Chapter 28
I’d barely started to think about how I was going to word what it was that I wanted to ask Zack before he was messaging to say he was walking down the drive. I replied, telling him the garden gate was unlocked and that he could come straight to the apartment.
‘Well, you certainly look happier,’ he said, the moment I opened the door to him.
I knew I couldn’t stop smiling and hoped he’d look the same soon, too.
‘That’s because I am happier,’ I grinned and gave him a squeeze.
‘So, come on then,’ he said, as he disentangled himself. ‘Tell me what’s going on.’
I sat in the chair opposite where he was on the sofa, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
‘Tilly, please,’ he insisted. ‘Spit it out.’
‘Give me a minute,’ I laughed. ‘I want to savour the moment and say it right.’
He rolled his eyes, sat back and folded his arms.
‘I’m going to lose interest at this rate.’
‘No, you’re not.’ I smiled.
‘No,’ he said and leant forward again. ‘You’re right. I’m not. You’re buying the woods, aren’t you?’
‘Stop!’ I yelped. ‘I don’t want you to guess.’
‘Hurry up then,’ he groaned.
‘Okay,’ I said, bracing myself, and then took a deep breath. ‘I’ll start with the obvious.’
‘Go on.’
‘James and I are a couple.’
‘I knew it!’ Zack clapped. ‘It was pretty obvious the other night, but I’d locked the pair of you in ages before that, hadn’t I? Don’t deny it, Tills.’
‘You had,’ I laughed. ‘You were right when you guessed I had feelings for him.’
‘Yes,’ he said smugly and punched the air. ‘I knew it.’ Then his expression changed. ‘But isn’t he the bad guy in this whole are you buying the woods or aren’t you saga?’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ I told him. ‘That’s by the by.’
‘I mean it,’ he said seriously. ‘Is he worthy of you?’
Despite the archaic way he’d worded the question, it felt so good to have my big brother close enough to look out for me.
‘He’s definitely worthy of me,’ I said seriously. ‘And there’s so much more to our story than you already know.’
‘Tell me then,’ he said again.
I then proceeded to give him the run down on how I’d met this guy, thanks to Mum’s runaway gardening hat, just seconds after we’d talked on the phone the day I arrived in Willowell and how, thanks to another fluke encounter, our relationship had since developed and we’d seen more of each other as a result.
‘Nope,’ Zack interrupted. ‘Not a fluke. It was fate.’ I grinned at that. ‘Carry on.’
‘So,’ I said, drawing the word out, ‘I was in pretty deep by the time I arrived back at Fernside one day with some good news for Constance, only to find it was James, her nephew, playing the piano in her sitting room, not her.’
‘Fuck,’ Zack exclaimed. ‘Sorry, but damn. I knew that was coming, but how shocked were you?’
‘I can’t even tell you,’ I laughed. ‘But it’s all water under the bridge now and our relationship is very much back on, as is… pause for dramatic impact…’
‘Don’t make me say it!’
‘All right, all right,’ I laughed. ‘The sale is back on! I’m buying the woods!’
‘Oh Tilly!’ he said, as he jumped up and pulled me onto my feet. ‘This is the best news! I’m so happy for you!’
We proceeded to hug, cheer and do a bit of a silly dance around the tiny sitting room before collapsing onto the sofa.
‘And,’ I said, giving him a nudge, ‘I hope you’re going to be happy for yourself, when you hear the next thing I have to say.’
‘Go on,’ he said and sat up straighter.
‘Well,’ I swallowed, ‘I know I’ve been caught up here this summer with my love life and my life life, but it hasn’t escaped my notice that you’ve been going through stuff, too.’
Zack started to look a little misty eyed.
‘And it seems to me that your dream life isn’t your dream life anymore,’ I went on. ‘I can’t imagine how that must be making you feel because you’ve always been so content.’
I let a moment of silence settle and felt relieved when my brother opened up to me.
‘It’s made me feel… rootless,’ he explained hoarsely.
‘Homesick too. Hence the surprise visit. Willowell is working its magic on me and meeting Kaya and talking to her has made a huge difference, but I still feel like there’s something missing.
I know on the outside, it probably looks like I haven’t changed, but I know I have on the inside and you’ve obviously picked up on that. ’
‘You’re my brother,’ I said softly, ‘so of course I have.’ He nodded but didn’t say anything more. ‘And with that in mind,’ I carried on, ‘I might have a suggestion that will help you feel rooted again.’
‘Go on.’
‘Well, there’s still loads to do,’ I pointed out before getting to the crux of it. ‘I mean, I haven’t even bought the woods yet, but when I have and when I’ve had permission to run the business confirmed, I was wondering if you’d consider becoming part of the team.’
‘Crikey.’
‘Of course, I appreciate that you and Kaya might have already made plans to leave once the summer’s over, but I wanted to put this out there now, so you know you’ve got the option. Obviously, I don’t expect you to answer before permission is granted, but what do you think?’
‘What do I think?’ he laughed. ‘I think you’re a legend!’
‘You do?’
‘I do. And Dad would be so proud of you.’
‘You really think so?’
I’d talked to him less of late, but that didn’t mean I didn’t still think about him.
‘I know so,’ Zack said vehemently. ‘You’re finding your feet, finding your way and doing something so brave. He’d be thrilled!’
My brother’s kind words and reaction to everything were the cherry on my day and I hoped my friends were going to be equally excited when I shared the news about the woods and my surprise relationship.
I’d sworn Zack to secrecy about what was set to unfold and he was delighted to be in on it.
I think he was relishing the opportunity to see the look on everyone’s else’s faces having had the benefit of a few hours to process it all himself.
‘Don’t look so worried,’ I said to James, once I’d parked up at The Greenman and we were walking over to the pub that evening. He looked positively green himself. ‘I told you; Zack was over the moon about everything and everyone else is going to be, too.’
‘Given that until today I must have been branded the bad guy,’ he winced, ‘I hope you’re right about that.’
‘I am,’ I insisted. ‘Now, come on.’
‘You go ahead,’ he said and took a step away from where I was holding out my hand to guide him in. ‘I just want to make sure Buddy doesn’t need the loo.’
‘Are you using your four-legged friend as an avoidance tactic?’ I teased him.
‘You know he’s my support dog,’ James smiled. ‘Always here when I need him. We’ll be two seconds.’
I shook my head, but left him to it.
‘Hey, Tilly,’ he called after me. ‘Maybe you could tell them everything before I get in there. Let them absorb it all a bit before I walk in.’
‘No chance,’ I told him. ‘We’re doing this together.’
James took more than a couple of minutes to give Buddy the opportunity to delay the inevitable, but as the pub was busy, I managed to linger around the door without anyone inside spotting me.
‘Believe it or not, I’m relieved you haven’t gone in yet,’ he puffed, when he finally joined me. ‘You were right, Tilly. We’re doing this together. From now on, we’re doing everything together.’
I loved the sound of that and kissed him very thoroughly to make sure he got the message.
‘I don’t believe it!’ came a shocked voice behind us. It was Kaya. She and Zack hadn’t made it into the pub yet either. ‘So, you are sleeping with the enemy, Tilly. I knew it the night of the supper showdown.’
‘I can’t believe you’re calling it that.’ I tutted and shook my head.
James looked as though he didn’t know how to react.
‘Did you know about this?’ Kaya demanded of my brother and he nodded. ‘And you never said a word. Oh well, at least I know you can keep a secret.’
‘Always.’ Zack smiled at me and then turned his attention to James. ‘Hello, James,’ he said. ‘I’m pleased to meet you properly at last.’
‘Likewise,’ James said and the pair shook hands, which was something I’d never seen my brother do before. ‘Tilly has told me so much about you.’
‘Nothing good, I hope,’ Zack laughed and bent to give Buddy a fuss.
‘All absolutely terrible,’ I confirmed.
‘Brilliant,’ Zack said, and together we headed inside.
The evening flew by and the explanations about mine and James’s relationship and what was next on the agenda for the woods now I was definitely buying them were punctuated with delicious drinks, moreish pizza and trips outside with Buddy.
James’s fears about being labelled the bad guy were soon quashed as everyone was firmly on his side once he’d explained why he’d changed his mind.
They loved the sound of the new job he’d got lined up and roared with laughter when he told them how Tommy had reacted to Constance roping him into the situation.
Clearly the guy was not liked, but his dad had been much loved.
‘I’m going to help Aunt Constance to get the sale moving next week,’ I heard James telling Zack as Melody and I went to order more drinks.
My heart skipped a beat at the thought. This time I knew it was really going to happen and I couldn’t wait.
‘Congratulations, Tilly,’ beamed Carter, who, like Zack, had been splitting his time between chatting with us and serving. ‘This round is on me.’
‘That’s so kind, Carter,’ I smiled. ‘Thank you.’
‘What do you think of Tilly’s new beau?’ Rick, who was buying snacks, asked him. ‘I think he’s turned into a total dreamboat, but I can see he’s off limits.’
We all looked across to where James and Zack were chatting with their heads together while Kaya made a fuss of Buddy.
‘I can’t say he’s my usual type,’ Carter laughed, ‘but he certainly seems to be fitting in at last.’
‘He does, doesn’t he?’ I sighed happily.
‘The two of you look made for each other.’ Melody nudged me and I blushed. ‘It might have taken you a while to get back on an even keel, but I don’t reckon anything will stop you now.’
Right on cue, James looked at me and smiled.
‘You know what,’ I smiled back. ‘I think you’re right.’