The Little Shop in Cornwall: A heartwarming and feel good beach read by Helen Pollard

Author:Helen Pollard [Pollard, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838888916
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2020-06-14T18:30:00+00:00

‘Did you buy something yesterday?’ Jason asked when he went to Millie’s room to check she’d packed for school and caught her putting something back in a velvet pouch.

‘No. It’s a gift from Claudia.’

She looked shifty, and for the thousandth time Jason regretted that his daughter felt she couldn’t talk to him any more. It had been like pulling teeth trying to find out if she’d enjoyed her first Saturday at Healing Waves the day before.

He put on a positive tone. ‘Oh? What is it?’

Millie hesitated. ‘Oracle cards. Personalised ones, just for me.’

‘Oracle cards?’ Suspicion crept into his voice.

‘Yes.’ Millie narrowed her eyes. ‘I thought Claudia explained all this to you?’

‘She did.’

‘So?’

Jason tried to lighten things. ‘So, I could take you to a taxidermist and have him explain it to you, but I wouldn’t expect you to agree with what he does or sells.’

‘Really? You’re comparing Claudia to someone who stuffs dead animals now?’

‘Okay. Bad comparison. Especially for a vegetarian. You won’t tell her, will you?’

Millie snorted out a laugh before she could stop herself.

Pleased with this small achievement, Jason ventured, ‘Can I see them?’

‘You’re not supposed to handle them.’ She shrugged. ‘I suppose I can cleanse them again. But don’t pass on too many bad vibes, okay?’

Jason grunted. That was an ask too far. Claudia may have talked him down on the evils of oracle cards, but she knew how he felt about them, so why had she given Millie a deck?

He started to flick through them, slowing down when he realised what they were. Gemma cuddling her baby girl. Gemma and Millie laughing uproariously together. Shots to remind Millie of a particular day – the beach, the funfair, the garden. And on each, a short caption that fitted the photo and might act as a mantra for Millie’s day, from ‘Remember to smile’ to ‘You are always loved’ to ‘Laughter is the best medicine’. The reverse of the cards was a soothing swirl of blues, presumably designed by Claudia, and they were printed on high quality, glossy card.

‘Claudia designed them, then had them printed at a proper place,’ Millie said proudly. Trepidation crept into her voice. ‘Are you upset about them?’

Jason shook his head, still in awe. How could he possibly be upset? It must have cost Claudia a fortune to have these individually printed. And he couldn’t imagine how many hours she’d spent designing them.

Maybe he should embrace Claudia’s eccentricities more; see past them to the woman behind them. They were Claudia, and she was them. If you wanted her as a friend, you had to take the whole Claudia.

Jason did want Claudia as a friend. And with a rush that crept from his toes to his head, he knew with unnerving certainty that he might want her as something more than that.

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