The Walk of Shame

Seven.

The Morning After

Her mum, Belle and Magda walked away, silhouetted against the rising sun. What a bunch of women. If only she had the strength they did. Hang on. She'd just taken Paige down a peg or three; she'd totally pulled the hottest guy in the village – was Evie already as strong as the women striding away?

Maybe she was.

With her head high, shoulders back, Evie sauntered up Market Street. There was no guilt to face, no exes to avoid, or new girlfriends to confront. Just wander home, best foot forward – okay, the shoes would have to come off again – barefoot forward.

This was no walk of shame; it was a stride of god-damned pride.

STAFF WANTED

The red sign in the café window wouldn't normally have interested her, but since it sat on a tower of paperbacks, Evie stopped.

The Eskimo Kiss Café & Second-hand Bookstore – Opening Friday!

Wow.

There'd been a café here on Market Street for as long as she could remember, but it's last incarnation, Betty's Tea Room was more paper doilies and WI sponges. This new version had chunky oak tables, Chesterfield sofas and almost every wall covered with a bookcase. An ancient, battered copy of the Wind in the Willows sat under the Staff Wanted sign. Evie picked up the book. How lovely would it be to float down the river with Ratty and Mole?

You're so busy reading about different lives, maybe you're forgetting to live your own.

Nate's words haunted her. If he hadn't persuaded her back in, she wouldn't have spent the evening dancing, laughing, celebrating with her cousin. Lianne had been there when Evie split up with Ali, and how had Evie tried to repay her? By sitting in the dark reading Danny Champion of the World. Thank God for Nate. He'd done her a massive favour, making her re-join the party, making her embrace life – she couldn't stop now.

Placing the book back on the pile, Evie frowned at the sign in her hand. She had no reason to run away from Gosthwaite anymore... and she kind of needed a job. She had a degree in hotel management and two years' experience teaching in a school on the other side of the world. Could she handle a waitressing job?

'Despite a year in Australia, I never got the hang of that.' A woman around Evie's age stood in the doorway, her auburn hair hanging in two long fishtail braids. 'Walking barefoot on the street.'

Evie glanced down. Dirty feet. Not the best first impression. 'Two years in Indonesia got me the hang of it. I just got back two days ago. Shoes are a bit of a shock.'

'Backpacking?'

'VSO, teaching.'

'You're looking for a job?'

Evie nodded. 'For the summer, at least.'

'Come in a sec. Can I get you a drink?'

'Water would be awesome, please.'

The woman fished a bottle from a fridge behind the counter and handed it to Evie. 'Experience?'

'Of waitressing? Two years as a Costa barista at Sixth Form.' Evie took several mouthfuls of cold, crisp, life-saving water. 'Thank you. How are you organising the books, by genre or alphabetical?'

The woman's brow furrowed as she surveyed the piles. 'I hadn't thought that far, just bought a job lot on eBay. There's this cafe in Bondi Beach, Gertrude and Alice's. They do second hand books too. I thought it might work here.'