Rob looked up, one of the tiny mirrors that adorned Jackie’s top was casting a rainbow across the ceiling. A smile flickered at his mouth, he remembered his sister once telling him that a rainbow was an omen, whatever you were considering doing at the time of seeing one ought to be acted upon immediately. ‘I hope you don’t mind,’ he began, as Jennie tried desperately not to fiddle with the counter display, ‘I was going to ask you whether you would like to join me for dinner.’ Jennie found that she couldn’t look at him, though she very much wanted to make eye contact. As she rearranged the fresh bread basket once again, she became aware of him moving round to her side of the counter. He slid the basket out of her reach, his arm brushing against hers, ‘but I’ve decided to do this instead.’  He gently moved her hair back from her shoulders, exposing her creamy neck, which he surprised himself by kissing first before moving to her lips, softly at first, then more eagerly as he detected her response.

The bell above the door announced a customer and they sprung apart. Even if the kiss hadn’t been witnessed, Jennie’s expression admitted that something special had just happened. Rob grabbed a pen and scribbled something on a scrap of paper. ‘Well,’ he said loudly, a bit too dramatically,  ‘if you would just deliver this later, that would be great.’ Mrs Robertson, who had called round for some eggs, looked unconvinced. Rob left the shop, just hesitating to direct a wink at Jennie. As Mrs Robertson rummaged for her purse, Jennie read the note.

Dinner, mine at 8?

The purse was proving elusive. ‘Sorry love, I’m taking forever,’ the elderly lady apologised. ‘That’s alright,’ Jennie replied, moving around the counter to help. She didn’t see that there were rainbows dancing all over the ceiling.