Falling for You

Chapter 1

As I set off on the long journey south on the first of September, I willed myself not to look back. Highfell Hall, set in the stunning Yorkshire countryside, was now consigned to my past and, for the first time in over a decade, the course of my life was set to dramatically change.

For reasons beyond my control, my entire world had altered during the last eighteen months and consequently decisions had to be made, and now was the moment to fully embrace them.

The future resembled nothing like the one I had for so long assumed was ahead of me but, even though the prospect was daunting, I had no choice but to face it.

As I had recently turned thirty I supposed the beginning of a new decade was an appropriate time for a fresh start… at least I hoped it was.

I cleared my throat, swallowed over the lump lodged there and resolutely looked ahead.

In less than a minute I would leave the sweeping drive and reach the road, and the hall, where I had so happily worked as an events organiser, would be far behind me.

In terms of distance at least. I would always carry a piece of it in my heart along with my treasured memories of the parties, weddings, balls and many other celebrations I had been a part of.

Despite my determination, my gaze flicked to the rear-view mirror, and I caught a brief glimpse of my former home, sitting statuesque and securely planted in the sunshine-filled early September landscape. Tears began to sting my eyes, and just at that moment, my mobile rang out and made me jump.

‘Rafe,’ I said, as his name lit up the screen and I connected the call via Bluetooth. ‘Rafe,’ I said again. ‘Hi.’

‘Skylar, darling,’ he responded, his deep and reassuring voice filling the car. ‘I know I said I wouldn’t call, but I was worried about you and just wanted to check you’re up to the journey. My offer to send someone along to drive you to Norfolk still stands.’

‘No need,’ I told the kind and thoughtful man who was my father but whom I had never called Dad. ‘I’m on my way. But thank you.’

‘You’ve set off already?’

‘Just a couple of minutes ago.’

My eyes returned to the view behind me, but the hall had passed out of sight and perhaps it was no bad thing I hadn’t watched it disappear.

‘Any idea what time we can expect you?’

By ‘we’ he meant himself and his two much-loved cats, Socrates and Plato.

‘According to the satnav,’ I surmised as I checked the screen, ‘sometime around midday, but I’m planning to stop for something to eat along the way. I couldn’t face breakfast, so it will probably be nearer half one or even just after when I do finally land. Will that be all right?’

‘Yes, absolutely,’ he confirmed. ‘Perfect in fact because by then everything will be unloaded and the movers will have long gone. You’ll be able to walk in and relax.’

‘I’m not sure I can remember how,’ I tried to joke, but he knew there was truth in what I said and his next words proved it.

‘Which confirms exactly why we’re embarking on this exciting adventure, doesn’t it?’

It was a comfort to hear him say that he still thought it was going to be an adventure.

There had been times since I’d taken up his offer to move in with him while I decided what I was going to do next with my life that I had succumbed to some serious doubts that I was doing the right thing, so at least one of us was certain it was going to turn out well.

Rafe had always been in my life, but we’d never had what most people would consider a conventional father–daughter relationship. He and my mum, Faye, hadn’t been a couple since their late teens and it was a chance meeting, years later at a party, that had resulted in the creation of me.

My father, who until just a few months ago had lived in the US, generally preferred the company of men and Mum favoured flying solo so she had raised me alone but kept in touch.

Consequently, as I grew up, I had got to know Rafe through letters, emails and video calls and occasional visits when he was in the UK.

Then, when I was old enough, I began to fly out during the summer to stay with him in the States.

Even so, we hadn’t spent more than a couple of weeks together. Until now…

‘It does confirm that,’ I rather belatedly agreed as my thoughts returned to what he had said. ‘I could do with a break.’

‘I’m delighted to know that you’ve finally accepted that,’ he said, because I had taken some convincing. ‘And even happier that I’m able to offer you the opportunity to move in with me and take one! Are you looking forward to seeing the house?’

‘Given the minute detail of the video tour you gave me during your last viewing, I feel like I already have,’ I smiled. ‘The former owners must have had the patience of a saint to let you do that while they were trying to pack.’

‘Such a lovely couple,’ he said wistfully. ‘Had it not been for their still growing family, I’m certain they wouldn’t have even considered selling up.’

‘Which would have been unfortunate for us.’

‘It certainly would,’ he agreed. ‘Houses in Nightingale Square rarely come up for sale so we were lucky to secure it, and being so close to Dad is going to be wonderful.’

‘It certainly is,’ I agreed, feeling warmed that he had included me when he was the one who had done all the securing.

Rafe’s father, Grandad George, was a resident in a care home situated not all that far from the square in the centre of Norwich and I knew that had been the determining factor in the decision to make an extremely generous offer on the four bedroomed, detached house.

Well, that and the fact that the area was so idyllic and had a thriving community garden.

Now he had permanently returned to the UK, Rafe was determined to throw himself into local life.

I, on the other hand, having lived literally miles from neighbours and shops for a decade, had an inkling that I was going to find the transition trickier to negotiate than my gregarious father, and that was why I’d hedged whenever my long-term future came up in conversation.

‘And I’m certain that as soon as we’re unpacked, the words will start to flow again,’ he continued, sounding hopeful. ‘With an increasingly looming first draft deadline, they certainly need to.’

He was an award-winning, bestselling and critically acclaimed crime writer who had never experienced writer’s block before. His books were all set in the US but since he’d moved, he hadn’t been able to locate his muse and feared it had opted to stay on the other side of the Atlantic without him.

‘You haven’t made any headway at all then?’ I ventured to ask.

‘Frustratingly not. But don’t tell my agent that. He’s already having a minor meltdown. The problem is, I’ve got this idea for a new book—’

‘Would this be the allure of the shiny new idea when your current plot isn’t behaving?’ I interrupted him.

‘Huh,’ he harrumphed. ‘I should never have given you that insight into the writing life, should I?’

‘You should not,’ I laughed. ‘Especially now we’re going to be living together. I’ll be on your case morning, noon and night until I’ve found another job to keep me occupied.’

‘There’s no rush to do that,’ he reminded me.

‘I know.’

‘But none the more for that,’ he continued with a laugh, ‘don’t start nagging and make me regret stepping in and offering you a home when your mother unexpectedly sold up! Have you heard from Faye, by the way?’

Mum, or Flighty Faye as Rafe called her, had very recently returned to Goa.

She’d had a lifelong love affair with the area and had decided that it was time she moved there for good.

I hadn’t taken her chatter about it all seriously – she always seemed to have some far-fetched idea brewing – but when she called to say that she’d sold the house and was off, I had no choice but to take note.

She was now running a beachside bar with a friend and working part-time in a yoga retreat with no plans to ever return.

Selfishly, at the time, I felt her decision couldn’t have come at a worse moment for me because I had planned to move in with her once my time at Highfell came to end.

But it had turned out all right because Rafe had kindly come to my rescue.

He was by far the steadier and safer parental option, so it was bound to be for the best.

‘Not since she emailed to update me about landing the yoga job,’ I told him.

‘Um,’ he said. ‘Me neither. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.’

‘With everything else I’ve got going on,’ I said wryly, ‘I’m considering her silence as golden.’

Rafe chuckled at that. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘You’re right. I’ll do the same. Now, I’d better let you get back to your journey.’

‘Okay. I’m just about to join the road through the valley.’ The hall nestled among the hills was a fair way behind me now. ‘Send positive thoughts for a straightforward trip with no hold ups, will you?’

‘That sounds more like Faye’s territory, but I’ll see what I can manifest for you, my darling,’ he said. ‘See you later.’

‘Yes,’ I swallowed. ‘I’ll see you this afternoon.’

Clearly, our manifesting skills needed some refining because I had to endure the journey from hell.

Not only were there long tailbacks as a result of a three-car crash and a broken-down lorry, but I was also acutely aware that it had been quite some time since I’d driven in such heavy and fast-moving traffic and that did nothing to settle my already present nerves.

When I did eventually stop at a service station for something to eat, I could barely swallow the sandwich I had picked out, and the coffee I’d opted for made me feel jittery rather than soothed.

Having messaged Rafe with an amended arrival time, I set off again, secretly wishing that I’d taken up his luxurious offer of sending someone to collect me and my car and drive us south.

The unexpected hold-ups meant it was almost three o’clock when I finally reached the road I needed and then pulled into Nightingale Square.

The house was the first on the left as you turned onto the one-way street that looped around the central green.

There were seven houses set around it in total.

All detached, some were larger than others, and even though they had what looked like generous plots, I couldn’t help thinking how close together they all seemed.

The sweeping valley views and wide-open landscape I was used to were a long way behind me and I had to blink hard to suppress the rush of tears which filled my eyes as I carefully pulled onto the drive and in front of the garage at the side of the house.

‘You’ve just endured a dreadful journey,’ I told myself. ‘So, you’re bound to feel out of sorts. You’ll feel completely different after a decent night’s sleep.’

The pep talk wasn’t helping, so I scooped my bag off the passenger seat and quickly climbed out of the car. My legs felt a little wobbly and I’d barely set foot on the path to the front door when it was opened from inside and a woman, looking back over her shoulder and laughing, stepped out.

‘Skylar!’ came Rafe’s unmistakable voice from behind her. ‘Here you are at last, my darling. I was beginning to get worried.’

The woman, who was wearing jeans and an oversized shirt, turned to beam at me and when she looked at Rafe again, I noticed she had a pencil tucked behind one ear.

‘He really was,’ she smiled, when she turned back to me. ‘But you’re here now. Safe and sound. I’m Lisa,’ she added and held out her hand which I went to shake but she pulled me in for an awkward hug. ‘You must be all in after that drive.’

‘Yes,’ I said, when she finally released me and looked at me intently. ‘It wasn’t the best.’

I was taken aback by her demonstrative welcome and wasn’t really in the right frame of mind to exchange pleasantries or take in any of the information she then started to bombard me with, despite acknowledging the difficult drive I’d just had.

She told me the names of everyone who lived around the square along with the details of what they did in the community garden across the road.

‘I’m a writer, too,’ she excitedly finished up. ‘Just like your dad, but a rather different genre. And you know what, with your gorgeous green eyes and long chestnut hair, you could have the look of my next lead character, Skylar!’

‘No one too racy, please Lisa,’ Rafe laughed. ‘Skylar is my daughter, after all.’

‘Don’t worry,’ she quipped, making me feel even more self-conscious. ‘The names are always changed to protect the innocent!’

I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse.

‘We’ve been comparing notes about writer’s block,’ Rafe explained when I didn’t say anything.

‘It’s going to be fantastic having someone literally across the road who I can talk to about the highs and lows of writing for a living,’ Lisa said as she pointed to the house where she and her family lived.

‘Your arrival, Rafe, is going to stop me bending my husband’s ear and that will make him very happy indeed! ’

‘I’m delighted to hear it,’ he beamed.

‘Well, that’s fantastic,’ I said to them both when I realised it had been some time since I’d said anything. ‘Really great, but if you don’t mind—’

‘Oh love!’ Lisa gasped. ‘I’m so sorry. I literally popped over to say welcome to the square and as usual I’ve got carried away and chatted on for far too long.

You must be dying for a cuppa. And a tour.

Your dad said you’ve not even seen the place in person yet!

I still can’t believe I missed spotting you when you came to view it Rafe, and Heather and Glen never said a thing…

’ her many words trailed off. ‘I’m doing it again,’ she tutted.

‘I’ll leave you to it, but if you need anything, anything at all, just knock. ’

‘Do you think they’re all like that?’ I asked, as we watched her walk away and then wave from her doorway before she disappeared inside.

‘I hope so,’ Rafe grinned. ‘The level of community spirit the vendors and agent kept talking about really sold this place to me. That is, after being so near to Dad, of course. Now come inside and I’ll show you around.’