19
Willow
Knitting club was held at Josephine’s over on Pepper Pot Farm. The family dog, Scruff, aptly named, was fast asleep on a rug by the crackling fire, as a real chill had set in. Willow was snuggled into one of the sofas, with her bag of wool slumped on the rustic coffee table in between her and Nora and Nana Blackcurrant whilst Josephine slouched in an armchair furthest from the grey-stone fireplace.
Nora had made the other ladies giggle by telling them about the outrageous costumes she’d helped make for Willow’s play, as she kept calling it, and they’d all bought tickets for the big night.
It was great so many islanders were going to see the play, but all Willow could think about was the fact that so far Cody had kissed her on the mouth twice.
The first time was mind-blowing to say the least. She froze with her lips pressed against his, then something incredible stirred everywhere, slipping her away into a land of daydreams where only they existed. It was quite surreal and most definitely unforgettable. The last dress rehearsal they had to do wasn’t so much the repeat performance, as Cody had pretty much just pecked her and pulled back, which failed to impress Lance.
Willow felt all over the place since and took to painting the treehouse in her spare time just to keep her mind occupied. Plus, she desperately needed to get Kip out of there. The thought aggravated her each time it popped into her head. Of all the places he could have done the deed with Lavender, he chose there. It was such an insult, and she was secretly glad Cody had punched him.
‘You seem a million miles away, love,’ said Nana Blackcurrant, lifting a knitting needle, ready to cast on.
Willow sighed. ‘Oh, I have a lot going on.’
‘It’ll be November next week,’ said Nora. ‘Coming up to Christmas always stresses people.’
Christmas was around the corner and it was the busiest time for the farm, especially as they sold home-grown Christmas trees, and some of the bigger trees due down from Emerald Tree Farm in Honeydale in the Scottish Highlands would have to be delivered around the island soon.
Willow had spent her entire childhood helping her grandad with such chores. Now they had the Frozen Forest to set up at the garden centre as well, but none of that bothered her. Keeping shop was all in hand. She could do that in her sleep.
‘It’s not Christmas bothering her,’ said Josephine. ‘Our girl is growing into her life.’
Nora scoffed. ‘What the blimmin’ heck is that supposed to mean?’
‘Things change. We grow. Learn a few things.’ Josephine shook her head in disbelief. ‘I shouldn’t have to tell you that at your age.’
‘Well, yeah, you do have to explain a few things, no matter the age, if you’re going to talk in riddles,’ said Nora.
‘Is it boy trouble?’ asked Nana Blackcurrant.
Nora slapped her blue ball of wool onto her lap in a huff. ‘She’s a woman now. It’s man trouble, not boy.’
‘It’s not,’ lied Willow, not knowing how to explain her lack of appetite and sleep.
‘It’s not that psychic drawing again, is it, love?’ asked Nora, following up with a knowing look.
Willow shrugged. ‘I’ve given up. I don’t care if the drawing is real or fake anymore. If and when I want to dip my toe in that water again, I’ll find my own soulmate my way.’
‘By doing what?’ asked Nora.
What a question. Willow had no idea. The old-fashioned route seemed likely. Go out, mingle, see who pops up.
‘You don’t always have to do something,’ said Nana Blackcurrant. ‘Sometimes love finds you.’
Nora smiled. ‘Yeah, if you’re lucky.’
Willow wasn’t feeling very lucky in that department at all. And since Cody had sort of kissed her, her head was a mess. She glanced around the cosy living room, stopping on each woman for a split second before moving on to study the dog.
Having girlfriends all her life came in handy for the girlie chats and lad advice, but nothing quite beat the experience of her knitting crew.
Confess. They’ll know what to do .
She chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment as she knitted a line, pondering on how to express her thoughts.
‘About time,’ said Josephine, gaining attention.
Nora raised her brow. ‘You talking to yourself there, Jo?’
‘I’m talking to girlie here.’
‘About time what?’ asked Willow.
‘You’ve got real feelings this time. I can sense the change in your energy.’ Josephine grinned at her knitting.
Nora smiled too. ‘Ooh, tell all, Willow love.’
How on earth does she do that? And how can I get some of it to rub off onto me?
Willow figured life would be a lot easier if she had half of Josephine Walker’s savvy. ‘Something happened,’ she mumbled, not knowing where to start.
Everyone downed tools, and even the dog opened an eye and thumped his tail.
‘I don’t know what to say.’ Willow wasn’t trying to fob them off. She genuinely had no idea how to explain what was happening between her and Cody.
‘It’s called falling in love,’ said Josephine. ‘It can make your head a little fuzzy at first.’
Nana Blackcurrant chuckled. ‘A polite way of saying it turns you into an idiot for a while.’
‘With rose-tinted glasses,’ said Nora, nodding, looking deep in thought.
Am I an idiot? Is that all? I can take that. I think .
Josephine cleared her throat as she leaned forward. ‘Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t feel as confused as you are, but the problem with you, girlie, is you’ve got your head already filled with who you think your soulmate is, leaving no room for anyone else. See, messed yourself up there good and proper.’
Nora frowned. ‘Yes, okay, Jo. No need to go so hard on the girl.’
Josephine shrugged, returning to the dark-red scarf draped over one leg. ‘I’m just saying that’s why she’s all…’ She rolled a finger around in circles by her temple.
Nana Blackcurrant gazed at the flickering flames in the grate. ‘I wonder why love makes us daft.’
‘Science,’ said Nora. ‘Can’t elaborate because I don’t know, but it’s definitely science.’ She shuffled around to face Willow. ‘I tell you this though, you need someone who helps financially support you.’
Willow shook her head. ‘I don’t need anyone to financially support me. I want someone who emotionally supports me.’ And as soon as the words left her mouth, all she could do was think of how Cody Sullivan had done nothing but support her. They’d been supporting each other for years.
A whoosh of emotion took over, pricking her eyes with water and causing her heartbeat to accelerate.
‘Gets you like that once you know they’re the one for you,’ said Josephine, winking at Nora.
Nora placed her hands on her lap. ‘What is it, love? It can’t be that bad. Was it that Kit fella?’
Bringing her sniffle under control, Willow shook her head. ‘Kip. No. He’s not the one for me. Not sure who he’d be a good match for, but it’s definitely not me. It’s just, well, I had to do a kissing scene with Sully. Cody. Anyway, it was all a bit… different.’
‘Acting is a weird job,’ said Nana Blackcurrant, reaching for her warm cup of tea on the table.
Josephine rolled her eyes. ‘That’s not what she meant.’
Nana Blackcurrant turned to Willow. ‘What did you mean, lovely?’
If only Willow knew. ‘Well, we kissed, sort of, and it was… odd, but then it didn’t feel like acting, and I wanted to kiss him for real, but I felt like a fraud, and nothing made sense, so I left it alone and tried for normal, but then we had to kiss again at the next dress rehearsal, and I figured things would be easier, but it was worse. Sully hardly touched my lips, then pulled away as though I’d given him an electric shock. It felt cold and left me feeling… I’m not sure what word to use. Lonely?’
‘Third time lucky,’ said Nora, nodding at Josephine. ‘She’s got to kiss him again on the night, and he won’t be able to pull away so fast then. He’ll have to make it look real, otherwise that Lance bloke won’t be pleased. He’s a bit of a perfectionist, I noticed, but in a laidback way. Strange fella.’
Third time lucky. Maybe that’s it. I’ll see if there’s anything in his third kiss. I’m sure there was in his first. Oh, what a stupid place to have a first kiss .
Willow was so annoyed, she dropped a stitch.
Nora started rambling away about how and where to kiss a man to excite him, so Josephine sent Willow off to the kitchen to fetch another selection box of biscuits as though Nora’s words would burn her youthful ears.
Willow reached up to a cupboard, finger stretching to snag the snacks, as they were high up and pushed right to the back so even her five-six height couldn’t grasp.
‘Bickie attack, I see,’ said Nate, coming in from the back door. He stomped his big boots on the mat and offered her a warm smile. ‘Gran hides them. Climbs a stepladder to do so. Reckons my daughters scoff them all otherwise. Here, let me help.’
Willow laughed. ‘Thanks. Jo does like her biscuits.’
‘I was just going to stick the kettle on for your old man and young Cody. We’ll take a tray of them as well.’ He opened the box of assorted biscuits and lifted the top tray.
Willow frowned. She had no idea her dad and Cody were at Pepper Pot Farm. ‘What are they doing here?’
Nate placed the kettle under the tap. ‘Your dad’s helping me fix some fencing. He just brought the wood about ten minutes ago. It’s getting a bit chilly out there, so gloves and tea are needed. Feel free to knit me a scarf anytime you like, love.’
Willow smiled. ‘I think your gran is making one.’
‘Ooh, don’t tell her you told me that, in case it’s a Christmas gift. It’ll be here in no time.’
‘I know. This year has flown by. Will you be wanting a small tree for the front of your dairy shop this year?’
Nate chuckled. ‘Biscuits and sales. I like your style, Willow Silver.’
She smiled, then got to work helping him make the tea. ‘I’ll carry the biscuits out and you can take the tea.’
‘I can put it all on a tray, you know.’
‘I want to say hi to my dad.’
Nate held the same know-all grin that Josephine often had, and she was sure he could read her mind.
Was she that obvious when it came to Cody? Surely not. She’d only just discovered she had feelings for him. How was it possible for anyone else to know?
She shrugged on her coat and boots and followed Nate outside. A cold breeze whipped up, slapping her hair into her eyes, causing them to water. Great, now it looked like she’d been crying. She didn’t want Cody to see her eyes all red and puffy.
A thought sprung to mind. He’d seen her up, down, happy, ugly cry, and everything in between, and there she was worrying about how she looked all of a sudden. Like he’d care. It warmed her to know she could just be herself around him, and the feeling relaxed her cold body as she approached him and her dad over in the back field.
As Nate hadn’t tucked his cows away for the winter yet, two of them were mooching close by, watching what was going on. Willow juggled the plastic tray of biscuits as the black-and-white beasts tried to snaffle her goods.
‘Hey,’ she cried, as one of them bumped her with its nose. She toppled one way as the sweet treats wobbled in the opposite direction.
Nate swooped in, grabbing the tray as Cody’s arms tucked under hers, straightening her before she hit the damp grass. Nate chuckled, moving his cows away as Heath sipped his tea whilst pointing along the wooden fence.
Willow turned to a grinning Cody. ‘I saw cowpats flash before my eyes.’
‘Lucky I was here then.’
She chewed her bottom lip and beamed. ‘Life’s dull when you’re not around, Sully.’ Narrowing her eyes, she waited to see what his response would be.
‘Good to know I entertain you.’
‘You do a lot for me.’
He quirked an eyebrow, and Willow shivered as a gust of wind flew at them. Cody whipped off his woolly beanie, placing it straight on her head, and their eyes locked for a moment.
‘Thanks, Sully,’ she whispered, losing half her voice.
He gave a slight shrug. ‘It’s all right. I was feeling a bit warm anyway.’
‘Not the hat. Thanks for always being there for me.’
A slight crinkle hit his forehead as he stared silently into her eyes.
Willow scratched under her hat. ‘I just wanted to say that.’
‘You’re always there for me too.’
‘Yes, but I’ve never thought about emotional support before.’
‘Why are you thinking about it now?’
She could hardly tell him of her knitting-club chats. ‘Oh, just something Nora said.’
Cody nodded slightly, reaching to tuck her hair under the beanie, causing the butterflies inside her tummy to take flight.
‘I love you, Sully,’ she said softly, meaning every word, but he wouldn’t know that because she’d told him a hundred times over, just never in that way.
A flicker of something passed through his piercing eyes, drawing her in, then he bent closer to her face and placed a gentle kiss on her left cheek. ‘Go back inside before your hands freeze and you can’t knit anymore,’ he whispered close to her ear.
Just his warm breath alone tracing over the side of her neck brought more shivers than any gust of wind, and it wasn’t the cows that had the potential to knock her off her feet anymore. Cody had cornered the market on that task.
With wobbly legs and flushed face, Willow turned back to the house, then stopped, realising he would need the hat more than her. She quickly sprinted back to him, tugged the beanie on his head till it covered his eyebrows, then flashed him what she believed to be her sexiest smile, not that she was sure it was any good. She’d only practiced it a few times in the mirror and each time she thought she looked rather drunk.
Cody’s eyes narrowed as his top lip twitched in one corner. ‘Thanks,’ he said softly, and Willow was quite sure he was hitting her with his own spicy expression.
At least he didn’t look sloshed. And on that note, Willow felt it best to run back to the safety of the knitting club, entering as Nora’s chat reached level erotic.