Page 106 of All Wrapped Up
‘I did.’ I sniffed. ‘I still do.’
‘He’ll always be perfect in your eyes.’ Ash smiled.
‘Not perfect necessarily,’ I said. ‘But close to it. We weren’t married long enough for the shine to wear off our relationship, but it might have done, in time. Who knows?’
‘I do,’ Ash said, huskily. ‘There’s not a man alive who wouldn’t shine if he was in a relationship with you, Clemmie.’
‘Well,’ I smiled, ‘that’s very kind, but my life’s completely changed now and my time to help anyone shine has well and truly passed.’
I got ready to help Lizzie with the lantern-making workshop the next morning and set off to the gallery, with Pixie formoral support and my head held high. I was full of a confidence that I wouldn’t have been able to muster even just a few months ago and felt ready for whatever came my way.
‘Morning, Joanne,’ I said brightly as I crossed the gallery threshold and the bell above the door chimed out.
‘Clemmie,’ she smiled. ‘You’re early.’
‘I was hoping to catch you alone,’ I told her. ‘Is Lizzie here?’
‘She’s just popped next door. Now, about the paper,’ she then rushed on. ‘I’m so sorry—’
‘Never mind about that,’ I said, as I pulled her further towards the back of the gallery. ‘What I want to know is, have you spoken to Aiden about your concerns over the move yet?’
Before she answered, she pulled me in for a rib-cracking hug, clearly relieved that I wasn’t about to bite her head off because AutumnEverything had been mentioned in the article.
‘Come on,’ I said, breaking free. ‘You’re wasting time.’
I didn’t know if she’d told Lizzie about the reservation she was feeling concerning her imminent move to Germany and we might not get the chance to chat in private again for a while.
‘Yes,’ she finally said. ‘I have talked to him.’
‘And?’
‘And he admitted that he hadn’t been feeling all that certain about the move, either.’
‘Really?’ I gasped.
‘Really,’ she repeated. ‘He was given the chance to stay in Australia, but didn’t take that offer because he assumed I wouldn’t want to be living on the other side of the world, so far away from my family.’
‘Oh, Joanne,’ I groaned. ‘So now you’ve both missed out.’
She shook her head. ‘No, we haven’t,’ she practically squeaked with excitement. ‘Because Aiden talked to his boss and… he’s staying in Oz! And I’m flying out to join him in the new year!’
‘Oh, my goodness! That’s amazing news!’ I applauded and that time, I was the one who hugged her.
‘And it’s all thanks to you, Clemmie,’ she said, her eyes shining when I let her go. ‘If I hadn’t talked to you, I wouldn’t have said anything to him and I don’t even want to think about what might have happened then…’
The bell above the door rang out as Lizzie walked back in carrying a tray and two drinks.
‘Clemmie,’ she beamed. ‘You’re early.’
‘That’s what I said,’ Joanne laughed and had a little jig about.
‘You’ve told her then,’ Lizzie guessed and laughed, too.
‘I have.’ Joanne nodded and bounced again.
I was pleased it was all out in the open and knew there was going to be no controlling her excitement now that she was making a move she could genuinely enthuse about. With any luck she’d be so focused on her own new life, she wouldn’t slip back into old habits and even think about anyone else’s. Unless she became determined to leave the UK with another match under her belt. I sincerely hoped not!
‘It’s wonderful news, isn’t it?’ I smiled at Lizzie, pushing that thought aside.
