Almost Perfect

Almost Perfect by Dianne Blacklock Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: Almost Perfect by Dianne Blacklock Read Free Book Online
Authors: Dianne Blacklock
apparently surprised, but his features softened when he saw it was Georgie. ‘Hi.’
    â€˜Personally, it’s not really my cup of latte,’ she continued.
    â€˜I’m sorry?’
    â€˜Oh, I know it’s being touted as the next Booker prize winner and all, but it won’t win. I mean, maybe it is “an honest and disturbing account of a woman’s descent into depression”, but who wants to read about that?’
    Liam looked blankly at her. ‘I’m sorry, I’m not following you at all.’
    Georgie indicated the poster. ‘ Duck Egg Blue. Waste of good trees if you ask me. So, what brings you back so soon?’
    Liam cleared his throat. He looked nervous, which Georgie found not a little endearing. ‘Well . . . actually, um, well . . .’ He took a breath. ‘Actually, I’m after another gift. For my father this time.’
    She suppressed a smile. ‘What’s the occasion?’
    Liam hesitated. ‘It’s his birthday.’
    Georgie lifted an eyebrow. ‘So your father’s birthday’s a day after your mother’s? That’s a rather huge coincidence, isn’t it?’
    â€˜I’ll say.’
    She frowned. ‘They’re both Librans then? That’s not a great combination.’
    â€˜No, it’s not,’ he agreed.
    Georgie smiled. ‘You didn’t remember this yesterday?’
    He shook his head regretfully. ‘Slipped my mind.’
    â€˜So what does your father like to read? Thrillers, war stories?’
    â€˜That’s a bit of a sexist assumption, isn’t it?’ Liam remarked.
    â€˜I know these things, I’m a bookseller. He’s a man, if he reads at all it’ll be sports biographies, action, thriller, war . . .’
    â€˜Fine, what do you suggest?’
    She folded her arms, considering him. ‘I suggest you buy a cup of coffee instead. It’ll only cost a couple of dollars and you won’t have to fork out thirty bucks for a book you don’t want, when all you really wanted was an excuse to see me again.’
    Liam stared at her incredulously. For a second Georgie thought she’d really put her foot in it. Why couldn’t someone have parents with birthdays on consecutive days? It wasn’t all that incredible; it would hardly get them into the Guinness Book of Records.
    But then his face relaxed into a sheepish smile and Georgie breathed again.
    â€˜So what’ll it be?’ she asked tentatively.
    â€˜White with one.’
    She smiled at him. ‘Take a seat, I’ll bring it over to you.’
    He wandered across to what they referred to as the sitting room. Not that it was a room as such; it was just an area bordered by bookshelves on three sides, with comfy armchairs and sofas and a couple of coffee tables. It had been one of Georgie’s ideas after she’d seen the cafe on Friends . But everyone was doing it now.
    She carried two cups over and handed one to Liam as she parked herself beside him on the sofa. She sat side on, facing him, bringing her feet up underneath her.
    â€˜This is a pretty impressive set-up,’ he remarked.
    â€˜Thank you.’
    He turned to face her, stretching his arm across the back of the sofa. ‘So it really is your business?’
    â€˜Half of it.’
    â€˜That’s right, you said you were partners with your sister . . .’
    â€˜In-law.’
    â€˜Who’s married to your brother,’ he nodded. ‘Not the other way around.’
    Georgie smiled. He remembered.
    â€˜How long have you owned the business?’ Liam asked.
    â€˜Going on twelve years.’
    â€˜You must have been a child when you started?’
    â€˜And you must have been to flattery school.’
    He smiled. ‘No, come on. You couldn’t have been twenty?’
    Georgie shrugged. ‘You’re getting warm.’
    â€˜That’s a pretty big deal, starting a

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