Page 90 of Christmas at Hollybush Farm
‘Don’t you have family you want to be with this evening? Friends you want to share a drink with? Don’t you find it odd that you’re out working on New Year’s Eve and not taking time to enjoy a local pub or restaurant, encourage and support theindustry? Actually enjoy being in the world you work in?’
He shakes his head. ‘Not for me. Taking the early flight with Matthew to go through new ideas for the Seattle hotel. I must say, though, this is very impressive,’ he says, looking around at the busy yard, people eating and drinking – there’s a fishing boat on a trailer, selling local beer, and the barmen are singing sea shanties: a late but very welcome addition to the party who heard about us from the pizza truck. They had a cancellation so asked if they could join us here.
‘You know,’ Matthew says, into my ear, ‘you could still be part of the team over there. I know they’d have you back if you asked. I could put in a word. And this place will have done you loads of favours. What you’ve pulled off here is incredible.’
‘If I asked to go back? Begged, you mean,’ I say, feeling my festive spirit dissipating into the starry sky.
‘Or … there is another option,’ says Mr Diversity, as Llew comes to stand beside me. I see Matthew eye him suspiciously.
‘What’s that?’ I wish I didn’t want to know.
‘This place?’ he says.
I look at him. ‘What? The farm?’
He nods.
‘Everyone wants to get into farms these days! Ever since Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb. Look at the crowd you’ve pulled in. We could help be a part of it.’
‘You’d want to invest?’ An injection of cash to help us on our way is appealing.
‘No, we’d buy it.’
‘Sorry?’ I lean in, as if I haven’t heard him correctly.
‘We’d buy the farm, and you could do what you do best. Turn it into a boutique hotel. Farmhouse B-and-B.’
I repeat his offer back to him. ‘You want to buy the farm and turn it into a B-and-B.’
He nods.
Llew drops his head and walks away. I want to go after him. Ask him what he thinks.
‘With food festivals every week on the car park or yard. We roll out the design and formula to other farms that are struggling, buy them and make them boutique B-and-Bs with street food.’
I stand open-mouthed.
Just as I hear, ‘Ten, nine, eight …’ I check the time on my phone, trying to get a picture of the field to post … It’s nearly midnight and my shaking hands fumble over the video button.
‘It could be the start of a big business,’ I hear him saying, as I struggle to get a snapshot of what we’ve created here.
‘… seven, six, five …’
I glance around again, clutching my new phone, which Llew insisted on buying me for Christmas and which connects to a network that works from thefarm, which will help with the social media. People are holding up their lanterns and drinks and counting. Dad and Myfanwy are holding each other in their arms, beaming. Mae is holding hands with Josh, thinking no one can see them.
Evie is stroking Jess, and Owen is by her side. It’s just Llew who’s missing, and I’m trying to see where he went, wondering if he’s gone before I had the chance to tell him exactly how I feel and what I want here at Hope Food Festival.
‘… four, three, two …’
My eyes fill with tears. He’s not here. I look back at Matthew and hope to God he’s not going to lean in for a …
‘… one! Happy new year!’
Matthew leans towards me as I put up a hand. ‘I think we’re way past new-year kisses,’ I say. ‘I wish you well, Matthew, but no, I don’t want Seattle, and this farm is certainly not for sale,’ I say to both men. Suddenly the air is full of happiness and joy. No bangs or whistles from fireworks, just families and friends wishing each other luck for the new year and celebrating their friendship and love around a huge, glowing firepit, radiating warmth and happiness.
It’s the sign I needed, if I needed one at all. I pull out my phone and press the button to film, and as I do, I set off, following the festoon lighting, towards the car park where Llew has the boot of his car open.I have to stop him leaving. Tell him how I feel and that I’m not going to sell out to big business.
Suddenly, I can’t help myself, I break into a run, and when I reach him, I throw my arms around him and hug him hard. ‘I loved this! Thank you! Actually, I love you! Oh, I didn’t plan for it to come out like that! Actually, I don’t really have a plan. But I love you, and I’m hoping I haven’t scared you off, and I just want to know if you’ll stay here, with me, at the farm.’
