Chapter 16 #2
‘Bloody hell,’ Eliza said, ‘that is quite a story. Well, I would never have guessed – you guys seem to have a great set-up, lots of land and let’s be honest, a lot of tractors!’
‘We do, and we’re lucky – my dad worked his arse off with what he had left to get back on his feet, and to give us a great life. And he succeeded as far as he could.’
‘So, is that what you’ve been doing in London?’ Eliza asked, feeling relieved to know. ‘Working to earn money to buy back the farm?’
‘Partly,’ Luke admitted. ‘I took on some high-paying, but soul-crushing corporate jobs. And then I started Film on the Farm on the side, which has become profitable. Ultimately, it’s been worth it to reach this goal, but it has meant putting so many other things in my life on hold.
So, when everyone asks me why I haven’t settled down, I guess this a large part of it. ’
‘And Bella? Where does she fit into all this?’ Eliza asked, unable to stop herself.
Luke’s expression clouded. ‘That’s also complicated.
Bella grew up around here, too – I’ve known her my whole life.
Although she pretends to be this London girl who hates the country, it’s where she comes from.
You know I mentioned we didn’t have that much choice with friends out here?
Well, Bella, she was always caught between me and Phil, even before they got together.
’ He hesitated, as if weighing how much to reveal to her.
‘And, Eliza, before you flip out, I just want to say that there’s nothing romantic between me and Bella, not anymore, not since we were younger.’
Eliza’s breath caught. ‘Anymore? What do you mean anymore? I can’t believe you even trust her!’
Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking exasperated by her reaction.
‘Look, we dated when we were nineteen; it was a proximity kind of love. She and Phil, they have a whole family; our history is like a footnote. But she does understand what getting the farm back means to me in a way few others do. She’s been helping me keep it a secret, acting as a go-between with her father-in-law sometimes. ’
Eliza absorbed this, though a small knot of doubt still lingered in her stomach. ‘And now? Is she still wondering what if?’
‘She’s married. We all have exes, Eliza, and then we move on.’
He stepped closer to her, so close she could feel his breath on her face.
He tried to look her in the eyes, but she turned her face away.
She was being insane. Who cared about the relationships they had when they were younger?
But why had it taken Luke so long to tell her about Bella, and how could their relationship ever flourish with Bella always around?
Luke abruptly turned away, striding across the room to fling open a set of double doors that revealed the field beyond.
‘Remember when you asked about Film on the Farm?’ His voice carried over his shoulder, a hint of pride threading through it. ‘Well, here you go! This is it.’
The moonlight illuminated what waited outside, a massive projection screen standing proudly in the field, surrounded by twinkling string lights that created a pathway to a big squashy sofa positioned perfectly in front of the screen.
‘Welcome, Miss Fox, to your exclusive premiere,’ he said, extending his hand toward the makeshift theatre.
Eliza was dumbfounded. Holy crap! This man was amazing, the set-up in front of her was so magical and impossibly romantic!
‘You did all this? For me?’ she asked.
Luke shrugged, but the proud smile playing at his lips gave him away. ‘I figured if I was going to show you what I’ve been working on, I might as well do it properly.’
‘So this is Film on the Farm?’ she asked, stepping through the doorway and onto the grassy path.
‘In its most basic form, yes. Obviously, we usually have a lot more seating, some food trucks, and at least one bar. But the essence is the same, it’s movies under the stars. Like the old-fashioned days of drive-throughs brought into the twenty-first century!’
As they walked toward the sofa, Eliza felt strangely conflicted. She was still processing everything Luke had shared about his past – the family farm, his history with Phil and Bella – but this gesture made it hard to hold on to her scepticism.
‘Well, my mind is blown. This is pretty incredible, Luke,’ she admitted, settling into the sofa, while grabbing one of the thick blankets that was folded neatly on one arm. ‘I can’t believe you did this just for me!’
‘Wait,’ he said, grabbing a remote from his pocket. ‘The real magic happens when I press this button.’ He clicked it with a flourish, and suddenly the massive screen came alive.
‘What are we watching?’
‘Well, it’s a classic,’ Luke said, as the familiar opening credits of Casablanca filled the screen. ‘I thought you might appreciate it, given how much you love old films.’
‘How did you know?’ she asked, genuinely surprised. She’d mentioned her love for classic films once that she could remember, during their first dinner, when they’d talked about everything and nothing.
‘I pay attention,’ Luke said simply, settling in beside her. ‘It’s one of the things I liked most about you when we first met: that we share a love of old films.’
She felt like she was finally getting a glimpse of the real Luke Stanley.
As they watched the film, Eliza found herself relaxing into the moment, despite her lingering questions. But Eliza couldn’t help stealing glances at Luke’s profile, illuminated by the flickering light of the screen.
‘So, this is what you do?’ she asked, during a quieter moment in the film. ‘Travel around setting up outdoor cinemas?’
Luke nodded, his eyes still on the screen.
‘It started small – just me, a projector, and a bedsheet in a field. Now we do events all over the country. Corporate functions, private parties, music festivals. People seem to really love the novelty of watching a film outdoors. Although I have to say that the British weather doesn’t always play ball. ’
‘And it’s successful enough to fund buying back the farm?’
‘I’ve actually just sold the company to a big American firm. For an unexpectedly large amount of money. Even I can’t quite believe it . . .’
‘What?’ Eliza’s jaw dropped. ‘When? How do you keep all these secrets, Luke? I had no idea it was that successful.’
He shrugged with a hint of modesty that somehow made the achievement even more impressive. ‘It took off a lot faster than I expected. What started as a side project to make extra cash, suddenly went crazy. It’s the nostalgia factor, I guess.’
Eliza stared at him, suddenly seeing him with new eyes. Not just the farmer with the killer smile, but a shrewd businessman who’d built something from nothing.
‘So that’s why you’ve been in London so much? Finalising the sale?’
‘Exactly.’ Luke shifted to face her more directly. ‘The paperwork’s been a nightmare. But it’s done now. The final payment cleared yesterday.’
‘Just yesterday? Like yesterday yesterday?’ Eliza said, feeling like her world had shifted slightly. ‘So, what happens now?’
Luke leant back against the sofa looking at her. ‘Now I can finally finish this place, and make it everything it should be. The farmhouse, the land, it’s all coming back to the Stanley family where it belongs.’
‘And you did all this alone? Bloody hell, Luke,’ she said, while thinking about her own inability to pay even the interest on her credit card bills.
‘My dad suspects something, I think. Especially after our conversation last night. But I wanted to wait until everything was signed and sealed before telling him officially. I want to see his face when I hand him the deeds. Anyway – enough about all that – you’re good at getting information out of me, Eliza. ’
‘I hope he doesn’t have a heart attack when you tell him!’ Eliza responded.
Luke’s eyes locked with hers. ‘I’ve been so focused on getting this place back, I forgot to actually live. And then you showed up.’
Eliza swallowed hard. ‘Honesty looks good on you, Luke Stanley. Bit late, though.’
His thumb traced her cheekbone. ‘When I saw you on that bridge, silently trying to ogle me, I never thought . . .’ He leaned closer, his voice dropping. ‘But here we are. Who cares about the past, Eliza? Just trust me.’
His fingers started stroking her neck, making a beeline to her collarbone, which made it hard to breathe. ‘I knew I should have gone to build huts in Africa, it would have been a shitload less complicated,’ she breathed out.
Her emotions were so tangled together, her growing attraction fighting against her vow to avoid men exactly like him. After Henry, this was supposed to be uncomplicated. Some countryside fling, not whatever this was becoming.
His thumb slipped under her cashmere sweater, making her breath catch.
‘Wasn’t part of my plan, either,’ he said, ‘falling for some city girl on countryside R&R. But I guess the best things in life are the ones we least expect.’
Eliza just sat there nodding. ‘Okay, so let’s say you’re right, what happens now? You think we just run off into the sunset?’ She liked the idea – although every time she thought beyond tomorrow, she was irked by the reminder of those debt collector calls that just kept coming.
Luke leaned in, his hand still tracing circles on her skin. ‘Well, right now,’ he said, ‘I’d very much like to kiss you.’ Without waiting for her to respond, he leaned in.
The moment their lips touched, Eliza surrendered to him completely.
At first, they seemed to kiss with an uncertainty she hadn’t felt before, like they were strangers finding their way back to the familiarity of each other after tonight’s confessions.
But then something suddenly ignited between them, like they were meant to be.
His fingers found their way beneath her sweater, tracing the curve of her spine, while she arched herself against him.
When his mouth slowly moved to her throat, Eliza groaned with desire.