Chapter 27
CAMERON
Cameron slowly walked Cupcake along the high street, crunching on piles of fresh leaves that had fallen from the trees during the afternoon.
He headed in the direction of the castle, ignoring everyone he passed.
Decorations seemed to have sprung up everywhere and he could see pumpkins, witches and ghosts in shop windows, on people’s porches, even hanging in between the lamp posts.
There was a feeling of anticipation in the air, and he took in a long breath, trying to summon some excitement for the Halloween festival.
But he couldn’t stop thinking about his fight with Izzi.
He passed the Candy Apple Café without glancing in the window, but his shoulders tensed.
He knew Izzi was probably in the kitchen now baking something mouth-watering for customers to enjoy.
He wondered if she planned to remain in Honey Haven for a few more days.
He had a feeling his grandma was going to do everything in her power to keep her here.
Perhaps a part of him hoped she’d succeed – although he wouldn’t admit it.
His stomach grumbled because he hadn’t eaten for hours; he couldn’t face the idea.
There were simply too many memories associated with food.
Just the smell reminded him of everything Izzi had created in his kitchen, of the smoothness of her skin when he’d kissed her between bites, of how perfect she’d tasted.
And of how messed up everything was now.
He walked faster, attempting to outrun his jumbled thoughts, but his mind kept drifting to the moment in the kitchen when he’d caught Izzi with Sophie.
She had looked surprised, perhaps a little awkward, but no matter how many times he played the scene over in his mind, he knew she hadn’t looked guilty.
Fear scraped at his insides, but he wasn’t sure if he was afraid of losing Izzi, or of trusting her and having her lie to him again.
Cupcake suddenly stopped in the middle of the pavement and let out a long whine, and he reached into his pocket searching for a treat.
He pulled one out realising Izzi had made it and frowned.
‘How about Fang?’ he croaked, thinking about Izzi’s promise.
Everything seemed to remind him of her. Cupcake gobbled the treat, then put his nose in the air and began to walk again, signalling his thoughts.
Cameron could see the castle in the distance and glimmering lights that told him the Halloween decorations were up and someone had already switched them on.
It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun would soon be setting, and the celebrations were going to start in a couple of hours.
He had to get his grandma and Beth – who was due to arrive at Honey Haven train station in an hour – to meet him at the castle later and the whole evening would start there.
He’d been so excited – now he just wanted the whole thing to be over.
Spending the evening celebrating without Izzi would be miserable.
As Cameron drew closer, he saw dozens of pumpkins had been laid along the castle driveway leading to the front door. He leaned down to stare into one of the grinning faces and breathed in the smoky scent as Lachlan walked out of the entrance, carrying tools.
‘Who did this?’ Cameron pointed to the vibrant orange decorations.
‘Izzi,’ Lachlan told him. ‘She popped in during her lunch break a couple of hours ago. There are more pumpkins and even turnips inside and she dropped off the food she’s made for this evening – including biscuits for Cupcake.
There are loads of them, she must have been baking for hours.
’ He sighed and scratched the German Shepherd’s head.
‘Everything smells incredible. I’m forcing myself to keep my hands off – even the dog biscuits smell delicious.
’ Lachlan’s eyes narrowed. ‘She looked unhappy. You haven’t made up with her, have you? ’
‘No,’ Cameron admitted, shoving his hands into his pockets as grief and irritation rolled through him.
His friend sighed. ‘You really are an eejit. You know she worked all night to make sure everything was ready for this evening?’
‘No.’ Cameron swallowed. The lights had been off in the cabin each time he’d checked. But he’d assumed she’d been asleep, or plotting somewhere with Sophie.
Lachlan let out a long breath. ‘If you weren’t my friend, I’d have to punch you for what you’ve done to her.
But I figure, once your brain catches up, you’re going feel bad enough already.
I will say you’re messing up the best thing that has ever happened to you and I hope you realise that before it’s too late. ’
Cameron’s gaze swept back to the castle. The Halloween festival had been Izzi’s idea, she’d been cooking for him for weeks, living in his house, buying his food. Now she’d done all this.
It could all be a trick – a way to make him believe he could trust her.
But he knew Izzi. She just wanted what was best for him and his grandma and he’d been triggered by seeing her with Sophie.
His grandma was right: he’d allowed his past to colour his present, allowed himself to see things that weren’t there because he was afraid of being hurt.
But perhaps love was worth that risk? It was better than feeling this emptiness…
‘I need to talk to her,’ he said suddenly, glancing down the high street. If he hurried, he might be able to catch her before the end of her shift. He had some apologies to make. He only hoped Izzi would listen to them.
Cameron’s chest was heaving by the time he reached the Candy Apple Café, and he dashed through the door with Cupcake hot on his heels.
‘We’ve shut early for Halloween!’ his grandma shouted from the kitchen as he skidded to stop in front of the counter and leaned his elbows on his knees trying to catch his breath as he glanced around.
The café was empty. The lights were off and everything had been tidied away – someone had even fluffed the cushions and folded the blankets into neat piles.
When he checked the door, he realised the sign had been flipped to closed.
‘Where’s Izzi?’ he rasped, as his grandmother appeared from the back wrapped in her coat.
‘She’s left, lad,’ she said, her face falling. ‘She finished her shift an hour ago – I decided to shut early because Beth’s arriving soon.’
‘I need to talk to her,’ he said. ‘Urgently.’
His grandma shook her head. ‘If this is about Sophie again, you don’t need to, lad.’ She drew a white envelope from the pocket of her coat and held it out. ‘She gave this to Izzi. It’s all the money she took from me. Enough to pay off all the café’s debts.’
‘Izzi gave it to you?’ Cameron asked, shocked. ‘I don’t understand. Why did Sophie give it to her?’ It didn’t make sense.
‘They talked and apparently she told Izzi she had a code.’ His grandma shrugged.
‘I’m not sure I completely understand what that means, but I checked and it’s every penny I loaned her.
’ She pulled a face. ‘She didn’t give your money back.
Apparently, she thinks you can afford to lose it…
After I’ve paid all the bills, I’ll give you what’s left. ’
‘I don’t want your money,’ Cameron said, turning to stare at the door. ‘I’ve been an idiot…’ he admitted. If Izzi really was after money, she definitely wouldn’t have returned it. He could hardly believe Sophie had.
‘Aye well, I won’t disagree, but we’re all allowed to make mistakes.’ She sighed. ‘It’s what we do about them that really matters.’
‘I need to talk to Izzi,’ he repeated. ‘To apologise.’
‘Well, you’re going to have to hurry then, lad,’ his grandma said. ‘She might be gone already.’
‘What do you mean gone?’ The breath froze in his throat and, for a second, he thought his heart had stopped beating too. ‘Is she back at the cabin?’
‘I’m not sure.’ His grandma shook her head looking sad.
‘Izzi left so she could pack. She told me she had to go. She’s got that job in London and she’s going to see if they want her to start now.
I said we could cope without her if it’s what she really wanted.
She’s driving there tonight.’ She checked her watch as Cameron’s insides nosedived. ‘She’s probably already left.’
‘She can’t have,’ he said roughly, and beside his feet Cupcake growled in agreement.
His grandma pulled a face. ‘You might already be too late, but if you want to try and catch her, you’d better run.’
Cameron could barely breathe by the time he reached his cottage and skidded to a stop in the driveway. His insides went into freefall when he stared at the spot where Izzi’s car had been parked earlier. It was empty and there were piles of leaves where the tyres had been.
‘Goddammit.’ He sprinted into the garden and wrenched open the door of the cabin. The bedding had been stripped and left in neat piles, there was a key on the sideboard and every trace of Izzi was gone.
‘Shit.’ He shook his head. ‘Car!’ he ordered Cupcake, almost dropping his keys as he frantically searched through his pockets, his heart racing.
There was one road out of Honey Haven. A B road that stretched for seventeen miles until it reached the motorway.
If he drove fast enough, if Izzi hadn’t been gone for too long, he might be able to catch her up…
The light was dimming and the moon was beginning to rise as Cameron drove, trying not to press his foot too hard on the accelerator.
The road was empty. Clearly everyone was at home, getting ready for tonight’s festival.
He felt sick as all the things he’d said to Izzi replayed in his mind while Cupcake let out low grumbling sounds from the back seat.
He’d already connected his mobile to the car and had tried to call Izzi multiple times, but the phone kept going to voicemail.
He tried again, gripping the steering wheel so tightly he wondered if it might leave a permanent indent.
He knew it would only take her about twenty minutes to get to the junction for the motorway if she stuck to thirty.
Once she was on it, he wouldn’t be able to get her to stop, and he didn’t have enough petrol in the truck to get all the way to London without refilling, so he’d likely lose her on the way.
He had to reach her first. He switched the radio on, trying to distract himself, tuning into the local radio station as it was announcing that there’d been a minor crash just before the motorway junction and the road was currently experiencing delays.
Would Izzi have made it already – or had she been involved in the accident? Cameron felt sick as he dialled Izzi’s number again and heard her phone click to voicemail. When he disconnected, his mobile beeped, informing him he had a message.
‘Thank god,’ he muttered as he set it to play.
‘Darling.’ His mother’s voice rang through the car, and Cameron’s blood seemed to freeze. It had been years since she’d called – so long he barely recognised her now. ‘I’m not sure if you received my messages, but I need that money. Don’t turn your back on me, son. You owe—’
He hung up and exhaled deeply. He’d have to call his mother back later and tell her this couldn’t go on. If she wanted him, it had to be for him, not because of what he could give her. He’d allowed himself to be used for too long and it had skewed his expectations of people.
His grandma was right. It was time he moved towards what was good for him… if it wasn’t already too late.