Perfect (Love in Yorkshire #1)

Four

I sank onto the bed exhausted . My limbs felt heavy and the make-up I still wore felt like a face mask. I leaned over to the bedside table to retrieve some baby wipes, my eyes were gritty and I needed to clean my skin.

Checking my phone, it was almost midnight and was now pitch-black outside, the fact that there were no streetlights in the area added to the darkness. There was just the glow of the moon and a slight beam from a security light.

Dinner had been perfection; a homemade quiche, jacket potato, and loads of salad with lashings of dressing. Anna had prepared it beautifully before she went out.

Dad and I had chatted about this and that as we ate and then we went to chill out in his study. It was much messier than it had been earlier, with loads of unopened letters on the desk.

We spoke briefly about Mum and he didn’t go into any details about the divorce which I appreciated. No daughter wanted to participate in discussions about their parents’ break up. It was hard enough when my mother brought it up.

It didn’t matter now that he went off with another woman, if he’d been happy, he would have stayed. It was textbook stuff really; most of my friend’s folks were separated.

We spoke about my exams and Dad mentioned Uni again. I was good with young kids but did I really want to teach?

After talking about possible career options, we listened to music together. Dad even poured me a glass of red wine, which wasn’t totally awful.

All in all, our first proper get-together at the farm was a success. I even kissed him goodnight on the cheek and he wore the meatiest of smiles as I left for bed.

As I lay back, fully dressed, I allowed my eyes to drift closed. I was looking forward to the morning. I was an early riser and Dad had said that he would give me the ‘official’ tour and introduce me to how things worked on the farm. Maybe I’d love it so much I would be a farmer? I imagined myself in baggy dungarees and a straw hat. It could work .

I rubbed my eyes and was about to slip under the covers when I heard the growl of an engine outside. I pushed up on my elbows, rolled off the bed and headed to the window.

Drawing back a curtain, I peeked outside to see who it was, aware that it was pretty late for visitors.

It was Connor. He climbed out of the Ranger and slammed the door; he must have just come in from the pub, although he didn’t appear drunk. His steps were straight and determined, no swaying like Lisa when she was pissed. I pushed the thought of drink-driving aside. Who cared, he could do what the hell he wanted; if he wished to drive his car into a tree; that was his business.

Although it was dark, I could see clearly enough and I watched as he strode around to the back of the car and riffled in the boot.

My curiosity was well and truly stoked and I moved the curtain wider for a better view, wondering what on earth he was doing. Did he have a body in there? I grinned at my own joke.

He appeared to be bandaging his knuckles which sent a shard of alarm into me. Had he hurt himself? Had he been fighting? My maternal instincts kicked in and I felt a moment of genuine concern that he may be hurt.

Wrinkling my nose, I pushed away the unearned loyalty, knowing that any offer of assistance would be vehemently rebuffed.

He wore clean jeans which hung low on his hips and a black T-shirt that had the image of a scary-looking rock band on it.

I watched as he made his way toward the hay barn with his hands wrapped in tape and caught a glimpse of the determination on his face. I drew away from the window. Whatever he was up to wasn’t my business and if he knew I’d been watching him, I’d be mortified.

I climbed onto the bed and decided to push all thoughts and concerns about Connor Barratt from my head.

My phone pinged from the bedside table and I lifted it to my face, the light from the screen was bright. I had three texts from my mother, all saying the same thing.

Hope you’re having fun. Love you x

Hope you’re having fun. Love you x

Hope you’re having fun. Love you x

As I anticipated. Mum was probably shitfaced. No emojis this time thank goodness.

I knew she’d be fine, she always stopped when she knew she’d had enough and pretty much never had a hangover.

Pushing thoughts of everything aside, I closed my eyes and slept like the dead.

*****

Having woken up in my crumpled clothes, bedhead hair and half of my face still made up, I decided to take a quick shower before breakfast.

I wasn’t sure where Dad would take me, but I imagined dirt would be involved so I tugged on a black camisole top with spaghetti straps, blue skinny jeans, and my pink Converse. I checked myself in the mirror; I certainly smashed the farm girl look and I dragged my freshly washed hair into a ponytail without drying it.

As I entered the kitchen, it was empty but there was a bowl of freshly cooked croissants on the table and I tore a piece off one and popped it between my lips, the flavour causing my mouth to water.

As I heaved open the front door to search for Dad, I welcomed the feel of the sunshine on my face and moved forward onto the stone steps. My eyes took their time to adjust and I inhaled the air which was surprisingly dung-free today or maybe I was just getting used to it, as Connor had said.

A rustle at my feet caught my attention and I looked down to see a girl crouched on the floor. She was fiddling with the laces on her trainers.

“Er, hello?” I prompted and her head shot up, startled. She had curling brown pixie-like hair and eyes the colour of milk chocolate; they widened as she saw me. Scrambling awkwardly to her feet, she uncurled what was actually a very long body. I shuffled back a step. She reminded me of the Disney character Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

I raised my eyebrows in silent question and she looked me up and down.

“Can I help you?” I prompted her in a friendly enough way, considering her semi-rude assessment. Of course, I was used to that type of treatment from members of my sex, but I still found it annoying .

After staring me down for a few beats, she eventually found her voice. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure you’d be here. Anna thought you’d left with Mike. Harlow, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “That’s me,” taking in the unfeminine baggy jeans and the voluminous hoodie she wore. She certainly didn’t conform to the masses in respect of fashion.

“I’m Ella.” Her accent wasn’t easy to read but sounded vaguely familiar.

“OK. Sorry, do you work here?” My question could have been taken as impolite but I said it in a super nice way.

She dealt me one of those smiles that are a bit too wide to be genuine.

“No, I don’t work here but my brother does. Well, sort of, when the need arises. He’s training to be a vet. You met him yesterday, Tom?”

It took a moment to digest her words as they erupted from her lips like gunfire. If she had written the words down, there wouldn’t have been any full stops there that’s for sure.

I quickly returned the favour and looked her up and down. So, this was the sister that Tom had mentioned. First impressions; she didn’t seem as welcoming as her brother, but I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me. First introductions with similar-aged girls were never a straightforward operation for me.

“Yes, of course, Tom. He isn’t here though,” I pointed out, glancing around the yard.

“Yes, I know.” There was an awkward pause. “The guys were banging on about you in the pub last night and I just thought I’d pop by and check you out in person.”

Great. So, I was the talk of the pub. I suddenly felt like one of those lab rats.

“Oh—OK,” I stuttered. It was a strange situation. She’d come to ‘check me out’ but she didn’t look very happy about it.

She scrutinised my face silently for a moment longer before shaking her head and exhaling noisily. “Fuck, sorry, I’m shit at introductions. I’ll start again—Hi, I’m Ella.” Her hand shot out in a gesture of greeting. “Nice to meet you.”

I forced a smile and took her hand. “Harlow.” The whole situation screamed awkward, but I went with it, even though I felt slightly uneasy.

She held my hand a little longer than was necessary. “Sorry,” she cut in as my eyes creased, quickly withdrawing her fingers. “I’m not usually so weird but, you surprised me. ”

I pursed my lips in realisation. I had almost trodden on the girl after all. “Sorry I didn’t see you down there,” I replied, motioning to the ground with a flick of my palm.

She shot me what I would now take as a genuine smile and it lit up her face, cancelling out that tetchy first impression. She was pretty in a tomboyish type of way.

She ran a hand through her short crown of hair. “No, I don’t mean that. I mean, shocked because of how you look. My brother gets a hard-on over anything with tits. We all thought what he said was—well— you know—a bit over the top?”

I pursed my lips. “OK, so your brother got it right, is that a good or bad thing?” I quizzed her, uncertainty thrumming within me.

“I suppose it depends on who you are. Good for the boys, shit for us girls I suppose,” she snorted.

I grimaced as I deciphered her code. So, I was the competition, here we go again.

She strummed a fist across her nose before clarifying. “You’re so pretty. You really do look like Barbie.”

The Barbie doll comment again, really ? An awkward silence loomed before I quickly cut in, “Thanks—I guess.” I tried to be gracious with my response but it was difficult, I was so tired of everything being about my looks all the time. After the situation with Samantha, it started to annoy me more. Beauty was not the be-all and end-all FFS!

I combed my fingers through my damp ponytail, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

“The guys are looking forward to meeting you,” she announced with a grin, her teeth were slightly crooked but not in a mega-bad way.

“Cool, I think,” I managed between tight lips.

I suppose I should have been happy that people wanted to get to know me, but her words created a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Ella continued to smile at me and the situation got weirder. I felt a further twinge of discomfort and my body itched to leave. She eyed me as if I were mildly contagious for a minute longer before saying. “Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. Sorry for staring,” she apologised before adding. “Bet you’re used to it?”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. ”

There was another moments silence and I attempted to shake myself out of my stupor. I wasn’t usually so poor at making conversation, but something about her didn’t sit right. Her next words provided me with a bit more insight for her behaviour.

“Please don’t think me a total weirdo, I’m not used to girl talk. I don’t have any close girlfriends in the village. I’m sort of one of the boys really.”

Understanding slid into me. She was out of her comfort zone which was fair enough. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Samantha’s treatment of me had left a sour taste in my mouth and I was now usually quick to put the barriers up, especially where girls my own age were involved.

“Do you want to hang out for a bit?” Ella suggested brightly, a hopeful look on her face. “Get to know each other? You’re here for the entire summer, right?”

Every instinct inside me wanted to reject her offer. I hurriedly searched for excuses but then realised I didn’t need to make anything up. I was waiting for my father.

“Sorry, but I’m just waiting for my dad to come down. He’s going to show me the farm. I only arrived yesterday,” I pointed out with an attempt at being friendly, rather than being Mrs. Rejection. The girl was blatantly craving some female companionship.

She nodded her head in silent understanding. “Oh OK, I thought he’d already left but—I’ll wait with you. Gorgeous day.”

Damn, she didn’t get the message. I relented anyway and my palms also started to itch. A sign I was anxious.

Before I could respond, she nudged me with her elbow. “So, were your ears burning last night? Tom wouldn’t shut up about you. I don’t think Connor was best pleased either.”

So, we were back to Tom and his ‘known me all of five minutes’ crush, I was hoping her comment about the weather had shifted the conversation into a more comfortable zone. I could see that I was the one who would have to try and steer the subject away from me.

I eyed her thoughtfully, wondering about her ‘Connor wasn’t best pleased’ comment before deciding to let it go. Connor Barratt could do one .

Ella now wore a cheeky expression, like she’d just delivered the juiciest piece of gossip and my stomach knotted.

The cows in the barn behind us emitted the loudest of what I would say was an uncomfortable moo. Well said, I thought to myself.

She must have read my expression and realised that I felt uneasy and she moved the conversation on. “How old are you anyway?” Her brow knotted.

Boy, she was a nosy one, it was like I was being cross-examined. She was probably on a fact-finding mission.

“I’ll be seventeen soon.”

She clapped her hands together, excited by the news. “Maybe we could have a party? Do you have a boyfriend?” she blurted; her dark eyes wide again; her ability to jump from one subject to another was impressive.

I tried to keep up and redirected the question back at her. Two could play that game. “No, not at the minute. How about you?”

She rubbed her hands down her jeans. “Not really, it’s complicated. There’s someone I like,” she replied, briefly glancing away. I noted her eyebrows met in the middle. What was it with village folk and grooming?

“Care to elaborate,” I encouraged her. The girl so needed some girl time. I couldn’t imagine having to have a discussion about boys with other boys. Not like I had any friends who were boys, the sex thing always got in the way for me.

She looked at me shyly, which was strange considering she’d asked me the exact same question. She was also obviously not used to sharing.

“Maybe another time, I don’t want to bore you with my problems when we only just met.” She paused for thought, as if weighing up whether to add more before tilting her head and adding. “I’m surprised you don’t have a boyfriend looking the way you do. I imagine guys behave like complete love sick dicks around you?”

I inwardly acknowledged that the conversation wasn’t that odd really in the scheme of things. The main topic of discussion between my other friends was always boy related. Although considering this girl and I had just met, it all felt a bit forced. Maybe country girls were more direct? I thought fleetingly about the issues I’d had in the past with girls due to guys and this again prompted me to steer away from a potential, ‘problem’ topic .

Ella nudged my arm, shaking me out of my thoughts. “Want to sit whilst your dad comes back?” she questioned, pointing to the flaking iron bench in front of the house. Her previous ‘hang out’ comment was very American and I wondered if she’d spent time in the States.

I conceded defeat and moved to take a seat and she followed me. I silently willed my dad to appear and save me.

“So, I’ve already broken the brother-sister trust code, but don’t be surprised if Tom asks you out. He’s very much the smitten kitten,” she said with a laugh. The sound rolled unpleasantly across my bones. I decided the way Ella sat grinning at me like the Cheshire cat was annoying, but I batted the mean comeback to one side. I had to remind myself that she was a tomboy and not that used to being in female company.

“I don’t really know what to say to that, he seems lovely but I’m not really after a summer fling or anything.” My reply wasn’t the total truth of course, but I wasn’t going to show my cards too soon.

“Surely that’s the perfect time for a fling, summer. Especially when you’re pretty much surrounded by guys here. Some ancient. Although it depends on your type of course,” she said, elbowing me suggestively from her seated position on the bench.

Ella angled her body further towards me, her fingers threaded on her lap. “Sorry, I’m back to talking about guys again. Believe it or not, I do have some other interests,” she promised.

I smiled and met her halfway, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. “What’s your type?” I quizzed.

Her expression brightened. She was obviously relieved that I’d jumped on board the boy train of discussion.

“Tall and dark, the usual I suppose, but older guys definitely. I can’t be doing with guys my age; immature and too wrapped up in the haze of their own self-righteous farts.”

I full-on grinned at the fart comment and agreed about the older guy thing, but how old were we talking? She’d mentioned the word ‘ancient’ a minute ago. Maybe she was dating someone’s dad on the quiet, hence the weirdness. I shook off the thought, her strange thought processes appeared to be contagious.

“How about you? What’s your type?” she volleyed.

I had the courtesy to look like I was thinking about it, but I felt quite bored with the conversation.

“I’m not sure really. I suppose tall, dark and handsome, the usual cliché.”

My thoughts roamed to Connor who unfortunately ticked all those boxes before I quickly added. “But personality is key for me. So, someone who is interested in me with a sense of fun and who listens and stuff. I can’t do with all that moody bullshit.” Boxes he most certainly did not tick thank you very much!

She then pointed out the obvious. Which again proved that it was well documented that Connor was a grumpy sod and not just with me. Anna had said the same.

As if reading my thoughts, she chucked. “Connor’s out of luck then. He can be a right moody twat.”

My smile widened and I nodded. “He’s also my stepbrother.”

“He’s fucking gorgeous though; to look at I mean. Don’t you think so?”

And there it was as she finally cut to the chase.

That’s why she’d come to see me, to grill the new girl to see if she had any intentions of making a move on her possible crush. She had a thing for Connor and felt threatened. That had to be it, hence the atmosphere.

Adrenalin pumped through me. I hated that just the sound of Connor’s name did something funny to my insides.

I cocked my head, constructing my reply carefully. It was the only obvious answer, she fancied Connor, that’s why her behaviour was so weird.

“Totally not my thing, too angsty for me and too much like hard work,” I almost choked the words out with a gruff voice. ‘Act indifferent’ my head yelled at me. The words sounded so forced and Ella raised her eyebrows as if to say ‘busted’.

“So, you do fancy Connor then?”

I bit back a long sigh and gritted my teeth.

My face must have been a picture and I babbled my reply again, with a bit too much force.

“No way, not even slightly.”

Her eyes narrowed into slits as they assessed my face and she leaned forwards, her jean clad thigh brushing my own before commencing her interrogation. “ You’re kidding right? You have to be. You’ve seen the guns on the guy? He’s fit as fuck.” The look of disbelief on her face was laughable. “You don’t think Connor Barratt is smoking hot?”

She spoke like the thought of me not being attracted to my stepbrother was totally unpalatable.

I needed to do some damage control quickly or it would be all around the village that I fancied my own stepbrother. He’d love that too! I had watched plenty of those small village-based TV shows so I knew what these tight-knit communities were like for gossip. Proper curtain twitchers. I’d literally just arrived and there was no way I wanted to be the main topic of the gossip. This girl was probably their ring leader.

“OK, I admit it, he’s good-looking. But he isn’t my type. Too aggressive and much too big,” I lied.

She gave me a knowing look. No doubt every female in these parts found Connor attractive with his perfectly sculptured body and bad-boy vibe. “If you say so. Heard he’s big everywhere too,” she added in a dirty voice.

There was now a definite ‘whatever’ tone to her voice, which was interesting. Surely if she was interested in my stepbrother, my news would have been welcomed. She obviously didn’t believe me.

Silence fell between us and I shooed my tongue out of its hiding place.

“As I said, the guy’s now family,” I pointed out, sounding like a broken record.

Ella crossed her legs and sat straighter as if preparing herself to dissect the subject; a definite ‘getting down to the nitty gritty’ type of stance.

“I suppose so, but it’s not like you’re related by blood or anything.”

I pursed my lips. She was right of course, but I needed to nip it in the bud. Our conversation was heading into dangerous waters for me. Imagine if Connor found out what his presence did to my heartbeat, no doubt he’d love to throw that in my face.

I knew I couldn’t totally lie and say I thought him a complete toad. She was shrewd, she’d see straight through that. “I admit it, the guy’s fit but well, he could probably use a personality transplant. He’s been nothing but horrible to me since we first met.”

There, I’d said it .

The truth of my comment made her smile widen but she had an odd look in her eye as she turned slowly away, staring vacantly out into the yard.

“Believe me, I totally know where you’re coming from. He can be a nasty bastard and you won’t have seen the half of it yet. Stay on his good side, you don’t want to be on Connor’s shit list.” Her advice was a little late, I was already on it from the way he had treated me so far.

Ella pursed her lips thoughtfully before adding. “Moody, controlling men are attractive though, aren’t they? Connor gives most of the girl’s full-on fanny flutters.”

The laugh left my body at light speed. Her comment was pretty disgusting but funny nonetheless. It was a new one for me, but I totally knew what she meant.

Now the ice had well and truly been smashed to smithereens. Her language isn’t the type I would have chosen to use, especially in the company of someone I had literally just met but it lightened the tone.

I didn’t want to appear like the prude she’d alluded to earlier so I just smiled and moved the discussion on. “Anyway, as you say, he’s a good-looking guy. I imagine he already has a girlfriend?” Again, I attempted to make myself sound disinterested as if I was talking about the weather.

Her reply was amusing, even though I felt a twinge of jealousy.

“Oh, he has lots of girls. I’m not sure if any of them are his friends though,” Ella smirked.

I decided to go for a counter-attack. “Anyway, why all the talk about Connor? Is he the boy you alluded to earlier? If you do fancy him, it isn’t a problem for me. I won’t say anything to anyone.”

I watched as she shrugged and kicked at a pebble with her foot. “It wouldn’t do me any good if I did.” I noticed she didn’t answer the question which was interesting.

She spoke almost as if she were talking to herself, her voice reflective and before I could encourage her to elaborate, she changed the subject swiftly to fashion.

“Love your converse by the way,” she declared.

“Thanks—I like your hoodie. ”

We spoke about the shops in the village and a new online clothing store that had recently launched before Ella pretty much tripped me up with an out of the blue comment. “You made up with your dad then?”

My mouth dropped open. Where had that come from?

She sent me a semi-apologetic look. “Sorry, I’m a nosy bitch. I just heard that you hadn’t spoken in a while.”

“No, it’s fine. We’re good. It’s just been a busy time with school and stuff.”

Ella asked me about school and what exams I had taken and then explained that she’d recently finished hers. Her grades had not been what she had hoped for and I got the feeling she was probably walking in the shadow of her older brother. A future veterinarian was a hard one to follow.

Ella said she was intending running her own gardening business one day and loved the outdoors. She spoke about how she had helped to re-landscape a few of the gardens in the village.

“Anyways, I had better head back home. My house is only around half a mile up the lane. In walking-distance and so please do drop by whenever Connor is being a twat. Or if you just need to hide,” she offered brightly.

Ella clambered to her feet and offered her hand to pull me up. Her fingers were cold.

“You’re OK Harlow, thanks for listening to all my bollocks. And, please don’t worry about Connor. He’s a moody fucker with everyone. He’s pretty much lord of the village and does what the fuck he wants and everyone just accepts that,” she said in a matter-of-fact way, dusting off her jeans with her hands. “His dad pretty much fucked him up for life. Damaged goods and all that.” So I was correct in my ‘damaged’ assessment of Connor.

She didn’t elaborate on her last comment. She was probably referring to his parents’ divorce. I felt a twinge of annoyance as my parents had divorced and yet I managed not to be a bitch to everyone!

I straightened and pulled my top down which had rolled up slightly, revealing my stomach.

“You sound like you care about him. Maybe there’s more there than you think?”

I decided to go in for the kill as she’d ignored me the first time and anyway, I imagined most girls in the village would fancy Connor. I hated the fact that I cared so much about that.

Her eyebrows crinkled.

“We’re mates really and we’re in the same friendship group and so it’s sort of not allowed. Funny what is and isn’t allowed. Village life can be so restrictive. Especially when everyone knows everyone. Secrets are hard out here Harlow, you’ll see.”

Her stare was pensive and her shoulders slumped. I took this as a sign that I needed to remove myself from this situation. I was certainly no agony aunt and did I want to know about the secrets of the village just yet? That was a big fat no. As my eyes assessed this girl’s stance, I’d say she carried a fair share of those on her shoulders.

“Well, if you ever need to talk. I’m a good listener,” I offered, lying through my teeth. I so wasn’t ready for the type of high school drama I was trying to run from.

My words seemed to soothe her mood and she brightened.

“Thanks. That’d be cool. Anyway, when you meet the guys, please do take everything they say with a pinch of salt. Country boys get bored quickly and after Tom’s comments, you’re the new bright penny.”

“Thanks for the advice but don’t worry. I’m looking forward to some boy free time. Dad is the only man I am interested in right now.”

I now wasn’t really sure I was that bothered about meeting ‘the guys’ at all. They sounded like trouble and I hated players.

“It was Connor who called you Barbie, by the way, he can be such a cock.”

I hadn’t really needed her to tell me that it was Connor who’d compared me to a Barbie doll. Rotten sod.

“I just didn’t want you to think it was Tom. He wouldn’t say something like that. He’s a tool but he’s one of the nice guys. An actual gent which is rare for village boys who have all been dragged up rather than brought up. Agriculture is rough boy’s work.”

I nodded. “I understand and as for the Barbie thing. That’s fine, Connor called me that the first time we met,” I confessed, thinking back to the party .

“Spiteful git,” Ella said, grimacing. “Although is it actually an insult? I’d fricking love to look like Barbie, she’s perfect,” she pointed out upon reflection.

“Believe me, the way he said it, he meant it as one.”

Her face almost contorted

“I wouldn’t be so sure. He literally warned the others to keep their distance. Why would he do that do you think?” Ella questioned quietly. She had a point of course but the guy was downright mean. He wouldn’t behave like that towards someone he fancied surely? Unless he was totally socially awkward which of course he was. I batted off the thought.

“Anyway, who knows with that one? He isn’t easy to read. I wouldn’t tell him we’ve been speaking about him. He’d be pissed and a pissed Connor is not a good Connor,” Ella warned as we stopped by the front door of the house.

I couldn’t stop the bitter snort that escaped from my mouth.

“I wouldn’t worry about that. We aren’t close.”

Ella nodded her understanding.

“It’s hard, isn’t it? I don’t think I’ll ever understand how a guy’s head works. Especially the controlling types. Be nice to understand what makes them tick.”

She was thinking about the guy she wanted, I still hadn’t ruled out that this could be Connor but either way she wasn’t quite ready to share. We’d known each other all of twenty minutes and so this came as no shock.

“I take it you’re talking about this guy you like?”

She flashed me a look and I immediately regretted my words. There was something she wasn’t saying and I read a deep sadness in her. I was now well and truly confused.

Ella turned to face me and gave me her passing shot.

“Relationships out here are tough. Village life is closed off and can feel very isolating, yet everyone seems to know your shit, or at least they think they do. It will be interesting to see how you get on Harlow. You’ll have to let me know if Tom gets on your tits and I’ll have a word and please do prepare yourself for the others, they’ll be all over you like a rash, I’m sure. Even in spite of Connor’s ‘off limits’ warning.”

I suddenly had an image of hairy, weathered faced men in dungarees, waving pitch forks and panting heavily. It was comical really .

Ella now looked fed up and I decided to snap her out of it, she was bigging me up and felt insecure. I was used to it. I saw it all the time in my friends.

“OK, well thanks for the warning and as for you being seen as one of the boys, that’s rubbish. If I were a guy I would, you remind me of Belle from Beauty of the Beast,” I grinned with raised eyebrows.

Her face creased in the semblance of a smile but it didn’t quite reach her eyes and I was being fairly sincere. She wasn’t totally unfortunate looking; yes, her eyes were a bit on the big side but was that really a flaw?

Ella shrugged me off with an air of polite indifference. “That’s sweet and thank you I guess.”

Anna suddenly appeared in the doorway and began sweeping the gravel off the front step, looking her usual windswept self.

“Sorry Ladies,” she chuckled as she showered us with a cloud of dust.

We moved to the side and I touched Ella’s arm to try and show her that I wanted us to be friends. “Look, thanks for coming to see me, and don’t worry, I shall tread carefully with the farm boys,” I reassured her with a pointed look. I was pleased I’d kept my cool.

One of Ella’s bushy eyebrows curved and she tilted her jaw to deliver what I took as a pensive stare, her eyes roaming over my face. “As I said, like a rash.”

I felt a frisson of something heat my spine. I narrowed my eyes, cutting her a hard look. “I suppose we’ll see.”

“I suppose we will,” she mirrored. She still saw me as a threat but in respect of who was anyone’s guess.

I decided to bury it. She gave me her number and I put it in my phone and said I’d call her mobile and hang up. I was relieved as the banter had been like being on a see-saw.

I watched her as she walked away, my eyes burning into the back of her head as Anna came to stand beside me. We stood in silence for a moment staring as Ella departed down the driveway.

“Poor girl. She’s had a funny time of it recently.”

Really? It sounded like farm life was much more interesting than I had once thought. I schooled my irritation at her empathy.

“Really, in what way? ”

“There were whispers around the village that she got herself into trouble earlier this year.”

Her revelation didn’t really need a footnote, but I wanted to shake the actual words out of her.

“No, sorry, what do you mean?”

She sighed and tucked a strand of frizzy hair back over her ear. “There was a pregnancy rumour. It was probably just mean talk. It happens way out here too you know; silly girls and boys making up stories.”

What the actual fuck? I almost choked. “Are you sure there wasn’t any truth in it?” I questioned, uncertainty whooshing into me as I thought about Ella’s ‘complicated’ comment and strange behaviour.

Leaning on the broom, Anna pushed her free hand into the pocket of her dusty apron before she replied. “No, not really and if she did get pregnant, she must have got rid of it as no one ever saw a baby. She left town for a while, went abroad travelling around America and that’s when the questions started. She went backwards and forwards over the space of a few months and seemed to calm down a bit. Less into the partying and became more reserved. She’d grown up I suppose.” And there was the reason for the occasional twang. She’d travelled around America.

A sick feeling hit my stomach. How awful! The poor girl being the brunt of such horrible gossip; if it was gossip.

But if it was true? My heart and my mind were momentarily paralysed as a surreal thought floated to the surface. I turned to Anna, getting straight to the point.

“Was there talk as to who the father was? I mean, if there were any truth to it?” I asked.

There was a beat or two before she answered; her expression now vacant.

“Anna?” I prompted and she shot me an apologetic look.

“Sorry, there was talk of course but that’s all it was. It’s died down now thank goodness,” Anna replied at last, her weathered face full of sympathy. Technically she hadn’t answered my question and I wondered why.

A strange taste spilled into my mouth; like I’d been sucking on metal.

Could Connor have been the father of said alleged baby? That would surely explain her weirdness and obsession with talking about the guy. Maybe they’d kept their affair a secret?

Although, during our Connor related discussion, she’d seemed the most at ease. Wouldn’t she have given something away at that point?

My brain had actually started to ache and I shooed away the thoughts. Who cared right? Connor Barratt and Ella Wade were not my business.

I released the breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. To hell with the drama, I would certainly not be getting involved in it.

It was just annoying that I couldn’t swallow that feeling of upset. Was this why my stepbrother had issues because he’d knocked his friend up? Surely that would be enough to mess with anyone’s head.

My meanderings were interrupted when Dad suddenly appeared from the house in his work clothes and I filed away the rest of the troublesome questions in my head. For now, thoughts about Connor Barratt could do one.

“You ready?” Dad piped in warmly, his weathered face now clean-shaven. He looked so much younger without the bristle.

I swallowed down another one of those lumps and constructed my reply.

“Absolutely.” I grinned. All concerns of knocked-up teenagers forgotten... for now.