CHAPTER FIVE
Ashton turned his pillow over, seeking the cooler side, and sighed in frustration. It was strange that when he had been with Lacey, he’d often felt exhausted by nine o’clock if he’d been at work that day. Yet since they’d split up, he spent half the night tossing and turning. If only he could have been this awake, Lacey mightn’t have—
It was pointless thinking that way. She’d known he was a postman when they’d started dating, and had been aware his job involved early starts, so she could hardly have expected him to be the life and soul of the party when he had to get up at the crack of dawn.
Ashton checked the time. Twenty-past ten, and he was still wide awake.
Was there any point in lying there getting crosser and crosser because he couldn’t fall asleep? Or should he get up and do something useful?
He decided to get up.
Pushing the bed covers aside, he swung his feet to the floor and padded downstairs in his boxers. He may as well look through the photos he’d taken today, and if they were any good, he’d email them to Dulcie.
He had also asked Carla for her email address so he could forward her the images she’d taken. He’d only had the briefest of scans through them when he’d arrived home because he had been more focused on food, so he’d left checking the images for another day. But as he couldn’t sleep, he may as well look through them now.
Ashton sat at his makeshift desk (aka the table in the living room) and lifted the lid on the laptop. As he waited for it to start up, he decided to make a coffee.
Quietly, he slipped into the kitchen and filled the kettle, wincing at the sound, before remembering that he could make as much noise as he liked. He had become so accustomed to creeping around so as not to disturb Lacey, that it was now second nature.
He snorted softly – they say opposites attract, but perhaps night owls and early birds were a bit too opposite. Then there was her inability to appreciate how important photography was to him, and his bewilderment at her insatiable desire to watch soaps and her fascination with reality programmes. Yeah, total opposites.
After making the coffee, he grabbed a packet of oaty biscuits and returned to the living room, eager to see the photos, and clicked through them slowly, dunking a biscuit as he did so.
When he came to the photo Carla had taken of the goat, he paused. It wasn’t bad at all he thought, then carried on looking at the rest.
He became so engrossed in what he was doing, that it wasn’t until he’d neared the end of the photos did he realise there had been a couple of occasions where he hadn’t been able to tell whether it was he or Carla who had taken an image, and it made him smile. She had been so adamant that she couldn’t take a good photo, and he was delighted to be able to prove her wrong.
Ignoring the time (it was getting to the point where it was hardly worth going to bed), Ashton emailed the photos to Carla and Dulcie, adding ‘I told you so’ and a smiley face emoji to Carla’s. He hoped she would be pleased with her efforts and that seeing them would give her the confidence to take better photos.
Ashton stretched out his back and rolled his shoulders. He’d better get some sleep. But as he was finally drifting off, it wasn’t Lacey who was in his thoughts, as she had been every other night since the split – it was Carla and the sweet look on her face as she’d cuddled the rabbit.
To her surprise, Carla found she was enjoying her regular goat walks before breakfast, and after just a few days she wasn’t nearly as breathless walking up the hill. She was starting to fit into the slower pace of life at the farm and felt better for it.
When she entered the kitchen, Dulcie was whisking up eggs in a bowl. ‘Good, you’re back. I’m making scrambled eggs for breakfast. Would you like some?’
‘Yes, please.’ She was hungry. ‘Can I do anything?’
‘You could pop a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.’
‘On it.’
Soon afterwards, she was sitting opposite Dulcie and tucking into her breakfast. Swallowing a mouthful, she asked, ‘Is there anything you want me to do today?’
‘Why don’t you take a day off?’
‘ You don’t.’
‘It’s my business, my farm. You’re here to relax.’
Relaxing sounded good, but Carla knew she would feel guilty. She couldn’t just sit around while Dulcie and her sister worked so hard.
‘Actually, there is something you could do,’ Dulcie said after a second. ‘You could pop into the village and do some market research for me.’
Intrigued, Carla asked, ‘Such as?’
‘Have a mooch around the shops and see how they display things. I want to get some ideas.’
Carla felt a surge of excitement. ‘Does that mean you’re going ahead with the farm shop?’
‘Otto and I talked it over, and we both think it’s a great idea. It can’t hurt to have a dedicated space to display the goods properly, and having set opening times will be a godsend. Eventually, I hope to have an online ordering system, so people can pay and collect.’
‘Wow! You really are expanding, aren’t you?’
‘That’s the plan. The farm is almost at the point where it pays for itself, and I’m hoping this will give it the extra push.’
Carla was pleased for her. She remembered how out of her depth Dulcie had felt when she’d first won the farm, and how she had considered selling up and moving back to Birmingham. It was wonderful seeing her so enthusiastic.
A trip into the village would be a welcome change, and she was looking forward to mooching around the shops. She also liked the idea of doing market research, especially as she had a vested interest in the venture, since the farm shop had been her suggestion.
‘Can I get you anything while I’m out?’ she asked after nipping upstairs to change and checking she had her car keys, purse and phone. As well as looking around the shops she might treat herself to a coffee and a cake.
Dulcie was staring at her computer and smiling. ‘Ashton has sent the photos through. They’re amazing. Take a look.’ She scooted aside so Carla could see the screen.
‘Oh, wow. They are good.’
Dulcie was grinning. ‘In his email, he said that you’d taken a couple of them, and they were just as good as his.’
‘He said that?’
Her friend’s nod was emphatic. ‘He did. And I must admit, I can’t tell which ones are yours.’
A glow of pride warmed Carla’s insides, and she grinned back. He’d asked for her email address, and she wondered whether he’d sent her anything, so she took her phone out of her bag.
He had! And when she read the ‘I told you so’ comment, she laughed out loud and showed it to Dulcie.
‘To think he’s done all this for nothing,’ Dulcie said. ‘He’s definitely one of the good guys. I feel I should thank him in some way, but I don’t know how. A dozen eggs and a bag of pears isn’t enough. And he didn’t seem keen on a meal in The Wild Side.’
Carla thought hard. ‘Apart from photography, is there anything else he’s into? I’m thinking maybe tickets for a concert or a football match?’
‘I’ve no idea. I don’t know anything about him, really. Just his name, what he does for a living, and that he lives in Thornbury. And he’s single.’
‘Oh no you don’t, lady.’ Carla gave Dulcie a warning look. ‘I’m not going there.’
‘Yale didn’t break your heart,’ Dulcie reminded her.
‘No, but he’s put me off men for a while.’
‘I’m not suggesting you marry Ashton,’ Dulcie replied. ‘I’m just wondering where my love-them-and-leave-them friend has gone.’
‘I’ll let you know when I find her,’ Carla retorted. The situation with Yale had caused an internal shift, and she had become more wary and less flighty than she’d been, but surely that wasn’t a bad thing?
Dulcie’s attention returned to the computer screen. ‘Maybe I could get Ashton a voucher. I believe there’s a photography shop in Thornbury which might do vouchers or gift cards.’
Carla said, ‘Why don’t I pop into Thornbury instead of Picklewick? If the shop sells them, I can pick one up.’
‘That would be great. Thank you.’
It was the least Carla could do, considering Dulcie and Otto’s generosity in letting her stay with them. Not that she’d seen a great deal of Otto because he was at the restaurant most of the time. However, Dulcie had assured her the situation would change as soon as he’d trained up a head chef and hopefully he could take a back seat, and he and Dulcie could spend more time together, especially if she gave up the day job.
Right now, Carla was wishing she could give up her day job, but unfortunately she had no other strings to her bow. Her bow had one solitary string on it, and she had a feeling it was about to snap.
After another quick scan of her emails to make sure she hadn’t missed anything from HR or the union rep, Carla slipped her phone back into her bag, resolving not to think about work until she had to. She much preferred to think about her trip to Thornbury.
InFocus was a serious camera shop with serious equipment in the window, and Carla drew in a sharp breath at the equally serious prices. Good gracious, cameras weren’t cheap, were they? If she had realised how expensive they were, she probably would have been too scared to touch Ashton’s.
Her eyes roamed over the shelves as she tried to find the one Ashton owned, but they all looked much of a muchness and she was soon confused. And as for the lenses… Blimey, there were so many, and all of them had indecipherable strings of letters and numbers in their descriptions.
A shelf of second-hand equipment caught her attention. The items on it were considerably cheaper. This is the way forward, she thought, then pulled herself up. Anyone would think she was contemplating buying one. How daft would that be, considering she mightn’t have a job soon and needed to horde her pennies.
Realising that work had intruded into her thoughts once more, she walked up to the counter and the middle-aged man standing behind it. He had what appeared to be a camera in front of him, but she wasn’t certain because it was in bits.
As he looked up, she said, ‘Do you sell vouchers or gift cards?’
‘I most certainly do.’ He gestured to a small stand next to the till. Each little card had the most exquisite image on it.
She selected one, not caring that it was more than the amount Dulcie had suggested. Carla would cover the additional cost herself. She might need to keep a careful watch on her bank balance, but the boost to her confidence that Ashton had given her by his act of kindness yesterday was worth the expense. Dulcie was right, he was one of the good ones. At any other time, she might have been tempted to get to know him better, but not right now. She had too much going on to think about becoming involved with anyone, however brief the involvement might be.
After she’d made her purchase, Carla didn’t immediately leave the shop. She wandered around it instead, peering into the locked glass cabinets, trying to recall the make of Ashton’s camera.
Nikon, that was it, she remembered, and moved towards the cabinet with a Nikon sign above it.
‘Are you looking for something in particular?’ the man behind the counter asked.
‘I was just curious. I was with a guy yesterday who had one of these. I’ve no idea which one, though. How do you choose?’
He came out from behind the counter. ‘It depends on what you’re looking for, how much you want to pay, and what you want to use it for. When people start out, it’s normally the price point that has the greatest influence, but not always. What do you currently use?’
‘My phone.’ Her tone was sheepish.
‘But you’d like to get into photography on a more serious level?’ he guessed.
‘Um, I don’t know.’ Emboldened by his kind eyes, she scrabbled around in her bag for her phone and clicked on the email Ashton had sent her. ‘I took these yesterday,’ she said, showing him the screen.
‘With your phone?’ He sounded incredulous.
‘No, on Ashton’s camera – he was the guy I was with.’
‘Ashton? That wouldn’t be Ashton Clarke, would it?’
‘Yes. Do you know him?’
The man laughed. ‘He’s probably my best customer. He’s here more than I am, which says a lot considering I own the place.’ He pointed to the second shelf down from the top. ‘That’s his latest camera. It’s a mirrorless one.’ The man was gazing at her as though she was supposed to know what that meant, so she nodded sagely despite having no clue. ‘It’s his pride and joy,’ he added.
She clocked the price on the ticket and her eyes almost popped out of her head. Bloody hell! If she’d known what it cost, she definitely wouldn’t have touched it. Had he trusted her that much? Or was money no object and he could afford to replace it if she’d had butterfingers?
The shop’s owner provided the answer. ‘Ever since that model came out, he’s been eyeing it up. You wouldn’t believe how pleased he was when he was finally able to buy it. He was like a kid on Christmas Day.’
Carla would like to hear more, but someone entered the shop and from the way the owner greeted them they seemed to be regulars, so she thanked him and left. It was time to complete the second half of her task in Thornbury, and a phone was a better option for this than a camera.
Trying to be circumspect and not make it obvious that she was taking photos, Carla wandered from shop to shop, paying particular attention to a greengrocer, a delicatessen, and a shop that sold bath bombs, lip balms and other fragranced items along the same lines as the things Carla made with her goat’s milk. She lingered for a while in each, trying to make it look like she was talking on her phone, and when she thought she’d taken enough, she retreated to the nearest cafe for a well-earned coffee and a sandwich.
It was getting on for lunchtime, and Thornbury was busy. The cafe was no exception, so she was glad when she managed to bag an empty table by the window. She would enjoy people-watching whilst she ate.
She had just finished her prawn sandwich and was debating whether to have a second cup of coffee, when a Royal Mail van pulled into the kerb alongside a post box on the opposite side of the road. Seeing it reminded her sharply of Ashton, so it was a shock when the man himself got out.
Without thinking, Carla leapt to her feet, grabbed her bag and shot outside. Darting between the traffic, she hurried across the road.
Ashton had emptied the post box and was about to return to his van when she said, ‘Hi,’ somewhat breathlessly.
‘Hello.’ He smiled at her, dimples out (or should she say ‘in’), and she beamed back. ‘Retail therapy?’
‘I’m running a couple of errands for Dulcie. Thanks for the photos. I can’t believe how well they turned out. It must be the camera.’
‘Not necessarily, although having good equipment does help. But some people can have all the gear and still have no idea.’
Carla shook her head. ‘In my case, it was definitely the camera. I can’t take a decent photo on my phone for toffee.’ She hoped the ones she had taken today for Dulcie were okay. She should really have a quick flick through them to make sure before she went back to the farm.
She said, ‘Dulcie was delighted with the ones you took.’
‘I’m glad.’
There was an awkward pause. Carla didn’t know what else to say, and she guessed he was probably keen to get back to work. She nodded at the envelopes he was holding. ‘Got long left?’
‘An hour. A couple more stops, then it’s back to the depot. Are you off home now?’
Home, as in the farm on Muddypuddle Lane. Carla briefly wondered what it would be like to actually live there, and the thought was rather appealing. Recalling how she’d felt on her first visit when she’d reckoned it was nice for a short getaway, but she wouldn’t want to live anywhere so rural, she was quite surprised. Maybe one day, when she had a husband and children, she would seriously consider living the good life in a village like Picklewick, growing vegetables and taking the kids on long walks in the countryside.
Dream on, she snorted to herself. The chances of her finding the love of her life anytime soon were minimal. But something had to give, because her party lifestyle was starting to lose its appeal, even more so since her friends were settling down with mortgages, partners, and babies.
She snapped back into focus as she realised Ashton was waiting for a reply. ‘Not yet,’ she said. ‘I’m going to buy myself a camera.’ She hadn’t realised that’s what she was going to say, until she’d said it.
‘You are?’ He looked delighted. ‘Which one?’
Carla shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea. I’ll have to rely on the owner’s advice and hope he doesn’t fleece me.’
‘Were you thinking of buying it from InFocus?’
‘I was.’
‘Barney won’t fleece you. He’ll give you good advice.’ Ashton hesitated. ‘Would you like me to come with you?’
‘Yes, please, that would be great. If you can spare the time.’
‘I’ve always got time for anything to do with photography. Do you mind waiting an hour until I finish work, or do you want to go another day?’
‘Let’s do it today,’ she replied, ignoring the inner voice telling her that she was being ridiculously impulsive and she shouldn’t be spending money on a luxury item like a camera when she mightn’t have a job next week. Because, for the first time since that fateful night when Yale had shown her his true colours, Carla’s heart didn’t feel quite as heavy, nor her future seem quite so bleak.
Ashton couldn’t wait to finish work. He always felt a surge of anticipation when he was about to pay InFocus a visit, but today he was practically hopping from foot to foot with excitement. The knowledge that he had introduced someone to the delights of photography, gave him such a boost.
Not wanting to pop into the shop in his uniform, Ashton ran home. Thankfully, he didn’t live far from the depot, so he was home, showered, changed and back in town in less than half an hour. He had arranged to meet Carla at Rossi’s Cafe near the town hall, and as he approached he worried that she might have gotten fed up with waiting and left.
His relief when he saw that she hadn’t was greater than it should have been, considering he hardly knew her and they were only going shopping.
She hadn’t spotted him yet – her eyes were on her phone – and he studied her through the cafe’s window as he walked up to the door. She was smiling softly, and he was struck anew by how pretty she was. There was a sadness about her, though, and he wondered what her story was. For some reason, he suspected her visit to Dulcie wasn’t just a catch-up with a friend.
Carla glanced up from her phone and saw him enter the cafe. When her smile widened into a beam, Ashton was gut-punched. Seeing it did something strange to his insides, and his heart stuttered.
What the hell was all that about?
Gathering himself, he made his way to her table, reining in his shock – he hadn’t had such a reaction to a woman in a long time, and it wasn’t welcome. He was barely out of a relationship, and now he was lusting after a woman who would be out of his life before he knew it. Or was that the attraction? Whatever it was, he had no intention of doing anything about it. It would soon pass. And even if he did want to pursue it, he highly doubted Carla would be interested.
‘Hi. Ready?’ he asked.
‘Would you like a coffee or something before we go?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Okay, then.’ She picked up her bag and got to her feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her biting her lip and he hoped he hadn’t been too brusque.
‘Do you know what camera you want?’ he asked as they walked towards the shop.
‘Not a clue.’
‘What sort of things do you intend to photograph?’
‘I’m not sure yet. Anything that catches my eye, I think.’ She slowed and pointed to the cornice on one of the buildings. ‘Like that, maybe. Or those.’ This time, she was looking at an elderly couple who had paused outside a jewellery shop. Their hands were tightly clasped as they peered through the window, and the woman’s lined face glowed when she turned her face towards her companion.
Carla asked, ‘Apart from the ones you took around the farm, do you only take photos of wildlife?’
‘I do photograph other things, but my favourite is wildlife in a more urban setting. Like a fox on a high street, or birds nesting in a warehouse. Here we are.’ He stopped outside the shop and pushed the door, holding it open for her to enter first.
Barney looked surprised. ‘Back again?’
She told Ashton, ‘I was in here earlier checking out the cameras.’ She turned to Barney. ‘I bumped into Ashton, and he volunteered to help me choose.’
Barney nodded. ‘Ashton will see you right. I’m here if you need me.’
Ashton was rather nervous at the weight of the responsibility. He wanted Carla to have the best camera she could afford but he didn’t like to ask what her budget was, so he decided to start with the perfectly acceptable second-hand ones and go from there.
‘This is a good one,’ he said. The camera was little more than a body, but she didn’t need a plethora of lenses to begin her photography journey. A couple of basic ones would do for the time being, and she could add to them later if she wished.
Twenty minutes later, they were leaving the shop, Carla clutching her purchases. She looked both eager, nervous, and slightly shell-shocked. He had to admit he was, too. She hadn’t given him any indication yesterday that she intended to buy a camera, and he wondered whether she’d thought her purchase through or whether it had been an impulse buy.
‘That’s the hard part done,’ she joked. ‘Now all I have to do is learn how to use it.’
‘You’ll soon get the hang of it. Trial and error are the best teachers. Point, shoot, make a note of the settings, review the results.’
‘I’ll have to do some genning up.’ Her eagerness was slipping away, and nervousness was gaining the upper hand.
‘Would you like a couple of lessons?’ he offered.
‘Lessons?’ Her eyes widened.
‘Not formal ones. Just me, you, and our cameras.’
The smile was back. ‘Yes, please.’
‘Sunday?’
‘Brilliant. Thank you so much.’
After arranging to pop up to the farm at ten o’clock on Sunday, Ashton said goodbye, and as he headed home he found he was looking forward to it. It would be nice to have some company, and he couldn’t wait to see the photos she would take.
He ignored the growing suspicion that it was Carla herself that he couldn’t wait to see.