Chapter 7
7
JOE
Joe followed Lettie and Skye up to the top floor of the farmhouse. Of all people to have to share the farm with, why did it have to be the annoying woman from the hotel? He still couldn’t believe she’d made so much fuss over a book. So much for having a peaceful four weeks away from work. Never mind that, he thought, he had already had a taste of how difficult this woman could be. Dividing up the workload between them was, he imagined, going to cause a few problems.
He heard Lettie chatting to them both as she led the way upstairs to the attic and decided to worry about Skye later. As they climbed the stairs to the second floor, he thought how he had been inside the house many times but never up to the bedrooms. Skye seemed pleasant enough, but unfortunately he knew better. Thankfully though Brodie seemed happy enough, as did Lettie, with how things had turned out, so there shouldn’t be any upset over them not discussing their plans about finding someone to move into the farm.
‘This is such a beautiful house,’ Skye said.
Joe puffed out his cheeks, wondering how he was going to find a way to get along with this woman. Ever since telling his mother about moving out for four weeks he had been looking forward to having time by himself to think and process his grief a bit. He couldn’t help feeling disappointed that things had already changed and he now had to navigate living with a stranger. He may as well have stayed back at the bungalow. He thought back to his mother’s last row with Roger – well, maybe not, but this wasn’t ideal.
‘It’s not much, I’m afraid,’ Lettie said as she waited for Joe and Skye to view the two attic bedrooms. ‘Choose whichever one you prefer.’ She smiled at Skye. ‘Melody and Patsy said they were very happy when they stayed up here and both said it was comfortable.’
Joe wanted to put her out of her misery as quickly as possible. ‘It’s perfect,’ he insisted. ‘You choose which room you want, Skye. Either one is fine by me.’
‘Me, too.’ She shrugged. ‘I suppose we should take the rooms we’re standing closest to?’
‘Good idea.’ Lettie stood on the landing, waiting for them to take their bags inside. ‘This is beautiful,’ he heard Skye say. ‘And the view is, well, it’s perfect.’
Joe walked over to his window and stared outside at the paddocks and fields beyond. There was the largest barn, with the smaller one next to it and several smaller outbuildings to his left, but straight ahead was even prettier from this viewpoint than it was from the ground. ‘It is incredible.’
‘And of course our priority is to look after the animals?’ he said, wondering what he and Skye would find to do the rest of the time.
‘That’s right.’ She took a hand in each of hers as Joe joined Skye and Lettie on the landing. ‘I believe things happen for a reason. I know it probably seems a little unnecessary having you both here at the same time, but you’ll no doubt find ways to fill the time.’ She gasped. ‘Maybe you could show Skye around the island a bit, Joe. Although you should also take the time to chill while you’re off work.’
Lettie already had enough to worry about and he had no intention of adding anything more. ‘We’ll be fine, won’t we, Skye?’
He noticed the look of surprise on Skye’s face. ‘Er, of course we will. Don’t worry about us two. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.’
‘And with both of us looking after the animals they’ll be spoilt for attention, so I’m sure they’ll be fine.’
The look of relief on Lettie’s face was unmistakable. ‘You two are amazing, fitting in like you have.’ Joe felt guilty that Lettie assumed he was doing this solely out of the kindness of his heart. How could he let her feel this grateful to him when he was only too happy to do this for her? ‘You’re doing me a favour too, if I’m honest. Mum is driving me nuts with her constant squabbling with Roger, and the thought of moving to this peaceful farm is almost too good to be true.’
‘I don’t think I’ve met your mum, have I?’
He shook his head, aware that if Lettie had done she would probably like Faye. Most people did and he often wished he and his mother didn’t clash. Then again, he mused, they got along far better than they had done when he was a teenager and she had taken him away from his friends and the island to move to France. He now realised she had done what she thought right. A fresh start away from his father had been what she needed. If only his father hadn’t blamed Joe for choosing to live with his mother despite being constantly away on business. It was all in the past now, thankfully.
‘I remember the first time we met.’ Lettie laughed, reminding him about when she stopped on the lane down the road from the farm, believing he needed help with his broken-down tractor. ‘I thought I was helping you that day.’ She looked at Skye. ‘I had no idea he knew his way around a tractor.’
Thinking he should explain a little further, Joe added, ‘My uncle has a farm and I help out when I’m free and he needs the extra staff. I enjoy it.’
‘I see.’ Skye smiled. ‘So you know your way around farmwork as well as tractors.’
He smiled. ‘I do. Not so much the animals though. My uncle grows produce, so you and I will probably know as little as each other.’
Lettie grinned. ‘Don’t forget I can still do the lighter jobs around the house and help with things like feeding the chickens; I just need to be careful not to do the heavier work. At least for the next few weeks.’
He walked over to her and, resting a hand on each of her arms, gave her a reassuring smile. ‘If you do that, then what will we do here? I think you should do what your doctor told you and take things easy. Don’t you agree, Skye?’
‘I do.’
‘Anyway, doing this will probably save my sanity and stop me from overthinking about what I should do with regard to Mum and Roger going forward.’
She sighed and gave him a hug. ‘Aw, Joe, you really are the loveliest guy,’ she said. ‘How you haven’t been snapped up yet I don’t know.’
He tried to hide his embarrassment, not wishing Skye to think he was some sort of loser, even if he probably was where relationships were concerned. ‘I did ask you out before you realised Brodie was the one for you. Mind you, I think we both realised pretty quickly that although we were fond of each other it wasn’t in a romantic way.’
She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes in amusement. ‘Yes and I’m grateful to have you as a friend.’
‘Me, too.’ He took her by the shoulders and turned her to face the bedroom door. ‘Now, why don’t you show Skye around the farm while I nip home and speak to my mum.’
* * *
‘Let me get this right,’ Faye said sarcastically as soon as Joe told her about moving out temporarily. ‘You’re saying I’ve pushed you out of your home – is that it? Because if that’s the case, we’ll find somewhere else to live immediately.’ Joe knew this was an idle threat. His mother didn’t have the money to pay for a place and didn’t have any local friends left since she hadn’t kept in touch with any of them since moving to France over a decade before. ‘I don’t want people thinking you’re having to move out of here.’
He had half expected her to react in this way. He loved his mother but living in the same house as her again reminded him how difficult she could be when everything wasn’t going her way. He suspected that if she was honest with herself she would be relieved to hear his news. This was clearly one of those times when she liked to play the martyr.
‘You know that’s not what I’m saying at all, Mum,’ he argued. ‘I’ve already explained Lettie needs me to help her out and I’m very happy to do that for her.’ He didn’t mention Skye being there too because it would only make his mother argue with him even more. He left her and Roger staring at him and went to his room. ‘I’m going to pack a few things for now and will be leaving as soon as that’s done,’ he continued.
After throwing a few things into a sports bag, Joe went to the bathroom and picked up his shaving kit and toothbrush and popped them into his bag, zipped it up and carried it back to his mother’s room. ‘Right, that’s me. I’ll see you in a few days and don’t forget, if you need anything just give me a call. I’m only twenty minutes away at the most.’
‘But Joe?—’
He bent to kiss her cheek. ‘It’s fine, Mum, I promise. I’d better get a move on, I don’t want to keep Lettie waiting and I only have a few hours until my next shift starts.’
He hurried to his car and drove away, relieved to have somewhere else to go and a good excuse to move out of his home for the next four weeks. Maybe his mother and Roger might have settled down together a bit better in that time, he thought hopefully. Or, they might even find somewhere else to live, or move back to France. He had no idea, but was grateful that for the time being, at least, his situation seemed much rosier than it had done. Right now, he needed to contact his supervisor and agree dates for his time off from the fire station.