Page 28 of All Wrapped Up

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.

She was the loveliest gift Ash could have given me and I hoped my spur-of-the-moment gesture of thanks hadn’t upset or offended him because receiving her had been the perfect end to an incredibly successful day, both for the festival and myself.

My life had been utterly transformed since Lizzie had arrived in my garden, and thoughts of her led me to also consider the final few minutes of my time in the town…

Ash, who was still looking a little flushed, and I had called into The Cherry Tree Café for some sweet treats to bring home and while I was looking at Lizzie’s dresser of pretty things – all now arranged in autumn colours – and out of sight of the counter, I had overheard a conversation that made me feel even happier that I could call him my friend.

‘You and Clemmie have turned out to be the perfect pairing for getting this festival off the ground,’ I listened to Lizzie brightly say.

‘I can’t take any of the credit,’ Ash responded. ‘It’s literally all down to her. I haven’t done a thing yet.’

‘I thought you judged the shop windows together,’ Joanne then joined in.

‘Well, yes,’ Ash conceded, ‘we did that, but pulling it together and getting everyone organised behind the scenes, has been all Clemmie’s work. It must have taken her hours and I know she’s keeping everything online constantly up to date, too.’

That had been the moment my ears had really pricked up, but thankfully, Lizzie didn’t make some crack about me being skilled in that department. However, Joanne’s subsequent change in direction was more disconcerting than if Lizzie had.

‘It’s amazing to think that just a month ago none of us had ever even laid eyes on her, isn’t it?’ she said ponderously.

‘And yet she’d been living in the area for a year and a half,’ Lizzie joined in.

‘Perhaps she had her reasons for keeping to herself,’ Ash said, sounding guarded.

‘Not now though,’ laughed Joanne. ‘She’s a fully paid-up member of the Wynbridge community now.’

‘More than fully paid-up since I roped her into organising the festival,’ Lizzie pointed out with a laugh. ‘I just need to pop to the kitchen for a quick word with Jemma.’

Clearly, she wasn’t curious about the time I had spent alone since arriving in the Fens, but unfortunately, the same could not be said of Joanne.

‘Lizzie’s right about that,’ she agreed. ‘I suppose you’ve got to know Clemmie, better than any of us, haven’t you, Ash?’

‘What makes you say that?’ he queried. ‘I’ve already told you I’ve barely been involved with the festival yet.’

‘But your relationship with her isn’t only about the festival, is it?’ Joanne pointed out. ‘You gave her Pixie, didn’t you? You wouldn’t have done that if she was a stranger, would you?’

‘Well, no,’ he had no choice but to agree, ‘I suppose not.’

Joanne was quiet for a moment, but then couldn’t seem to resist carrying on.

‘You know,’ she said, in a confidential tone, ‘I can’t help thinking that Clemmie must have left her heart wherever she lived before.’

My mouth fell open.

‘Ow!’ Ash loudly said, which made me close it again with a snap.

‘What?’ Joanne tutted and I imagined he’d made her jump.

‘You’ve just given me whiplash, Joanne,’ he complained. ‘You’re totally transparent, do you know that?’

‘I’m just curious, is all,’ she said, sounding defensive. ‘I don’t like to think of Clemmie holed up all on her own with a broken heart—’

‘You don’t know that she has a broken heart.’

‘Well, maybe not,’ Joanne carried on, ‘and I know you probably think I’m being nosey—’

‘Aren’t you?’

‘No,’ she insisted and given the sudden seriousness of her tone, I wasn’t certain she was only saying it like that to try and get herself out of trouble, ‘and I promise I’m not trying to interfere, either.

I know you’re both happily single, and even though I think you look really great together, I truly have set aside any former hopes I had of playing Cupid. ’

‘Well, that’s a relief,’ Ash puffed and I wondered if he’d given any thought as to how we looked together in the sense Joanne meant, because I hadn’t.

‘But I still hate the thought of her living alone for so long,’ Joanne continued. ‘We all know that’s not what Wynbridge is about. No one who lives around here should be… excluded.’

‘Even if they purposefully choose to exclude themselves?’

‘Is that what Clemmie did?’ Joanne gasped. ‘Did she move here with the intention of hiding away?’

‘Clearly not, given that she’s got the festival up and running,’ Ash pointed out mildly.

In spite of his faux pas, he sounded as cool as a cucumber, but my heart was racing.

‘But she was here ages before Lizzie roped her into that—’

‘Look,’ Ash interrupted, finally losing patience. ‘I know you think you mean well, Joanne, but not everyone’s the same as you. Not everyone has to be involved in everything and know everyone else’s business, and, if I were you, I’d keep out of Clemmie’s.’

‘Oh,’ said Joanne. ‘I see.’

She sounded genuinely hurt and even though I felt a tiny bit sorry for her because deep down I still had the impression that there was more going on with her than anyone else realised and that was probably why she was still using other people’s lives as a distraction from whatever might have gone awry in hers, I was really more focused on feeling grateful that Ash was protecting me.

‘I know you’re feeling bored without Aiden and that you’re just killing time here until you join him—’

‘No, that’s not it—’ Joanne tried to interrupt, sounding even more upset, but Ash didn’t give her the opportunity to elaborate.

‘But if I were you,’ he cut across her, ‘I’d focus on your work with Lizzie or perhaps find someone who doesn’t mind the attention and leave Clemmie to herself before your persistent prying makes her give up the festival for good.’

‘She wouldn’t give it up?’ Joanne gasped. ‘Would she?’

‘She might.’

‘Lizzie would kill me if that happened! And I genuinely only really want to know that Clemmie’s all right.’

‘As far as I know,’ Ash said seriously, ‘Clemmie is absolutely fine, but she won’t be if she finds out you’re still snooping on her. I mean it, Joanne, if you carry on like this, you can kiss the festival goodbye.’

Knowing the reason behind my move to the Fens, Ash was clearly worried that Joanne’s intense inquisitiveness was going to deeply upset me and I felt truly touched to hear him further protect me so intently.

‘I honestly never meant to cause trouble,’ Joanne said, sounding genuinely contrite and upset again. ‘I’m just curious as to why she’s been a lone wolf for so long.’

I was again struck by the thought that there was something in her tone that suggested her interest in my circumstances originated from more than being nosey for the sake of it.

‘Well,’ Ash pressed home crossly, not picking up on what I had possibly deduced, ‘don’t be. If Clemmie has anything she wants to say about that, then I’m sure she’ll tell us in her own time.’

I picked that as my moment to make my presence felt.

‘Have you decided which cake you fancy, Ash?’ I asked breezily, as I walked around the tables and into view.

‘I think it’s going to be cakes, plural, rather than just one,’ he said, turning his attention to the counter. ‘Because these all look amazing.’

I insisted on paying for the selection we picked out, citing it as a thank you for my fairy, but really it was a thank you for the forthright way he had looked out for me and, in the process, hopefully put a stop to Joanne’s interest in my past, whatever her motive for wanting to know about it.

That said, if at some point the opportunity arose, I was definitely going to seize the chance to ask her about her future plans because I was becoming increasingly certain that they might have some bearing on her continuing curiosity.

I slept late the following morning and by the time I had seen to Pixie and made myself a mug of coffee, Mum had already called twice.

‘I was all set to give up on you,’ were the words she greeted me with, when I was eventually sorted and ready to call back. ‘How did the festival launch go?’

‘Well,’ I said, picking up my coffee, ‘you’ve seen the photos.’

I’d sent her and Dad reams and reams as I picked out those more general ones I’d taken of the town to share on the Wynbridge community and festival pages online, so they could see for themselves just how perfectly the square had been dressed to celebrate the changing season.

‘We have,’ Mum nodded, ‘and it looked absolutely stunning. Was the launch well attended?’

I hadn’t taken all that many photos with people in them, so that was a fair question.

‘I think everyone within a fifty-mile radius of Wynbridge must have turned out,’ I happily told her. ‘It was heaving. And, as the person who had been responsible for putting it all together, I had to give a speech. If you can imagine such a thing!’

I was still struggling to get my head around that. Had I really stood up in front of all those people and talked and then put Jason in his place – or attempted to – straight after?

‘My goodness,’ said Mum, ‘that must have been daunting. Did anyone record it? I would love to hear what you said.’

I felt myself go rather warm when she asked that.

‘I don’t think so,’ I said, chewing my lip. ‘I hope not, anyway.’

‘Why?’

‘Because it was really scary and I don’t think I did the best job. I’d barely had time to prepare before I was holding a microphone.’

‘I’m sure you did just fine,’ Mum said kindly.