Epilogue
Scarlett grinned as she poured herself and Rowan a glass of cider each. Pennycress was heaving with family and friends who Laura and Jackson had invited down for New Year’s Eve and laughter and chatter filled both the kitchen and the sitting room.
‘Hey, Scarlett, I’m putting some coffee on if you fancy any?’ Coming up behind her, Laura briefly touched her on the shoulder before taking the lid off the cafetiere.
‘No, I’m good with this, thanks.’ Scarlett nodded towards her glass before taking a sip.
‘Haha, fair enough.’ After filling the cafetiere, Laura turned and leaned back against the work surface. ‘I’m so glad we were all able to get together for New Year’s tonight. After missing out on Christmas Day here, this was just what I needed.’
Scarlett nodded. Christmas had been perfect in its own way, but it was so good to be able to catch up with Aunt Ruth, Uncle Phil and everyone else.
And to introduce them all to Rowan. The past week had flown by, what with Laura and Jackson finally getting a flight on Boxing Day, handing the reins of Pennycress back to them and moving her camper to the campsite Rowan had told her about just outside Meadowfield, but she had made sure to make time to speak to both Laura and Jackson about recent events, including the truth about what had happened between her and Tyler.
Placing her glass back on the work surface, Scarlett turned to face Laura.
‘Thanks again for everything you and Jackson have done for me since I arrived in Meadowfield.’
‘We’ve done?’ Laura looked across at her. ‘It should be us thanking you for coming to the rescue after Megan couldn’t make it to hold the fort down here. And for carrying on over Christmas whilst me and Jackson were stranded in Italy.’
‘You know how much I’ve loved helping out here.’ Scarlett shrugged. The truth was she’d enjoyed it. She’d enjoyed feeling needed and she’d enjoyed being part of a community.
‘Well, thank you all the same.’ Laura nudged her with her shoulder before lowering her voice. ‘And thank you telling me about what happened with Tyler. I just wish you’d spoken to me earlier and I could have done something to help.’
Scarlett gave a small smile as she remembered the conversation she’d had with her cousin.
She’d waited until the day after they’d got back home before sitting Laura down and spilling the beans.
She’d told her everything, everything she’d been so worried about telling her, and she’d felt sick to her stomach throughout the whole conversation, but she needn’t have worried.
Laura had definitely been Team Scarlett and had understood that Scarlett hadn’t known anything about Tyler’s other family.
She’d even offered to ring him to order him to stay away or to send Jackson round to ‘have a word’ as she’d called it.
Not that either was needed as Tyler had thankfully stayed away, which was most definitely a good thing as she couldn’t quite imagine Jackson ‘having a word’. ‘Thank you.’
Pushing herself away from the work surface, Laura drew her in for a hug. ‘And I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve decided to stay on in Meadowfield. I have a good feeling about you and Rowan.’
Hugging her cousin back, Scarlett grinned. ‘Me too.’
Laura laughed. ‘And if he survives the night after meeting this lot, then you know he’s a keeper.’
‘Haha, that’s true.’ Scarlett nodded. She already knew he was a keeper, and she had a feeling Laura knew that too, but it was nice that he was eager and willing to meet her family, especially the majority of them in one night.
Plus, he’d already ‘met’ her dad on video call and they had a trip planned to Wales in a few weeks to visit his family.
After that, the only person she wouldn’t have introduced him to yet would be Devon, but he’d promised to make the trip down soon.
She smiled. Now that was quite possibly the introduction she was most excited about. Devon was going to love Rowan.
Turning back to the cafetiere, Laura lined up three mugs. ‘Right, I’d best pour these and take them over. Mum’s complaining she’s parched but deep in conversation with Polly and Zac. Once she found out they work at the nature reserve she’s been asking all sorts of questions.’
Scarlett smiled as she looked over at her aunt and uncle who were sitting at one of the tables, chatting and laughing with Polly and Zac. ‘They’ll be talking for hours if they’re talking about plants.’
‘Haha, they will. Fortunately for Polly and Zac it’ll be midnight soon and so we’ll have to prise them apart.’
Shaking her head as she laughed, Scarlett picked up the glasses she’d poured for herself and Rowan and headed out into the hall.
Scarlett weaved her way into the sitting room, holding her drinks in the air in an attempt to keep them from being spilt. She smiled at Jenny and Rob as she squeezed between Ellie and Nicola as they chatted by the fireplace.
‘Scarlett! Save me, save me!’ Tammy, Laura’s niece and Scarlett’s first cousin once removed, threw her arms around Scarlett’s waist as Jill’s daughter, Willow, chased her with a pink glittery wand.
‘Careful!’ Too late, Scarlett felt the cold cider dribble down her wrists and through her cardigan sleeve.
‘I’m going to turn you into a frog!’ Pointing the wand at Tammy, Willow screeched as Tammy turned and jumped towards her, ribbiting so loudly she could be heard above the music.
‘Sorry, Scarlett.’ Walking past, Jill grimaced as she shepherded Willow and Tammy in the opposite direction. ‘Why don’t you go and get your boots and coats on? We’re all going outside to watch the fireworks soon.’
‘Yay! Fireworks!’ Tammy stopped jumping as she took Willow’s hand in hers and led the way out of the sitting room, almost colliding with Jackson as he carried a tray of nibbles.
‘And this is what happens when I let the kids stay up to see in the New Year.’ Jill laughed. ‘Think of me tomorrow evening when I’m trying to get them back into some sort of routine.’
‘Ah, yes, I can imagine that’ll be fun.’ Scarlett grimaced as she squeezed past a group of Laura and Nicola’s friends from the village before coming to a stop beside Rowan. ‘Hey, here’s your drink.’
‘Thank you.’ Taking the glass, Rowan kissed her on the cheek before taking a sip of his cider. ‘I was just telling Richie about the campsite just outside the village.’
‘Oh, yes? I only moved the camper there a few days ago but it’s really lovely.
It’s basically someone’s back garden but it stretches on for over an acre.
’ It might have only been a few days but she’d already been welcomed by the resident dogs, Ralph and Lightning, who now recognised her and hung around by the fence expecting a treat and a fuss. ‘Are you thinking of holidaying there?’
‘We might just do. It sounds like it’d be a handy place to set up a tent if Pennycress is full over the summer when we visit Laura and Jackson.’ Richie, Laura’s brother and Scarlett’s cousin, brought his drink to his lips.
‘It’s Rachel’s parents’ place. Laura’s friends with her so she’s probably about if you have any questions. She works there, as far as I know.’ Scarlett glanced around the sitting room. ‘Over there chatting to Polly on the sofa.’
Looking over his shoulder, Richie nodded. ‘I might just do that. Thanks.’
Jackson’s voice rose over the hubbub in the room. ‘Hey, everyone, we’re heading outside for the New Year countdown now. We’ll have fireworks going off at midnight and then sparklers for the kids.’
‘And adults!’ Laura added, cupping her hands together and raising her voice.
‘Right, I’d better help Jane with the little ones. Make sure everyone has the right gloves and boots on the right feet, that sort of thing.’ Downing the last of his drink, Richie reached down and placed it on the coffee table before heading towards the door.
As she turned to head outside, Scarlett noticed Rowan holding back. ‘Are you coming?’
‘Hold up. I’ve got one last surprise of this year for you.’ Rowan smiled.
‘Oh really? What’s that then?’ Frowning, Scarlett took another sip of her drink.
‘One moment.’ After waiting until the sitting room had emptied, Rowan took her hand in his and led her to the middle of the room between the two sets of sofas and coffee tables. ‘Let me take that.’
Scarlett let him take her glass from her hand and watched as he placed it on the mantelpiece. What was he up to?
‘Okay, close your eyes.’ Coming to stand in front of her, Rowan smiled.
‘Really? You want me to close my eyes?’ She raised an eyebrow. The inn was quiet now. Everyone must have filed outside ready for the countdown to the new year.
‘Do you trust me?’
‘Yes, of course I do.’ Shifting position, she folded her arms and closed her eyes. She guessed she’d find out soon enough what was going on. She listened as he walked away from her. ‘You’re not just leaving me here like this, are you? Testing to see how long I’ll keep my eyes closed for?’
‘Haha, not at all.’ Some more rustling and a gentle click before he ran back in her direction. ‘Just listen.’
Scarlett tilted her head. She could hear the tap-tap of someone walking into the kitchen before the creak of a door as the French doors were closed behind them.
And then she heard it. The music. It was quiet at first, before building up to the crescendo.
It was then that she recognised it. Opening her eyes, she grinned as she began singing along to The Firm’s ‘Star Trekkin’.
‘Come on.’ Rowan held out his hands until she placed hers in them and they began spinning.
‘I can’t believe you remembered we’d spoken about this song, and you found it!’ Throwing her head back, Scarlett laughed as they built up speed.
‘Of course I remembered.’ Rowan chuckled.
As they spun and spun, they both began to sing the lyrics through their laughter. The moment the record ended, they collapsed onto the closest sofa, the room still spinning around them.
After a few moments, the room began to steady and Scarlett turned to Rowan. ‘Do you know something? You’re the best!’
‘Haha, if that’s how you feel when I find a song from your past, I’m going to be spending a lot of time in vintage record shops over the next few years.’ Running his fingers through his hair, Rowan chuckled. ‘I’ll have birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries sorted for the rest of our lives.’
Had he just said that? The rest of their lives?
Leaning into him, she waited until he’d wrapped his arm around her before bringing his hand to her lips and kissing each finger.
Over the past week, they’d spent almost every day together.
Scarlett helping out on his coffee cart, Rowan helping her fix the heater in her camper and guinea pig proofing it all so Thelma could free roam in the camper.
And it had been perfect. She felt as though she’d known him for years and she couldn’t wait to see how things progressed between them.
She’d fallen for him. She was in love with him and could picture spending the rest of her life with him.
‘Here we go. We’re nearing midnight.’ Rowan lifted his hand, still clasping hers and pointed towards the carriage clock sitting on the mantelpiece.
Tilting her head, she listened as noise erupted from outside.
‘Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!’ A raucous cheer filtered through the windows of Pennycress as Rowan twisted on the sofa to face her. ‘Happy New Year, Scarlett.’
‘Happy New Year.’ Leaning forward, she briefly felt his lips on her before he pulled away.
Drawing a deep breath in, Rowan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes. ‘I love you, Scarlett. It’s safe to say I’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for you.’
Taking his hands in hers, Scarlett grinned as she felt happy tears stinging the backs of her eyes.
She couldn’t quite believe how much had happened over the past few months and she was suddenly grateful for every single tear she’d shed as they’d led her here to Meadowfield. And to Rowan. ‘I love you too.’