Page 77 of The Wishing Tree Beside the Shor
‘A bunch of helpless old biddies ripe for taking advantage of, you mean?’
‘No!’ I sigh because it’s been a long time since anyone thought quite this badly of me, and it somehow hurts more because it’s Ryan – the one person I’ve always thought the world of. ‘I know what this looks like, but you have to realise that I’ve been helping. I’ve been doing everything I can to save this place, just like you have. Ilovethis place, Ry. I’d forgotten how much until I set foot here again. From that moment on, I couldn’t do the job I was sent here to do. For weeks, I’ve been trying to hide from Harrison because I was supporting the protest andnottrying to stop it like he wanted. I’ve been searching for excuses to stay here because I don’t want to go.’
He scoffs and turns away, shoving a hand through his hair so angrily that I’m surprised he doesn’t yank a few handfuls out.
‘We’ve done this between us, all of us. I’ve been just as committed as everyone else.’ I gesture to the group of residents. Even Godfrey has come back from seeing off Henrietta, and instead of going to his usual bench, he comes down the garden to see what all the fuss is about.
‘Fliss has done so much …’ Tonya ventures, and I give her a smile because the last thing I expected was for any of them to stick up for me.
‘And she’s very good at “Guess the Gadget”,’ Alys adds. If this wasn’t a serious situation, I’d laugh. Of all things to be proud of, I’m not sure I’ll be adding “Guess the Gadget” to my CV anytime soon.
Ryan’s been fidgeting on his feet where he stands, but he stops and looks me directly in the eyes for the first time in this conversation. ‘None of that changes the fact that you came here to destroy the strawberry patch – to assist in culling this tree.’
‘I didn’t know it was here, Ry.’
‘I find that difficult to believe.’
‘No, I really am that inept. I stumbled into a meeting and didn’t know what it was about until I overheard mention of Lemmon Cove and blurted out that I was from here. Harrison had no idea if it was on the old strawberry patch or if there was a tree or not because he doesn’t care about things like that. I assumed it was somewhere different because I couldn’t even entertain the prospect of them killing the seaside sycamore. I didn’t know until Cheryl picked me up from the train station.’
‘Okay,ifthat’s true – why didn’t you tell me?’
It’s a simple question that deserves a simple answer, and thereshouldbe a simple answer but whenever I try to vocalise it, it sounds worse.
‘When it’s just been me and you,’ he continues. ‘When I’ve asked you direct questions about your job. When we’ve talked about what we’ve been up to over the years. When I’ve asked you for recipes, wondered about how you got into the restaurant business … If youreallyhad a change of heart, why didn’t you tell me the truth?’
‘Because of this! Because I was so scared of you reacting like this. Because I know what it sounds like and I didn’t want to lose you.’
‘Or could it have been because you were biding your time and getting to know us all, getting under our skin so you could underhandedly work out the best way to bribe us? I know how heartless, soulless companies like yours work.’
‘Then why would I have tried so hard? Why would I have done anything I’ve done?’
‘So we fell for it? So we didn’t suspect you? The point is, I don’t know. Because I don’t knowyouat all, do I? My mistake was thinking you’re the same person I was in love with fifteen years ago, and you’re not.’
‘Neither are you,’ I snap at him. ‘You own a campsite across the path – are you seriously trying to say that this wasn’t business-motivated for you? That a luxury hotel popping up here wouldn’t have had a detrimental effect onyourbusiness?’
‘Do you really think that?’ he asks.
‘Well, it’s okay for you to stand there and hurl insults at me, but it’s not okay for me to question your motivations? You want to expand and you’ve got the perfect piece of land to do it. Youtoldme you’d made an offer on this place for your chalets and it got rejected.’
A gasp goes through the group of residents.
Ryan does such a scornful laugh that it should be studied for new and previously unknown types of sarcasm. ‘I never told you that because it’s not true. I made an offer on this patch because I thought it was the only way to save it.Ifit had been accepted, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to expand as well – I would’ve used the money earmarked for my expansion to save it. But just so you know, when and if I expand into glamping and holiday lets, it’ll be in that space over there.’ He points across the coastal path to a patch of greenery way out behind the campsite. ‘I’m currently in negotiations with the owner about the price. He’s sticking his boot in and trying to get more money because there are no other options for land nearby so he’s got me over a barrel.’
‘Oh, right.’ I swallow hard. ‘I didn’t know that, did I?’
‘No, you assumed I’m as corrupt as you are.’
It hits me like a brick has just dropped onto my toes. Is he right? Do I think the worst of people because Iamthe worst type of person? I’m just as bad as Harrison and his cronies.
I don’t realise I’m crying until Godfrey nudges a handkerchief into my hand.
‘Why don’t we all have a nice cup of tea?’ Alys suggests.
‘No, thank you.’ Ryan gestures towards me. ‘I’ve met enough people like Felicity in my lifetime, the kind who will step on anyone to get to where they want to go.’ He does that laugh again. ‘The funny part is that when things have been bad for me, when I’ve been hurt and taken advantage of,youare the one person I’ve always thought of to remind myself there’s good in the world.’
Ryan never loses his temper. He never did. Nothing ever riled him. We never argued because we always saw eye to eye and agreed on the important things. I know I’ve hurt him, but I’ve never been on the receiving end of his anger before, and it hurts more than any physical injury ever has before.
‘This is exactly why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d react like this.’
