Chapter 53
CALLUM
After Erin and Riley left, Callum decided he and Tasha should get out of the flat.
‘It’s another beautiful day,’ Callum said, looking out of the window at the cloudless blue sky. ‘Why don’t we go and see how they’re getting on at Hollyhock Farm now the filming has ended?’
‘I love that idea,’ Tasha said, getting to her feet. ‘It’ll be fun to go back there. I’ll need a couple of minutes to brush my hair, then I’ll be with you.’
‘Great. I’ll send Lettie a text asking if she minds us going there and tell her we don’t wish to disturb her if she’s working.’
Lettie responded within a few seconds, telling him to take as long as they wanted walking around the land and to pop in when they had finished for some tea and cake.
He wasn’t surprised she had invited them in for refreshments. Lettie had been brought up by Lindy, after all, and of all the times he’d visited the farm growing up Callum couldn’t recall one time when Lindy didn’t have something tasty to offer to guests.
Callum was looking forward to showing Tasha more of the property.
As soon as they arrived, he led her to the lower field where the alpacas stood staring at them like three nosy old ladies.
‘They’re adorable,’ Tasha said, stroking the soft noses. ‘And so tame.’
‘Most of the animals here were rescued by Lettie’s father over the years. The few cows he has left are also elderly but when he sold his dairy herd around eleven or twelve years ago to grow organic produce, he decided to keep them and just let them spend their old age where they had always lived.’
‘That’s so sweet,’ Tasha said.
‘They’re a good family. I’m relieved the filming at the farm has brought in an added income. They’ve had a few problems over the past year or so.’ He took her hand and led her away.
‘Where to now?’
‘The wildflower meadow.’
‘I love it there.’
It only took a couple of minutes to walk there through one of the fields and down to a dip on the other side of the part of the farm where all the filming had taken place Tasha stopped and breathed in deeply.
He watched her gaze around them at the poppies, cornflowers, ox-eye daisies, buttercups and then turned to gaze up at him in stunned delight. ‘I think this place will always remind me of you from now on,’ she said.
Callum smiled, liking the idea. ‘I’ve spent many lazy summer days down here with Zac, dozing and dreaming about our futures, keeping our feet cool in the stream.’
She gave his hand a squeeze. ‘And did all those dreams come true?’
He thought about his job, his flat and now standing here with his arm draped around the shoulders of the woman he loved. ‘They have now.’
‘I’m glad.’ She lifted his hand and kissed the back of it. ‘You deserve to have everything you want, Callum. Most of all you deserve to be happy.’ She lowered his hand. ‘Can we lie by the stream and dip our feet in the water now too?’
‘I’d be disappointed if you didn’t want to do exactly that.’
He took off his trainers and waited for her to do the same, then led her along the meandering path that Lettie had mowed through the wild grass, leaving the wildflowers growing prettily on either side.
‘This feels so good under my feet,’ he said.
‘I was thinking the same thing.’
As they neared the stream, he heard the water bubbling over the rounded stones in the stream. ‘Here is a good place.’
She sat without answering, a wide smile on her face. Tasha lowered her feet into the water and gave a satisfied sigh. ‘Bliss.’
‘It’s a bit cold.’
‘It’s heavenly.’
Lying back on the grass, his head resting on his hands, Callum didn’t think he had ever imagined being this happy. He closed his eyes against the brightness of the sunshine.
Within seconds a shadow fell over his face. He opened his eyes to look up and smiled seeing Tasha’s face above his as she lowered her lips to kiss him.
Taking her in his arms, Callum rolled her onto her back and kissed her as they both lost themselves in the romance of the moment and their intense attraction to each other.
‘You really are perfect,’ he murmured a few minutes later. ‘I can’t imagine being without you now.’
She slipped her arms around his back and held him tightly. ‘That is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. I feel the same way about you.’
‘You do?’ It was all he needed to hear. ‘I want you to know that whatever happens with your job in the future, I’ll do whatever you need to make sure we stay together.’
‘You love it here though,’ she said softly. ‘Your life is here, Callum.’
He shook his head. ‘No. I hadn’t been aware of it until now, but being with you has shown me what was missing from my life all along.’
‘I love to hear you say that. I really do,’ she said, pushing a strand of hair from his forehead. ‘But I never want to make you unhappy.’
He loved her for caring, but he knew now what was important to him. ‘I do love it here, but my life going forward is with you, Tasha. I love you, so much, and I’m happy to live wherever your work takes you.’
‘You’re the first man in my life to put me first. Do you know that?’
He didn’t but it was good to hear how much that meant to her. ‘I think we’re going to be even happier than we imagine.’
She sighed. ‘I’m already far happier and more content than I ever thought possible, so this is enough for me.’
He pulled her against him and kissed her again, grateful to be lucky enough to have someone as perfect as her in his life.
* * *
‘I was just thinking how lovely it would be to come back here at night and lie here looking up at the starlight,’ she said, snuggling against him a little while later. ‘The sky is so clear here and I imagine it’ll be amazing.’
‘I’m sure it will be. I like that idea,’ he said. ‘We’ll definitely have to do it.’
She kissed him. ‘I never expected that coming to Jersey with Riley would end up changing so many things.’
He smiled, enjoying seeing her contented.
She wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him tightly.
‘I can’t believe that I met and fell in love with the most amazing man, or that I’m now based on this lovely island and, what’s more, Riley seems to have reverted back to the person I was so excited about working for three years ago.
’ She looked up at Callum and frowned. ‘I know his behaviour has a lot to do with trying to impress Erin, but I’m happy to go along with things and see how it goes. ’
Callum kissed the top of her head and hugged her. ‘If anyone can keep Riley in order it’ll be my sister.’
Tasha laughed. ‘I agree.’ She gazed at him. ‘I feel as if I’m living in a dream and I don’t ever want to wake up.’
Callum stared into her green eyes and knew he had never been happier or ever wanted more than to share his life with her.
‘Thankfully this is no dream,’ he said, bending to kiss her. ‘And I think the two of us are going to have the most amazing future together.’
She kissed him lightly on the lips. ‘I think you could be right.’