Chapter 25
25
POPPY
I opened my eyes and experienced a moment of discombobulation from waking up somewhere unfamiliar. As my eyes rested on my dress draped over the dressing table chair, I smiled as the memories from last night flooded back to me. What a night! As our kisses intensified, Joel had taken my hand and led me back to his room. I loved the way he’d paused by the door, emphasising that this was about privacy and comfort and there was still no pressure or expectation. Maybe not from him but I was expecting great things after the way he kissed, taking my breath away.
I’m not sure how far we’d have taken things if his phone hadn’t rung. He’d already told me he’d need to keep it switched on in case there was a problem with Imogen and I’d said I was the same because of Dad but, as soon as he told me it was Fizz calling, I knew our evening was over. As disappointing as that was, it made me like him even more that he was always there for his daughter.
As he spoke to Fizz in hushed tones, I rolled myself off the bed, adjusting my dress back into place. Sure enough, as I slipped my feet back into Fizz’s sandals, I caught the end of the conversation.
‘Tell her I’ll be there in five minutes.’ He disconnected and turned to me with a sigh. ‘I’m so sorry. Imogen’s crying. She feels sick.’
‘Probably from all the excitement,’ I said. ‘I just need to track down my bag and I’ll be gone.’
‘I think you dropped it by the door.’ He retrieved it for me and a wave of heat passed through me as I recalled tossing it there the moment we tumbled into his room, locked in a kiss.
His arm slipped round my waist as I took the bag from him and he pulled me closer, kissing me tenderly.
‘I don’t want to say goodbye,’ he murmured.
‘Then don’t. Say see you later. ’
‘When do you go home?’
‘First thing on Monday. I wish I could stay longer but I’ve got a client meeting on Tuesday and I really need to see my dad.’
‘Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?’
‘Just packing.’
‘Can I come to the farmhouse? I could cook for you if you like. I’m pretty useful in the kitchen.’
‘I’d love that, but I know things are tricky with your brother so, if you find you can’t come, I’ll understand.’ There was a notepad and pen on the desk so I scribbled my number down.
‘I’ll be there. I promise.’
He kissed me with longing and pulled away with reluctance and I sensed that, even if he couldn’t find the time, he’d call me to let me know. There was something so honest and honourable about Joel Grainger.
Light was streaming through a gap in the curtains where I hadn’t properly closed them last night, creating a stripe on the pillow beside me. I was staring at it, thinking I should really get up and showered for breakfast when my phone rang. The number wasn’t registered. Hopefully it was Joel but there was a possibility it was Damon using a different phone, so I answered with caution.
‘Hello?’
‘Poppy? It’s Joel. Have I woken you up?’
‘No. I’m still in bed but I was awake. How’s Imogen?’
‘She came back to my room, had a glass of milk and was okay after that. Do you mind if I put her on?’
‘Erm, no, that’s fine.’
The next voice I heard was Imogen’s. ‘Hi, Poppy, do you want to come to breakfast with us?’ My heart melted. How sweet was that?
‘I’d love to, thank you, but I’m not dressed yet. Are you going down now?’
‘No. I need a bath so Daddy says half an hour. We can call for you.’
‘Sounds good. I’ll see you then. Can you put your daddy back on?’
‘Okay. Bye.’
‘Imogen says it’s a yes,’ Joel said, coming onto the phone shortly after.
‘It is, but that means that the next time I see you, you’ll be together. It’s probably not a good idea for us to have a repeat performance of last night in front of your daughter but I wouldn’t want you to think I’m giving you the cold shoulder.’
‘I should have thought about that. Yeah, probably best to stick to friendship vibes around her for the moment, but only because of Tilly. I know how her mind works. She’d accuse me of abandoning Imogen so I could pick up strange women. Not that you’re strange.’
‘Don’t worry. I know what you mean. It’s so unfair on you that she’s like that.’
‘I swear it’s Greg’s influence, although maybe it was always simmering under the surface and I either didn’t notice or didn’t want to notice. So we’d best keep it under the radar although Imogen would be ecstatic if she thought something was going on.’
‘She would?’
‘Definitely! She thinks you’re amazing and she was quizzing me about you this morning and whether you had a boyfriend. I get the impression she and Darcie were doing a spot of matchmaking last night. It was Imogen’s idea to invite you to breakfast.’
‘She’s a gorgeous girl and I’m glad I’d have her seal of approval but I completely understand the Tilly situation so I’ll be discreet.’ I bit my lip and added in a sultry tone, ‘It won’t be easy though.’ It was daring for me, but I couldn’t help myself. In a very short space of time, Joel had really got under my skin and I wanted him to know that.
I could hear the smile in his voice. ‘Same here. I’ll see you soon. Can’t wait.’
We said goodbye and hung up. I now had twenty-five minutes to get myself showered and looking presentable. No pressure.
Joel and Imogen turned up at my bedroom door bang on time.
‘Are you hungry?’ Imogen asked as soon as I opened the door. ‘Because I am, and Daddy says I can have pancakes which are my favourites.’
‘I’m very hungry and I love pancakes too, especially if they come with bacon and maple syrup.’
Her eyes widened. ‘I’ve never had them like that before. They sound yummy.’
As we set off along the corridor, Imogen surprised me by slipping her hand into mine. My heart leapt and I felt quite emotional as I caught Joel’s eye and he smiled and mouthed, ‘She likes you.’
Fizz, Phoebe and Darcie were at the entrance to the dining room about to be seated so they changed their request to a table for six. I was glad of the company, thinking it would be easier to keep up the subterfuge of being friends if we were part of a group, although the knowing smiles Fizz and Phoebe exchanged suggested that turning up together had already given the game away.
‘Good night last night?’ Fizz asked me, a big grin on her face.
I glanced up at Joel and he shook his head, chuckling.
‘The best,’ I admitted.
We were led to a rectangular table and Imogen plonked herself down opposite me at one end, with Joel beside me opposite Darcie.
‘Who was that man with you last night?’ Imogen asked after we’d given our food and drink orders. ‘How do you know him?’
It made me laugh when children blurted out direct questions like that.
‘That was Phil and he used to be my husband but we split up several years ago and now we’re just good friends.’
She frowned. ‘Mummy and Daddy split up but they’re not friends.’
‘That’s probably more common than staying friends with your ex.’
‘Oh. Okay. So would you like to be my daddy’s girlfriend?’
I burst out laughing. No filter whatsoever!
‘Imogen!’ Joel cried. ‘You can’t just come out with something like that.’
‘Why not? You like Poppy. You were dancing with her last night, and you told me you think she’s beautiful.’
My cheeks flushed and my stomach tingled as I caught Joel’s eye.
‘Well, she is,’ he said, his voice tender, ‘but I think it’s time we changed the subject, young lady. We’re embarrassing Poppy.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said, not wanting her to think she’d done something wrong. ‘Imogen, I hear you’re learning to ride…’
All too soon, breakfast was over and I knew I was going to have to say goodbye. I wished I could stay here forever, encased in this bubble of happiness with these wonderful people. We were about to leave when Joel’s parents appeared and paused by our table to say hello. Joel introduced me which prompted Imogen to make another matchmaking attempt.
‘Daddy really likes Poppy and so do I. I think they should go out.’
Ten out of ten for persistence and it gave me a warm glow to think that I already had Imogen’s seal of approval which would make things so much easier if Joel wanted to see me again after I went home. I already knew I wanted to see him. Distance was going to be an issue, but it wasn’t like we lived at other ends of the country to each other.
‘I think that’s your daddy and Poppy’s decision,’ Joel’s mum said, smiling at us both. ‘Nice to meet you, Poppy.’
Imogen asked if she could stay with her grandparents while Joel packed up the room so I said goodbye to her and was rewarded with an unexpected hug. I swear she took a little piece of my heart with her when she ran off to join Joel’s parents.
I thanked Fizz and Phoebe for making me feel so welcome which triggered more hugs and hopes that I’d visit the area again. Then, as we left the restaurant, we passed Amber and Barney, so I had a chance to thank them too. Amber made me promise to stay in touch and said I was welcome to visit any time. By the time I’d hugged them both, I was on the verge of tears. They’d all been so friendly and welcoming and I hated having to say goodbye.
Joel said he’d walk me back to my room so we stopped off at reception to pick up his clothes which thankfully bore no evidence of last night’s disaster.
‘Sorry about Imogen’s interrogation,’ he said we approached my bedroom. ‘If I’d known she was going to do that, I’d have plonked her down at the other end of the table.’
‘It was fine. It made me laugh and it was nice to be wanted.’
We paused by the door and Joel took my hand in his. ‘I’m conscious we were interrupted last night and we haven’t been able to talk about what happens next. And I’m conscious that next is complicated because you don’t live here, you’ve got a business to run, bees to attend to and the heartbreaking situation with your dad, but I can’t help thinking there’s something special between us. I hope we can spend some time this evening exploring whether there’s any way to uncomplicate things. If that’s something you’d like to do, and I haven’t been friend zoned.’
‘Believe me, you’re nowhere near being friend zoned. I don’t do what we were doing last night with any of my friends.’
‘Pleased to hear it,’ he said, laughing.
I smiled at him and squeezed his hand. ‘It is complicated and it’s not going to be easy but I’m feeling like it isn’t impossible, so let’s talk later and see what we can come up with.’
He released my hand and slipped his arm round my waist, pulling me into a tender, heart-melting kiss.
‘I don’t know what time I’ll make it over yet – depends on what’s going on with Chez.’
‘I’m not going anywhere, so message me when you know your plans.’
He held me tight and, at that moment, I knew that no matter how difficult or complicated it was for both of us, I was going to pull out all the stops to make it work. I’d already broken the cycle of the everyday visits to Dad and felt better in myself for doing so. Maybe Joel and I could meet up every so often at a halfway point. I was willing to give anything a try because I could already feel myself falling for him and I wasn’t prepared to let him slip through my fingers. What had Phil said last night about timing? Timing might be everything, but sometimes what can seem the worst possible timing can turn out to be the best. Life’s chaotic. I say embrace the chaos! This was me well and truly embracing the chaos.