Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jamie
“What are you going to do about the flat in London?” Will asked me. We sat on the sofa the following evening, eating Oliver’s lasagne and tear-and-share bread while an old episode of some sitcom played in the background. Neither of us were really watching it.
I thought for a second while I chewed. The whole day had been a blissfully normal one filled with work and the warm serenity of knowing the farm was my home now. But of course, Will had to go and lovingly ruin that with his practicality, which I appreciated.
Sort of.
I didn’t see why I couldn’t just mysteriously vanish from London and leave everyone wondering what had happened to me.
Except Will had pointed out I was still posting on Instagram, and if I didn’t at least tell Daisy what my plans were, I’d be betraying our very long friendship.
Because even if I’d changed and didn’t want the same things, I at least owed her an explanation so she didn’t think I’d been abducted and brainwashed by a cult.
And Will had also told me it would be polite to at least inform my parents, even if it was just so my father’s accountant knew why my spending habits had changed.
Not that I intended to spend the money in my trust fund nearly as liberally, but I hadn’t yet told Will of my plans. I wanted to run them past someone financially minded before I told him so I had evidence and spreadsheets to back me up when Will inevitably worried.
Although I did intend to use some of my money to take him on holiday at some point. I’d have to speak to Higgs, Dylan, and Will’s parents to make sure they’d be able to cope without us for a few weeks, but I was going to make him take a break by hook or by crook.
“Maybe sell it,” I said. “Although I need to check whether it’s actually in my name or my father’s.
If it’s in his, then it’s not really my responsibility.
I’ll just go down and pack up what I want and bring it here.
Maybe we can go down for the weekend and you can see if there’s anything there you’d like me to bring.
I’m definitely bringing my coffee maker, though, because I refuse to keep drinking that ditch water you call coffee. ”
“You’re just picky, posh boy,” Will teased.
“Absolutely. I need my occasional luxuries, and coffee is one of them.” I leant over to kiss him. “Your dick is another. And your ass.”
“Are you hinting?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “Can I fuck you later?”
Will pretended to think for a moment, but I couldn’t help noticing the way he shuffled in his seat, his hand reaching out to absent-mindedly palm his crotch. “Yeah, I want that.”
“Good. I’m going to make it fun, though.”
“Isn’t it always?”
“Extra fun,” I said. “You’ll like it, I promise. And if you don’t, then we’ll stop.”
“But we’re still going to fuck?”
“Obviously. I need to own your ass again. It’s been too long, and I’ve missed it.”
I kissed him once more, still holding my plate of food. I was so tempted to just climb into his lap and leave the rest of the conversation for later, but there were things I needed to know before I started talking to people.
“Do you want me to find a place locally?” I asked, sitting back on the sofa and twisting my fork in my hand as I tried to ignore how hard I was already.
“Why?” Will asked. “Didn’t you want to move in here?”
“Would that be okay? I mean, we haven’t been dating that long, and it’s not like we know each other that well. If something goes wrong, I don’t want you to feel obligated to let me stay.”
“I won’t.” He shuffled closer and put his arm around me, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.
“I know it hasn’t been that long, but I think the fact that we lived together through lambing and didn’t come to blows is a good sign.
We just spent the last six weeks going through the most exhausting and stressful period of the year, and we still want to be together.
If that isn’t the ultimate test of a new relationship, I don’t know what is.
So move in here. There’s plenty of space, and I don’t want you anywhere else. ”
I smiled, my heart feeling like it was almost too big for my chest. “Would you get lonely without me?”
“I would, but I’d also get the bed to myself again so swings and roundabouts,” Will said with that wry smile I loved.
“Besides if you don’t move in here, then I’ll have to face judge and jury in the form of my mum and the nosy bunch of bastards I call friends, who’d all want to know what I did to make you move out. ”
I snorted. “Technically, the whole finding a separate place suggestion was Oliver’s, so we could blame him.”
“We could, but I’m not one to start an argument. Not when I don’t need to. I want you here.”
“Good, because I want to be here,” I said. “Plus, I can’t imagine trying to go through the hassle of trying to find somewhere to rent. Ugh, it would be a nightmare.”
“Mostly because you’ll never find somewhere to live up to your standards.”
“Exactly, and that’s because I have taste.”
I hadn’t told Will that I’d love to potentially redecorate some of the rooms here, especially our bedroom. That could come later when we were all settled. I didn’t want him to think I was taking over, and I could live with the simplicity for a while longer.
We continued eating, chatting here and there about what needed to be done tomorrow, the plans for the lambs, and Dylan’s shock at the fact that Wilder North had actually accepted the livery terms and would be bringing his horses up next week.
Dylan still hadn’t worked out how to tell the yard, but I’d made him promise to let me know when he was doing it so I could come and watch because it was bound to cause drama, and I still loved a tiny bit of mess.
Especially because Dylan seemed to get ever so flustered whenever Wilder’s name was mentioned.
I felt so at peace as I sat there, cuddled up with the man I loved, in a place that felt more like home than anywhere else, and I couldn’t wait to make it permanent.
“I’m sorry, you’re doing what?” Daisy sounded so shocked it was almost comical, and I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh. I stood in the kitchen at lunchtime the next day, leaning against the counter and looking out the window to where Nell and Moss were dozing in a small patch of April sunshine.
“I’m not coming back to London,” I said. “I’m moving here, to Heather Bay.”
“But why?”
“Because I love it here. It’s beautiful, Daisy. And I’ve found something that I want to do with my life and a man I want to spend it with.”
“Seriously? But what about your parties? And the trip to Ibiza this summer? Are you seriously going to give it all up for someone you just met?”
“Pretty much,” I said, knowing that I was bordering on blunt.
I just wanted her to try to understand what I was feeling.
“Look, I don’t expect you to get it, but I was so fucking bored with everything in London.
I needed to do something with my life, give it some meaning, and farming has.
Yeah, the hours are long, the weather can be absolutely shit, and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I can’t imagine doing anything different. London sounds so boring in comparison.”
Daisy laughed softly, but it was the sweet, affectionate laugh she only ever used when she was happy. “Only you, Jamie Stone, could do something like this, and I’d think it was genuine. And only you could ever think London was boring.”
“You must think I’ve lost it.”
“No, actually, I don’t.” She paused for a second. “I think you sound happy. The happiest I’ve heard you in years. And I’m sorry for not taking you seriously. It was just such a one-eighty, and I was worried, but… I don’t think I’ve ever heard you sound this excited about something. Or someone.”
I smiled and felt myself relax, no longer worried that I was going to need to justify myself. “Thanks, I really am happy here. I’m fucking exhausted but happy. And Will… he’s fucking amazing.”
“Is this the guy you wanted to make breakfast for?”
“Yes, and it was completely shit. I burnt scrambled eggs, Daisy!”
“How? I didn’t think making them was that hard.”
“It’s not, but I managed it anyway.”
“You’ll have to, I don’t know, take some classes or something. I’m sure Milly’s sister did one of those Cordon Bleu courses. You could look at those.”
“I’m pretty sure Milly’s sister could already make more than scrambled eggs,” I said with a snort. “I need, like, Cooking for Dummies, not Cordon Bleu. Although Will has been teaching me, so I’m not complete and utter shit any more. Just a little bit.”
“You must really like him then if you’re willing to learn to cook,” Daisy said teasingly. “I remember you telling me you hated cooking and thought it was pointless if someone else could do it.”
“I was, like, eighteen when I said that! I’ve learnt to clean as well, although I absolutely hate that. It’s so boring, and there is no playlist in the world that’ll make it better.”
“Wait, you’re cleaning too? Oh my God, you must, like, love him or something!”
“I do,” I said quietly, feeling the familiar warm glow in my chest. “I really do. He’s amazing, Daisy. I can’t imagine my life without him.”
Daisy made a happy sound, and I grinned. “Okay, you have to tell me everything. I need all the details.”
We spent the next two hours catching up as I told her all about Will, the farm, and everything I’d been doing.
Daisy was a good listener and excitedly asked me questions before declaring that she’d have to come and meet him at some point.
I knew she was taking our relationship seriously because visiting a farm in Yorkshire was something I’d never have imagined Daisy doing.
In return, she caught me up on her life and everything in London I’d missed.
She’d dumped whatever terrible boyfriend she’d been dating, thank God, and found someone new—an art gallery owner, who not only treated her like a princess but had also been encouraging her to try new things.
Apparently, they were going to take a private pottery-making class together next week, something Daisy expected to be utterly terrible at, but she was looking forward to it because the pair of them could be terrible at it together.
According to her, Kai had found a new man to latch onto, and I made a mental note to send him a message and explain everything. We’d had a lot of fun together, and I owed him that.
Eventually, we came to the end of the conversation, and I promised Daisy I’d catch up with her soon and let her know when I was coming down to London to collect my stuff so we could meet for lunch.
“How’d it go?” Will asked, sticking his head around the office door once he’d heard me say goodbye. He’d come in about forty minutes ago and gestured to the office, so I assumed he had paperwork to do.
“Good,” I said. “I thought she’d give me a hard time, but she didn’t, and it was really nice to catch up. She’s thinking of coming to visit at some point.”
“Oh, aye?”
“Yeah, but I think it’ll just be her or maybe her and her new boyfriend if he sticks around.
I get the feeling she’s mellowed a little, maybe because I’m not there to encourage her.
I love Daisy to bits, but I think we might’ve needed space from each other.
We’re the kind of friends where you encourage each other to do things for the fun of it and never really think it through.
I still want her in my life, though. I think we might even get on better now. ”
“Good,” Will said, coming out of the office and walking over to give me a kiss. “I’m glad. I wouldn’t want you to lose your friends just because you’re here.”
“I’ll definitely lose some, but I don’t think they were my friends in the first place, just hangers-on.” I wrapped my arms around him and leant against his chest. “I’ll just replace them with your friends if that’s okay?”
“I don’t think you have a choice. You’re one of us now.”
“Excellent. We can all get matching jumpers or something.”
Will chuckled. “Did you ring your dad yet?”
“No, that’s my next job. I’m going to need a drink after. Do we still have some wine?”
“We do.”
“Good.” I sighed and let myself stay in his arms just for a little bit longer. One more phone call and everything would be settled.
Then with one trip to London, my move would be complete, and there would be nothing stopping me from building the life I wanted with Will.