A Winter Wedding at Primrose Hall (Primrose Woods #6)

Chapter 19

19

‘Well, you two have certainly been busy today.’ Pia perked up hearing the familiar voice, seeing Jackson walk through the door after his day in London. Suited and booted, she thought how handsome he looked in his Italian grey flannel suit and open-collared white shirt, his broad but lean physique and dark hair lending him a rakish quality, as though he’d just stepped from a fashion shoot in the pages of a magazine.

‘How did your day go?’ she asked, greeting him with a hug once the dogs had got their effusive welcome out of the way.

‘Good, it went well, although I’m completely knackered now. I need to up my visits to the gym as my stamina is next to non-existent at the moment.’

‘Well, maybe you’re doing too much too soon, Jackson.’ Pia slipped a hand around his waist, planting a kiss on his cheek. ‘You’re still recovering from the accident and you’re bound to get tired, especially being on your feet all day.’

Jackson shook his head but Pia couldn’t help noticing the weariness etched across his features.

‘We were just going to open a bottle of wine. Do you fancy a glass or would you prefer a cup of tea?’

‘Wine sounds good,’ he said, placing his jacket over the back of a chair, going over to greet Tom, with a brotherly hug. ‘Yeah, it’s frustrating. I think I’m pretty much back to normal but then a day in the city completely wipes me out. It feels as though I’m going backwards.’

‘It’s part of your recovery, Jackson. I know it’s taking longer than you would have hoped, but you’ll get there. In the meantime, you’ll have to go at your own pace. People will understand if you can’t do as much as you did before.’

Jackson swept away Pia’s comment with a roll of his eyes. Impatience was Jackson’s middle name and she knew he hated showing any sign of weakness or letting people down in any way.

‘She’s right,’ said Tom, with a sympathetic smile. ‘You need to take it slowly.’

Jackson took the glass of wine that Pia had poured and joined Tom at the table, sinking into a chair and taking a welcome sip from his drink.

‘Thanks for your help today, Tom.’

‘No problem. It’s been an interesting day at the office! First off, herding alpacas onto a trailer and then manhandling Christmas trees into place.’

‘There’s never a dull moment here, that’s for sure,’ said Jackson, chuckling. ‘What did you think to the cottages?’

‘Great! There’s a huge amount of potential there and they’re going to look first class when the work is done.’

‘Yeah, I’m excited to get going on them, but that won’t be until after Christmas now. I hope the weather will be kind to us so that we can turn them over in a relatively short space of time.’

Jackson took the wine glass to his lips, closed his eyes and savoured the white wine, and it was as if Pia could see the tensions of the day escape from his body. He turned to Tom.

‘This was the project I had in mind for you to manage, obviously before I realised about your new job.’

‘Really?’ Tom flashed Jackson a questioning look, recognising a pang of regret in his chest. Even the fact that Jackson had faith that he was capable of handling the project meant a lot to Tom. His time working behind the counter at the builders’ merchant had given him a wide range of experience and contacts within the trade, and his hands-on skills would be put to good use overseeing a job of that size from the beginning to the end. He couldn’t help thinking it was a missed opportunity, an experience that probably wouldn’t come his way again. ‘You know I would have jumped at it if I hadn’t committed to this other job. Sorry, Jackson,’ he said, with a shrug, ‘but thanks for thinking of me.’

‘No need to apologise at all,’ Jackson told him. ‘I totally get it. Besides, I’ve brought another project manager in. She’s a bit green, but I think with some careful managing, she should be up to the job.’

‘Oh, God!’ Pia said, realising Jackson was talking about her. ‘I’ll do my best, but I’m not relishing the idea of dealing with all those contractors. I know from what you’ve told me how difficult they can be.’

‘They wouldn’t dare mess you about, Pia. Especially in your new role as Lady of the Manor,’ said Jackson. ‘I’ll make sure of that.’

‘Right,’ she said, unconvinced. ‘I shall have to get myself a high-vis vest and a hard hat then,’ she said, laughing.

Tom laughed too, trying to hide his disappointment that he might well be missing out. It wasn’t the first time he’d experienced those feelings. There’d been several times when he’d wondered if he’d done the right thing in accepting the new job. He couldn’t deny it was a great opportunity with an attractive remuneration package, but he wouldn’t have the same level of freedom, flexibility and satisfaction he’d enjoyed these last few months. Not that he would admit any such thing to Sophie or Jackson, who he knew would jump on any signs of doubt from Tom’s side, to persuade him to stay. The truth was, if money was no object, he would gladly continue working on a freelance basis at Primrose Hall, as part of the team. He’d never been happier, but what would happen once the overhaul on the cottages was complete? There could be no guarantee that there would be further work and his income could quite easily dry up.

‘I’ll just finish my wine and then I should be making a move,’ said Tom.

‘Won’t you stay for some supper?’ Pia offered.

‘That’s kind of you, but I need to get back.’ He was conscious of not intruding on their evening. They probably had a lot to talk about and he didn’t want to overstay his welcome even if the thought of going back to his own four walls was deeply depressing. He knew that if he contacted Sophie she would tell him to come straight round, but again he didn’t want to take advantage of her good nature. Instead, he would head to a quiet village pub, have a soft drink and something to eat, and then go home, straight to bed.

After Tom had left, Pia diced a chicken breast and then browned it in a pan, before adding some mushrooms, peppers, tender-stem broccoli, baby sweetcorn and sugar-snap peas, allowing the vegetables to cook. The noodles, sherry and plum and soy sauce would be added later, along with some prawns, for a quick and delicious dinner. Both Pia and Jackson enjoyed cooking and this time of the day, catching up on each other’s news, while either one of them prepared the supper and enjoyed a glass of wine together, was a time they both valued.

‘So you weren’t able to persuade Tom to take on the management of the cottages then when you took him round there?’

‘I didn’t realise I was meant to,’ she said, turning to Jackson and looking at him questioningly.

‘Well, I suppose I was hoping it might have happened organically once he’d seen the cottages. I know you two are close and I thought if anyone could persuade him to stay working for us then it would be you.’

‘Oh, come on, you get on with him just as well.’

‘Yeah, but you have a different kind of relationship. He’s my brother, my new brother, my big brother, and I’m only still working out what that means and how to be around him. It’s kind of weird.’

‘Really? It doesn’t seem that way.’ Jackson’s show of vulnerability touched her. ‘The pair of you have really hit it off and from where I’m standing it seems pretty natural too, as though you don’t have to try too hard. Anyone would think that you had grown up together. Not that that would have been any guarantee that you would still get on as adults. But you do. And that’s great and, you know, I’m sure the weirdness thing will pass,’ she said with a cheeky smile.

‘Maybe, although to be fair, I’m not sure if it’s Tom who’s weird or me.’

‘I think it’s probably a family trait,’ joshed Pia. ‘For Tom though, I think he’s looking for financial security, that’s what’s behind this career move. It’s not a reflection on his relationship with you.’

‘You could be right. It’s a shame because I know I could have left him to look after that project and he would have delivered a first-class job. Still, we’ll manage somehow,’ he said, fixing Pia with a grin. He got up from his chair and sauntered across to her at the stove, placing his hands on her waist. ‘After all, we’re the dream team, aren’t we?’ He spoke into her ear, sending a tingle along her spine. She glanced up at him and smiled, before shrugging off his touch.

‘I think this is about ready.’ She put the final touches to the stir-fry before spooning it into bowls and then taking the dishes across to the table where they both sat down.

‘Actually,’ she said, resting her chin on her clasped hands, ‘on the subject of me doing your persuading for you, I need to ask you something.’ She cast him a wide-eyed look. ‘Did you know about Harry’s alpacas before you took me to the cottages that day?’

‘What?’ Jackson’s brow furrowed and his lips pursed. ‘What on earth do you mean?’ He dropped his head to one side and Pia couldn’t help thinking that he might be overdoing the amateur dramatics.

‘Exactly what I said. Did you know Harry was holding back on signing the contract until he’d found a home for the animals?’

‘Oh, Pia.’ He shrugged away her concerns with a wave of his hand, tucking in hungrily to his dinner. ‘I can’t remember the exact sequence of events. You know how busy I am. Sometimes the days merge into one another.’ He looked at her through narrowed eyes, but she couldn’t help noticing the small upwards quirk of his mouth.

‘You did, Jackson! I knew it! That’s terrible, taking advantage of an elderly, vulnerable man and making me an accomplice. I really can’t believe you would do something like that. Why didn’t you tell me? Honestly, it just makes me wonder what kind of man I’m marrying?’ Her words were filled with exasperation more than anger, but Jackson’s underhandedness niggled at her.

‘Don’t be like that, Pia,’ he said, reaching out a hand to grab hold of hers, fixing her with a look that would normally make her heart melt, but she wasn’t certain she was in the mood for forgiveness now. ‘There’s no way you can say we took advantage of Harry. He needed a buyer for the cottages and a home for the alpacas, and now he has both. You know there could be no better home for them than at Primrose Hall?’

Pia shook her head; she could hardly disagree with that.

‘He achieved the full asking price for the site and an additional sum for the alpacas so he was more than happy. He’s got the outcome he wanted and needed, and so have we. This way it means that Harry can still get to see the animals when he wants to.’

‘Hmm, I suppose,’ said Pia, ‘but you should have told me. I don’t like dishonesty even if it is done with the best intentions. I feel bad for Harry, as though I’ve tricked him.’

‘There’s no need. Harry might come across as a charming, helpless old gentleman, but you have to remember he was a farmer and a businessman. He’s a wily character and knows exactly what’s he doing. He certainly wouldn’t have signed on the dotted line if he had any doubts. I had a chat with him and his solicitor the next day and he sounded relieved, more than anything, to get everything sorted.’

‘Okay, okay,’ she sighed, running a fork through her noodles. ‘I will forgive you this once, but next time you must tell me what you’re scheming.’ She scolded him with a look.

‘But you’re my secret weapon, the better half of the team. The person everyone loves. Including me. Me most especially.’

It was impossible to stay cross with Jackson for long and soon they were tucking into their dinner companionably. Pia’s gaze drifted across to the smaller of the two Christmas trees, which was in place in front of the double doors to the garden, ready to be decorated, the scent of pine detectible in the air.

‘Honestly, where has this year gone? It’s flown by. Can you believe that we’re actually getting married this month?’

‘It can’t come a day too soon,’ Jackson said, his gaze running over her face. ‘After my accident and Dad’s heart attack it seemed that events were conspiring against us. It’s what kept me going through the darkest hours, knowing that at the end of it we would have our wedding to look forward to.’

Pia put down her knife and fork and pushed her bowl away.

‘Sometimes when I stop to think about it all, it makes my head spin. When I accepted your job offer, I thought it would see me through a couple of months until I found something better. I was already planning my escape.’ She chuckled. ‘I could never have imagined that I would end up staying, finding a family, a home and a husband in the process.’

‘Well, I’m very glad you didn’t escape. Mind you, I wouldn’t have allowed it, that wasn’t part of the master plan at all,’ he said, narrowing his eyes and furrowing his forehead. ‘I’m so looking forward to making you my wife, Pia.’

She supposed there was a part of her that felt it was too good to be true, a gnawing fear that everything might come crashing down around her and that the happiness she’d found could be snatched away at the last moment. She couldn’t allow those niggly doubts to overwhelm her though. She’d made some big and bold decisions ever since moving out of the family home at Meadow Cottages, surprising herself with her own resilience and determination. This was simply another decision on her life path, admittedly the biggest one of them all.

Being married to Jackson was going to be an adventure, but one she was more than ready for.

‘And I can’t wait to be Mrs Moody,’ she said, exhaling a big breath, wondering if she would ever get used to the mad idea. In a way, she hoped that she wouldn’t, that it would always serve to thrill and amaze her.