32. Harlow
Harlow
I’d slept well, probably in some kind of food-and-cider-induced coma, but I wouldn’t say I had woken up on the right side of the bed. It had been far too early in the morning and my thoughts had been unwilling to let me fall back to sleep.
Everything that happened last night with Jude had been replaying through my head. In my tipsy confidence, I’d completely thrown myself at him, again, and yet he was there, ready to catch me. I spied some cracks in his control, and selfishly I wanted to see more of them.
But he was right. I had things to consider.
Being surrounded by people and merriness at Thanksgiving dinner last night was amazing. I’d been so focused on life moving quickly around me for so long, that I hadn’t slowed down to realize that there was a deep chasm in my heart.
Autumn Creek, Jude, having a community who wanted me here.
It was all slowly filling the gaps that I had neglected.
So I’d thought about what Jude said, his musings over what home really meant.
Maybe he was right, the feeling of being in the right place wouldn’t just fall into my lap.
I had to put the effort into belonging. Maybe I could try to put some roots down.
Still, I wouldn’t do that on a whim. Even if my career hadn’t fulfilled every area of my life, I couldn’t neglect it.
All I needed to do was create an opportunity here so I had a reason to stay.
So I used those early morning hours to put together a presentation, with cute animations and a perfected colour scheme.
But it wasn’t just aesthetics, I had a full-on proposal.
A plan for Autumn Creek.
The fall festival was bringing the community together, and if the engagement on our posts was anything to go by, people were excited about it. If this one festival could help boost the economy and allow small local businesses to start thriving, imagine what a few festivals a year could do.
I dreamed of snowy Christmas markets on Main Street as I put together the slide deck. Flower festivals in the spring, and music by the Valleyford River in the summer. Dawn already expressed an interest, but I had to convince her that it would be more than worthwhile to have me here permanently.
“Here it is!” Payton was buzzing in the driver’s seat as we turned onto the dirt road just south of downtown that led to Ravensby Farm.
My heart sped up as fields of pumpkins, hay bales, and a corn field came into view. I could even see Payton and Ben’s white farmhouse in the distance.
“It’s gorgeous,” I gasped. There had been a lot of talk about Ravensby Farm and it was one of the places I was most excited to see during the fall in Autumn Creek.
And I mean, I’d been to a pumpkin patch before.
A farm once as a child, but it was mainly set up for people to take photos, not where they were actually growing vegetables.
But this was just…wow. The pumpkins were right there in the fields around us, it was so picturesque.
I knew Ben worked on the farm full time, but it was clear where Payton had also sprinkled her input around the fields.
There were plenty of decorative vignettes, just as curated as her beautiful library displays.
The perfect in between of a real life farm and an autumnal wonderland.
Payton parked her large white truck and jumped out, her eyes sparkling as she took in the sight of her farm bustling with laughter and life.
“Right, so we close in about an hour—of course, we’ll be open later when the festival is happening.”
I nodded along, following her toward the pumpkin arch entrance as she spoke.
“But please, take as much content as you want. And the farm is all yours once everyone leaves.”
My eyes caught on Jude’s truck just beside the arch. I shivered at the sight of it. It was like a physical manifestation of how he kept popping up in my mind. But, in reality, it just meant that he was already here, having driven in earlier from Bramley Farm rather than the Town Hall today.
“Thanks again for letting us stay late,” I replied.
Payton spun on her heels to face me as we entered the field, filled with piles of pumpkins in all different sizes and colours.
“Thank you for all the pictures and marketing.” She shot a smile just past my shoulder as a figure stepped behind me.
“And don’t forget, you have to do the corn maze at sunset. ”
I knew it was Jude the second his hand landed on my shoulder. His touch was too easily recognizable.
“We won’t miss it,” he said.
I felt like a sparkler pressed to a flame with him standing behind me. I was more open than I should have been last night. I shouldn’t have let it slip that I was falling in love with Autumn Creek.
But I did.
If the barriers between us were gone what would that mean? Maybe I was afraid of letting down my walls, but I couldn’t deny that it would be thrilling. Yet, with so much on my mind, and with something to tell him later, I was filled with jumpy nerves.
“I’ll walk you around.” Payton gestured to a field framed by carts and wooden pens full of pumpkins and gourds. She led both Jude and me around the sea of orange, pointing out her favourite types, the best squash for baking, and heirloom varieties.
I didn’t even know you could get blue pumpkins, but there they were!
Then she stopped in the doorframe of a little house—if you could even call it that. Horizontal wooden beams made up the structure, about the size of a large shed. But every gap was filled with pumpkins, rather than a wall.
“This might be my favourite part of the farm this year.” Payton ran her hand over the pumpkin house. “Let me get a photo of you guys in it, it’ll look so cute on the Autumn Creek Instagram!”
I almost wanted to protest, but it really would look cute.
Jude solved my indecision and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the doorway, passing his phone to Payton as we went.
She stepped back, taking a second to figure out the best angle and lighting. Jude took the moment of distraction to lean down, his lips almost brushing against my ear as he asked, “How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” I replied.
But he threw me a knowing smirk.
Then his arm wrapped around my shoulder, pulling us close, so that we’d both fit in the doorway. It was a friendly enough pose, but the way he said “smile” in a breathy whisper made me quiver.
“Cute!” Payton grinned as she handed the phone back.
“Well, there’s lots more pumpkins to see…
” She looked over to a nearby patch and her eyes caught on her husband.
Ben was kneeling there in the dirt, beside a young boy, who shared her honey blonde hair.
They were laughing, as the child tried to lift a pumpkin almost the size of him.
Jude patted her shoulder. “Go, Payton, enjoy the afternoon. We’re all good here.”
“You sure?” Then she shot Jude a warm smile as he nodded, then quickly turned to me. “You’re in good hands. The farm is all yours soon, have fun, guys!”
She rushed off, leaving Jude and me alone, at the edge of a pumpkin patch and the corn maze.
I looked up at him. “So, you know your way around?”
“Yeah, I’ve been coming here for years. Back when Ben’s parents still owned the place, Gran and Grandpa would take the three of us here every year.”
“Bit of a pumpkin expert then?” I matched his smile and my bubbling nerves reduced to a simmer as we fell into our usual banter.
“I can show you a thing or two.”
He certainly did. An hour later, I knew how to pick the best pumpkin in the patch—a sturdy stem with no soft spots.
I was busy snapping pictures as we went, and he took some of me, too.
Always a candid that caught me off guard.
There were a good few photos of me examining a pumpkin or looking at the strings of fairy lights that turned on as the afternoon settled into evening.
We grabbed a cup of Bramley Cider from a shack in the pumpkin patch and Jude told me about the apple varieties that went into this barrel-aged flavour.
We continued to stroll around and shoot content, even as people began to leave, and he told me about the constellations that would appear in the sky later that night.
Apparently there was barely any light pollution out here and the Northern Lights had even been known to show up now and then.
Soon, it was just us left on the Ravensby Farm property. Even Payton, Ben, and their son had left to get dinner downtown. The sun was slipping closer to the horizon, and that just left one thing—the corn maze. And it gave me time to fill Jude in on what I wanted to tell him.
“Don’t leave me, okay? I don’t want to get lost.” My hand reached out to grab his as we entered the maze.
“Are you afraid, sweetheart?”
“No. But I’ve never done one before.”
He raised a brow at me.
“No corn mazes in the city, just alleyways and trying to navigate the Tube.”
“Pretty similar, right?”
I crossed my arms, tucking my hands farther into the sleeves of my black sweater. “At least you can use Google Maps on the Tube.”
“I know my way around.”
I released a breath after the first few turns between the stalks of corn. The maze wasn’t scary, not with fairy lights casting a warm glow over the pathways. I slowly began to feel excited with every twist and turn.
I took a clip of Jude walking ahead of me, his hand outstretched and holding mine, weaving us through the maze. The sky was pink and orange above us.
The marketing side of my brain hummed with delight, and the other side was feeling pretty good too. A handsome guy leading me into a corn maze—just us, all alone, with tension buzzing in the air. Not too bad.
I tucked my phone away and spoke up over the sound of soft wind rustling through the corn. “I do actually need to tell you something.”
He stopped in his tracks. “Yeah?”
“I spoke to Dawn today.”
“About what?”
“Well, I had a lot to think over, and I’ve been afraid of letting the town down with this festival.” I let out a small sigh.
“You’re doing a great job, Harlow.”
“I know. I need to give myself some credit.” A genuine smile crossed my lips.
“So I set up an entire presentation for Dawn earlier, all of these ideas for Autumn Creek. Because, honestly, I would love to stay…” His grip on my hand pulsed as we began walking again.
“She said that she’d love to keep me here as a full-time employee, if the Harvest Festival goes well.
” It wasn’t just a suggestion anymore, I had official confirmation.
“And even if the council doesn’t have the budget to do that, she’d like to have me stay here part time, no matter what. ”
We rounded a corner and Jude placed his hands on my shoulders. “You’re amazing, Harlow Spencer. The council would be lucky to have you.”
My heart skipped a beat, hearing his praise.
Happiness welled inside of my chest. This meant I wouldn’t have to sacrifice my job or my happiness. I didn’t want to move into a part-time role, but this opportunity gave me some space to breathe.
“The festival still has to do well, really well. And there’s a lot I would need to do—find my own place, get a car—but if I’m staying…” My words trailed off as I stared up at him, and I quickly cut myself off. “But I’m not just staying because I’m into you—”
“You’re into me?” His golden eyes glistened.
“Yeah, Jude.” I scoffed. “Why do you think I can’t stop making out with you? Just because you’re some kind of sexy farmer—”
“So, now you think I’m sexy, too?”
I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts straight.
“You’re distracting me. I’m just saying that I’m staying because Autumn Creek feels right for me.
And I’d really love to be in charge of the town’s marketing.
So I can’t drop the ball on the festival.
And…” I hesitated for a second. “I’m afraid to drop the ball with you as well. ”
“The ball?” he repeated slowly.
“If we try something serious and I mess it up. I don’t think Autumn Creek would forgive me. They love you.” My eyes drifted away from him as I spoke. Then they widened. “What is that?”