Page 53 of All Wrapped Up
‘In that case,’ I suggested, ‘let’s have some supper and I’ll properly catch you up on it all.’
Fingers crossed, once we’d exhausted the topic of the festival, I would feel completely ready to embark upon the emotional deep dive that he had no idea was coming.
‘Oh, my goodness, Clemmie,’ Ash puffed, when I rejoined him in the kitchen having ducked out after I’d finished eating and telling him most of what was now happening with the festival, to check the log-burner. ‘That was delicious. I couldn’t manage another bite.’
It wasn’t that chilly an evening, but I hadn’t been able to resist lighting the fire and Pixie, currently laying with her nose practically on the hearth, obviously appreciated the cosiness as much as I did.
‘I’m delighted you enjoyed it,’ I told Ash. ‘They turned out larger than I thought they would though, so I didn’t expect you to finish it all.’
‘I needed something hearty after the day I’ve had and that pasty was perfect.’
I’d made butternut squash pasties and served them with a tangy, green tomato chutney to cut through the sweetness of the squash. I hadn’t been able to finish all of mine, but that was the result of nerves over what was still to come rather than a lack of gluttony.
‘What did you think of the chutney?’ I asked. ‘It’s freshly made, so the flavour could have probably done with a bit more time to develop.’
‘You made it?’
‘I did.’
‘Well,’ Ash said, ‘I loved itandthe pasty. The chutney was the perfect accompaniment.’
He certainly looked satisfied.
‘In that case, you can take a jar away with you. Now, go through and give Pixie another fuss, while I make us some tea and then I’ll run you through the last bits of the very packed festival schedule.’
I hoped that by the time I had done that, my courage wasn’t going to fail me.
‘You certainly seem to have thought of everything,’ Ash later said, once I had shown him the printed schedule and the behind-the-scenes contingency that accompanied it. ‘The only thing missing is the partridge in a pear tree.’
‘That comes later in the year,’ I laughed.
‘Seriously though, Clemmie,’ he said, sitting back on the sofa and taking Pixie with him, ‘I don’t think you’re going to need me at all. Not that I’m about to duck out.’
‘Well, that’s good,’ I said, ‘because Joanne would be devastated if I didn’t start to utilise you properly.’
I felt Ash’s gaze switch from Pixie to me.
‘Oh?’ He frowned. ‘What’s she been saying now?’
‘Nothing too incriminating,’ I told him. ‘But I’m not as convinced as I was before, after Lizzie had put her in her place, that she’s permanently packed away her Cupid’s bow.’
‘In that case,’ Ash tutted, as he rubbed Pixie’s belly and she stretched out along the sofa next to him, ‘we’d better be on guard.’
‘Yes,’ I said, biting my lip and feeling frustrated. ‘You’re right. Swords at the ready.’
Ash laughed at that.
‘It’s not funny,’ I seriously said.
‘It is a bit,’ he smiled. ‘The vision of us in full armour whenever we head to town, surely you have to be amused by the thought of that.’
‘No, I don’t,’ I insisted, feeling further fed up with the situation and probably sounding it, too.
Ash stopped fussing Pixie and pinned me with his blue eyes, which made the room feel rather warmer than the fire allowed for. He leant forward and rested his elbows on his knees, with his whole focus trained solely on my face.
‘Should I be offended?’ He frowned. ‘I know we said when we first met that neither of us were in the market for a relationship, but is the thought of being with me really so… repugnant, Clemmie?’
‘No,’ I hotly said. ‘Don’t be silly.’
