Page 9 of All Wrapped Up
‘No way.’ I swallowed, as my hand reached in and came out with a crumpled piece of paper held tightly in its grasp. ‘It can’t be.’
One of Callum’s most endearing qualities was that he used to leave me little, handwritten ‘love-notes’ where I least expectedto find them. Some were romantic, others were funny or poignant, but they all touched my heart and made me smile. I had found a surprising number in the three years since he had been gone. The first one, most likely the last he’d written, had been tucked inside an already opened cereal box, another in a shoe I hadn’t worn until the following summer and so it went on.
That said, I had worn the jacket dozens of times since he had passed, so I had no idea how I had missed the note I now clutched in my hand. There was no rhyme or reason for it being there, but it was definitely a note from Callum and I sat in my favourite armchair and carefully smoothed it out on my leg to read it.
Today you encouraged me to take a HUGE leap of faith, Clemmie, and boy, has it paid off!
This is just a little reminder that the best and loveliest things can happen when you take a risk!
Though you probably won’t need reminding, because you already know it, don’t you? Anyway, I hope this wasn’t a waste of ink!
Love always, C x
Tears streamed down my face as I read Callum’s words and fought hard not to wish he hadn’t taken his very last risk. It briefly saddened me to think that I couldn’t pinpoint what the leap of faith he referred to had been. I had pushed him out of his comfort zone many times during the house renovation with my ideas about decorating and design, so it could have been something as simple as painting the bedroom ceiling the same colour as the walls.
However, the details didn’t really matter. It was the timing that truly counted. Had I been the sort of person who believed in portents, the timing of finding this particular note, just as I was poised to try my hand at socialising again, though not to the extent Lizzie had suggested, would have been entirely apt, wouldn’t it?
Chapter 3
In spite of finding Callum’s rallying and poignantly timed note and receiving three WhatsApp messages from Mum, in pretty quick succession, asking if I had more to share about the event in town yet, my jitteriness about heading out and exploring saw me putting off driving into Wynbridge by distracting myself at home for the whole of the next day.
I had been considering the possibility of adding a couple of hens to the cottage garden and immersed myself in so-calledessentialonline research, however, when I woke extremely early on the Wednesday morning and padded downstairs to find I was still carrying the weight of being alone, I knew enough was enough.
I would do what Callum had suggested, I would take a leap of faith, I would trust that Lizzie had kept my secret and go in search of her and Jemma’s café in town. That would be enough to begin with and who knows, perhaps some lovely things might end up happening as a result.
I took my time getting ready. I painted my toenails, picked out my prettiest patterned summer dress and sandals and tied my hair into a messy bun. I had never quite mastered the casual,tousled style, but ultimately, I was satisfied with the way I looked, felt a modicum more confident as a result and headed off in the Land Rover that Callum and I had invested in primarily to ferry building materials about.
‘Absolutely not,’ was the first thing I heard Lizzie say when I walked through the open door of The Cherry Tree Café. ‘No, no, no, no, no.’
The artistically decorated café had been easy to find, set on one side of the busy market square, which I had taken a few minutes to properly look around. The market itself was bustling and there were a pleasing number of independent shops set around the edge.
I had known Wynbridge was a gem among small rural towns because the estate agents’ details and an online search when I was looking to move had told me, but I hadn’t before appreciated exactly how lovely it was when I had previously rushed in and out again. It was time I stopped missing out on what the place had to offer and The Cherry Tree Café was as good a place to start my more detailed explorations as any.
I knew I had audibly gasped as I crossed the threshold, but the inside smelt so enticing and was so perfectly pretty, dressed in late summer colours, it would have been impossible not to. The photographs online were appealing, but seeing it with my own eyes, and smelling it, too, was something else. This place was right up my street and I felt rather frustrated not to have called in before.
‘I absolutely do not need a dog in my life,’ Lizzie was now saying firmly to the man standing in front of her and with his back to me. ‘And especially one that requires so much attention.You know I’m here and next door far more than I’m at home, so I’m surprised you’ve even asked me. She wouldn’t get what she needs from me at all.’
‘Nor me,’ said a younger woman, who was wearing a similar wraparound pinny to Lizzie’s. ‘I’ll be leaving the UK to live overseas soon and with so much to sort out for myself, I won’t have time to think about a pooch passport.’
I had wondered if she was Jemma, but Lizzie hadn’t mentioned her friend was leaving the country, so it was more likely that she was Joanne, her assistant.
‘And don’t even think about asking me,’ said a third woman who then appeared from what I guessed was the kitchen area, carrying a tray of drinks. ‘I’ve got more than enough on my plate with this place, a husbandandtwo kids to corral.’
She was most likely Jemma. I moved nimbly out of her way as she stepped around the heavenly looking packed cake counter and flashed me a smile.
‘Take a seat,’ she said. ‘And I’ll be with you in a minute.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, looking around again and thinking the table by the window would give me the loveliest view of the place.
There was a painted dresser with an impressive array of hand-sewn crafts to buy opposite it and I knew I would be hard pushed to resist heading home without something pretty to add to the cottage.
‘Clemmie!’ Lizzie then burst out. ‘Well, hello you!’
My gaze swung back to her and the guy facing her turned around to look at me, too. His eyes widened as they met mine and I felt my cheeks flush. He was rather taller than me, not a stretch as I’m only five foot three, dark haired, blue eyed andwearing a polo shirt with something embroidered on the left-hand side. He opened his mouth and closed it again, which drew my attention to his full lips. He was sporting at least a few days’ stubble, which also made rather more of his expressive mouth than I would have liked.
‘This is who you want,’ said Lizzie, giving him a sharp nudge and I felt my cheeks flame further as they both continued to stare.
‘Is it?’ he croaked, then cleared his throat, his eyes still fixed on mine as he also turned red.
