Chapter 27 #2
‘I have to tell you,’ said James, as he sat next to Constance and I sat next to him, ‘you needn’t have gone to all that bother, Aunt Constance.’
‘Oh?’ she sniffed and blew her nose.
‘Not that I didn’t enjoy seeing my former school chum being wound up and made to look a fool,’ James smiled wryly.
‘You pair never did get on. Thank goodness,’ she said, giving him a watery smile. ‘I’ve heard a lot of talk about Tommy getting too big for his boots and I thought this plan I had devised would make you think and teach him a lesson, but why shouldn’t I have bothered?’
James reached for my hand and held it before answering.
‘Because,’ he said, ‘Tilly and I talked in the cabin earlier. She told me all about her ideas for Willowell Woods and I was just at the point of begging her to buy them when the sound of the for sale board going up interrupted us.’
‘What?’ Constance squawked.
‘Oh my god, James!’ I gasped and squeezed his hand so tight I could have cut his circulation off. ‘Do you mean it?’
‘Of course I mean it,’ he laughed. ‘What you’ve got in mind for the place is perfect and, what’s more, I can’t wait to help you set it up.’
‘You’re really serious?’
‘Your business is going to give so many people the very thing Mum gave me.’ He smiled at me. ‘My love of the outdoors and all the benefits that comes with it. Of course I’m serious. I can’t think of anything better to share than that, can you?’
‘So, you won’t mind people visiting and a few small things possibly changing?’
‘I’m sure I’ll get used to it in no time, but before we get into all that, I need to make a phone call or two. I have a new job to accept, don’t I?’
‘A new job?’ Constance gasped.
‘With my old firm,’ he beamed. ‘The offer came in a while ago.’
Constance’s hands flew to cover her cheeks. ‘You’ve got your dream job and Tilly is going to buy the woods!’ she sobbed.
‘Yes!’ James and I said together and jumped up so we could kiss and embrace.
Suddenly, everything was right in my world again, everything was perfect in Willowell, and my heart felt full of love and joy!
‘Perhaps,’ said Constance through a rush of very happy tears, ‘there will be a happy ever after for you two, after all.’
‘A happy ever after for the four of us,’ I said breathlessly as I swiped away a tear of my own. ‘You,’ I said, indicating her, ‘me, James and Buddy.’
Buddy, picking up on the ecstatic mood, started to caper about and bark.
Constance tore the paperwork Tommy had drawn up into tiny pieces while James and I exchanged another searing kiss.
It was some minutes before the euphoria started to settle and, even when it did, it didn’t dissipate completely because we were all so blissfully happy.
‘Crikey,’ laughed James. ‘What a day! And I don’t know about you two, but I’m absolutely famished.’
‘I’m starving,’ I said, hearing my stomach rumble again.
‘I could probably manage something,’ Constance joined in.
‘Bacon sandwiches all round then,’ said James.
He kissed my cheek before heading to the fridge.
‘I thought you had important calls to make,’ Constance laughed.
‘I think I’d better eat first,’ he grinned.
I’d just finished the last bite of mine when my phone rang. It was Zack, and I moved into the sunroom before answering because I got a better signal in there.
‘Hey, Tilly,’ he said when I answered. ‘I hope it’s not a bad time, but I wanted to check in. I’ve been worried about you. All of you, actually.’
I hated to hear the concern in his tone and couldn’t wait to rid him of it.
‘You are a love to fret,’ I said, the words snagging because the emotion of the morning was catching up with me, ‘but you don’t have to worry.’
‘You’re okay?’
‘More than okay.’ I smiled. ‘A million times more than okay!’
James popped his head around the doorframe and blew me a kiss which made me laugh.
‘What’s happened?’ Zack asked. ‘Something brilliant by the sounds of it. What is it?’
‘I want to tell you in person,’ I said, as an idea for how to make the future even more perfect popped into my head. ‘Can you get to Fernside? Could you maybe borrow Carter’s car?’
‘I wish you’d tell me now,’ he begged.
‘I promise it’s worth the wait. So, can you get here?’
‘Carter’s got to pick something up in the village in a bit so, if he doesn’t mind closing the pub for an hour, I could ask him to give me a lift.’
‘Brilliant,’ I responded. The time would give me an opportunity to further mull over what I had in mind, gift Constance a hug and James another kiss. Or three. I don’t think I’d ever felt so happy. ‘That will be ideal.’
‘Okay, I’ll see you in a while.’
With the next round of hugs and kisses shared, James had important and exciting career calls to make. He’d already mentioned that working his notice wasn’t going to be pleasant, but with the job he’d longed for as the light at the end of the tunnel, he’d be able to bear it.
‘And while you’re finishing up in the city and sorting out the tenancy on your flat, why don’t you leave Buddy with us?’ Constance suggested.
‘Oh yes,’ I agreed. ‘No more sitter for Buddy. We can look after him while you’re away, James. It will save you a fortune and I’m sure he won’t mind.’
‘What do you think, pal?’ James asked Buddy. ‘How would you like to stay here from now on?’
Buddy licked James’s chin and that sealed the deal.
‘Right,’ I smiled. ‘Now that’s settled I’m going to go and wait for Zack and tonight we’ll go to the pub and fill everyone else in, shall we, James? Unless you’d like us to tell them here, Constance?’
‘No, no,’ she said. ‘You young things carry on. I’ve had quite enough excitement for one day. It will be an early night for me.’
‘James?’
‘All right,’ he agreed, but he sounded nervous. ‘As long as you don’t think they’re going to hate me.’
‘Why should they?’ I frowned.
‘For making my life a misery, of course,’ Constance said.
‘Exactly that,’ James said with a nod to his aunt.
‘They’ll be so agog when I tell them about our meet-cute and that my plans for the woods are back on that they’ll forget all about that, and it wasn’t all your fault,’ I reassured him.
‘Charming,’ Constance tutted and I gave her a look.
‘I’m trying to stop him fretting,’ I told her.
‘I know,’ she chuckled. ‘I’m only teasing. Of course they won’t hate you, James. And you already know Rick a bit, and Carter, too.’
‘So, we’ll go?’ I asked James again.
‘We’ll go.’
‘Great,’ I said, before he could change his mind. ‘And now I need to get ready to talk to my brother.’