‘What was it?’ Jo asked, as she tried to push down the feeling that Libby and Noah had overstepped the mark. Jo wasn’t ready to do anything other than have Libby read it. She certainly didn’t want anyone else to read it. At that moment, one of the A3 posters of Ewan McLachlan caught her eye. He stared out at her, in moody black and white. Jo looked from him to Libby and back again. ‘Oh, Libby, please tell me you didn’t…’

‘It’s too good an opportunity to pass up. I emailed him first thing to ask if he would be interested. He emailed me back within fifteen minutes and said of course he would like to read it. And it is that good, Jo. This could change your life.’

‘But… you haven’t even finished reading it. How can you possibly say it’s good?’ Jo said, panic clawing at her.

‘Because it is.’

‘Maybe the ending is shite,’ Jo said, her voice loud enough for a little voice from a nearby table to pipe up.

‘Jojo, I heard that bad word.’

‘Sorry, Clara,’ Jo said, and turned her head to Libby, who was now winning the flushed face competition. If Jo wasn’t mistaken, there were tears sitting in Libby’s eyes.

‘I didn’t want to upset you,’ Libby said. ‘I just wanted to help. It really is very good. You need to believe in yourself.’

‘But I wasn’t ready!’ Jo protested limply.

‘I’ll say this with love in my heart,’ Libby began. ‘I don’t think you’d ever be ready. If it was left to you, then I think this book would sit on your computer forever and that would be a waste of a damn good book.’

‘You really think it’s good?’ Jo asked.

‘Oh my God! Do you really think I would send it to Ewan McLachlan if I didn’t think it was good? I have him coming to my bookshop to do a reading. I want to create a strong working relationship with him and other authors. Do you think I’d send him any old toot to read and wreck that? Imagine if he told every one of his author friends that I had a habit of trying to pin ropey writing friends on them?’

Libby, Jo had to acknowledge, had a point.

‘It’s just…’ she began.

‘Scary,’ Libby cut in, finishing Jo’s sentence for her. ‘I know it is. A lot of the things that are worth doing are scary at first. But I know you, and Noah knows you more. He told me you’ve been writing on and off for years. I’ve seen you tapping away on your laptop. There comes a time when you have to take the next step. Even if it makes you want to puke. Actually, especially if it makes you want to puke.’