Page 103 of One Golden Summer

Kirsty grinned, as she always did. It was never going to be Marion.

“But you know what?” Saffron added. “I’m perfectly okay with that. More than okay. This is your town, and I can just blend into the background. It’s kind of what I’ve always wanted.”

Kirsty reached up on tip-toes and pecked Saffron on the lips. “I know.” And she did.

Kirsty put a hand in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. She frowned. She recalled Helena putting it in her pocket last night and saying something about opening it in the morning. She dodged more people on the path as she tried to unfurl it with one hand.

“What’s that?” Saffron licked her ice cream, looking down.

There, scrawled in Helena’s spidery handwriting, was a note that read:Life can be like a Hollywood rom-com. You just have to let it happen. Helena had added a love heart and a kiss.

Kirsty’s heart boomed. She grinned, pocketing the note and glancing up at Saffron.

Helena was right.

You just had to let it.

Chapter 34

There was a knock on the front door, and Saffron glanced up from her to-do list, frazzled. That’d better be the caterer, who’d been expected thirty minutes ago.

She swung the door open to reveal Kirsty. “Why are you knocking on the door?”

“It’s common etiquette when visiting.”

“Yes, but… given you’ve sampled the goods, it seems like you should be able to walk right in. It’s why I texted you that the door was unlocked.” Saffron gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Such a sweet talker. But, I’ll have you know, I don’t even let myself into my parents’ house.”

Saffron slowly blew out a frustrated breath.

“What’s wrong? The crease in your forehead has creases, which doesn’t bode well for your recent retirement.” Kirsty ran a finger over Saffron’s brow.

“The caterer isn’t here yet.”

“Caterer?” Kirsty chuckled. “You hired someone to cook dinner for family and friends?”

“It was either that or risk poisoning everyone. Ask Ginger about the time I cooked fish pie.” Saffron stuck her hands into her pockets, rocking back on her heels.

“Pretty sure I’m okay not hearing the details.” She presented Saffron with a wrapped gift, that she had tucked under one arm. “Open this now because you need it.”

“Is it Valium?” Saffron shook the shoe-sized box with both hands. “A lot of it.”

“Easy. It’s fragile,” Kirsty warned.

Saffron eased a finger under a seam, not wanting to tear the paper covered in vintage wine adverts. “Where’d you get the paper?”

“An Italian supplier. You like?”

“It’s pretty enough to hang on the wall.” Saffron exposed one side of the box. “Aw, a decanter. It’s perfect.” She kissed Kirsty on the cheek again. “I can get used to you giving me gifts.”

“Making a mental note of that. We need to decant the red I sent over earlier.”

“That reminds me…” Saffron consulted her phone. “The guests are arriving in mere minutes and I don’t have any food to offer them.”

“You don’t have anything in the house?”

Saffron shook her head, wiping a sweaty palm onto her jeans. “I’m still getting the hang of being domestic. This is going to be an epic failure, isn’t it? Why’d I think I could handle a dinner party? My assistant used to arrange everything. You know, she’s still on the payroll. Maybe she can save my bacon.”