Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm (Hollyhock Farm #2)

Chapter 20

20

MELODY

Two weeks later

Melody couldn’t believe they were already in September. The weather was still warm, but the forecast was for a cold front to pass over the island and Brittany over the following few days. The festival was in a week’s time and everyone was concerned that the inclement weather would hamper their preparations, or worse, cause disruption to the festival itself. She really hoped it wouldn’t happen, especially after all the hard work everyone had done to make it a success.

‘The worst thing,’ Lettie said to her and Patsy as they sat eating a cooked breakfast on the terrace overlooking the garden, ‘will be if people need to camp but are unable to due to heavy winds or rain.’

Melody hoped the bad weather would pass the island by somehow. She hadn’t been in Jersey long but was aware that the island was small enough to miss odd showers that passed by. She desperately wanted to help Lettie resolve her concerns.

‘I think that camping outside will be fine but maybe we could set up an area with tables and chairs in the barn where people can eat in the evenings, or sit and chat to each other.’

Lettie finished her mouthful and gave Melody’s comment some thought. ‘We could keep aside some space for that. I will need to be able to house some of the animals if the weather’s bad though.’

Determined to help find a solution, Melody tried to come up with another alternative.

Melody saw Patsy’s expression change. Then her grandmother drank some of her tea and after placing her cup down on the saucer turned her attention to them. ‘I think giving over space for attendees to relax each night when the festival ends is a great idea. We can tidy the furniture away in the morning before that day’s programme begins, if necessary.’

‘Hmm,’ Lettie said, clasping her hands together and narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. ‘We’ve hired portaloos for the site, and as the event is over two days we’ll need to offer shower facilities too.’

‘Yes, that’s what I was thinking,’ Melody agreed. ‘Maybe keep one of the smaller storerooms for people’s personal belongings.’

‘I don’t foresee too many people wanting to camp here,’ Lettie said. ‘It’s only a small island and I’m sure most people will want to go home at the end of the day.’

By the time they finished breakfast, Melody knew that Lettie was feeling much calmer about the weather forecast. Melody was beginning to look forward to the entire thing being over with and getting back to her sketches and helping Lettie with harvesting produce and looking after the animals. That was more than enough work as far as she was concerned.

‘Where will you find camp beds though?’ Zac asked, coming out to join them. She saw him look at the food on their places. ‘Hey, where’s mine?’

‘You know where the kitchen is,’ Lettie said. ‘If you’d have got out of your bed as early as we did, then I’m sure Patsy would have cooked some for you.’ He grumbled something and went back into the house.

‘Going back to what you were saying,’ Lettie said, chewing her lower lip. ‘I’ll give some thought about who hires out camping gear on the island.’

‘It is still a busy time of year, so we really should enquire about it soon,’ Melody suggested. ‘Zac seems to know most people here,’ she said. ‘Maybe he could give someone a call,’ she added, realising that might be the better option.

She hadn’t seen much of Callum since the barbecue a few days before because he had been away on a modelling shoot somewhere. Zac had seemed quieter since that evening too and somehow kept himself busy with jobs for the upcoming festival. If he wasn’t delivering leaflets, he was putting up posters. He had met with a couple of late sponsors and there always seemed to be emails to respond to and calls to take.

Melody wasn’t sure if him being constantly busy was due to his discomfort about the two of them kissing. She suspected it might be, especially as he and Callum were good friends. Maybe though, Zac’s distancing himself had something to do with him discovering she had only recently gone through a difficult break-up, and he wanted to give her space to come to terms with that? Whatever it was, she missed having him around as much as he had been before.

‘Yes, please. That would be perfect.’ Lettie gave her a thumbs up.

Melody tried to retrace her train of thought to understand what Lettie was talking about. Remembering her suggestion, she said, ‘I’ll ask Zac to make some calls.’

Melody watched Lettie lean back in her chair. She sighed happily. ‘This is finally all coming together. Although I’m beginning to wonder why I ever thought this might be a good idea. I suspect this is going to end up costing more in time and effort than we’ll ever see back in revenue.’

When Zac joined Melody and Lettie up at the top field later that day, Melody explained to him about the camp bed idea. ‘We were wondering if you had any thoughts about how to source some? We only need them for the two days of the festival.’

Lettie walked on ahead, continuing to harvest the beetroot crop they had been busy working through.

He thought for a moment. ‘I might be able to come up with something. We have a few hire shops over here but apart from a carpet cleaner I hired once, I’ve no idea what else they might stock.’

‘Carpet cleaner?’ She grinned, unable to help herself picturing him with his sleeves rolled up and an apron around his waist.

‘Er, I can see by the expression on your face that you’re having unnecessary thoughts about me.’

‘Unnecessary?’ Melody laughed. She wasn’t sure what he meant but by the cheeky expression on his face could take a good guess. It was a relief to have Zac back to how he usually was around her. ‘I am not.’

‘No? Then what were you thinking, because it wasn’t about the carpet cleaner – I’m certain about that.’

She giggled, enjoying their fun flirtation. ‘I was imagining you with a pinny around your waist.’

His eyes widened. ‘I hope I was wearing something underneath.’

Melody threw her head back in laughter. ‘Of course you were. Honestly, what do you take me for?’ Although now he had asked the question, her thoughts raced back to him lying on top of her kissing her in a way she had only ever imagined being kissed before. The thought of his toned arms as he lowered himself onto her and how his muscular back would feel under her fingers made her mouth go dry.

He raised an eyebrow and she realised he was watching her, a smile on his face. Could he sense what she was thinking? ‘Fine. I am thinking that,’ she fibbed, ‘but I wasn’t until you said something about not wearing any clothes.’

‘Nosedive?’ Patsy asked, a glint in her pale blue eyes as she walked up behind Melody.

Melody closed her eyes, mortified to have the attention on them. There was nothing wrong with her grandmother’s hearing; that much was obvious. She racked her brains to come up with a believable answer but couldn’t think of anything.

Patsy noticed Lettie. ‘I’m not sure why the pair of you are standing here messing about when poor Lettie is doing all the work.’ She picked up a basket by Melody’s feet and handed it to her. ‘Come along then. It’s not as if any of us have time to stand around chatting.’

Zac went to pick up one of the sacks Lettie had left on the ground waiting to be filled while Melody followed her grandmother. He was soon walking next to her again and Melody felt her hand brush his before taking hold of it.

‘I’m sorry I’ve been distant,’ he said, holding her back slightly to give some distance between them and Patsy.

‘It’s fine,’ she said, enjoying having his hand holding hers.

She had rarely held hands with Rhys and loved the feel of Zac’s skin against hers. His hands weren’t soft like her ex’s who spent his time working at a computer. She liked the firmness of Zac’s grip. Of every part of him that she had come across so far. Not that she had come across much, apart from his arms and back, but she had also felt his hard stomach when she had pulled him against her in the meadow and they had kissed. His lips. Now they were probably the best part of him, she decided. His lips against hers. Forgetting she was supposed to be looking where she was going, she felt his hand pull on hers, only just managing to stop her slamming into the back of her grandmother.

‘What are you doing?’ Patsy asked, spinning round to face her.

Zac let go of her hand. ‘Sorry, Gran,’ she said. ‘I was thinking about something else.’

She saw Zac smile from the corner of her eye and wondered if he had been thinking similar thoughts to hers.

She wasn’t sure how long she and Zac would have this connection, or if they had any future at all, especially as she was supposed to be returning to Scotland in a month when her time at Hollyhock Farm came to an end, but she had no intention of thinking about that too deeply today. Today she was happy and wanted to keep that joy in her heart for as long as possible.