Page 130 of All Wrapped Up
Very willing… and kind and tender, too, and then increasingly passionate. I was thrilled he wasn’t down to work that day, or the next, and we could commit to getting to intimately know one another without any disturbance of any kind. It was certainly time pleasurably spent, even if Pixie was inclined to sulk that she had limited opportunity to snooze upstairs.
‘Hello, you two!’ Jake grinned when he and Amber spotted us holding hands at the party that evening. ‘We heard a rumour that you were a couple now. What fantastic news!’
‘Very discreet, Jake!’ said Amber, as she rolled her eyes. ‘But he’s right,’ she then said to us both. ‘We’re really happy for you.’
‘Thank you.’ I smiled as Ash pulled me close.
‘And I’m sorry to dash off,’ she then tutted, ‘but I really need to round the kids up before they’re full of sugar! Come on, Jake.’
‘Actually,’ he said, refusing to budge, ‘I was just going to ask Ash if he might have a spare minute to give me a hand with the bonfire? I’m in charge of it and could do with a deputy.’
‘Oh, he makes an excellent deputy,’ I laughed.
‘Come on then, Ash,’ Jake also laughed.
‘Do you mind?’ Ash asked me, before making a move.
‘Not at all,’ I said, letting him go. ‘I’ve just spotted Lizzie and I need to have a word with her, so I’ll see you in a minute.’
He gave me a quick kiss, then went off with Jake and I headed over to Lizzie.
‘Hello, you three,’ I greeted her, Dorothy from Wynthorpe Hall and Jemma as they continued to set up a table which wasalready groaning with hot dogs, jacket potatoes and toffee apples. It was all proper bonfire night fare and my tummy growled in anticipation of enjoying it. ‘Have you got a second, Lizzie?’
‘For you,’ she said, ‘I might even have two.’
We walked a little distance away from the rapidly filling space around the towering bonfire that was still to be lit. The recumbent, straw-stuffed Guy had now been launched on, but not made it right to the top and looked to be in danger of sliding down.
‘I know it’s taken me an age to come back to you,’ I told my new friend while my heart thumped hard in my chest, ‘and I’m sorry about that.’
‘With everything you had to organise for the festival,’ she said, guessing it was her job offer that I wanted to talk about, ‘you know I told you I was in no rush for an answer. And that was before you had everything extra going on in your private life, too!’ she added.
‘I know.’ I smiled. ‘It feels like an age since you offered me the job, but I do want it. I definitely want to accept it and I can start as soon as you need me to. Even before Joanne leaves, if you like. That is, assuming you still want me…’
‘Oh, Clemmie,’ she said, giving me the hugest, tightest hug. ‘Of course I still want you! I can’t tell you how excited I am! I’m thrilled! We’re going to have the best fun.’
‘Yes,’ I said, smiling broadly. ‘I think we are.’
‘And between you and me,’ she giggled, ‘I already knew you were going to say yes after the lantern workshop.’
‘You did?’
‘Of course I did! And if you really can start before Joanneleaves, then I could do with a hand in the run-up to Christmas. The workshops are all fully booked now, thanks to some extra interest as a result of the autumn festival, which,’ she added, after taking a breath, ‘everyone will definitely want you to organise again next year, if you’re up for it?’
‘Yes, to both!’ I said, feeling excited about each of the opportunities that had come my way. ‘With a whole year to get organised and funds already in the pot to grow it, the festival will be even bigger next year and I might even consider having a strategy in place by then to use AutumnEverything to help further spread the word.’
‘I’m even happier now,’ Lizzie beamed.
‘I’m happy too,’ I laughed. ‘And I have to admit, and there were times when I never thought I’d feel this, that I am now so grateful that you stopped by the cottage that day and subsequently goaded me into taking the festival on.’
‘I think goaded is a rather strong word,’ she protested. ‘Though I did sense that you weren’t quite so impressed with me in the early days.’
‘I really wasn’t,’ I laughed along with her. ‘But then I met Joanne and realised meeting her first would have been so much worse!’
‘I heard that!’ said a singsong voice behind us.
‘I know you did,’ I said, turning around. ‘You were meant to, Joanne.’
She stuck her tongue out and we all laughed. ‘But you know what, Clemmie,’ she then said, ‘if Moses has been looking down on what you’ve achieved during these last couple of months, then I know he’ll be feeling that the festival and its future is in the safest of hands.’
