Page 60 of All Wrapped Up
‘They sold out hours ago,’ Bella told me as she looked at Ash. ‘Practically as soon as you’d launched the festival.’
‘Oh no,’ I groaned. ‘Please tell me you’ll be making more for the next market. The little crocheted acorn hats you’d fashioned for them were so perfect.’
‘I’m going to be making lots more,’ she told me. ‘I’ve already sent off for more fabric because I’ve been taking orders since I sold out.’
‘Well, you can add my name to the list,’ I told her. ‘I’m gutted to have missed out.’
Bella looked at Ash and they both smiled.
‘You don’t need to order one, Clemmie,’ said Ash, as Bella reached under the stall. ‘Unless you’d like two.’
Bella straightened up and in her hands was a fairy arranged in an acetate bag to protect it and which was tied up with an orange ribbon.
‘This,’ she said, with a grin, ‘is for you, Clemmie.’
‘Really?’ I gasped.
‘Really,’ said Ash, who was smiling at me. ‘I noticed youadmiring them this morning and asked Bella to put aside the one she thought you’d been most taken with.’
‘I hope I got it right,’ Bella commented.
I looked at the details of the fairy, my favourite of all the fairies I then realised. It was cosily nestled amid some leaf shaped confetti, which was the loveliest touch.
‘You have,’ I said, my voice thick in my throat. ‘This was the one I really wanted.’
With her wild red hair and flowing dress, she reminded me a little of Molly from Wynthorpe Hall. She looked full of wisdom but had a mischievous smile, too. I wondered if the Wynthorpe Witch boasted both those traits? The wisdom was a pretty safe bet, but the mischief was yet to be decided upon.
‘She’s perfect.’ I swallowed.
‘Happy autumn, Clemmie,’ said Ash. ‘I think she’s going to be the perfect addition to Rowan Cottage.’
‘I think she is too,’ I agreed. ‘But you must let me pay for her.’
I had noted the price tag when I had been admiring her and knew she wasn’t cheap.
‘Absolutely not,’ Ash insisted. ‘She’s a gift from me to you.’
‘Really?’ I blinked.
‘Really,’ he smiled.
‘In that case,’ I said, looking from the fairy to him and back again, ‘thank you, Ash. Thank you very much indeed.’
Without thinking, I stepped up, stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed his cheek. His face felt cold beneath the warmth of my lips, but his complexion burned as brightly as my own when I stepped away again.
‘You’ll have to tell me what you decide to call her,’ Bellasaid, cutting through the post-kiss moment that felt like it meant more than it should. ‘Naming your fairy is an important part of the ownership process. You can set an intention for her and she’ll remind you to take action to manifest it.’
‘Molly would tell you that would be best done under a new moon,’ said a voice nearby and I turned around to find Hayley standing behind me.
‘Which, as luck would have it,’ I said a little breathlessly because I was still thinking about that kiss, ‘happens to be occurring tomorrow.’
‘What are the odds of that?’ Ash smiled.
‘What are the odds indeed?’ I swallowed as I looked up at him again.
Chapter 15
I thought about how long Ash’s blush had lasted after that spontaneous kiss on the cheek for a while after he had dropped us off and as I snuggled in my favourite armchair with Pixie and my beautiful, still to be named fairy. There wasn’t a room the fairy didn’t look right in and I imagined her visiting them all as she settled in with us and found her place.
