Chapter 36
Locking up the door to the food truck, Zac passed Polly her coat before shrugging into his own. ‘I’m shattered after that.’
‘I know exactly what you mean.’ Polly laughed.
They’d sold out of both chips and mac and cheese so when they’d spotted Miss Cooke standing in the middle of the playground ringing an old-fashioned school bell, they’d decided to join the crowds for the bonfire and fireworks display rather than keep the food truck open just to serve the few drinks they had left.
‘And I don’t think I’ll want to eat mac and cheese for months to come. ’
‘Haha, I think I could. I actually wish I’d kept a bowl aside.
’ Zac chuckled as he led the way towards the metal railings before taking Polly’s hand and manoeuvring her in front of him.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her back towards him and whispered in her ear, ‘I think this is definitely a success.’
Polly grinned as she watched Miss Cooke slip between the panels of railings, pick up a microphone and position herself in front of the gathered crowd.
Zac was right. Judging by the comments she’d had from people she’d served asking her about the reserve, she was happy that they’d managed to get people talking about it and hopefully that would mean a few more visitors too.
‘Good evening, folks.’ Miss Cooke’s voice projected through a microphone across the playground as the crowd continued to grow. ‘We’re in for a treat tonight! Have you seen how big this year’s bonfire is?’
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd.
‘Exactly. Well, to light the bonfire tonight we have our very own Jill Davies, who has worked tirelessly to organise this event for us all, so a big round of applause for Jill.’ Lowering the microphone, Miss Cooke clapped.
After a few seconds, she stopped and brought the microphone to her lips again, searching the crowd in front of her. ‘Jill? Jill Davies, are you here?’
Polly frowned. It wasn’t like Jill to be late, especially to an event she’d organised. People around them began shuffling as they turned to look for Jill. ‘I wonder where she is.’
‘I don’t know.’ Zac frowned before pointing towards where the mound of wood stood waiting to be lit. ‘What’s going on over there?’
Straining her eyes into the dark field, Polly could just about make out the flashes of torches being swung from side to side. ‘It looks as though someone is looking for something. Or a few people are.’
One of the lights began making their way towards the front of the field and slowly Jill’s silhouette became visible as she reached the lights from the floodlights set up around the playground. A few seconds later and she was speaking with Miss Cooke.
Bringing the microphone to her lips once more, Miss Cooke addressed her audience again.
‘It transpires that we have a small complication. It seems that a certain sheep which was terrorising this village up until a short time ago has escaped her new home at Little Mead Farm and come in search of an adventure once more.’
A resounding groan filtered through the crowd and Polly twisted in Zac’s arms to look at him. ‘A sheep? Did she say a sheep?’
‘I think so.’ Zac shook his head as confusion swept across his face. ‘Unless we misheard.’
‘Yes, maybe.’ They must have misheard, the words sheep and terrorise surely couldn’t come up in the same sentence, could they? One lone sheep terrorising an entire village? She laughed. ‘Yep, I bet we’re hearing things.’
Settling back against Zac’s chest, Polly squinted into the darkness of the field again as someone ran up towards her. It wasn’t until they’d almost reached them that she realised it was Nicola.
Straightening her back, Polly leaned on the railing and called towards her, ‘Nicola? Is everything okay?’
‘Polly, Zac. Hi.’ Nicola paused to catch her breath. ‘Claudette, the sheep Charlie rescued up at the farm, has broken free and was last seen squeezing through the hedge into the field. We can’t find her anywhere but need to catch her before the bonfire or fireworks are lit.’
‘Do you need a hand?’ Reaching into his pocket, Zac pulled out his mobile and switched on the torch app.
‘The more help, the better. Thank you.’ Turning again, Nicola ran off back towards the middle of the field.
Taking her own mobile out, Polly turned on the torch app as she and Zac squeezed between two panels of railings and headed in the direction Nicola had gone. They hadn’t been hearing things then. There was a sheep on the loose. A sheep.
‘There’s something over there. Something white,’ Charlie called across the field.
Shining her torch in the direction of Charlie’s voice, Polly jogged towards where everyone else was running and, sure enough, she could see a glimpse of the animal amongst the undergrowth beneath the hedge encircling the school playing field.
As he neared the hedge, Charlie turned to face the group of people helping. ‘I think we’ve got one chance at this before she bolts off into the middle of the field again, so can I have everyone make a circle behind her, please?’
Stepping back, Polly joined the circle forming around the fluffy white animal and grinned across at Zac.
He wouldn’t be able to see her face in the dark, but she could almost feel him meet her gaze.
She’d never heard about a sheep being on the loose before, let along encountered one, but it couldn’t be that hard to catch, could it?
Even in the dark, the sheep’s brilliant white fleece should stand out, so surely it was just a case of walking across to it and, what?
Hooking a lead around its neck or something?
‘Right, everyone in position? If she comes towards you, stand your ground. She’s a soft little thing, even if she is an expert escapee.
Just hold your arms out and kneel down and she’s unlikely to try to push past you.
’ Charlie waited until people were in position before turning and inching his way towards Claudette.
‘Quick, Charlie. She’s looking like she’s going to make a run for it.’ Nicola’s voice was carried across the circle.
‘Good spot,’ Charlie whispered as he changed direction.
In a flurry of activity, Polly was unsure whether Charlie had run at Claudette or Claudette had run at Charlie, but when she shone her torch in their direction, Charlie was on his knees in the grass with his arms wrapped around the fluffy sheep.
Huh, maybe she’d underestimated the fluffy creature after all.
‘Well done, mate.’ Jackson’s voice reached them through the dark.
‘Thanks for your help, everyone. Me and Nic will get this one back to the farm and let you carry on with the firework celebrations.’ Charlie thanked them before he and Nicola led Claudette away.
Walking across to Zac, Polly grinned. ‘That’s two escape artists this week. Maybe Rolo and Claudette could become best pals.’
‘Oh no, imagine the two of them swapping tips.’ Zac chuckled as he shone his torch onto the ground as they made their way back to the playground and the crowd waiting patiently for the bonfire to be lit and the firework display to begin.
‘True, they’d never be found, would they?
You’re right, we should keep them as far away from each other as humanly possible.
’ Slipping back through the gap in the railings, Polly turned her torch app off, slipped her mobile back into her pocket and turned to face Miss Cooke, once again feeling Zac’s touch as he reached around her middle and pulled her back towards him.
Smiling, she held Zac’s hands, lacing their fingers together. Perfect.
‘Well, I would give Charlie a cheer, but I don’t want us frightening Claudette and her escaping again.’ Disaster averted, Miss Cooke’s voice boomed through the microphone.
As Laura and Jackson came to stand beside them, Laura whispered, ‘Charlie can get away with anything in her eyes.’
‘She definitely has favourites in the community.’ Jackson chuckled.
‘And you’re no better. You’re like her golden child, too.’ Laura batted his arm playfully.
‘What can I say? I can’t help my natural charm.’ Jackson wrapped his arm around Laura’s shoulder, pulling her close, and kissed her on top of the head.
‘Haha, true.’
Polly watched as Jackson and Laura gently teased each other before turning back to see Jill running across the field to light the bonfire as the people gathered clapped.
Yes, Meadowfield was perfect. She already felt at home far quicker than she’d ever thought possible.
‘How did the mulled cider and sparklers go down at the inn?’
Laura grinned, her eyes shining in the glow from the floodlights behind them. ‘Great, thanks. Everyone seemed to enjoy the mulled cider and I think most people said they were bringing the sparklers here to light after the display.’
‘That’s brilliant.’ Polly smiled back.
‘I may have saved some mulled cider for us all when we head back too.’ Jackson chuckled.
‘Perfect.’ Polly turned back to look towards Miss Cooke as her microphone crackled to life again.
‘Thank you, Jill. And now for our display!’ Miss Cooke waited until Jill had raced back around the railings before joining her and pointing to whoever was in charge of the microphone.
Much to Polly’s surprise, music began to play through the speakers and the fireworks were lit and popped, fizzed and banged their way into existence perfectly to the beat of the music.
Glancing behind her, Polly watched as Zac rubbed at his eyes before turning back to the display.
He was tired. After waking up at 5 a.m. to find his side of the bed empty, she’d caught him downstairs in the kitchen, unable to sleep and he didn’t look as though he’d had a solid hour’s kip since his gran had been rushed to hospital.
As he placed his hand back in hers, she gripped it tighter. He was worried. He was worried about the promotion, about the money, about the consequences if he didn’t get it. And she didn’t blame him. He had a lot riding on it. The future of his parents’ house, as well as his gran’s nursing home.
Leaning back against his chest, she lifted her head, staring at the bright colours filling the dark sky.
Tonight’s event had been an accumulation of everything she’d learned about Meadowfield since arriving.
The readiness to accept and welcome newcomers, the pulling together of one community for the good of the village, and the shared celebrations.
Not to mention the way people had flocked towards Charlie and Nicola when they’d needed help with capturing Claudette and getting her back to safety.
This is what she wanted. This is the exact place she had longed to be.
But she couldn’t have it. Sighing, Polly dragged the sleeve of her coat across her eyes.
She couldn’t have any of it. But that was okay.
The one thing she needed more than Meadowfield, more than her fresh start or her career change, was for Zac to be happy.
She needed him, and she wanted him to be happy.
And in that moment, she knew what she had to do.
‘You okay?’ Leaning down, Zac whispered to her, his breath tickling her ear.
Twisting in his arms as the light show continued above them, Polly placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him squarely on the lips before answering him. ‘I am. I’m more than okay.’