The Little Unicorn Gift Shop Read online

  ‘What about you, Pops? Are you having fun?’ Ben sank back into his seat. ‘Because if I’m honest, when I came in here just now you looked like a woman who was about to throw herself under the nearest truck. Or who had plans to smother herself with one of those fluffy unicorn cushions of yours.’

  Poppy turned her attention back to the receipts. ‘It’s these.’ She swept her hand over the mind-bending bits of paper. ‘Or more to the point, it’s all of this. I’m out of my league. I know nothing about running a business. Not the numbers side of it, anyway.’

  ‘Nothing?’ Ben scooted forward and looked at the notepad on which Poppy had been trying to keep track of the stock she’d sold that day. ‘Is that how you’re keeping track of your inventory? Don’t you have a computer?’

  Poppy bristled with indignation. Did Ben think she was that useless? ‘Yes, I have a computer. How do you think I booked tickets and found accommodation when travelling?’

  ‘Poppy, I don’t mean for day-to-day stuff, I mean for business. Surely you’ve a program that keeps track of incomings and outgoings? How are you planning to present your accounts to your accountant?’

  Poppy sank her head into her hands and groaned. ‘I don’t. There is no system. Nothing. Because I don’t know how.’

  ‘What about a business plan? No. Don’t answer that. I know the answer because you’ve gone all pale and sickly looking. You have no plan. Plans have never been your forte. You run on pure enthusiasm.’ Ben’s tone was filled with reproach, and doubt. ‘Poppy, if you don’t know how to run the financial side of a business how do you expect to make it a success?’

  ‘Simple. Buy pretty sparkly unicorn things from suppliers. Add some money on top so I make a profit. Sell said stuff.’ Poppy peeked from between her fingers to see Ben shaking his head, his eyes wide with horror. ‘Then with the money I make, pay the bills and buy more stuff to sell.’

  Ben ran a hand through his hair, which, predictably, fell back into perfect place. ‘Well, I’m glad I found this out now. We can fix this. Poppy Taylor, I know you don’t like to ask for help so I’m not going to get you to ask. I’m giving you a hand whether you like it or not. By the end of this evening we’ll have your business plan in place, along with systems to keep track of stock and money.’

  Overwhelmed with relief, Poppy dragged a tense-shouldered Ben into a hug that she refused to release until he gave in to it. ‘Ben Evans, you are a gem. Now…’ She rifled through her candy-pink tote bag and pulled out her laptop, ignoring Ben’s groan when he saw the laptop protector was holographic with a black glittery unicorn in the centre. ‘Let’s sort me out. And I’ll cook dinner to say thank you. I’ve got this unicorn-shaped pasta you’ll love.’ Poppy laughed, as Ben squeezed his eyes shut and let out a rumble of despair. ‘I’m only joking, Ben, I’ve yet to come across that particular unicorn gem. But there’s no need to act so disgusted by the thought.’

  The tenseness in her tummy had disappeared, and her heart felt the lightest it had in years. She had a business. She had her friend. She had everything she needed.

  At least that’s what she would keep telling herself.

  Chapter 7

  Poppy’s gaze wandered over to Ben’s side of the shop for what felt like the thousandth time since they’d opened an hour ago.

  He was chatting with a customer. Bringing an open tin of tea up to their nose and encouraging them to breathe in. His free hand twisted and turned as he explained the tea’s origin and benefits. His voice was friendly, engaged, but there was something not right. His perfect posture had given way to hunched shoulders. His smile was too tight. His step not so purposeful – and Poppy had a feeling it had something to do with their conversation last night.

  She knew how important his family was to him. How much he looked up to his father, how he’d done everything he could to please him. To have upset his father, to have chosen a path that his father disapproved of? It would be weighing Ben down. And while she couldn’t fix his relationship with his father – because what did she know about healthy family relationships? – the least she could do was try and bring happiness into Ben’s life.

  A glimmer of an idea flickered in the back of Poppy’s mind, and her pulse picked up as possibilities began to form. Maybe what Ben needed was to have a little sparkle in his life, and Poppy was just the woman to help him.

  She eyed the counter, where a plate of Jammy Dodgers glinted in the downlights. Keeping things casual, she strolled over to the foodie section of her shop where unicorn-head-shaped lollipops sat next to petite boxes of chocolate unicorns, rainbow rock candy and, most importantly, edible glitter. She pocketed a vial of red glitter and sauntered back to the counter, all the while fighting to keep her expression neutral, determined not to let her glee give the plan away before it could be executed.

  The chiming of the shop’s doorbell proved the perfect foil for her excitement as a cute little girl, hair in pigtails and wearing a sparkly summery dress, walked in with her mother and made a beeline towards her side of the shop.

  ‘Hi, welcome to Sparkle & Steep.’ Poppy smiled warmly at the little girl whose hand was snugly tucked in her mother’s.

  The girl smiled back shyly, then darted over to the soft toy corner. ‘Mummy, look at these! Can I have one?’ She pulled out a small white unicorn with a silver horn and hugged it to her tiny chest, her shoulders jiggling backwards and forwards as she wiggled with excitement.

  Her mother followed her over and ducked down to the little girl’s level. ‘Will you help me tidy your room?’

  ‘Yes.’ The wee dot nodded her head. ‘And I’ll eat my carrots and peas.’

  ‘Then consider it yours.’ Her mother leaned in and kissed her forehead. The small show of affection twisted Poppy’s heart. What would a loving kiss from her mother have felt like? What would it have been like to be able to ask for something as simple as a toy without fearing a sharp-tongued retort? She blinked back the tears that threatened as the little girl made her way to the counter, her eyes dancing with joy.

  ‘I would like this unicorn.’ The toy was carefully placed on the counter.

  ‘Manners?’ the girl’s mother gently reminded her.

  ‘Please.’ A sweet smile and a thank you followed as Poppy packed the toy in a bag and handed it to the little girl. Her mother nodded her thanks, took her daughter’s hand and headed out the door, anchoring it open for an incoming customer.

  The scent of Chanel No. 5 wafted in. Poppy only knew one person who wore it so boldly. And just like that, she was a girl again. Unsure of her place. A little nervous. And desperate to be accepted.

  ‘Mum? I didn’t know you were coming in.’ Ben circled round the counter and went to meet his mother, kissing her on the cheek, then bringing her in for a quick hug.

  ‘That’s because I wanted to surprise you.’ Mrs Evans broke the hug then turned on her heel to face Poppy.

  ‘Mrs Evans. Good to see you again.’ Poppy nodded, mustered a smile, and hoped it would be returned. She’d never felt on steady ground in the Evans’ household. Ben’s dad had disapproved of her, thought her a bad influence. Ben’s mother had been kind, but on the occasions Poppy had led Ben astray she’d been quick to back Ben’s father in restricting the time Ben and Poppy spent together. Though Poppy had always wondered if Mrs Evans had been instrumental in allowing those rules to be relaxed once enough time had passed.

  ‘Poppy, you’re thirty now! It really is time you called me Pam.’ In two quick steps Pam had reached Poppy’s counter and leaned across to kiss her on each cheek. ‘It’s good to see you, my dear.’

  Warmth hit Poppy’s cheeks, and her heart. Pam had been everything she imagined a ‘real’ mother would be, and time and age hadn’t changed that. Sure, fine lines may have feathered the outer corner of Pam’s eyes, as warm and chestnut-coloured as her son’s. Her cheekbones may have sharpened with age, but she was still rocking the heck out of her standard twinset and skirt combination, and her demeanour was still one of
caring, kindness, and stability. Pam was the picture of home. The kind of home young Poppy had dreamed of.

  Pam turned back to Ben, took his hands in hers and gave them a wee shake. ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t visit yesterday. Your father had me running all over the place with all sorts of needs and wants. Dry cleaning. A certain champagne for a client. You know how he can be…’

  Ben nodded amicably, but Poppy didn’t miss the tiny vein that pulsed at his temple. He knew as well as Poppy did that Ben’s father had sent Pam on the errands as a way of keeping her away from the shop, a way of punishing his son for abandoning his job.

  ‘Anyway, I’m here now. And would you look at what you’ve done with this place?’ Pam did a slow turn, taking in their hard work. ‘It really is beautiful, and I must admit – I didn’t think a gourmet tea shop and a unicorn gift shop could work, but there’s something rather special about the mix of the two…’ She paused, her lips quirking to the side, like she was enjoying a private joke. ‘And Poppy, when Ben said you were back and that he was leasing a shop with you… well, I was rather shocked – he was doing so well with the practice – but I wasn’t surprised. You and he always got along well together. Had a way of making things happen. Although some of those things I rather wished you’d not bothered with.’ She lifted an imaginary bottle to her lips, mimicked drinking the lot, then set the imaginary bottle down with an amused shake of her head. ‘You know, he missed you terribly when you left, and while he may not be the most sentimental man in the world – takes after his father like that – despite saying he was “fine” a thousand times a day, he moped for a good month. I’ve never seen him so dejected.’

  Guilt sucker-punched Poppy square in the gut. She’d convinced herself leaving Ben, leaving her home, leaving her life was for the best – for everyone – but it seemed that had been something she’d told herself just to feel better about doing it. She felt for the vial of glitter in her pocket. She couldn’t take her actions back, but she could make amends.

  ‘Anyway, you’re back now,’ Pam continued, oblivious to Poppy’s shock or to her son’s face, which was going paler by the second. ‘And would you look at what the two of you have achieved in such a short space of time? I think good things are going to come of this.’

  Poppy abandoned the safety of her counter, which was no longer a barricade but a barrier to the woman she’d admired growing up. Whose approval she’d dreamed of when her own mother’s approval was non-existent. She linked her arm through Pam’s, guided her to a table and pulled out a chair for her. ‘Fancy a cup of tea? There’s a very nice green tea on the warmer. It’s from Japan. Doesn’t taste like dirt the way the rest of them do.’

  ‘I’d love one, thank you, Poppy. Always up for trying something new. I think Ben gets that from me, you know. His cute bum, too.’

  ‘Mum.’ Ben visibly cringed as he poured the tea into two cups and pushed them in Poppy’s direction. ‘Is it your mission to embarrass me no matter how old I am?’

  ‘It’s my job, dear.’ Pam shot Poppy an amused wink, as Ben turned on his heel with an exasperated shake of his head and strode out to the kitchen mumbling something about getting a cake out of the oven, and maybe sticking his head in it.

  A soft ‘mmm’ of approval escaped her lips as she tried the tea. ‘You’re right, this tea is nice, but I’ll stick to my Rooibos, I think. And my white tea.’

  ‘Mrs Evans!’ Poppy laughed as Pam raised her eyebrow in a gentle reminder. ‘I mean… Pam. I had you pegged for Earl Grey, or breakfast.’

  ‘Who do you think introduced Ben to this passion of his? A few years back I was getting bored of how exacting my life was, and while poor Robert would have had a heart attack had I changed his life up and started serving exotic dinners, or, God forbid, changed the time I served his dinner, I figured I could have an interest of my own. So I took to trying tea and Ben, bless him, joined me. It became our evening ritual for a bit. We’d choose a tea, then he’d bake something he thought might match. I’ve always loved his baking.’ Pam patted her slight hips. ‘Possibly a bit too much.’

  ‘You’re tiny.’ Poppy batted away Pam’s cluck of protest. ‘Anyway, you said it was your ritual for a bit? Did something – or someone – get in the way of your ritual?’ Poppy leaned over the table and lowered her voice, not wanting Ben to hear her prying into his personal life.

  Pam’s marionette lines grew deeper as her lips turned down. ‘It came to an end when Ben announced he was going to open the shop. Robert made it clear he was unimpressed, and since then Ben’s not come around home.’ Pam rubbed her cheek, her eyes weary. ‘I’ve never seen them this out of sorts…’

  Poppy’s heart went out to Pam. ‘It must be hard seeing them at odds with each other, but I’m sure they’ll work it out.’

  ‘I don’t know. Robert’s stubborn. Ben can be too. And Robert’s not getting any younger. It’d break my heart if anything happened to him and they were still fighting… Ben would never forgive himself.’ Pam blinked rapidly, then straightened up. ‘Gosh, what am I saying? Of course nothing will happen. I’m being silly.’ Pam stood and picked up her purse. ‘I’ve also taken up enough of your time. Now where’s that son of mine?’

  ‘Ben?’ Poppy called. ‘Your mother requires your presence.’

  Ben appeared in the doorway, drying his hands on a tea towel. ‘Sorry, I had washing up to do. And I didn’t think I wanted to hear whatever it was you two were discussing.’

  ‘Nothing of consequence, my boy. Now, it’s time you took me for a proper guided tour of this magnificent business of yours.’

  Ben brought his mother in for a side-hug, and she wrapped her arm around his waist companionably. ‘To the kitchen, dear Mother. I’m just about to whip up a quick batch of vanilla biscuits. Poppy, Sophie’s on her lunch break, can you grab me if anyone needs anything?’

  ‘Sure thing.’ Poppy watched the two of them walk away, their heads angled towards each other as Ben asked his mother how she’d been and what she’d been up to, the mutual admiration – the love – apparent.

  Sadness threatened to swamp her, but she shoved it away. No good had ever come from wondering what it would be like to have experienced that same level of closeness with her own mother, so there was no point dwelling on it. Not when she had a mission to accomplish. She thought back to the conversation they’d had last night, and the chat she’d just had with Pam.

  Not one mission. Two missions.

  Bring some joy into his life and, if the opportunity arose, she’d help Ben mend the rift with his father.

  Gripping the vial of glitter in her pocket, Poppy tiptoed over to Ben’s counter, pulled out the plate of Jammy Dodgers and got to work.

  ‘A little sparkle here, a little sparkle there…’ she murmured, as she carefully shook the glitter into each jammy hole. ‘And there we have it, magical Jammy Dodgers.’

  ***

  Ben led his mum out to the front of the store. She’d stayed longer than he’d anticipated, which was no bad thing. They’d baked. Chatted about the goings on in her life. She’d shown interest in his work, and not once brought up his father or his father’s blatant disapproval of his shop. In fact, it was safe to say they’d steered clear of that subject altogether.

  The door chimes had sounded regularly, but neither Poppy nor Sophie had called for him, so he’d assumed his side of the shop had hit a lull. People’s curiosity had been sated, and now it was a matter of building relationships and getting repeat business. But that didn’t explain why Poppy was standing behind his counter.

  ‘I’ll call in again soon.’ His mum kissed him on the cheek and brought him in for a brief hug. ‘And maybe you and Poppy could come around for dinner? Poppy? Would that work for you?’

  Poppy nodded, but Ben didn’t miss the hint of a frown. Why wouldn’t she want to have dinner with his family? She’d always enjoyed the food his mum served, to the point he sometimes had wondered if it was the only time she had a proper meal.

  ‘Go
od. I’ll call Ben and organise a time that suits you both.’ Pam stopped to give Poppy a hug. ‘Oh, and text me your number. We can have a girls’ lunch.’ One more squeeze, then Pam released Poppy and stepped out into the bright sunshine.

  ‘I take it it’s been quiet on my side of the shop?’ Ben picked up a cloth and wiped down the table his mum and Poppy had been sitting at, then stacked the cups and saucers on top of each other.

  ‘No, you had customers. A fair few, actually. But serving tea and cake is well within my abilities. I did a bit of waitressing in the States. And I had Sophie’s help once she came back from lunch. I’ve just sent her back out to get me a bite to eat. Your baking’s amazing, Ben, but it turns out a girl can’t live on sweet treats alone.’ Poppy moved out from behind his counter and strolled over to her side of the shop, all signs of her previous hesitancy and discomfort gone.

  Ben took in the state of his counter. Not a speck of crumb or a spot of spillage was in sight. The tins of tea had been arranged a little differently, a little less colour-coordinated than he preferred, yet the hint of discord appealed, and the counter food was…

  He leaned closer. Something still wasn’t right. Something was… off.

  He glanced up at Poppy who quickly turned away from him and began to rearrange a selection of unicorn-shaped USB drives.

  He returned his attention to the counter. The shortbread looked as buttery, crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth as ever. The gingernuts as break-your-teeth-if-you-don’t-dunk-them hard as ever. Maybe he was being paranoid. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Poppy to stick to the rules they’d established before their shops opened, but she’d always been mischievous, and she was acting really weird. Kept grinning to herself, her shoulders slightly shaking in silent laughter.

  The door chimed as a customer entered. He stared for a moment, then gave himself a mental shake. Eyes up, Ben. You’re a gentleman. ‘Milly, good to see you again.’