by Lucy Coleman
‘Yes, Harrison ran it past me afterwards and I was of the same opinion. If it goes ahead, we’re going to print off some sheets showing the artist’s impression of the plans for the playground, and someone will go along to the dinner to do a short talk. I was hoping Tollie would be up for that, but maybe Fisher will step in if necessary. It depends on the timing.’
I turn to stare out of the window, my mind ticking over. ‘I’m pretty sure we can raise enough money in the timescale,’ I say firmly. ‘Patrick came along at just the right time to make a difference. I intend to get more hands-on now to drive things forward and with the cottage shaping up nicely, it’s amazing what a difference that makes. After living on a building site for weeks on end, suddenly those horrors are behind us. All I need now is for Tollie’s operation to go well and life will be good again. I hate seeing him in pain and I know how frustrated he’s been.’
Gray nods his head in agreement. ‘He’s fit and strong for a man his age, but his bad back has knocked his confidence a bit. Honestly, Immi, I don’t know how long he’s been seeing Daphne, but he’s changed over this last couple of months, despite the pain he’s had to endure. I think Daphne has made a huge difference to the way Tollie is coping, so don’t be too hard on her.’
Was Tollie hard on Gray at first? I wonder. Thinking back, I’m sure Tollie only had my best interests at heart, if that were the case. Surely, he will understand if the same is true for me?
‘How do I look?’ I ask, peering at Gray and trying to judge his initial reaction as I walk back into the bedroom of our hotel room.
‘Wow. Just wow!’
‘Yes, but is it too much?’ I smooth the dress down over my hips feeling self-conscious. Both Sarah and Ursula said it was the right thing to wear, not too dressy but summery.
‘Sorry, it’s just that I don’t see you in a dress very often and you look lovely. Simply lovely.’
I roll my eyes at him. ‘You’re supposed to be looking at this from the viewpoint of a bunch of people I’ve never met before. Not through the eyes of a love-sick man who thinks everything I wear is perfect,’ I groan. It’s not that I’m ungrateful, but whatever I wear Gray thinks I look cute.
‘Okay. You look, cool, confident and… gorgeous. Every guy in the room is going to wish they were standing next to you. Will that do?’
I throw my hands up in the air. ‘You’re impossible, do you know that?’ But I’m laughing and he closes in to waltz me around the room. Suddenly, I no longer care as it’s clear I’m going to have to look in the mirror and decide for myself.
What I see is someone who looks happy. I swing from left to right, letting the knee-length fabric sway a little, and I feel confident. The sleeveless, A-line cut of the silky fabric gives it a life of its own. The turquoise blue reminds me of forget-me-knots, which grow like weeds in the meadow we look out onto from the cottage. With a U-shaped neckline, I’ve added a simple silver pendant and matching leaf earrings. It’s the sort of dress, Ursula informed me, that transitions from day to night. Just as well, as we’re meeting up at four in the afternoon.
‘Well?’ Gray asks, and I swear he’s holding his breath.
‘I’ll do. I’m as ready as I will ever be.’
But as he ushers me out of the door, he leans in to whisper in my ear, ‘I love you, Immi, and my friends are going to love you too.’
‘Immi, this is Ollie and his wife, Sylvia.’ I’m greeted with warm smiles and am surprised when both Sylvia and then Ollie lean in to give me a welcoming hug.
‘It’s a real pleasure to finally meet you, Immi, and thank you both for the wedding invitation,’ Sylvia replies warmly.
To my relief, Sylvia is also wearing a summery dress, which immediately makes me feel more at ease.
‘I was beginning to wonder whether you were a figment of Gray’s imagination,’ Ollie jokes and Gray immediately bursts out laughing. ‘You must be a very patient woman indeed to put up with this man. How do you ever get him to focus on anything other than music?’
Gray can see that I’m not sure how to respond to that and he immediately cuts in.
‘Immi is my muse, plus she has the patience of a saint. Although I’ve just spent the last two days assembling furniture and putting up blinds, so I know how to keep my woman happy!’ Gray places his arm around my waist, pulling me closer, and when I look at him his face is lit up.
‘Well, I can’t wait to visit Aysbury. The Cotswolds is such a lovely area. And how are the wedding plans going?’ Sylvia enquires.
Gray and I look at each other for a brief moment. ‘Yes, how are they going, Gray?’ I ask.
‘As one of the team of three wedding planners, I can confidently say that everything is moving along quite smoothly.’
Both Ollie’s and Sylvia’s faces reflect surprise. ‘You’re letting Gray help organise the wedding?’ Ollie asks, sounding stunned.
‘It seemed like a good idea at the time,’ I declare, pulling away from Gray a little to stare at him with a frown. ‘You don’t think that was a mistake, do you?’
Ollie and Sylvia begin to laugh incredulously. ‘You’re a brave woman, for sure,’ Ollie replies.
‘Hey, guys, thanks for the vote of confidence,’ Gray responds. ‘There’s more to me than you think. Just you wait and see.’
The banter is fun and, even though it’s packed in the bar area, I’m beginning to feel as though I fit in, which is something that doesn’t always happen when I’m away from my own environment.
‘Why don’t you ladies find our table before someone tries to pinch it and we’ll order some drinks?’ Ollie encourages.
Sylvia leads the way. ‘Come on,’ she calls out over her shoulder. ‘We’re out on the terrace.’
It’s a smart wine bar, the sort that has an industrial look, although it was probably refitted fairly recently, as everything looks pristine.
Surprisingly, the patio area is colourful with an array of pots burgeoning with flowers. Sylvia makes her way over to a long table with a reserved sign on it. Around us, most of the other tables are for four or six people.
‘We’re the first to arrive, then. What a lovely outside area,’ I remark, pulling out a chair to sit next to Sylvia.
‘I suggested to Ollie that the four of us meet up a little earlier. He wanted to have a quick chat with Gray about work anyway and it’s not quite so daunting if people arrive in small groups, is it?’
‘That was very thoughtful of you, Sylvia. I appreciate that. I am a little nervous not knowing anyone at all.’
‘Well, Ollie and I are fairly new to the group, too, but they welcomed us.’
‘What exactly is Ollie’s role?’ I ask, genuinely keen to know a little more about the set-up.
‘Ollie has contacts throughout the music and film industry. When a project comes along it’s his job to find suitable candidates to put forward. It’s up to the company concerned to make a final decision.’
‘Hmm… so he’s like an agent?’
‘Yes, you could say that as he then negotiates the contract. But normally an agent represents his client exclusively, whereas Gray isn’t tied to just looking at projects Ollie is able to put in front of him. A few of the other guys in the group are now involved with projects Ollie has put together and he’s really pleased with the results.’
‘It’s nice to gain a little understanding, as I’d hate to say the wrong thing to anyone.’
Sylvia nods her head, and I can see she understands. ‘It’s a competitive industry but talent always rises to the top. Ollie can’t speak highly enough about Gray, and I don’t know if he told you, but we invited him to dinner at our house a couple of weeks ago. After we’d eaten, Ollie and Gray went through the itinerary for the trip to LA. Gray mentioned in passing that he intended to talk you into a quick trip to meet everyone. They are a… noisy bunch, but that’s because they spark off each other. Just relax and go with the flow as, believe me, they will do all the talking.’
‘Who will do all the t
alking?’ Ollie’s voice looms up behind us.
‘I was just telling Immi that musicians are a fun bunch of people to be around,’ Sylvia replies.
‘That’s one way to put it,’ Gray quickly interjects before Ollie can answer.
They are each carrying a tray of assorted tapas dishes and following on behind are two waiters with wine coolers.
‘We’re just in time!’ A loud voice booms out and we all turn around to see half a dozen people sauntering in. ‘Were you about to start without us?’
Gray immediately walks back around the table and there’s a lot of handshakes, back-slapping and hugs going on, interspersed with outbursts of raucous laughter.
‘You didn’t bring us anything back from LA, then?’ The loudest of the guys pretends to check around, as if he were expecting to see gifts. ‘I knew it would go to your head and the minute we were out of sight we’d be out of mind.’
‘Never!’ Rather dramatically, Gray throws his hands up in the air. The response is hilarious, as all five of the people standing around him start humming while the tall, thin guy pretends to be conducting them. It’s the opening bars of the title music Gray wrote for the film.
What’s weird for me is watching them all interact as if they are family and yet I’m on the outside looking in on a part of Gray’s life that I don’t get to see.
‘Immi, come on over. I’d better introduce you before things start to get out of hand.’
My nerves begin to jangle as everyone turns to look at me and I rise up out of my seat. I desperately need to think of something funny to say to break the ice. My mind goes into overdrive as Gray grabs my hand to draw me into the centre of the group.
‘They’re not all here yet, but in no particular order this is Nathan. You notice he has the loudest voice of us all and he’s the first one you spot in a crowd.’
Nathan steps forward and he’s at least six foot six and over a foot taller than me. I look up at him, not sure whether to offer my hand, but he leans forward to give me a bear hug that almost takes my breath away.
‘How on earth did someone like Gray snag someone like you? That’s what I’d like to know!’ Nathan releases me and everyone is waiting for my response.
‘I’m a sucker for a jingle,’ I reply and that does the trick.
Gray begins to hum the tune he wrote for the hair-shampoo commercial, and they all join in. The ice has been broken.
‘You’ll probably need reminding who is who, but Chrissy is Nathan’s wife, and this is Reece and his partner, Leanne. At the back is Phil – where’s Katie?’ Gray asks as I move from one person to the next.
‘Hi, Immi, lovely to meet you.’ Phil squeezes through to give me a quick hug. ‘She’s working and sends her apologies.’ He turns to Gray, poking him playfully in the ribs. ‘I’ve missed my running buddy. I’m never going to get you into shape if you keep taking time off.’
I look on, hardly daring to believe my ears. Gray running?
‘It was work and a man is entitled to take a few days off to keep his fiancée happy, isn’t he?’ Gray throws back at him, but I can see he’s a little embarrassed by the revelation. So, my man is really prepping for the wedding, but I love him just the way he is.
‘Sorry we’re late, but you haven’t started drinking yet and there’s food!’ Another four people appear, and we’re all crowded in a narrow gangway now. As the others begin to take their seats Gray steers me forward.
‘This is Dharma and her boyfriend, Grif. And, Immi, grab what you can eat before we let Dharma near the table. She’s always hungry and she can eat her own weight in food and more. Finally, this is Kerrin and her fiancé, Mark. They’re going to be tying the knot next year.’
As Kerrin steps forward she gives me a beaming smile. ‘Hi, Immi, welcome to the crazy gang. Mark and I are hoping to pick up some tips from your wedding,’ she adds.
It is a little overwhelming, I will admit, but they are such a happy bunch of people and Gray is clearly in his element. When Sylvia said they spark off each other, she was spot on, and Gray was right when he said I had nothing at all to worry about. Like attracts like, and his friends are as supportive and genuine as our friends and family in Aysbury. By the end of the evening my cheeks ache and I can’t recall the last time I laughed this much. And everyone is looking forward to coming to Aysbury for the wedding. The excitement is beginning to build!
17
Letting Go Is Seldom Easy
‘Thanks for popping round, Patrick. I don’t want to spoil the whole of your Thursday evening so I’m sure we can work through this in an hour, tops.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, Immi. It’s a pleasure to be able to make myself useful. Goodness, what a beautiful job you’ve done of renovating the cottage. From the towpath it looks like any other traditional stone building, and yet stepping inside it’s so light and bright.’
‘Thank you. It’s still early days and there are a few things left to sort out, but we’re pleased with how the renovation has turned out. Anyway, I’ve spread everything out on the table if you’d like to take a seat. Tea, or coffee?’
‘Tea, please. One sugar.’
‘If you want to read through that two-page document on the top of the pile, there’s pretty much all the information you’ll need there. I had confirmation this morning that you are now an official signatory on the bank account, and you should receive a pack in the next day or two.’
‘Good. So, it’s just the handover and then I’m all ready to take the reins. Hopefully that’s one pressure less on your shoulders.’ Patrick is a star stepping up like this and Martin says it’s given him a new lease of life.
I carry the tray across to the table but Patrick declines the biscuits.
‘I’ve put on a bit of weight as I’m living on takeaways these days and it’s time to start afresh. Can’t let myself slip, can I?’
I give Patrick an encouraging look. ‘You’ll soon settle into a new routine, I’m sure. Anyway, let’s go through this from the top. I’m conscious that we’ve only had time to do one run to empty the collection boxes. They won’t need doing for at least three weeks, but if you want me to do the next one with you, then please don’t hesitate to let me know. There’s a list of addresses somewhere… ah, here it is.’
‘I should be fine, and the list will make sure I don’t miss anyone out.’
‘Right, what’s next? Ah, yes, Fisher has offered to be the official collection point for ad-hoc cheques any of our team receive. It saves them the extra walk down to the cottage anyway, but it’s also a reminder that I’m stepping back from the role. I’ve added Fisher’s telephone number at the bottom and I’ve passed him yours.’
It’s satisfying as I make my way down the list, ticking off item after item.
‘Last, but not least, I will email you the income and expenditure spreadsheet. I’ll go through that with you in detail once we’ve finished our tea. You will note that there’s an extra tab to record every individual donation. We do like to put the names of our supporters on the Santa Ahoy website. David usually does that for me. Have you ever met him in person?’
Patrick shakes his head. ‘Well, next time you’re passing the brewery do pop in and introduce yourself. He’d be delighted. David usually only attends two or three of our meetings each year, but he’s a very astute businessman, and busy. It’s good of him to take the time to be our company secretary.’
‘I’ll do that as soon as I get a chance.’
‘And here are the dates of the forthcoming meetings. Let’s go through that spreadsheet and then I think that’s about it, unless you have any questions.’
Patrick looks at me, briefly glancing down at the documents in his hands. ‘No. I think you’ve covered everything, Immi. I’m impressed at how organised you are.’
That makes me smile. There are others who might use a different word, like methodical, or worse. It is true that I like things done in a certain way, but the time has come to step back a little and put my trust i
n other people.
‘I’m so grateful to you, Patrick. Now I can refocus my attention on making sure we hit those targets.’
‘I needed something like this, Immi, you don’t know quite how much. I can’t wait to get stuck in.’
Gray looks at me. ‘Are you going to knock? Or shall I?’
We’re standing at the front door to The Retreat and normally at this time on a Friday night, Gray and I would be holding hands across the table at The Bullrush. Instead, we’re meeting Daphne for the first time. I ring the bell instead of my usual tap on the glass and Gray looks at me, his face dropping.
‘Lighten up, it’ll be fine,’ he whispers as the door opens and Tollie ushers us inside.
‘This is like old times,’ Tollie jokes, leaning forward to plant a fleeting kiss on my cheek. As he straightens, he lets out a groan. ‘Damn back! Anyway, go on in.’
Old times? Hardly. Today there are four of us.
I step into the open-plan area and a woman I presume is Daphne is standing in front of the hob, stirring a saucepan.
She looks up, a pleasant smile on her face. ‘Forgive me, but this sauce will go lumpy if I don’t keep stirring. Tollie, if you can sort the drinks, I’ll only be a few minutes and then I can dish up.’
Being treated like a guest in what was my home until six months ago sets me on edge. Gray gives me one of his looks as we stand awkwardly, while Tollie does as he’s told.
‘Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight,’ Gray says jovially, tilting his head to encourage me to go and stand by the patio doors and look out. When I join him, I can just about make out the word, ‘Relax,’ as he says it so quietly, his mouth barely moves.