Page 66 of The Allotment on Willow Tree Lane

‘Who says?’

‘People are staring.’

‘Let them,’ Ceri said, but she glanced around to check. ‘No one is taking the slightest bit of notice,’ she argued. ‘You just want to take me to bed.’

‘Guilty as charged.’ Now that his stomach was full, he was free to turn his attention to another kind of hunger.

‘We’ve got a castle to explore,’ she admonished. ‘I love a ruined castle.’

Once again her enthusiasm was catching, so he let her drag him up the hill to the monolith at the top, and when he got there Damon had to admit that it was rather impressive. Perched on an outcrop of rock between two beaches, the castle dominated the landscape and he could easily picture how magnificent it must have been when it was a fully functioning fortress.

Built by Llewelyn the Great in the thirteenth century in response to England’s invasion of Wales, Damon guessed it must have struck fear into anyone who saw it. But all that was left of it now were two massive conical towers flanking the main arched gateway, and a huge curtain wall.

‘Isn’t it magnificent!’ Ceri exclaimed, gazing around in awe.

‘It’s certainly impressive,’ he agreed. The massive lump of rock it sat on rose majestically out of the sea and was striking enough on its own, without a gigantic castle perched on the top of it.

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her windswept head, spluttering as a strand of hair found its way into his mouth. It was breezy up here, and his own locks also kept blowing into his face. To get out of the wind, he dragged her down behind a wall where it was more sheltered, then sat on a lump of rock and pulled her onto his lap.

‘That’s better,’ he said, and kissed her properly.

She smelled of the flowery perfume she favoured, but she also smelled of fresh air and the sea, and a scent that was uniquely hers. She tasted pretty darned good too, and he wished he didn’t have to stop. Damon was utterly besotted – all he could think about was Ceri. She made his heart sing and his soul soar, and he ached for her whenever they were apart.

‘Would it scare you if I told you I think I’m falling in love with you?’ he asked, and immediately regretted it.

‘Would it scare you if I told you I thinkI’mfalling in love withyou?’ she echoed. She was staring deeply into his eyes and the world abruptly stopped.

He bit his lip. ‘I love you, Ceri.’

Ceri swallowed and closed her eyes, and when she opened them again what he saw in them mirrored what was in his heart.Love.

‘I love you, too,’ she whispered, and those words were the most wonderful sounds he had ever heard.

Chapter 18

“Reasons to be Cheerful, Part Three”, Ceri had no idea why that particular song was cycling through her brain this morning, especially considering the only lyrics she knew were the title and the line about getting back into bed.

She should take the song’s advice and return to Damon’s nice warm bed, but her sleep had been fitful and as the first rays of the morning sun had slanted through a gap in the thick curtains, she finally admitted defeat and got up.

Damon didn’t stir, so she quietly slipped downstairs, made a coffee and brought it outside into the garden.

Even at this ungodly hour, it was already warm, the day promising to be bright and glorious, perfect for the official allotment-opening ceremony which would take place later today after Terry had led the Sunday morning service.

Birds were in full song, the air filled with their fluttering and chatter, and although she appreciated the dawn chorus, Ian Dury’s lyrics continued to play over and over.

She had many reasons to be cheerful, but she couldn’t help that her heart felt so heavy that she wanted to cry.

Damon loved her.

She loved Damon.

But that didn’t change a goddam thing.

She knew she would lose him. It was inevitable. He was still the lead singer in Black Hyacinth. He was still going to return to his former way of life soon. He was still going to leave, and the thought of him not being in Foxmore made her heart ache with sadness.

Even if he did ask her to go to London with him – which was incredibly unlikely – would she go? From the snippets he had shared with her, she understood that being in the band was a nomadic lifestyle. He had a base in London, a flat which, by his own admission, he was hardly ever in because he spent most of the time on the road.

That wasn’t for her. And neither would she fit in.

---