Chapter 29 #2
‘Yes, you did rather,’ Constance agreed. ‘But now you’ve got some free time in the evenings, James, it’ll do you good to get out in the fresh air. I know you’ve missed having the opportunity to regularly do that.’
‘She has a point,’ James winked at me.
‘Come on,’ I said, as I turned us back around again. ‘Come and see what I’ve done in the cabin before everyone else arrives.’
We weren’t all that close when we realised that the others had beaten us to it and my supper party set-up, with the added twinkling lights, was being much admired. My friends cheered as Constance, James and I crossed the threshold, and Zack handed me a glass of celebratory fizz and kissed my cheek.
‘You’ve really arrived in Willowell,’ he beamed and I willed myself not to cry as I remembered how we used to chant something similar in the back of the car when Dad drove us here for those treasured childhood camping adventures.
‘And this time,’ I swallowed, while Kaya poured and handed out drinks for everyone else, ‘I don’t have to leave and neither do you.’
After our endeavours, we were all hungry, so got stuck straight into the simple fare Melody and I had prepared.
The set-up was like that which we’d enjoyed down by the river – I’d even got a comfy chair for Constance to recline in while the rest of us sprawled on blankets and beanbags – and as bellies were filled, the level of chatter escalated.
The topic of conversation that thrilled me the most was the discussion about what we had achieved that day. Despite the aches and scratches, everyone it seemed, even Melody and Kaya, had had the best time.
Carter noticed me smiling as he waxed lyrical about the safest way to fell a bramble.
‘I know I did initially grumble when you changed the date because it was my only day off this week,’ he grinned at me, ‘but the working party has proved your point, hasn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ I said, smugly, but good humouredly. ‘It really has. And if I can make the visitors who come here feel even half as good as you guys, who were mucking in with the toughest jobs, then the business is bound to succeed.’
‘We can already offer you glowing testimonials when it comes to appreciating the joy of being outdoors,’ Melody smiled.
‘As well as tasty snacks,’ I reminded her.
It was good to know that mine wasn’t going to be the only business to benefit from the new adventure being set up in Willowell Woods.
‘And I’m really looking forward to creating and supervising bushcraft exercises for you to offer,’ Carter added.
‘And I’ve been thinking about Grace’s nursery,’ Zack shared.
His words made Constance, who had been drowsing, sit up again.
‘I’ve had a look around the outside of the cabin and can see quite a few plants that she would have put in.
It would be wonderful to add some more to acknowledge her connection to the history of the woods as we move forward. ’
‘You could do that?’ James asked.
‘Easily,’ Zack nodded. ‘And Tilly tells me that you’re quite the horticultural expert yourself, James, so you can help me if you like.’
‘I’d love to,’ he smiled. ‘Thanks, Zack.’
‘What do you think, Constance?’ I asked.
‘I think it all sounds wonderful,’ she answered. She sounded so happy it made my heart fill with pride. ‘But at this rate Tilly, we’ll never see James at the house.’
‘Oh, I’m sure he’ll make time for us.’ I smiled and went to sit next to her. ‘I’m so grateful to you, you know.’
‘I know you are,’ she said, as she kissed my cheek, ‘and I’m grateful to you, too. It’s been a rocky path at times, but you’ve pulled my little family back together and helped me take a proper interest in things again that I’d set aside for far too long.’
I knew she was talking about playing the piano because she’d talked in even more detail now about how she had all but abandoned it after Grace had died. She had told me that the guilt she had felt whenever she lifted the lid and ran her fingers over the keys had been overwhelming.
Thankfully, she had moved away from that feeling now and was playing more often.
And James’s time at the keys was helping with that too, because the pair of them could become quite competitive when it came to playing a fugue from memory or composing something new.
I had shed a few tears when James had told me that his aunt had been his first teacher, but they were very happy ones and I couldn’t stop laughing when he said what a hard taskmaster she had been, even following up on his lessons when he was away at school.
‘You’re the granddaughter I never had.’ Constance smiled shakily as she held my hand. ‘Now, go and find my nephew. I saw him taking Buddy out a minute ago and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to kiss under the harvest moon, do you?’
It took me a moment to recover from hearing her addressing me so fondly and then I stood up and slipped quietly out of the door. I closed it behind me so the cabin wouldn’t be inundated with too many moths.
The air felt cool after the warmth inside, and as I set off, I could hear music.
I looked back to see Constance being gently waltzed around by Rick while the others danced with varying degrees of abandon and shouted out the lyrics to ‘Walking on Sunshine’.
Given that it had been the catchphrase of our youth, it was doubtless Zack’s choice.
With the fairy lights glowing, the place looked idyllic, the perfect supper party venue for nights when the weather let us down and we couldn’t sit by the river back at Fernside but still wanted to enjoy a taste of the outdoors.
Fernside… my dream home come true… and there was another dream, just a few steps ahead of me.
‘Hello, you,’ said James when I joined him to watch the view of the moon rising between the trees.
‘Hello, you,’ I said back and wrapped my arms around his waist. ‘Where’s Buddy?’
‘In the undergrowth somewhere around here,’ James said, as he looked around.
I could hear snuffling nearby, so his pal hadn’t wandered too far.
‘I think it’s a miracle he hasn’t been in the stinky pond yet,’ I laughed and felt James tense up.
‘Don’t even joke about it,’ he shivered. ‘That would be a disaster. Can you imagine the state his coat would be in?’
‘Rather your car than mine to get him home,’ I giggled.
‘Buddy!’ he called and made a grab for the dog’s collar when he bounded over. ‘Sorry mate,’ he said as he reattached his lead, ‘but I’m going to keep hold of you.’
‘And what about me?’ I asked as Buddy huffed and laid down. ‘Are you going to keep hold of me, too?’
‘I’ll hold you if you want me to,’ James smiled and pulled me into his arms. ‘As tightly as you like. How’s that?’
‘Tighter,’ I requested and he obliged.
‘Better?’
‘Perfect.’ I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder.
‘We’re the perfect fit, aren’t we?’ James said and kissed the top of my head.
‘We are,’ I agreed. ‘I thought that right from the moment we met.’
‘Me too,’ he nodded.
‘I feel like I’ve known you for far longer than just a few summer months.’
‘That’s because we’ve gone through so much in such a short space of time,’ he laughed. ‘We’ve gone from perfect match to bust up and back again.’
He was right.
‘And where are we now?’ I asked, as I turned to look up at him.
His eyes met mine and I felt the tug of desire that always leapt into life whenever he was near.
‘Now?’ he asked.
‘Um.’
‘Right now,’ he said, as he lowered his lips to mine, ‘I’d say we’re finally heading towards our happy ever after, wouldn’t you?’
With Willowell Woods safely surrounding us, the sound of the party and the tawny owls providing a tuneful backdrop, and my arms wrapped around the man I’d fallen in love with the moment I’d seen him leap out of his car to chase down Mum’s old hat, I felt inclined to agree.
‘Yes,’ I said, between kisses. ‘A very happy ever after.’