter how much I tried to shake them off, they clung on for dear life.
A flurry of images invaded my mind. Discreet glances between Gideon and Julia in team meetings. Close encounters in the stationery cupboard. Romantic meals and hotel getaways. Anxiety threatened to overwhelm me. In my head, the two of them were all but married.
Bang! Beryl backfired, jolting me back to reality. ‘Thank you,’ I said, clearly needing that as much as Beryl did. Noting I was almost at Gideon’s office, I knew, whether I wanted to or not, I couldn’t cut and run. If only for my sanity, I had to see things through.
While Gideon might not see Beryl drive onto his firm’s car park, everyone in the building would certainly hear her and, determined to keep the element of surprise, I pulled into a space a couple of streets away. Keeping my hands on the steering wheel, I took a moment to steady my nerves. ‘You’ve got this,’ I said, at last, grabbing my bag and climbing out.
As I set off walking, my apprehension grew with every step. I’d never turned up at Gideon’s office unannounced before and didn’t have a clue how he would react. I stopped for a second to check out my reflection in a shop window and pulling off my hat, stuffed it into my pocket and titivated my hair. My gaze drew downwards. ‘Bugger!’ Taking in my trainer clad feet, I cringed. I was wearing odd socks.
Setting off again, Gideon’s office soon came into view, and as I approached, I took a deep breath. ‘Whatever happens,’ I told myself. ‘Just play it cool.’
Making my entrance, I held my head high. Having been in the building numerous times when Gideon had helped me sort out Gran’s accounting, I knew where to find him, and I raised my hand ready to push on the plate glass doors that led down an internal corridor.
‘Can I help you?’ the receptionist asked, stopping me from going any further.
I turned to look at her.
Tinted brows raised, her red-lipstick smile seemed more out of politeness than choice. She obviously didn’t go in for niceties.
‘I’m here to see Gideon Mayhew,’ I said. ‘But don’t worry.’ I made sure to keep my tone light. ‘I know the way.’
‘Is he expecting you?’ she asked, her voice firm.
‘No, but–’
