Page 31 of All Wrapped Up
‘I bet you haven’t changed your mind about the festival, have you? As I mentioned before, Lizzie told me all about what happened at the meeting, because I was worried when I couldn’t get hold of you, so I can understand why you went to ground.’
‘Non meeting,’ I muttered, feeling a little mortified that my withdrawal from the town had been so noticed.
‘Oh, Clemmie.’
‘I’m not feeling quite so bad about it now,’ I sighed.
‘Well, that’s something. Do you maybe have an alternative idea in mind?’
When Ash had pulled up, I’d had every intention of discussing with him what I was now considering, but he looked so worn out, I put off telling him.
‘I might, but it’s the last thing you need to be thinking about right now,’ I told him as he tried and failed to stifle a well-timed yawn. ‘Are you sure you’re going to be okay to drive back to the barn?’
‘I daresay you’re right,’ he agreed. ‘But we’ll talk about it all soon. And yes, I’ll be fine. It’s not far. You’ll have to come and visit. There’s this magnificent hare who has practically made its home in the garden. I think you’d like to see that.’
‘I’dloveto see that,’ I enthused. ‘I often see them bounding across the fields and boxing in the spring, but I’ve never seen one up close. Can you get close?’
‘If Pixie doesn’t yap,’ he smiled. ‘Right, come on. Home and bed.’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Time for bed for all of us.’
‘Did Pixie make it into yours last night?’ he asked, looking right at me.
‘What do you think?’ I smiled.
Chapter 8
In spite of the fact that I hadn’t slept nearly as well without Pixie to keep me company, the next morning I woke feeling surprisingly, but pleasingly more determined than ever that the idea for the taster autumn festival I’d been considering the day before, was a good one. Consequently, I got ready, bright and early, to head into town, to run it by Lizzie, with nary a thought about what Jason had said playing havoc with my new-found, and almost completely restored, confidence.
Having the mini-festival idea to focus on helped me stop thinking quite so much about Pixie, or the lack of Pixie, and I was grateful for that. Considering she’d only been with me for one night and one full day, she’d made quite an impact and I was also wondering if, along with reigniting the festival flames, I should perhaps take her now after all. I had the feeling that we were a good fit and that the quality of my sleep would be much improved if I did offer her a home, but I wanted to be certain that she would benefit from the situation even more than me.
‘One thing at a time, Clemmie,’ I told myself as I picked out my favourite fox patterned scarf and draped it loosely around my neck. ‘One thing at a time.’
My first thing was immediately thwarted because I had forgotten that both The Cherry Tree Café and the gallery next door, didn’t open on a Monday, but I braced myself and instead ventured into the pub, the place of my humiliation, to try and get it back on track.
‘Is it safe?’ I joked, as I approached the bar to order a coffee. ‘Or am I going to be made a fool of again?’
Evelyn shook her head.
‘The only fool around here is Jason,’ she tutted. ‘I take it Lizzie has now told you what he did?’
‘Aside from humiliate me, you mean?’ I replied. ‘No, she hasn’t. I haven’t seen her since the meeting and she hasn’t mentioned it in any of her messages.’
I had felt guilty as I earlier listened to and read what Lizzie had sent. I really shouldn’t have opted for total radio silence, because she was clearly concerned about me and yes, I knew I could have called or messaged her when I realised that, but I had decided, in the spirit of my renewed conviction to make meaningful connections, that talking face to face would be better.
‘In that case,’ Evelyn said intriguingly, ‘I won’t steal her thunder.’
‘You don’t happen to know where I might find her today, do you?’ I asked.
‘Most likely in the gallery,’ Evelyn told me. ‘She often works in the crafting space at the back when it’s closed.’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘I hadn’t thought that she might be there even though it’s shut.’
‘Do you still want a coffee?’
‘I’ll come back for one if I can’t find her.’
‘In that case,’ Evelyn smiled, ‘I hope I won’t see you later.’
