Читать книгу Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow - Jessica Redland - Страница 6

Two Years Earlier

As I drove through the picture-postcard pretty North Yorkshire village of North Emmerby towards Hannah and Toby’s cottage, butterflies stirred in my stomach. Tonight I would finally meet Toby’s best friend, James Turner – the man whom they were both convinced would be perfect for me.

I’d been best friends with Hannah for eight years, having met her at Liverpool University where we’d studied our degrees in adult nursing. She’d met her fiancé, Toby, a few years after graduation and, over the years, I’d spent many evenings or weekends in their company. The subject of James and I getting together had frequently arisen but we’d never been single at the same time so it hadn’t been an option. Until now.

The butterflies intensified as I passed The Fox and Badger where Toby’s thirtieth birthday celebrations would be taking place tonight. Deep breath. Calm down. You can’t spend the next four hours stressing about it.

James and Toby were playing golf and James had strict instructions to return to the pub at 6 p.m. where Toby was expecting to join Hannah and me for a birthday meal. What he wasn’t expecting was the fifty friends and family members who’d be waiting to surprise him.

I parked in the lane outside their home, Fuchsia Cottage. The front door opened and Hannah rushed out for a hug. ‘Thanks so much for coming early.’

‘Couldn’t leave you to put up all the decorations on your own,’ I said, squeezing her tightly. ‘Do you think he suspects anything yet?’

‘Not a thing. Or, if he does, he’s doing a brilliant job of acting like he doesn’t.’

Twenty minutes later, we’d carried everything into The Fox and Badger’s function room and were attaching thirtieth birthday banners to the walls.

‘Are you excited about tonight?’ Hannah asked. The mischievous twinkle in her eyes accompanied by a cheeky wink left no doubt as to what she meant, sending the butterflies soaring again.

‘A little bit excited and very nervous. I feel like there’s a massive expectation on us meeting and fireworks exploding. What if he doesn’t like me?’

She placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows at me. ‘What’s not to like? Besides, you might not like him either, although I don’t think that will be the case. I still maintain that you’re perfect for each other.’

As we continued to decorate the room, Hannah enthused about how much James and I supposedly had in common – same taste in music, films, books, sense of humour, outlook on life. If – or rather when – Hannah and Toby abandoned us together, at least we’d have plenty to talk about.

‘Does he know you’re trying to set us up?’ I asked, positioning a balloon bouquet in one corner of the room while Hannah placed one in the adjacent corner.

She twisted a highlighted lock of hair round her middle finger and gave me a coy look. ‘I’ve dropped a few hints. Subtle. Understated.’

I laughed. ‘By which you mean unsubtle and overstated.’

Hannah looked at me with mock offence. ‘What would make you say something like that?’

I shook my head at her, smiling. ‘Ooh, maybe the unsubtle approach you’ve used on me. What was it you said? Oh yeah. “Toby’s best mate James is a hottie and the perfect way to get over Harry would be to get under James”. I think those were your exact words.’

She had the decency to look embarrassed. ‘It’s a good idea. It’s been over two years since it ended with Harry and how many dates have you been on during that time?’

I sighed. ‘None.’

‘Exactly. It’s time to get out there again.’

I knew she was right but my experience with Harry had massively knocked my confidence. He’d been my first long-term boyfriend and I’d thought it was going well. I thought we were in love and heading for old age together. Apparently not.

Harry was a junior doctor at the surgery where I worked after graduating. We were friends for a couple of years but it developed into something more. Relationships at work were frowned upon so I transferred to Whitsborough Bay’s district nursing team. On our one-year anniversary, Harry invited me to move in with him but, two years later, he casually told me over breakfast one Saturday that it wasn’t working and I needed to move out. Immediately. It seemed to come from nowhere. He claimed the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, it had only ever been a bit of fun and surely it was better to end it now with happy memories rather than let it deteriorate until we ended up hating each other. I packed my belongings, feeling too shocked to cry and too confused to debate it further. If he didn’t want to be with me, I wasn’t going to humiliate myself by begging him.

I was carrying the last couple of bags out to my car when a woman showed up with a car full of suitcases and boxes. Turned out they’d been seeing each other for four years but she was married and unwilling to leave her husband. Presumably Harry’s relationship with me was an attempt to make her jealous and coax her into action and it had finally worked. I didn’t stick around to find out for certain.

After that, I hadn’t felt ready to trust again so I’d avoided men, but the idea of being with someone two of my closest friends vouched for was appealing. There was no way they’d push us together if he was a player.

‘We’ve confirmed a date for the wedding,’ Hannah said, bringing my focus back to her. ‘3^rd March next year.’

‘Oh my gosh! That’s brilliant news.’

‘You’ll be chief bridesmaid and James will be best man, which will be so fabulous if the two of you are an item.’

‘And maybe a tad awkward if we’re not.’

She winked at me. ‘You will be. I’m convinced of it.’

‘Surprise!’

Party poppers exploded and streamers were hurled as Toby stepped into the function room that evening. From the astonished expression on his face, Hannah had been right and he genuinely hadn’t suspected a thing.

Toby hugged and kissed Hannah. I hung back in the crowd and took a moment to check out James while he greeted Toby’s parents. Hannah’s ‘hottie’ description was bang on. I hoped he had an amazing personality to match his good looks because first impressions were setting off serious fireworks.

I felt so nervous, I was shaking by the time Hannah appeared by my side with James in tow.

‘The famous best friend! We meet at last.’ He gave me a huge smile. ‘I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I’ve known you for years already.’

Relaxing my shoulders, I laughed. ‘Same here. Your ears were probably burning on the golf course because someone’s been singing your praises all afternoon.’

‘How funny because Toby was doing the same about you.’ James gave Hannah a gentle nudge in the ribs. ‘You two are about as subtle as a sledgehammer.’

She raised her hands in surrender and tried to look innocent. ‘No idea what you could possibly mean. Toby and I just wanted our best man and chief bridesmaid to get acquainted. And I’ll leave you both to do just that.’

Without waiting for a response, she turned and made her way across the room, no doubt grinning to herself.

‘Would you like a drink?’ James asked.

‘I’d love one, thank you.’ I followed him to the bar.

‘I wouldn’t let on to those two, but I’ve been really looking forward to meeting you. I couldn’t wait for six o’clock to arrive.’

My stomach did a back flip.

He fixed those intense blue eyes on mine and smiled. ‘What are you drinking?’

While he ordered our drinks, the butterflies took flight. They continued to soar as he led me to a dark corner so we could talk. They swooped when he wrapped his arms round me and held me close on the dance floor later that evening and they went crazy when he took my hand as we walked back to Fuchsia Cottage after the party ended.

‘I knew you two were perfect for each other,’ Hannah slurred, clinging onto Toby as they staggered along the lane beside us. ‘Didn’t I call it?’

‘You one hundred per cent called it, Hannah,’ James said. He rolled his eyes at me and we laughed at the state of the pair of them, ricocheting off each other.

We all piled into the kitchen to make coffee but Hannah only got as far as filling the kettle before declaring she had no space for any more liquid and needed sleep. Toby followed her upstairs, leaving James and me alone.

‘Did you mean it when you said Hannah had called it?’ I asked, the several glasses of wine consumed across the evening making me feel brave.

James took my hands in his and drew me closer to him then gently kissed me. His lips were warm and his beard was soft as he moved his kiss across my cheek to my ear and then back to my lips.

‘I hope that answers your question,’ he said.

‘It does.’

‘Can I take you out for dinner one night this week?’ he whispered. ‘Are you free on Tuesday?’

‘I am and yes please.’

I lay in my bed an hour or so later smiling, the feel of James’s tender kisses still on my lips. Hannah and Toby genuinely had called it. He made me laugh, I made him laugh, we shared so much in common and, when we kissed, it felt as though we’d been designed to fit together. Knowing that he was in the room next door meant drifting off was not going to be easy but I eventually slipped into happy dreams.

On Sunday morning, I awoke a little after seven to the sound of the front door closing. Peeking through the blinds, I saw James heading towards his car with his overnight bag in his hand and my stomach sank. He’d clearly woken up full of regret and was making a swift escape to avoid any discomfort. Maybe not the perfect fit after all.

Half an hour later, I opened the front door to leave.

‘Going without saying goodbye?’

I jumped and turned to face James, leaning against the kitchen door frame, looking a little unsure of himself.

‘I thought you’d gone,’ I said.

‘Not yet. I wanted to see you first. Make sure everything’s okay between us after last night.’

My stomach sank for the second time that morning. Did that mean he regretted last night and wanted to make sure there’d be no awkwardness at the wedding next year? ‘We’re fine. Last night was great but, don’t worry, I won’t hold you to dinner this week.’ I was going for casual but my voice sounded strained.

‘You don’t want to go out with me?’ He looked hurt.

‘Erm… yes, I do, but I’m handing you a get out of jail free card.’

‘What if I don’t want a get out of jail free card?’ he said, his lips curling into a smile as he took a step closer to me.

I smiled shyly and placed my bag on the floor. ‘Then it looks like we’re going out to dinner on Tuesday.’

‘And what happens if I can’t wait that long?’ He took another step closer so that our bodies were almost touching.

‘I’m free tomorrow night too.’

‘And what if I can’t wait that long either?’

‘I don’t need to rush off now,’ I whispered, gazing into his eyes.

‘In that case, would you like to spend the day with me?’

‘I’d love to.’

He wrapped his arms round me and gently kissed me.

‘I was worried you might have slept on it and changed your mind,’ he said when we broke apart.

I saw the uncertainty and felt his vulnerability – just like my own – and, at that moment, I fell a little bit in love with James Turner.