Chapter 1 #2
We’d decided together that Willowell was the perfect place to scatter Dad’s ashes.
The three of us had slowly healed there during our holidays after Mum had died.
Dad, with the best of intentions, had moved us out of the family home, which had once been the heart of us, and in lieu of it Willowell had come to feel like our special place.
Our time there had benefited us all. As I’d reached adulthood, along with my love of the outdoors, I’d slowly lost sight of what the village and countryside there had once meant to me, and I was excited to discover if it was going to reclaim its hold on my heart.
‘It always felt like home, didn’t it?’ I smiled.
‘Yes,’ Zack agreed. ‘More home than where we ended up. If that makes sense.’
‘It does.’ I swallowed.
It suddenly dawned on me that I currently didn’t have a home and that if I didn’t fly to Bali to stay with Zack, once my time in Willowell was up, I had nowhere to go. Even though I was determined to embrace my newfound freedom, it did feel a little unsettling to have no base at all.
‘I’ll let you know about the village,’ I promised, keen not to get bogged down with worry. ‘I know there’s a village store there now, because the cottage I’m staying in is attached to it, but beyond that, I’ve no idea.’
We ended the call once we’d made a plan – in so far as I ever could make a plan with my brother – to speak again in a couple of days, and as I climbed out of my car for a breath of air and a stretch, I realised he’d never told me the reason why he’d recently been off-grid. Classic Zack.
I opened the passenger door to pick up my phone to message and ask him and a sudden gust of wind rushed through the driver’s side open window and whisked Mum’s cherished but rather battered ancient straw hat out of the box next to Dad’s ashes and away.
Almost before I had realised what had happened it had blown halfway down the dusty lay-by and was in danger of being lost over a hedge.
‘No!’ I shouted, as I slammed the door shut and set off after it.
The tatty old thing that Mum used to wear when she was gardening was showing its age and was of no financial value, but I would have been devastated to lose it.
Fortunately, that didn’t happen, because there was a very sleek black car parked quite a way back from mine, and the driver, on spotting the unfolding drama, jumped out and set off in pursuit.
Being that much closer than I was, he was able to lunge for it and turned around grinning, with the hat clasped tightly in his grasp. Most people wouldn’t have bothered, but he hadn’t hesitated to help. What a hero!
‘I take it this is yours?’ he smiled, as I came to stand in front of him and felt my breath hitch and a rush of heat flood my face, and not because of the unexpected chase and fear of losing Mum’s hat.
‘It is.’ I swallowed as I took in his impeccably cut suit – something I had never before been impressed by, but couldn’t help noticing because he wore it so well – thick dark hair, kind deep brown eyes and enviable lashes. ‘Yes, it’s mine.’
‘Here you go, then,’ he said, dusting it off before handing it over.
‘Thank you,’ I said, taking it and holding it tight. ‘It was really kind of you to come to the rescue like that.’
‘It can be my good deed for the day.’ He smiled as his eyes met mine. ‘I always aim to get in at least one.’
Thoughtful, kind and the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. This guy had it all going on. Unless of course, it was just a line, but his smile, which made his eyes crinkle attractively, looked completely genuine, so I didn’t think it was.
‘I hope that didn’t sound as cheesy as I think it did.’ He then groaned and wrinkled his nose which made me laugh because he looked rather silly.
‘It didn’t,’ I said, willing my cheeks not to flush even deeper. ‘And you’ve truly surpassed yourself with your deed for today, because this grubby old hat has great sentimental value and I would have been devastated to lose it.’
‘In that case, I feel even happier to have helped save it.’ He smiled again. ‘Even if it did prompt me to say something cringey.’
‘You really didn’t.’ I laughed again. ‘I’m truly grateful. Thank you.’
That should have been the moment that I turned and walked away, but my feet felt rooted to the spot, and I would have given anything to find something else to say that would have prolonged our conversation, but the truth was, the interaction had run its course.
A sudden blast from the horn of his car made us both jump and I then realised there was a woman sitting in the passenger seat and she looked rather peeved as she tapped the face of the watch she was wearing.
‘I’d better go,’ the guy said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb towards the car.
‘Yes,’ I nodded, as I took a step away, ‘I should be off, too. Thanks again for rescuing my hat.’
‘Anytime,’ he grinned.
I broke eye contact before he did, and as I walked back down the lay-by, I wondered if it was his partner in the car.
I hoped not, because unless my imagination had been completely carried away by his luscious looks, he was giving off a flirtatious vibe and that would have been entirely unacceptable, wouldn’t it?
I caught sight of myself in the rearview mirror as I put Mum’s hat more securely in the box, then settled into the driving seat, adding yet more creases to my oversized sea green linen dress with mismatched wooden buttons.
My long, wavy, dark hair was escaping the knot I’d tied it up in and I wasn’t wearing a scrap of make-up.
My freckled face was bright red and my neck looked rather blotchy.
Um… the flirtation was definitely wishful thinking on my part then.
My libido had lain idle since I’d split with Lee, and if I was being completely honest, for a while even before that, so it must have forgotten how to interpret the signals.
How embarrassing. I hoped the stranger hadn’t thought I was flirting with him, but then I wasn’t likely to ever see him again, so I don’t suppose it really mattered, did it?
‘Right then, Dad,’ I said, as I pulled on my seatbelt, started the car and put the encounter with the handsome stranger out of my mind. ‘Let’s go and have one last adventure in Willowell, shall we?’