The Transatlantic Book Club (Finfarran Peninsula #5) - Felicity Hayes-McCoy Page 0,25

sign that read ‘Wi-Fi Available’ but, as she’d eaten her lunchtime sandwich, she had felt as if the church was some abandoned frontier dwelling and the graveyard full of the bones of pioneers.

Erin giggled again. ‘Yeah, right.’

‘Okay, that’s a bit extreme. But, you know, people here are so grateful for the mobile-library service. I suppose it provides a social event as well as books and stuff.’

‘How d’you mean?’

‘Well, a gathering place. Especially for seniors. I see them hanging out after they’ve done the library thing. They combine it with a trip to pick up their pension or go for a coffee. Sometimes they just sit on a wall and chat. Moms with toddlers too. I guess it gets them out of the house.’

‘Beats going to the gym.’

‘Especially if you’re ancient. I don’t know, though – Hanna says the library did Read and Stretch sessions last year.’

‘How the hell did that work?’

‘I didn’t ask. Touch your toes at the end of every chapter? She said the seniors piled in.’

‘If it was my gran, it’d have to be something way less energetic.’

‘Yeah, but that’s the point, isn’t it? According to Hanna, librarians keep an ear to the ground and respond to what’s required. Someone comes in and suggests something and, if it makes sense and there’s enough interest, she goes with the flow.’

Erin asked if Pat had liked the photos of the party.

‘She loved them. I’m going to have one of her and Josie printed and put in a frame.’

‘Gran was so excited to see her. Mom, too. It’s crazy to think that the first time Pat met my mom was at the funeral.’

‘Transatlantic travel used to cost a fortune.’

‘Gran said that, when she came here, it cost a fortune just to make a phone call. She’d fix a time, like making a hair appointment. And she worried so much about the money she couldn’t think what to say.’

‘Wow.’

‘Like, you and I can Skype without even thinking about it. But Gran used to save her wages up to afford a phone call home.’

‘Imagine if you couldn’t talk to your friends or family for months!’

‘Crazy. And no email.’

‘No internet!’

‘Just women in great hats carrying library books on horseback.’

Cassie grinned. ‘I don’t think Pat and Josie go back that far.’

Erin’s face on the screen was thoughtful. ‘Still, it’s kind of sad that they hadn’t met for ages and then they only hung out for a couple of weeks.’

They chatted back and forth a bit longer, and Cassie wondered if Erin had seen Jack lately. But, since she didn’t know her well, she didn’t like to ask. Anyway, it could be that Erin only knew him from the Shamrock Club, and Cassie had gathered that neither went there often. Most members appeared to be well over fifty, and anyone younger seemed only to be there because they’d been drummed up for a special occasion. So perhaps Erin hadn’t seen Jack since the night of the farewell party.

She blinked, aware that her mind had drifted, and Erin laughed. ‘You look like you’re ready to sleep! What time is it over there?’

‘Coming up to midnight and I had a long day.’

‘Well, the night’s still young in New York State and I’m going out to a classy restaurant.’

‘Good for you.’

‘I hope so. I’ve known him forever and this is our first proper date.’ Erin squinted at her own face in the corner of her computer screen, tugging critically at her long, fair hair. ‘And you know what? I should be in the shower. Not sitting in my bathrobe talking to you.’

‘Okay. Go. Have a good one.’

‘I’ll try. You get some sleep. Give my love to Pat.’

‘Sure. Say hi to your gran and your mom for me. And let me know how the date goes.’ Cassie closed her laptop, looking thoughtful. It was stupid to think that Erin’s date might be Jack, and even dumber to want to hear that it wasn’t. But that’s how she was feeling. Which, she told herself crossly, was the stupidest thing of all.

When she got into bed she imagined she’d sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Instead her thoughts went round in circles, moving from her conversation with Erin to her day’s trip in the van. At a stopping point that afternoon she’d encountered a woman who’d said she knew Erin’s gran. ‘Oh, my God, Josie Cox! I was at school with her. Mind, she was older than me but I knew her well. My dad and Josie’s would give