All Wrapped Up, page 30
She gave me another long-suffering look which I read to mean, I wish you would.
‘Come on then,’ I said. ‘And if I lose my bottle and don’t say anything, at least seeing him again will consolidate my feelings and I’ll know what I’m truly up against.’
With my mind made up to use Ash’s own I just happened to be passing phrase as justification for my randomly dropping by, I unclipped Pixie from her harness and walked up the path to the door. My finger was poised to ring the doorbell when I saw, through the glass door side panel, an internal door open and a woman, wrapped in a rather small towel and with her wet hair snaking over her shoulders, walk out of what I presumed must be the bathroom. She was laughing and said something over her shoulder to whoever she was with. Obviously, I didn’t watch for long enough to see who that was.
‘Shit,’ I muttered, as I picked Pixie up to aid a speedier and hopefully invisible getaway. ‘Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.’
I tiptoed back along the path and launched Pixie on to the passenger seat.
‘I’ll strap you in, in a minute,’ I told her and rushed around to the driver’s side, but to no avail.
‘Hello!’ called the woman from the now open barn door. ‘Are you looking for Ash? Only he’s—’
‘No, no,’ I immediately interjected because I absolutely did not need to hear her explanation of where he was. ‘I’m not. In fact, I don’t know who that is. I’ve just realised I’ve got the wrong place. So sorry to have disturbed you.’
I left her looking bewildered as with more speed than grace I reversed the Land Rover back on to the road and shot off.
‘Oh well, Pixie,’ I said, trying to jolly her as well as myself along. ‘That’s one thing less for us to have to worry about, isn’t it? And at least I know now what I have to do. I’ll soon be able to shrug off unrequited love, won’t I? Not that I really think it was love. More like a silly crush or something.’
Pixie looked flummoxed as a result of being tossed about. And while I should have been feeling relieved that Ash had another woman in his shower and I wasn’t going to have to further battle my guilty feelings for him, I wasn’t comforted at all. What I actually was, was jealous. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying and sternly told myself that it would soon pass. I just needed to find something else to focus on, like the festival, while I got myself back in check and slotted Ash back into the friendzone he had no idea I’d pulled him out of.
‘Ash did tell you that he had room in his life for more than one woman, didn’t he?’ I said desperately to my canine chum. ‘And now we know what he meant, don’t we?’
Ash might not turn out be a one-woman man, but I was still a one-man woman and would always remain so.
* * *
I headed into town bright and early the next morning, with a slightly forced spring in my step and wearing a slightly strained smile to match it. I had taken my time over my hair, make up and outfit selection – brown low-heeled boots, jeans, a cashmere cream coloured sweater and leaf patterned scarf – and looked the best I could under the circumstances. My emotions were still swirling all over the place if left unchecked for three seconds together, but as long as I didn’t run into Ash and his mermaid companion, I thought I’d be fine.
‘So, families will be carving and painting their pumpkins in here,’ I said, as I swept efficiently through the town hall, with a clipboard and pen in my grasp, ‘and adults will be carving outside in the square, once the votes have been cast for the favourite dog outfit.’
The yarn bombers had really gone to town, knitting their selection of autumn outfits for dog owners to pick and dress their pooches in before taking to the catwalk. Or should that have been dogwalk?
I had attempted to turn Pixie into a crocheted pumpkin but just as I had suspected she would, she flatly refused to play ball and was now simply, and begrudgingly, wearing an autumn patterned bandana. I wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive me for tying it to her little head, but as the pooch belonging to the festival organiser, it felt important that she should play some part.
‘That’s it,’ said Kathleen, another town local who was as organised as I was and had tweaked the itinerary when some parents told her their children would rather paint than carve their pumpkins. ‘Warm drinks and snacks in here and on the market, and judging, for the carving competition after the dogs have been put through their fashionable places, happening at the end of the day.’
‘Super,’ I nodded, giving another item on my list a big tick. ‘And who will be serving the drinks and snacks in here?’
‘Only Dorothy, who is the cook from Wynthorpe Hall,’ Kathleen told me. ‘So, we might need to draft your deputy in to help with that if it gets really busy.’
‘No need to bother him with it,’ I said breezily. ‘I’m here. I can drop Pixie off at the gallery to stay with Lizzie and do it if needs be.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely,’ I said as Lizzie herself then rushed in with a tray of paints and brushes.
‘More supplies,’ she said, then added before she dashed out again, ‘and don’t forget to cover the tables. It will save time on cleaning up at the end of the day.’
‘Already on it,’ I told her. ‘Right, I’m going to check everything’s ready outside.’
It was another cloudy, but thankfully dry day. It would have been wonderful if the sun put in an appearance, but I’d rather have had the cloud than the rain we’d previously been subjected to. Not that I wanted to get sidetracked again thinking about the tumult the earlier weather had unleashed.
‘So,’ Jason, who was inspecting the large variety of pumpkins available to buy and carve in the competition, said expectantly, as he sidled up.
‘So…’ I said, drawing the word out and looking confused.
‘The vet,’ he said, a little too loudly for my liking. ‘What did he say?’
‘Oh, Ash,’ I said, moving away from where we could be overheard. ‘Nothing.’
‘You mean, he denied it?’ Jason frowned, as he followed me. ‘He actually told you he doesn’t have more than friendly feelings for you?’
‘I mean, I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to him yet, Jason. And actually, I’ve decided I’m not going to.’
‘You’re not?’ He sounded disappointed.
‘I’m not,’ I confirmed. ‘Because I know for a fact that your deductions about his feelings for me are entirely wrong and I would hate to ruin a beautiful friendship by bringing them up.’
‘How do you work that out?’
‘Because he’s seeing someone else,’ I said, grinding the words out. ‘And he can’t be in love with me if he’s seeing someone else, can he? Or if he is in love with me and still seeing someone else, then he’s certainly not the guy for me.’
‘I thought he wasn’t the guy for you, no matter what he felt?’ Jason said cleverly.
‘You know what I mean,’ I tutted. ‘Now, let me get on. Why don’t you go and select your prize-winning pumpkin? The competition is going to start as soon as the dogs have been judged.’
Pixie and I stood and watched the parading pooches in their array of autumn themed outfits. There were dogs of all sizes, including Bella’s spaniel, Tink, strutting their stuff and, for the most part, not looking too mortified. That said, the whippet dressed as a witch didn’t look overly impressed with life.
‘And the winner is,’ shouted the head of the yarn bombing squad, who had counted the show of hands from the large and laughing crowd who had gathered to watch, ‘the Yorkshire terrier dressed as a pumpkin!’
‘There, Pixie,’ I tutted, as the owner claimed their prize. ‘That could have been you.’
She didn’t look as though she cared either way and scratched at the bandana in another attempt to pull it off.
‘I’ve seen it all now,’ Jason said with a wry smile, before he went to claim the pumpkin he wanted to carve.
I watched him walk away thinking that at least the sight of the dogs dressed up had stopped him thinking about the man who looked after a lot of them.
I could then see that Jake and Amber, who were in charge of the pumpkin carving, were getting ready to call everyone together to explain the rules and make a start.
‘You haven’t seen my deputy, have you?’ I asked Joanne, who took Jason’s place next to me, once he’d gone off.
I still didn’t really want to see Ash, but there was plenty for us to do and we wouldn’t have to be together while we did it.
‘Jason wasn’t giving you a hard time, was he?’ Joanne scowled in his direction.
‘Absolutely not,’ I told her. ‘Did you not know he’s turned over a new autumn leaf?’
Not only had I still not told Ash that Jemma had found a note about the missing ballot box, I hadn’t spread the word about Jason now being a good guy either. My brain, since the night I’d realised I’d fallen for Ash, had been completely distracted and it was time I got it properly back on track.
‘Yeah, right!’ Joanne snorted, then seeing the look on my face, added, ‘You’re kidding?’
‘I am not.’
‘Really?’ She was agog.
‘Really. He’s all for the festival now. Look, he’s even joining in with the pumpkin carving. Apparently, he has plans to trounce the competition.’
‘I don’t believe it.’
‘Well, you must,’ I told her. ‘And you can spread the word about that. He’s an entirely different man now.’
‘I wonder what’s brought that on?’ she asked, and I noticed she had turned a little pink as a result of me suggesting she could share the news.
Clearly, she was still feeling guilty about revealing my identity as the person behind AutumnEverything, but I truly didn’t mind. Rather than being the nightmare I had once predicted, the revelation had set me free and stopped me being so guarded and preoccupied with putting my foot in it every time I opened my mouth. Being able to simply talk, as opposed to constantly planning what I was going to say, was liberating.
‘If Jason wants us to know, I’m sure he’ll tell us,’ I shrugged, because his story wasn’t mine to tell. ‘Now, any thoughts on my deputy?’
‘Oh, he’s not here today,’ Joanne then told me casually. ‘He’s watching the pumpkin field for Amber and Jake. With it being so close to Halloween they didn’t want to shut it for the day, so he said he’d take care of it.’
‘Well, he might have told me,’ I tutted.
Though perhaps he was too preoccupied with other things, or another person, to factor me in to his thoughts now.
‘I told him I’d let you know when I saw you,’ Joanne then said, which made me feel bad for being stroppy. ‘He popped in to the café to pick up some lunch and explained what he was going to be doing then. He also said he’s been looking after some horse that got stuck on the riverbank last week. Did you hear about that? It was a full-on drama from what I can make out. It was all over the paper yesterday.’
‘Good,’ I said. ‘That’ll take the last of the heat off me.’
‘Has it been really bad?’ She winced.
‘No,’ I said, feeling abashed for making more of it than it warranted. ‘It’s actually been fine. I’ve barely heard a peep, though I have been told that there’s plenty being discussed when I’m not in earshot.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ she said, acknowledging Jemma who was standing in the café doorway and waving a tea towel to get her attention. ‘Folk love nothing more than a good gossip.’
She grinned and gave me a nudge as she made the pronouncement, so clearly, she now recognised herself as one of those folk.
‘Never mind waving back.’ I nudged her in return, with a nod to the café. ‘I think it looks like Jemma needs you over there, don’t you?’
‘I daresay she does,’ she smiled. ‘She sent me over here to ask you if you wanted me to count the public window display votes.’
‘Oh my god!’ I choked. ‘I’d forgotten all about that.’
‘That’s not like you.’ Joanne frowned. ‘We just thought you were a bit pushed for time, not that you’d forgotten completely. What’s up?’
‘Nothing,’ I squeaked. ‘It just slipped my mind.’
‘So that’s a yes to me doing it then, is it?’ she further asked. ‘And I’m sure Lizzie will be able to quickly print out and frame the certificates if that would be a help.’
‘Are you sure that would be okay?’ I asked, feeling so bad for forgetting.
‘No problem. And if Lizzie’s too busy, I’ll do it, shall I?’
‘Yes, please,’ I said meekly. ‘If it’s not too much hassle. And you know,’ I further confessed, ‘I still haven’t told Ash about the note that was left about the other box yet.’
‘That will explain why he was so surprised when Jemma mentioned it.’
I really needed to get my backside in gear before things slipped further out of my control.
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I suppose it will. Thank her for me, will you, and thank you, Joanne, for counting the votes. I’ll come over and get the certificates as soon as I’ve checked everything’s okay in the town hall.’
‘No rest for the wicked, is there?’ She winked and sashayed off.
I let out a breath and felt my shoulders relax a little. At least I wasn’t going to have to face Ash again just yet, but I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten about the vote.
* * *
‘Three cookies and two teas, please.’
‘And I’ll have that last slice of pumpkin pie and a coffee.’
‘Did you expect it to be as busy as this?’ I asked Dorothy from Wynthorpe Hall, later in the day and as the orders for snacks and drinks came in thick and fast in the town hall.
I had dropped Pixie – minus the bandana – at the gallery and come along to help. Lizzie was then sorting the certificates I’d forgotten about and, to make amends for my forgetfulness, I was doing my bit as Dorothy’s assistant.
‘I had a bit of an idea,’ she said, as she plated up yet more of Jemma’s leaf-shaped ginger and iced biscuits, ‘because of how busy it always gets at the festive bake sale.’
I had been told about a whole host of Christmas town traditions now and didn’t think I would need to feel worried about not having anything to do once I’d finished curating the autumn festival. Christmas, combined with the job in the gallery, would mean there’d never be a quiet or dull moment.
I had been ready to tell Lizzie that I was going to accept her offer, but since I’d been struck with Cupid’s bow, or something resembling it, I’d held back. I was already doing my best to stuff Ash back in the friend box, but until I’d got the lid secure, I wasn’t going to make any long-term plans. It was a relief that I hadn’t already said yes, but I hoped my feelings would settle soon, because if I couldn’t be in the same town as him, I didn’t know what action I would have to resort to…
‘I asked for three cookies and two teas,’ said the woman I was serving. ‘Not two cookies and three teas.’
‘Sorry,’ I apologised, making the switch.
‘You just can’t get the staff!’ Dorothy grinned, then seeing my expression, added, ‘I’m only joking, you’re doing brilliantly. It’s full on in here today!’
‘It’s certainly keeping me on my toes.’
‘Hello, you two!’ Dorothy then beamed at an elderly gent and younger man who had reached the front of the queue. ‘What can I get you? And more importantly, are you here as spectators or are you going to show us how it’s done?’
I eyed the pair with interest.
‘Have you met Albert and Brodie?’ Dorothy asked me.
‘No.’ I smiled politely. ‘I haven’t.’
‘Well, you’re in for a treat,’ she gushed. ‘This is Clemmie,’ she added, by way of introduction.
‘The festival organiser,’ the elderly gentleman said and doffed his hat.
‘And Instagram success story,’ the younger man added.
‘Both correct,’ I said modestly. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘Brodie here,’ said Dorothy, indicating the younger man, ‘and Albert are famous, too.’
‘I’m not famous,’ I laughed. ‘Well-known perhaps, but not famous.’
‘And neither are we,’ chuckled Albert.
‘Yes, you are,’ Dorothy insisted. ‘Both of your work is in ridiculously high demand now. When I was in the gallery earlier in the week, I noticed there were red dots on every painting in the place. You can’t say you aren’t successful.’
‘Well, we’re getting by,’ Brodie smiled.
‘Is it your work for sale in the gallery?’ I gasped.
‘It is,’ they said together.
‘Oh, my goodness,’ I said, feeling starstruck. ‘Your paintings are stunning! I was hoping to buy something for myself, but as Dorothy has just said, everything was sold.’
‘Well, that’s very gratifying. Thank you.’
‘I hope you’ll be selling more work soon?’
‘Next year, perhaps,’ Albert said.
‘But today, we’re here to paint some pumpkins which Amber has asked if she can raffle off at the end of the day,’ Brodie explained. ‘The proceeds will go towards the fund for the festival next year.’
‘Oh, thank you.’ I smiled. ‘That’s so generous of you.’
A few of us had already talked about some of the funds raised from certain events, once expenses had been covered, being donated to a festival fund and I could imagine the celebration in the future becoming even more of an undertaking with money in the pot.
‘It will be if anyone is interested in bidding on them.’ Albert winked, self-deprecatingly.
I looked around the town hall and realised how much more it had filled up since the two men had arrived.
‘Oh, I don’t think there’ll be a lack of interest,’ said Dorothy. ‘Here comes Kathleen to get you set up. I’ll bring you some tea over.’
‘And cake!’ Brodie called over his shoulder as Kathleen led them away.
‘Well, I never!’ I laughed. ‘I had no idea Wynbridge was such a hotbed of creativity!’
I was determined that, as it was obvious I wasn’t going to have time to decorate my own that day, I would be taking home at least one of their painted pumpkins, whatever the cost. I could already imagine it on my Insta grid. Had Joanne not played her part in outing me, I wouldn’t have shared it, but now it didn’t matter.
