Today's Reading
But then, as quickly as it had appeared, the smile dropped away. "Particularly when his assistant isn't around. She's up there today, though. Don't expect a lot of...fun."
"You know her too?" I stated the obvious.
Bridget shrugged and offered up "Well, not as well as I know Ry."
Ry. I hadn't heard him referred to in that way.
"Oh." I rummaged around in my bag for the invitation as something had occurred to me. I held it up. "Are you responsible for me getting this?"
She shook her head right away. "No, I'm not. I didn't even know you'd applied for an invite, though...Oh."
Tom and I shared a look.
"What?" I asked her.
"Ry's assistant is named Ani, with one n and one i. Though she and I haven't had any deep conversations, I've heard that she loves your bookshop. She probably knew who you were when you applied."
"Ani? I don't think I know the name."
"You might recognize her." She paused and seemed to fall into thought. "And, I think Ry has mentioned the shop a time or two. Maybe. I'm not sure. Anyway, you might have had an in with the bookshop." She shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that."
I nodded, but I didn't mention his times in the shop with Rosie. I might like my friendship with Bridget, but she was still a reporter first, and it wasn't wise to share much of anything with her, especially a secret that could be publicized in one of her articles.
"No, nothing at all," I said.
"Maybe it was just luck of the draw. I don't know how Ani and Ry determined the winners. Ask them. She wasn't thrilled by the idea of doing the showings. She only agreed because Ry wanted it."
"We're just happy to be here," I said. "And very excited to see the studio."
"It's impressive, there's no doubt." She paused. "There's a gentleman up there right now. It wouldn't be like Ani to double-book. What's the time on your invite?"
"Two p.m."
"You're only a few minutes early. Ry was talking to the man like he knew him, sort of. Maybe a friend just stopped by." She fell into thought again. She was always searching for an angle. Her eyes snapped back to mine. "Maybe I'll call you for a quote or something about your time up there."
I nodded immediately. "Of course."
"Well, head on up. I know you'll have a good time. I can't wait to hear about it. Lunch in the next couple weeks?"
"I would love that. Text me."
"I will." She remembered the icy shoulder she liked to extend to Tom and sent him a forced glare. "Just us girls."
"I would never want to interfere," Tom said.
"Right." In a way I had become familiar with, she turned on her toes and walked away toward the road, her long blond curls bouncing as she went. She waved backward over her shoulder. "Later."
"Later, Bridget," I called.
Once she was out of sight, I turned to Tom. "I think she's warming to you."
We laughed.
"Shall we?" He reached for the doorknob just as heavier rain began to fall.
"Let's."
CHAPTER TWO
We stepped into a mostly dark stairway, lit only by a small wall sconce at the top of ten steps. A musty smell tickled my nose, and I held back a sneeze. We heard no noise, voices or otherwise. I didn't feel any moisture on the walls when I touched them, but there was a distinct heaviness of humidity in the air, as if it'd rained inside too.
I smoothed my hair. It was probably a waste of time, but it was a habit I'd had even before moving to Scotland.
"Want me to lead the way?" Tom asked.
"Yes, please."
I took his hand as we climbed the flight of stairs, only to find another flight around a wall at the top. We took it and then two others before we came upon another door.
...
