Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm (Hollyhock Farm #2)

Chapter 34

34

ZAC

Zac watched Melody speaking with her grandmother while Lettie stood at the sink near Callum, washing her hands, and explained to Lindy all about their encounter with Rhys. Melody looked exhausted.

‘How are you holding up after everything that’s happened?’

‘I feel emotionally drained.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ Lindy said, opening her arms and pulling Melody into a hug. ‘I’m very proud of you for standing up to that beastly man. And proud of the rest of you for forcing him to get on that ferry.’ She rested a hand on Melody’s shoulder. ‘You must feel better knowing he’s definitely left the island now.’

Melody didn’t react immediately and Zac suspected she was unsure about how long it might be before Rhys took another chance and came back to the island.

Wanting to reassure Melody, he said, ‘I think Callum telling Rhys about his friends at both ports should make him think twice before he gets any stupid notion about coming back here again.’

Her shoulders relaxed slightly and he was glad to see his reminder seemed to have helped calm her.

‘That’s true,’ Melody said. ‘Hopefully even Rhys won’t be that silly. I have to admit, it is a huge relief to have stood up to him and then see the back of him.’

No one spoke for a few seconds.

‘Enough of this seriousness,’ Lindy said. ‘It’s a beautiful evening and I’ve decided we’re going to make the most of it and eat outside. You can all help take out crockery, cutlery and everything we need.’

Ten minutes later they were all seated on the terrace and everyone seemed much happier, Zac noticed.

‘This is fun,’ Melody said.

‘Mum likes to make the most of the late summer weather and we tend to have a lot of meals outside.’

‘I don’t blame her,’ Melody said. She looked around her. ‘This is the perfect summer scene.’

Zac had grown up eating outside on this terrace with various groups of his parents’ friends joining them for evenings such as this one. He tried to look at it through her eyes. There were neatly set-up tables and as always, on occasions like this, his father was standing in front of his barbecue, wearing his favourite ‘Cooks Are In Charge’ apron he had bought himself years before, concentrating on turning over steaks and sausages with a huge pair of metal tongs. The smell of cooking made Zac’s stomach rumble and mouth water. ‘I can see what you mean.’

‘Barbecues weren’t really something my family ever tended to do.’ She pointed to the oak posts cemented into the ground on either side of the terrace. ‘I mean, someone has taken the time to string lights across each one.’ She sighed. ‘I’m looking forward to when it’s dark and I can see the full effect. And that,’ she added. ‘Over there.’

Zac gazed across the vast lawn, neatly mowed with huge pine trees that must be hundreds of years old growing in several places, giving much-needed shade. One of them had a huge branch with a swing hanging from it.

‘No doubt that was set up for you and Lettie?’

He thought back to their childhoods – they had been idyllic, he now realised. ‘The original rope has been replaced, but yes, that was for me and Lettie.’

Brodie brought round a tray of drinks and Zac took one for Melody.

‘Fancy a Pimm’s?’

She nodded, taking the glass and thanking Brodie.

‘It’s Mum’s favourite. You can take out the mint and cucumber, if you’d rather not have them in there. You’ll also find slices of lemon, orange—’ Zac thought for a second ‘—and probably a strawberry.’ Zac grinned. ‘It’s more like a fruit salad than a drink when you think about it.’

She laughed. ‘It’s not far off it.’ She took a sip and groaned in delight. ‘Now that is delicious.’

He drank from his glass. She was right – it was delicious.

‘I’ve had quite a few of these over the years but this is the tastiest by far.’

Seeing a shadow cross her face, Zac moved closer to her. ‘How are you feeling after the dramas with Rhys in town the other day?’

She shrugged. ‘I’m fine really. Still a bit stunned by his nerve coming here and behaving like he did, but relieved he’s gone.’

Zac checked no one was looking in their direction and gave her a quick kiss.

‘What’s that for?’ Melody smiled.

‘Does there have to be a reason?’ he asked, wishing they had some time alone together without the chance of anyone interrupting them. He had an idea. ‘If I arranged something, just for you and me, overnight, would you mind?’

She stared at him thoughtfully for a few seconds, and he wished he could tell what she was thinking. Then Zac felt Melody’s hand slip into his. ‘I’d like that very much,’ she whispered.

His heart raced at the thought of the two of them with time on their hands, alone. ‘You seem very certain about that,’ he teased.

‘That’s because I am.’ She kissed him. ‘So, where were you thinking of taking me for this rendezvous then?’

He tapped the side of his nose. ‘That’s for me to know and you to wait and find out.’

Melody looked deep into his eyes. ‘You don’t know yet, do you?’

He laughed. ‘Fine, no, I don’t. To be honest, the idea only just occurred to me.’

‘Because we never have time by ourselves and we’ll be parting ways soon, you mean?’

He saw the sadness in her face at the mention of them having to say their goodbyes in a week. ‘Exactly that.’

She took a sip from her drink. ‘I’m taking so many amazing memories home with me and to have a night together alone with you will, I’m sure, be perfect.’

He felt his mood deflate slightly. ‘You don’t think that maybe it’ll make things even harder than they’re already going to be after we do this?’

She nodded. ‘Most probably, but I wouldn’t let that put me off, and I imagine you won’t either.’

He shook his head. ‘Hell, no.’

Lindy banged a tray with a serving spoon, making Melody jump and Zac roll his eyes in irritation. ‘Why she can’t just call out to us, I don’t know.’

Melody went to go to the table, just as it dawned on Zac exactly where he would take her. He only hoped there was availability. It was still not quite autumn and there were a lot of holidaymakers on the island. He walked next to her to the tables. ‘I know exactly where I’m going to take you,’ he whispered.

Melody stopped walking and looked up at him. ‘Where?’ she asked, an excited look on her tanned face.

‘You’ll have to wait and see.’

After supper, when Lettie had left to spend the rest of her evening at Brodie’s cottage, Patsy had retired to her room to continue working on her next book and his parents were in the sitting room watching something on the television, Zac suggested he and Melody go for a drink at the pub.

‘It’s a beautiful evening and if this winter is anything like that last one, we should make the most of the warm weather while we have it.’

Half an hour later Zac left Melody to get comfortable at the last table outside the pub, nestled among tubs of colourful trailing geraniums and ivy, while he went inside to buy their drinks. When he came outside, he stopped on the doorstep and watched the girl he loved for a few seconds. She was gentle and kind to everyone and there was something refreshing in the way she never seemed to try to fit in with current fashions, or the usual social-media-influenced women he usually dated.

Melody seemed to sense his arrival and looked up, smiling at him and causing Zac’s stomach to flip over. She really was the perfect woman for him in every way. ‘You were quick.’

He placed their drinks on the circular metal table and sat opposite her. ‘I think my timing was spot on. There’s a large group of people in there being served just after me and they’ll probably want to come outside like the rest of us.’ He raised his glass to her. ‘To a happy last week of your visit.’

‘It’s all going far too quickly,’ Melody said. Zac listened as she told him how much she and Patsy had enjoyed their time on the island. ‘It’s been wonderful getting to know your family and friends. And we’ve loved living on the farm. It’s such a peaceful, pretty place.’

‘I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your time there.’

She took a sip of her drink then set it down and rested her elbows on the table and her chin into the palm of one hand. ‘We’ve loved every moment. I know we’re both sad that our time here is almost over.’ She looked around while he watched her wistfully, wishing he could persuade her to stay. ‘Even this village is like something from a picture book.’ She sighed.

‘You don’t have to go.’ He said the words without meaning to. He knew she was close to her grandmother and couldn’t imagine Patsy wanting to stay long term when she had a home and family back in Scotland to return to.

‘I don’t want to,’ she said, gazing into his eyes. ‘I’ve been happier here than I have been for a very long time. And most of that is due to meeting you and spending time with you. You’ve made this trip very memorable for lots of reasons, Zac.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll miss the farm and your family but most of all I’ll miss you, very much.’

He reached out and took her hands in his, happy they had found each other. ‘You know my mum has offered for you to stay on at the farm and I know she meant what she said.’ He watched her expression change and before she even told him her answer he knew what it would be.

‘I can’t think of anything nicer, I really can’t, but I came with Gran and need to go back with her. And then there’s my divorce. I want to get that sorted as soon as I can. I still need to have a talk with my mother about this and explain more about what’s gone on between Rhys and I, and I won’t feel free of him until the divorce has been finalised.’

He understood and said so. ‘There’s no reason you can’t come back again though once Patsy’s settled back at home and everything with Rhys has been sorted out, is there?’ he asked hopefully.

‘It might not be that easy though.’ She looked as if she was struggling to contain her emotions. ‘The thing is that Gran is used to me helping with her podcasts.’ He wasn’t sure what that had to do with Melody not coming back but didn’t like to question her.

‘She’s always been there for me and I feel obliged to be there for her whenever she needs me. I’ve also got the sketches for her next book to finish. I’m sorry,’ she said miserably. ‘I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but I can’t let her down now, especially not when she’s always been there for me.’ She took his hands in hers and looked down at them. ‘Anyway, I enjoy spending time with her and want to make the most of having her around.’ She reached up and rested her hand on his right cheek. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Zac tried to hide his disappointment but could tell by the guilty look on her face that she realised how he was feeling. ‘There’s no need to apologise. We can’t always have what we want.’ He thought back to his previous relationship and why it had ended too abruptly.

She drank some of her lager. ‘Maybe if you get any gigs near our home, then you could come and visit us. We could spend some time together, maybe, and go out together?’

He loved that she was trying to find ways to make sure their relationship, for what it was, didn’t have to end with her leaving Jersey. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it wasn’t an ending either. Not really. He would find a way to make things work somehow. Maybe he could only agree to tours around the United Kingdom, so they could see each other regularly. He told her his thoughts.

‘I like that idea,’ Melody said happily.

‘Good. It’s a start.’ He smiled at her. ‘I might have spent the summer here on the island, but as you know I have a tour coming up. I can’t afford to refuse too many jobs or I’ll lose out on some of my more lucrative gigs, but hopefully it won’t be too long until I’ll be on the mainland again.’

She beamed at him and he was relieved to see that she had truly meant what she said about hoping to see him again. ‘That makes me very happy,’ she said, raising her glass to say cheers.

‘Me too.’ He tapped his glass against hers, then stood and leant over the table to kiss her. Their tentative plans weren’t perfect by any means, but what they had already proposed was better than nothing. A lot better.

It dawned on him that maybe this was the best way forward for now. After all, this way they would have the chance to spend more time together and get to know each other better. Then, maybe Melody would find a way to come back and give island life another go.