Page 31 of Promises & Petals in Nettleford-on-the-Wold
‘Yes, no. I mean if you were you, but you weren’t Sophie’s brother.’ She wasn’t explaining herself very well. ‘I’m just worried that the two of us getting together will ruin my friendship with her in some way. Especially if we were to break up.’
‘I see.’ Josh nodded slowly. ‘I understand that. In fact, I’ve got to admit that was the reason I didn’t ask you for coffee as soon as I clapped eyes on you when you got back into town.’
Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, lacing her fingers around his. ‘What changed?’
‘I realised Sophie loves me and she loves you too. She’d hate for us to be even contemplating not seeing each other because of her.’
Hannah nodded. He was right. Lucy had literally said the same thing too, so why could she still hear Sophie and her parents warning about the repercussions when friendships and relationships mixed? ‘I know.’
‘So?’ Josh raised an eyebrow.
‘So, I don’t know. I don’t like all this sneaking about. I feel as though I’m lying to her.’
‘We’ll tell her. Tomorrow we’ll tell her.’
Hannah chewed on her bottom lip. Were they being selfish by launching this on her plate just after her own relationship had broken down? Possibly, but it would be worse if she found out from someone else. She nodded.
‘Shall we do some stargazing then? I’ll turn off the fairy lights so we can see them better.’ Grinning, Josh shifted position so he was almost lying down on the platform with his head leaning on the thatch.
Looking at Josh lying there with his arm outstretched waiting for her to join him, she felt a rush of warmth forming in her chest. She nodded. She’d enjoy tonight and face the consequences of their actions tomorrow. Moving so she was sitting next to him, she then wriggled down until she was resting the nape of her neck on his arm. Opening the book, she squinted and laughed. ‘I can’t read a thing now.’
‘Oh, hang on, I have my phone somewhere.’ Shifting to his side, Josh pulled his mobile from the back pocket of his jeans before turning the torch app on and shining it towards the book.
‘Thanks. Okay, let’s take a look.’ Flicking through the book, Hannah scrunched up her nose. ‘Where do we even begin? Shall we try to find a constellation or a named star?’ She twisted herhead to look at him and laughed as he kissed her on the tip of her nose.
‘Let’s start big and see if can find a constellation or one of the star patterns.’
‘Right, so which one? There’re loads.Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Any of those take your fancy?’
‘How about the last one?’
‘Ursa Minor? Umm., okay. I’m not even sure I’m saying that right.’ Hannah grinned. ‘Ooh, another name for it is the Little Bear! I’m sure I’ve heard of that before!’ Twisting again, she held the book up between them both so they could both see the diagram of the Little Bear in the book and the night sky above them.
‘Ah, I think we need to find The Plough first and then we can find the Little Bear from there.’ Josh pointed to the page.
‘You’re right. Let’s find The Plough tonight and save the Little Bear for another time.’ Hannah smiled. She suddenly needed to believe Josh was right and that they could stay the course and search for a new star or constellation each week.
As they searched the night sky for the stars which formed The Plough, Hannah smiled as Josh took her hand in his, lifted it towards the sky and used her forefinger to trace along seven stars, drawing an imaginary dot-to-dot.
‘There, those seven bright stars must be the bowl of The Plough. And if we look up here,’ he continued to etch a line through the dark sky, ‘that must be the handle.’
‘We found it.’ Hannah grinned.
‘Yes, we did. We’ll be expert stargazers soon enough.’ Josh chuckled.
‘Haha, we could both retrain as professors for Cambridge or Oxford.’
‘Or go the whole hog and relocate to America and teach the students of Harvard.’ Lying the book, on his stomach, he leaned up slightly and flicked the switch for the fairy lights, which flickered to life forming a comforting glow over the platform. After which, he pulled her towards him into the crook of his arm and kissed her on the side of her head.
Lifting their clasped hands towards the stars, Hannah turned them over, the illumination from the fairy lights enough to see the calluses and scars on his skin. ‘Why did you really move back to Nettleford-on-the-Wold?’
‘For you.’ He kissed her on the side of her head again. ‘What you told me at your grandad’s funeral, about how you felt about me, it made me realise that I didn’t want what I had. It made me realise that what I wanted was the love that makes your heart flip or skip a beat when you see your partner. And that I didn’t have that type of love with the ex who had already left me hanging whilst she decided whether to end it or not.’
‘But all I was to you was your little sister’s mate.’ She ran the pad of her forefinger across the edge of his ragged nails.
‘Yes, and no. When I arrived back in the village after being away in London all that time, I really saw you.’ Bringing his hand down, hers too, he ran the back of his across his face before letting Hannah lift them again. ‘I can’t explain it. I saw you for Hannah rather than Sophie’s friend, and I felt that spark, that connection. I wanted to explore it.’
Hannah frowned. ‘So, you’re telling me you waited four whole years to explore something with me not knowing if we’d ever end up in a proper relationship?’
