Page 54 of All Wrapped Up

‘Well, that’s very gratifying. Thank you.’

‘I hope you’ll be selling more work soon?’

‘Next year, perhaps,’ Albert said.

‘But today, we’re here to paint some pumpkins which Amber has asked if she can raffle off at the end of the day,’ Brodie explained. ‘The proceeds will go towards the fund for the festival next year.’

‘Oh, thank you.’ I smiled. ‘That’s so generous of you.’

A few of us had already talked about some of the funds raised from certain events, once expenses had been covered, being donated to a festival fund and I could imagine the celebration in the future becoming even more of an undertaking with money in the pot.

‘It will be if anyone is interested in bidding on them.’ Albert winked, self-deprecatingly.

I looked around the town hall and realised how much more it had filled up since the two men had arrived.

‘Oh, I don’t think there’ll be a lack of interest,’ said Dorothy. ‘Here comes Kathleen to get you set up. I’ll bring you some tea over.’

‘And cake!’ Brodie called over his shoulder as Kathleen led them away.

‘Well, I never!’ I laughed. ‘I had no idea Wynbridge was such a hotbed of creativity!’

I was determined that, as it was obvious I wasn’t going to have time to decorate my own that day, I would be taking home at least one of their painted pumpkins, whatever the cost. I could already imagine it on my Insta grid.

Had Joanne not played her part in outing me, I wouldn’t have shared it, but now it didn’t matter.

‘Oh yes,’ said Dorothy. ‘We’ve got all sorts of creative types, here. Hayley will be in later to paint a couple, too. That is, if there’s enough to go around.’

‘I’m sure Kathleen will have plenty in hand.’

Given the wonderful job Hayley had done creating the branding for the festival, I knew I was going to love whatever she designed, too. It might turn out to be a very expensive day!

‘Yes,’ Dorothy agreed. ‘Kathleen will have enough put by.’

A little while before the carving competition winner was due to be announced I rushed to the gallery to collect the certificates and Pixie and made my way, with Joanne also tagging along, over to the square.

The air both inside and out smelt deliciously fresh and sweet and combined with the scent of woodsmoke, it was the season perfectly personified.

‘Before you announce the carving competition winners,’ I said to Amber who was in a huddle with Jake while they tried to reach a decision, ‘would you mind if Joanne announced the second round of shop window winners?’

‘Me?’ Joanne baulked, and I awkwardly linked the arm holding Pixie’s lead through hers so she couldn’t escape.

‘That’s a great idea,’ Amber smiled. ‘And perfect timing while we’ve got such a crowd gathered.’

‘I can’t do it,’ Joanne protested.

‘Yes, you can,’ I said, handing her the microphone Jake had already turned on.

She did, of course, and she made quite a performance of the whole thing, too.

The three top placed shops – the boutique in the courtyard being the overall winner, then the gift emporium and finally the baker’s – each had a member of staff representing them in the crowd, thanks to some quick thinking by Lizzie, and they graciously received their awards amid much applause.

After that, it was time to find out who had won the pumpkin carving.

The shortlist was announced first and Jason was among them.

No mean feat, I realised, when I took in the number of people taking part, along with the wonderful images they’d created.

I couldn’t see what he had carved, but knew it must have been good.

The event had proved to be a popular one.

In fact, the whole day had been a success and a distraction for me, too. I had hardly thought about Ash at all.

‘Damn,’ I muttered, as he established himself front and centre in my head again.

‘And the overall winner is…’ Amber announced and I found myself crossing my fingers, ‘Sarah Smythe!’

Not Jason then, but he looked happy enough.

‘You did well then,’ I praised him as the crowd started to disperse and people carried off their pumpkins.

I could see that some featured traditional scary faces, while others were delicately and precisely carved with more intricate images and designs. I loved them all.

‘It’s harder than it looks,’ he laughed. ‘But I made the shortlist and more importantly, it was good fun.’

‘It wasn’t the winning then, it was the—’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,’ he said. ‘But anyway, I carved this with you in mind. You can have it, if you like.’

He turned his pumpkin around so I could see the front of it and I felt my breath catch.

‘It’s the cottage,’ he said, sounding a little choked himself. ‘It’s Rowan Cottage.’

‘I can see that,’ I said tearfully. ‘It’s stunning, Jason.’

‘It might not look exactly like this now, but this is how I remember it.’

‘The outside is just the same,’ I said, bobbing down to take in the details. ‘Right down to the covered porch. It’s perfect.’

‘Well,’ he said, clearing his throat. ‘Like I said, you can have it.’

I felt moved to give him a hug, but Jason didn’t strike me as the type who would feel comfortable with that, so I settled on heartfelt thanks instead. Looking intensely embarrassed, he insisted on carrying his creation over to the Land Rover, then said a hasty goodbye and headed over to the pub.

I looked at the image and, even though the painted pumpkin auction was still to take place, I decided I wanted to go home. Pixie seemed ready to head off too, and Jason’s gift meant I wasn’t going away empty-handed. Far from it.

‘Can I give you a hand with the clearing up?’ I called over to Jake.

‘Nope,’ he said. ‘It’s all in hand, Clemmie. You get off if you need to.’

‘Sure?’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It’s been a fantastic day. A total triumph. All I ask is that we do this again next year.’

‘For sure,’ I said, giving Amber a wave as I opened the Land Rover door.

I hoped I would be around next year to join in, but if I couldn’t get my heart to behave soon, I might find myself in danger of closing the door on the world again and that was not a happy thought to end such a wonderful day on.