Chapter Ten #3
‘Don’t say it,’ she replied firmly. ‘Give me one good reason why not, and my lazing around all summer is not one of them. Let me do this, please. It’s my way of thanking you for giving us a home for the summer. What do you think?’
‘I think yes, if you’re sure,’ he said slowly. ‘Kenny and Vince would snap your hand off and there’s no one I’d trust more or rather work with.’ He quirked a brow. ‘Does that mean we’d have to have meetings and stuff? Get all official?’
Don’t look at me like that, she wanted to say. But that would be admitting how much of an effect he had on her, although surely he knew? He was far too experienced to miss the catch in her breath, the dilated pupils, whenever they were alone.
‘Yes, meetings and stuff,’ she told him sternly, her smile belying the serious tone. ‘And we’d track media metrics, digital engagement and qualitative outcomes to get a clear picture of what works.’
‘Seriously? Now you’re sucking all the fun out of it.’ Raf groaned as he covered his face with both hands. ‘So where would we have our meetings?’ He parted his fingers to give her a mischievous look, and she shoved his foot with hers.
‘You’re the one who’s turned corporate. I’ve just escaped that world.’
‘Exactly, so why would you want to dive straight back in?’
‘For you,’ she told him softly, raising a shoulder. For once she didn’t care what her expression might be revealing, if it was telling him exactly how she felt. ‘Because of all this.’
Flynn stirred on the grass and clambered to his feet, wandering over and plonking his head on the seat beside Cassie, who yawned.
‘I’m going to head up,’ she said apologetically. ‘It’s been a long day.’
‘Okay. Night, Cass, sleep well.’ Raf’s words drifted across as she made her way inside before she did something crazy, like leaning over to kiss him. He was just being kind, she reminded herself firmly. As any friend would.
She wasn’t expecting Flynn to follow, and she tried to make him return to Raf in the garden. But he was still at her heels as she walked through the house, and at the foot of the stairs, she gave him a cuddle.
‘I can’t take you up with me, because it wouldn’t be fair on either of us,’ she told him sadly. She kissed his face, feeling the press of his solid body against hers, his head heavy in her hands. ‘But I’ll take you out tomorrow. That’s a promise.’
Several hours later Cassie woke to a tap on her door, and she yanked the duvet to her chin in case it was Raf. But when she called ‘come in’, it was Rory’s head which appeared around the door, and she rearranged the pillows to sit up.
‘Hey, you.’ She smiled, blinking drowsily. It had been a surprisingly peaceful night, and she felt rested, the almost empty day stretching before her. ‘What time is it?’
‘Almost eight.’ He grinned as he came over and put a mug on her bedside table. ‘Raf said you might like coffee, but not to wake you if you were still asleep.’
‘Thank you,’ she murmured. ‘That’s very thoughtful of you both.
Coffee in bed is definitely a luxury.’ She leant over to pick up the mug, wrapping her fingers around its warmth.
Already the sun was bright behind her cream curtains, and she asked Rory to open them so she could appreciate the view.
The landscape extended before her, lit by green and gold, tractors and trailers still out collecting bales of hay.
‘How did you sleep, Rory?’
‘Good, thanks. Raf helped me set up my Xbox and I was online with Jacob until eleven.’
‘That sounds fun. Is Isla up yet?’
‘Yeah, she’s gone to Harriet’s. She said she’d messaged you and that she’d be back tonight. They’re going to Alfie’s after they’ve been to Dorothy’s.’
‘Your sister certainly doesn’t waste much time.’ Cassie quashed a moment of alarm at Isla making her way through the village alone.
But Isla was used to London transport; Hartfell was a breeze in comparison, and Cassie loved that the two girls were once again within reach, just like her and Pippa.
Their friendship hadn’t faltered since Harriet had moved north; they’d simply switched it online.
Rory looked cheerful too, and she patted the space beside her, absurdly grateful when he settled on it.
It still caught her breath sometimes, to see Ewan’s smile reflected in their son and that same clear-eyed, problem-solving gaze.
She missed the days when she’d cuddled her small children in bed, snuggling together and making up stories.
When had her babies become so big, so independent?
How would she bear letting them go when the time came for them to move on and make more of their own choices?
She pushed such thoughts away. She wanted them to fly, and for that they needed wings.
And roots; she hoped they were planted deep.
‘Gigi’s messaged me to check when we’re coming to stay.’ Rory’s brow furrowed. ‘She said she hadn’t heard from you.’
Cassie held back a sigh. Her mother had never been big on family details, and with an assistant to run the mundane aspects of her life, Lois was free to do more or less as she pleased.
She glanced at her phone and saw the message she hadn’t yet opened.
Her mother always began her days with an early morning swim and preferred communicating first thing.
After her father had died and they’d discovered he’d left them nothing but debts, defaulting on the mortgage her mother didn’t know he’d taken out on their London house, Lois had bolted to Italy to stay with friends while Cassie finished university.
Six months later, a book about her mother’s life with a notoriously difficult and unfaithful husband was announced to the world with great fanfare.
When it was published the following year, it topped the bestseller lists for months in multiple territories and had never been out of print.
Lois had gone on to become a notable biographer of historical figures and remained on the Amalfi Coast, where she lived with a much younger DJ, and spent half of each summer in Ibizan clubs.
Cassie had had her share of tabloid attention when she was young.
She’d loathed it and hated the scorn from other children at school, which made her desperate to protect her own family from any lingering gossip.
She’d long recognised she had come a poor third to her parents’ marriage and their individual problems. Counselling had helped her accept and understand, as well as cope.
She and Lois had a cordial relationship now, and they had lunch whenever her mother came to London to meet with her agent and publishers.
Lois would send the children all her best love along with a gift, then hop on the next flight home without seeing them.
She was a bright star who glittered from afar in their world, and Cassie knew she would never change.
‘I’ll message Gigi and remind her about the date. So what time are you meeting Jacob? Don’t forget we’re having lunch at the pub tomorrow, and Granny and Grandpa are coming too.’
‘I won’t. Jacob said they’re bringing the sheep down from the fell today.
’ Rory’s look was earnest, and Cassie’s heart clenched with love for her beautiful boy.
‘Please can I go with them? Raf said there’ll be plenty of adults there, and Jacob’s done it loads of times. He knows the fells and what to do.’
‘I think that sounds great.’ She bit back her concern.
She’d never been a risk-taker like Ewan, and together they’d found a way to allow their children to experiment.
It was much harder, doing this alone. ‘Just stay with Jacob, and make sure your phone is fully charged before you go. And let me know when you’re back at the farm. ’
‘I will. Thanks, Mum.’ Rory leapt up, already on his way to the door, and she called after him.
‘Take water. And sunscreen, and…’
‘Yeah, got it. Will do.’ The door closed behind him, and she leant back to enjoy her coffee for a few minutes more, setting aside her anxiety as she read Isla’s message.
Almost everyone she loved was in Hartfell now, and her family’s life in London seemed very far away from fells and sheep gathers and long lunches at the pub.