Page 23 of All Wrapped Up

The trip to the library had gone well, but it had given me a lot to think about and it had got me wondering whether I had perhaps taken rather too much on in too short a time.

In my eagerness to rejoin the real world, had I rushed in, been swept along and bitten off more than I could reasonably chew?

Was I trying to run before I’d mastered the art of walking again?

As I pondered over that, I knew I wasn’t referring to the festival, because after the initial hiccup, the event had come wonderfully together.

I was also enjoying getting to know more of the local area and I was delighted with how well Pixie was settling in.

Those aspects of my life were fine, it was other niggles that were now popping up which I couldn’t ignore.

Having got over (and hopefully completely cleared) the hurdle of Joanne’s misguided desire to matchmake, I had thought Ash and I, and our freshly-minted friendship, were going to be okay, but Molly’s hint about me wanting rather than needing him in a capacity that didn’t involve our working together on the festival had got me in something of a spin.

Ash was kind, generous, clever and handsome.

Perfect partner material, but I wasn’t looking for a partner and that had to be what Molly had meant.

After everything I’d been through, I knew I’d never have a romantic relationship again, but the so-called Wynthorpe Witch had hinted that in the future, my thoughts about Ash had the potential to change.

I knew she was wrong, completely wrong, because my heart had been obliterated once and I would never put myself in a position where it could be destroyed again, but her prediction was still unsettling.

Therefore, in spite of my vehement resolution that I was right and Molly was wrong, I still took action, just to be on the safe side.

In the days that followed, I put some distance between myself and Ash and made the trip to see Fliss at Fenview Farm to check out the setting for the Autumn Feasting and Family Food events alone, and I also opted to fly solo when it came to calling in to see Jack at Brambles Distillery.

As well as avoiding Ash, I also stayed out of town and immersed myself in things I could carry out at the cottage. That wasn’t so much to do with what Molly had said, but rather the result of me still having plenty to organise and do.

I spent lots of time getting to know Pixie better, many hours promoting, organising and refining the festival’s finer details online and via email and of course, posting on AutumnEverything.

The account had attracted a flurry of new followers as the season switched from late summer to early autumn and I was back to sharing regularly again after my post-Lizzie recognition hiatus.

With the walls of Rowan Cottage wrapped comfortingly around me, it was a relief to find that I began to feel settled and content again.

It had been the right decision to do what needed to be done in the way that worked best for me – I tried not to think how Molly had also pointed out that I had a talent for that – and towards the end of the week I was keen to head back to town and see everyone again, which was just as well as the festival launch and first autumn-themed market was then just a couple of days away!

The sudden drop in temperature, and consequently increased vibrant change in the colour of the leaves, had got practically everyone in the mood for what was to come and there wasn’t now a spare stall to be had on the forthcoming market and tickets for the few events which were already available to buy were selling well, too.

‘Oh, my goodness!’ I laughed, when I arrived at The Cherry Tree Café in a very merry mood and found a table full of crafters determinedly focused on crocheting yet more autumn leaf shaped bunting to decorate the square with.

‘It’s beginning to look like a set from Stars Hollow out there!

And in here, too!’ I added, as Joanne held up a length of the vibrant red, yellow and orange leaves for me to admire.

‘It really does,’ she beamed, in agreement. ‘Though Jemma is no Luke.’

I laughed all the more when she said that, because the Wynbridge café queen was absolutely nothing like the guy from Gilmore Girls who owned the diner there.

‘I’ve just noticed that the majority of shopkeepers have now papered their windows so we can’t see how they’ve decided to decorate,’ I said excitedly, with a nod back out to the square. ‘Is that something they do at Christmas, too?’

‘It is,’ Lizzie told me. ‘And I’m over the moon that they’re so willing to go all in for the autumn festival as well. The paper started going up earlier in the week as a result of the brilliant article in the local press.’

‘You did well to secure that, Clemmie,’ Joanne added, making me feel proud. ‘It hit the right note and, having heard so many more people talking about the festival now, I know it’s really helped spread the word.’

I had managed to keep myself and my role out of the limelight during the telephone interview and had focused solely on the businesses that were supporting and taking part in the festival and it had all come across in print wonderfully well.

I hadn’t enjoyed the best relationship with the press in the past. When Callum died, their interest in me bordered on intrusive, so this latest positive experience had restored my faith a little.

‘Well,’ I said, tapping the festival notebook which was now fit to burst with extra bits of paper and constantly within my sight, ‘you know me, don’t you? If I’m doing something, then I’m doing it right!’

I had meant the comment to be light-hearted, but the look it elicited from the two women suggested that it had provoked a train of thought that I hadn’t intended.

For the time being at least, I didn’t want either of them thinking about me in any capacity other than that of festival organiser and I braced myself to field any awkward questions that my unguarded reference to them knowing me might subsequently evoke.

‘Fliss from Fenview Farm was in earlier,’ Jemma then said as she came out of the kitchen, spotted me and thankfully put us back on the festival track.

‘She told me there’s just one pair of tickets left for their Autumn Feast Night now and that the family event is going to be full to capacity soon, too.

I think she’s going to get in touch with you about the possibility of adding more dates, Clemmie. ’

‘She’s already called,’ I told her. ‘I just need to update the schedule online and make an extra poster to advertise what else she’s got planned.’

‘That’s fantastic.’ Lizzie clapped.

‘And I’ve just been to the library and Kay, the manager, told me the autumn book club is completely oversubscribed,’ I carried on keenly, ‘so they’re having to order in more books from further afield to meet demand.’

‘Oh, my goodness.’ Jemma laughed. ‘And there was you doubting the festival’s appeal just a couple of weeks ago.’

‘I know,’ I said, shaking my head in disbelief, ‘and now I’m really having to focus to keep up with the way it’s all snowballing.’

‘That’s the wrong season.’ Joanne winked. ‘Brilliant though. And don’t forget, you’ve got your lovely festival assistant, Ash, to help you. I hope he’s pulling his weight.’

We’d barely been in touch since our trip to the library, but that was down to me rather than him and I chose my next words with care.

‘Don’t worry about Ash,’ I said casually, as I walked over to the cake counter.

‘I’m managing fine on my own so far, but I’ll make good use of him once we’re launched.

I’m going to try and attend as many of the events as I can myself, but I’m hoping he’ll be able to check out any that I can’t make. ’

I also hoped that would stop Joanne from thinking that we were joined at the hip and would be working the entire festival in tandem. Assuming that she was.

‘But I thought you were already working on it all together?’ she pointedly said and I knew I had been right to emphasise that we’d each be doing our own thing.

‘I’m managing fine,’ I said firmly. ‘And don’t forget: Ash has extra family commitments to factor in now.

His nan hadn’t had her stroke when he promised to help, had she?

’ I knew he had shared the news, so I wasn’t speaking out of turn.

‘And as I can cope, there’s no need to put him under more pressure at such a personally difficult time, is there? ’

‘I suppose not,’ Joanne agreed after a moment’s deliberation.

‘I know I originally said I’d only take the festival on if I had help,’ I continued, hoping to further hammer the message home, ‘but so far there hasn’t really been more work than one person can handle and Ash didn’t know his time was going to be even further stretched than it was before, so we can’t expect more of him now. ’

‘That’s true.’ Jemma nodded. ‘And you really are managing everything, Clemmie?’

‘Yes.’ I smiled. ‘It’s a lot, but it’s all fine.’

‘Ash’s nan is out of hospital now though, isn’t she?’ Joanne commented. ‘And living with his mum and dad, so he’ll probably have more time for you again soon.’

I ignored that.

‘And what about your family, Clemmie?’ asked Lizzie, switching to another topic I wasn’t keen to expand on as Jemma headed back to the kitchen.

‘Mine?’

‘Yes,’ said Joanne, picking it up. ‘I know you said earlier that we know you, but we don’t really, do we? Though we do know you’re not originally from around here, so I’m guessing your relatives most likely live a bit of a distance away…?’

‘There’s only Mum and Dad,’ I reluctantly shared, ‘and yes, they are quite a way off.’

‘Do they visit often?’ Lizzie asked curiously.

‘And more importantly,’ Joanne cut in, ‘will they be coming to the festival?’