Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm (Hollyhock Farm #2)

Chapter 21

21

ZAC

Zac was conflicted. On the one hand he couldn’t wait for the festival to be over and get back to some sense of normality. On the other hand, he knew that when it was over Melody would probably be heading back to Scotland with her grandmother and he would be setting off on tour for a few months. The thought saddened him. He wasn’t ready to part ways with her. He wondered if he would ever be ready.

He and Melody had been given the job of adding the final businesses to the marketing page on their website and finalising the programme, and so far it had taken them hours. Six long hours. As much as he resented being inside and having to sit still for so long and stare at a screen on such a beautiful day, at least he was spending the time with Melody.

He was relieved their friendship, if that’s what it was, appeared to be back on track and the awkwardness they had felt after their kiss and Callum’s arrival at the farm that same night had gone. He enjoyed her company the more he got to know her, but she still hadn’t confided in him any further about her ex and their relationship. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t know how serious her past relationship had been. He liked her and thankfully she seemed to like him. Melody was a free spirit like her gran and the pair of them had certainly brought a fun atmosphere to Hollyhock Farm.

Right now Lettie was with Patsy delivering posters to be put up at the library, cafés and bookshops. He and Melody had produced them and he had been impressed with her idea to add a QR code to promotional material for people to scan and see the latest version of the programme and buy their tickets.

‘I have a feeling you, me, Patsy and Lettie are probably going to need to treat ourselves to some of the treatments on offer at this festival.’

‘Especially your sister,’ Melody said, leaning forward and peering at the screen. She clicked the mouse a couple of times. ‘There. I think that’s it. At least I hope it is.’ She sat back and closed her eyes, pressing the heels of her palms against them.

He heard Lettie’s voice chatting to Patsy seconds before they entered the study.

‘Oh dear, that bad, is it?’ Patsy asked, walking in and leaning on the desk.

Melody lowered her hands and stretched. ‘We’ve been in here the entire time you two have been out.’

‘How are you getting on?’ Lettie asked, walking around their father’s desk to have a look over Zac’s shoulder at the programme on the screen. ‘You’re coming along well.’

‘So we should be,’ Zac groaned. ‘We’ve taken long enough to get this far.’

Melody gave Zac a gentle nudge in his ribs. ‘Take no notice of him – he’s fed up because I’m a perfectionist.’ Zac heard the amusement in her tone but knew there was some truth in what she was saying. ‘We’ve also updated the spreadsheet with all the new additions, like the rubber flooring we’ve had to hire for the class areas in the barns and any costings that have come in over the past few days.’

Lettie groaned. ‘Urgh, I hate to think how much this is costing us when we initially planned on doing it to make money.’

‘I’m sure you’ll make some money,’ Patsy said. ‘We just need enough people to come along and pay their entrance fee.’

‘The festival will pay dividends,’ Melody assured Lettie. ‘We just need to make sure enough attendees come along on both days so that those with stands do well.’

‘I’m sure they will,’ Zac said.

He felt Lettie give his shoulder a slight squeeze. ‘Maybe you can contact Callum and ask him to give the festival another shout-out on his show, to remind people about it.’

He knew it made sense. ‘I will but I’m not sure whether he’s back on the island yet.’

‘Give him a call and find out then,’ Lettie said, walking back around the desk and pulling a face at him. ‘Honestly, is there something going on between you and Callum?’

‘No.’ Zac sensed he had answered a little too quickly by the way his sister’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ‘Why would you think that?’ He hoped she couldn’t tell he was bluffing.

Lettie shrugged. ‘I thought he’d given up doing all that modelling.’

So had Zac. ‘Maybe they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,’ he suggested. ‘I don’t know.’

Lettie sighed wearily. ‘Would you prefer it if I called him?’

Feeling silly for making a big deal about speaking to his best friend, Zac shook his head. ‘No, of course not. I’ll call him in a bit.’

Melody stood and, pressing her hands to her sides, stretched backwards. ‘I’ve been sitting for far too long.’

Seeing an opportunity to call Callum in private, Zac held his hands out to the three women. ‘Why don’t the three of you go and take it easy for a bit? I’ll finish up in here, then make that call to Callum and I’ll catch up with you later.’

He watched them go and sat back in his chair, trying to think what to say when his friend answered his call.