A Pocketful of Dreams

Chapter Four

Annie locked the door of A Pocketful of Dreams and walked across the arcade's interior courtyard. As she gazed up at the fairy lights that set the faux oak trees aglow, she sensed – and not for the first time – a real feeling of home. There couldn't have been a better place for her shop than the Olde Oxford arcade.

As an added bonus, today she'd met Dan... She'd spent most of the afternoon recalling how his strong hands had felt as he'd pulled her out of the window display, and the resulting frisson continued even now as she walked along the unevenly tiled thoroughfare. She shook her head to dispel the thoughts; reliving that moment wasn't the best idea when she was just about to see him again. She had to be calm and elegant, not flushed and giddy.

'Evening.'

Annie turned around to see Dan emerge from the door that led through to Bruno's management office. Her heart fluttered as she smiled at him. 'Hi. Did you have a good meeting?'

He shrugged. 'Could've been better, but let's not talk about that. Let's get that coffee.' He smiled, and pleasurable shivers began to rise inside Annie once more.

Her shivers changed form as she and Dan left the arcade and stepped out into the chill wind. There was a strong smell of frost in the air, and the tips of Annie's fingers began to tingle. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck and wished she'd remembered her gloves.

'Do you do The Tea Lady?' she blurted out, before mentally slapping her hands over her face.

Dan laughed. 'I'm sorry? Do I do who?'

'The Tea Lady – the café down the road. What I meant was, um – do you go there? We could have coffee there, or somewhere else . . .'

'The Tea Lady sounds wonderful. Here: in case the pavement gets slippery.'

Dan offered Annie his arm, and she took it with a smile. As they began to walk down the street, the first snowflakes of the season began to fall, twirling and dancing around them.

'So you're working at the shopping arcade at the moment?' Annie asked.

Dan glanced down at her and nodded. She watched a tiny snowflake get caught in his eyelashes. When he blinked, it melted away on his cheek.

'I work for a property consultancy. My client wants to lease the empty unit opposite your shop.'

'Really? Can you tell me what it will be? I've been dying to know who'll move in!'

'Just a minute.' He dropped his arm to Annie's waist and in one smooth movement, lifted her effortlessly over the deep puddle of icy slush she'd been about to step into.

Her heart pounded so hard she expected it to become visible, like a jackhammer from a Looney Tunes cartoon.

When they reached the café, he held the door open and ushered her in ahead of himself.

'Thank you,' she said, looking up at him.

Dissolved snowflakes had left shiny damp patches on his coat, and his short brown hair looked spiky. His cocoa eyes shone brightly and looked only at her.

'Groan if you will, at what I'm about to say, but do you come here often?' Dan unbuttoned his coat and hung it on the rack by the door before putting out his hand to take Annie's jacket.

'Yes, when I've got the m—'

She'd spoken without thinking.

Great – now he'll think I can't afford a cup of tea, she admonished herself silently. But that was the way things had been for so long; rarely was she able to treat herself. As of this morning, however, that part of her life was now over.