Starcross Manor: Feel-good summer 2020 romantic fiction from the bestselling author of Love Heart Lane (Love Heart Lane Series, Book 4)

by Christie Barlow

  He glanced back at her from time to time to make sure she was okay. Julia was astonished that the deeper water had become extremely shallow, and she was suddenly hit by very warm water that lapped only around her ankles. ‘Well just look at that,’ Julia sat down and cupped her hands under the water. Tiny fish squirmed in her hands. ‘There’s hundreds of them.’ Julia was amazed, she’d never seen so many fish in one place before.

  ‘This is one of my favourite places,’ Flynn admitted, sitting next to her in the water. ‘It’s just magical isn’t it?’

  ‘Beyond magical,’ Julia was blown away by the whole afternoon, everything had been just perfect.

  They were sat amongst the fish for nearly ten minutes before Flynn noticed the black clouds beginning to drift towards them. ‘I think we are in for a summer shower. Come on, I’ll race you back to the shore.’ Flynn sprang to his feet, quickly followed by Julia. They splashed like a couple of kids until they collapsed in a heap on the picnic blanket.

  ‘I was right, here we go.’ Flynn held his hands up towards the sky. Large dollops of rain began to fall.

  ‘Oh my God,’ feeling the droplets against her bare skin Julia grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. In the distance there was a low growl of thunder.

  They began to pack everything up quickly and within seconds they were running across the small bay like they didn’t have a care in the world. They reached the boat just before the lightning zig-zagged across the horizon. They fell onto the deck laughing like a couple of teenagers, wiping the rain from their faces. ‘That came from nowhere,’ remarked Julia, staring up at the sky.

  Flynn ragged his hair with the towel before throwing it on the back of the chair.

  ‘If you want to get out of those wet clothes be my guest.’

  Julia cocked her head to one side. ‘What, right here?’ she joked playfully, but knowing exactly what he meant.

  Flynn’s eyes brimmed with laughter. ‘That really did come out wrong. What I meant was, if you want to go and get a shower, be my guest.’

  ‘That would be perfect,’ she replied smiling, heading towards the bathroom. She stopped and turned back towards him. ‘Flynn?’

  ‘Yes,’ he replied.

  ‘I’m having the best day.’

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Two weeks later

  ‘Are you nearly ready?’ Callie shouted up the stairs. She’d been waiting for Julia to be ready for the last thirty minutes. ‘It’s not Royal Ascot you know.’

  ‘I’m coming!’ Julia bellowed, taking one last look in the mirror. She dabbed on her lip gloss, grabbed her bag, and declared herself ready.

  ‘Finally,’ joked Callie, hearing movement at the top of the stairs. Callie’s phone pinged for the umpteenth time this afternoon and she looked at her messages. It was Dan… again. Callie sighed. ‘He’s just not getting the message,’ muttered Callie.

  ‘Is it really over? Are you 100-percent sure?’ asked Julia, lifting up her dress and trying not to trip on it as she walked down the stairs.

  ‘It is, even though he’s not believing it himself at the moment. He thinks I’m just throwing a tantrum, but never mind that, look at you!’ beamed Callie, admiring her cousin’s choice of dress. ‘Full of charm and elegance.’

  With an open back and a peplum waist, Julia was wearing an absolute showstopper. Hand-designed floral print on a soft taupe base, with delicate ruffles of rose and blush finished with contrast lace trims. She dropped the dress as she reached the bottom stair and it hung perfectly above the ground.

  ‘Look at your face, you are absolutely glowing. Give me a spin!’ ordered Callie, turning her around. ‘Amazing.’

  ‘You don’t look too bad yourself,’ replied Julia, slipping her feet into a pair of ballet shoes. ‘It has just been the best couple of weeks.’

  The B&B had fully re-opened and the guests were bowled over by the opportunity to use the facilities at Starcross Manor. Word had spread on the Facebook business page, and Eleni had been busy all week taking new bookings. Julia and Flynn had spent every free moment together, and she knew she was high on life and in the first flush of love.

  Today Starcross Manor was officially opening its doors for an exclusive garden party for the village, and Julia had been out of her mind and driving Flynn completely mad after trawling through the internet in search of the perfect dress for today’s grand opening. To her surprise, Julia had received a delivery from Flynn with a handwritten note that read, ‘Just for you! x.’ After carefully opening the rectangular box, she’d peeled back the delicate tissue to reveal the stunning dress she was now wearing. Julia couldn’t thank him enough.

  ‘Where’s Eleni? I thought she was meeting us here?’ Julia stepped outside into the sunshine, where she spotted Eleni walking up the road, twizzling her parasol over her head. ‘Here she is.’

  ‘What a gorgeous day,’ beamed Eleni, giving a low whistle when she spotted Julia. ‘Look at you. I think you are going to find yourself all over the covers of the magazine dressed like that.’

  ‘She will if I have anything to do with it!’ They spun round to see Allie, waving her camera in the air. ‘Guess who’s covering this story today. I just can’t keep away, and I wasn’t going to miss this chance, and look at you all… stunning.’ Allie flicked off the lens cap and began to take pictures.

  The three of them posed, then giggled.

  ‘People say life begins at forty, and since I’ve turned forty, I’m having the best time,’ announced Julia, linking her arm through Callie’s.

  ‘Who’d have thought you’d be dating a handsome millionaire and have fallen completely head over heels? Even Martha would never have predicted that with her crystal ball,’ grinned Allie.

  They all wandered down the lane and took the short walk towards Starcross Manor. Allie gave them an update on Rory, who was due home for a visit soon, and chatted about the ongoing renovation project at Clover Cottage. Allie had been bowled over by the work done so far.

  ‘And your building work starts on Monday,’ added Callie. ‘It’s all going on.’

  ‘I can’t wait,’ interrupted Eleni, with a smitten look on her face.

  ‘We know why you can’t wait! Would that have something to do with Jack being at the B&B every day until the building work is complete?’

  ‘Might have!’ replied Eleni smiling.

  It didn’t take them long to reach the long driveway of Starcross Manor. All the villagers were out in full force, dressed up to the nines. All the women kitted out in long flowing dresses, while the men looked striking in their linen summer shirts and kilts. Everyone was dressed to impress.

  Once they’d stopped in the gardens, Julia looked around for Flynn, but she couldn’t see him. Then Callie pointed. ‘Over there.’ He was surrounded by a handful of journalists and looked in good spirits, answering their questions and posing for photographs. Julia couldn’t take her eyes off him; he was gorgeous, kind, genuine, the whole package. She knew it was very early days, but her heart told her this was the man for her, and she was excited to see what the future held.

  All the guests followed the signposted arrows, and the outdoor lanterns that would look spectacular once the sun went down, to the grounds at the back of the hotel. There were waiters wandering between the guests offering canapés and cocktails. At the far end of the lawn was a giant brick stove, and Andrew Glossop looked like he was already cooking up a storm. On the tables next to him was a feast laid out, fit for a king.

  ‘Wow! Look at that,’ exclaimed Eleni, pointing at the oversized tumble tower blocks towering in front of them. There were skittles laid out on the lawn, and croquet hoops set out amongst comfy-looking deckchairs for the spectators. There were numerous gazebos, seating in shady areas perfect for people watching, and a bar area too.

  ‘Are you sure we aren’t at the royal palace?’ exclaimed Callie, taking a cocktail from a nearby waiter.

  Flynn had slipped behind Julia, causing her to jump. ‘There s
he is! And you look absolutely amazing,’ Flynn kissed her cheek and held both her hands. Taking a step back, he glanced over the dress. ‘Beautiful,’ he said, kissing her cheek once more.

  ‘Thank you, you don’t scrub up badly yourself,’ she replied, squeezing his hand. ‘This turnout is amazing.’

  ‘I have you to thank for that, I think everyone in the village is here. Now, see that man over there,’ Flynn nodded over to the far side of the lawn. ‘Come and have you photo taken with me. That journalist works for Scottish Life and the tourist board. It will be good publicity for the B&B too, and then apparently I need to make a small speech before I can relax and enjoy the afternoon.’ Hand-in-hand, Flynn and Julia strolled over the freshly mown lawns to where the journalist was standing. After answering numerous questions, and posing for more pictures, the journalist asked Julia for her name, to reference it in the article.

  ‘Julia Coleman, my girlfriend,’ answered Flynn proudly on her behalf.

  The smile on Julia’s face was instant. She couldn’t believe that until a few weeks ago life had just gone on as normal – until Flynn had turned up in the village. After a shaky start between them, he had utterly melted her heart. Once more she thought back to a saying her grandad was fond of, ‘You just never know what is around the corner,’ and he had been right.

  ‘I think it’s time for you to say a few words,’ suggested Jack, who’d wandered over with Eleni by his side.

  ‘On my way.’ Flynn saluted. They all walked over to the podium where the villagers began to gather round. It only took a few seconds for the villagers to settle before Flynn began to speak.

  ‘Welcome to Starcross Manor, a place that has been a part of the village for a very long time, even though it was forgotten for a while. Some of you may not know, but as a boy I used to spend my summers around these parts, as my grandparents owned a small restaurant not far from here. So Heartcross has always held a special place in my heart. When I saw the news eighteen months ago, when this tiny village was cut off from civilisation after the bridge collapsed, I followed the story of how you all pulled together and raised the money to rebuild the bridge. All of you are an inspiration, the community of Heartcross is one I admire.’ Flynn took a breath and glanced quickly at Julia before turning back towards the crowd standing in front of him.

  ‘I know at first when I turned up you weren’t too sure about me, but hopefully now that is all behind us.’

  There were cheers from the crowd gathered in front of him.

  ‘Can I just turn your attention to our resident chef, Andrew,’ Flynn gestured over towards the brick stoves. ‘Andrew will be in charge of all the food this afternoon, so do help yourselves.’

  Flynn was interrupted by a round of applause for Andrew who waved his chef’s hat in the air.

  ‘We have drinks from the bar, or grab a glass from the waiters that will be circulating amongst you all,’ continued Flynn, who then paused for a second. He scanned the crowd and gave a nod to Seb the waiter, who hurried towards the podium carrying a stunning bouquet of flowers, featuring pink oriental lilies and large roses hand-tied with eucalyptus.

  ‘Today, I want to thank Julia, for making all this possible and ensuring I wasn’t driven out of the village.’

  The crowd laughed as Flynn turned towards Julia. ‘These are for you.’

  Coming over all emotional, Julia fanned her hand in front of her face before taking the flowers from Flynn. ‘Oh my, they are beautiful, what have I done to deserve these?’

  ‘For just being you,’ he replied, leaning forward and kissing her lightly on the lips. Julia felt she was going to burst with happiness.

  ‘Now, there’s only one thing left for me to say,’ he turned back towards the gathered crowd. ‘Eat, drink and be merry!’

  Everyone applauded and Flynn stepped down from the podium, straight into Julia’s arms. She couldn’t thank him enough for the stunning flowers. ‘They are gorgeous,’ she gushed, taking in the aroma.

  ‘Just like you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I know we didn’t get off to the best start, but I have a good feeling about you Julia Coleman, a good feeling about us.’

  ‘Me too,’ she replied, feeling a fizz of excitement.

  The afternoon was magical, with everyone thoroughly enjoying the day. The children were mesmerised by the gigantic tumbling blocks, whilst the villagers sat in the deckchairs, drinking Pimms and watching the world go by – all of the community enjoying everything that Starcross Manor had to offer.

  After just the best day, Julia and Flynn were the last ones standing. Under the night sky they walked hand-in-hand over to the lake and stared out over the beauty of it all. Flynn slipped his arms around Julia’s waist, and she leant back onto his chest as he lightly kissed the top of her head.

  ‘It’s been a strange few weeks, hasn’t it,’ murmured Julia.

  ‘It has that… Apparently, I’ve been a heartbreaker, a liar, and an all-round rat,’ he replied light-heartedly.

  ‘And I’ve been an idiot, but you have forgiven me, haven’t you?’

  ‘Without a doubt… quick, look up,’ Flynn’s voice rose, and he pointed up into the sky.

  Immediately Julia swung her gaze upwards to see the most wonderful sight. ‘Oh my, it’s amazing.’

  ‘A shooting star… quick, make a wish,’ whispered Flynn, the white light shining all the brighter for the darkness around.

  ‘It’s the most perfect backdrop for Starcross Manor.’ Julia squeezed her eyes shut and made a wish.

  ‘Well, what did you wish for?’ Flynn hugged her tightly.

  Julia turned round and kissed him lightly on the lips. ‘I can’t tell you that, otherwise it won’t come true, and this is one wish I hope will come true one day.’

  Flynn’s eyes were deep, hazel, and alive. ‘Julia Coleman, I think we are in for an exciting future.’

  ‘I think so too, Flynn Carter.’

  They stared at the night sky a moment longer. Julia was the happiest she’d been in a very long time. All the uncertainty of the past few weeks was very much behind her. She couldn’t wait for the rest of her life to begin. Julia knew difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations, and even though she and Flynn began their journey on a bumpy road, Julia had every intention of making her wish come true.

  * * *

  THE END

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  Don’t miss The Lake House, the next heartwarming instalment in the Love Heart Lane series.

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  Order your copy right here!

  A Letter from Christie

  Dear Readers,

  * * *

  Firstly, if you’re reading this letter, thank you for choosing to read Starcross Manor.

  I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this book, if you did I would be grateful if you’d leave a review. Your recommendations can always help other readers to discover my books.

  I really can’t believe my eleventh book is published; writing for a living is truly the best job in the world and I love spending my time in a fictional land.

  I’m particularly proud of this novel and this storyline was inspired by a recent trip to a quaint B&B in the middle of the countryside which I absolutely adored. I was accompanied by a friend whose business was in trouble and she was in a quandary about what to do next so the idea was born.

  The characters Flynn and Julia have become a huge part of my life for the last few months and you may stumble across them again very soon as there will be more books to come based around the little village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands.

  Huge thanks and much love to everyone who has been involved in this project. I truly value each and every one of you and it’s an absolute joy to hear from all my readers via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  Please do keep in touch!

  Warm wishes,

  Christie x

  Acknowledgments

  My eleventh book has been published; I really can’t quite believe it! There i
s a long list of truly fabulous folk I need to thank who have been instrumental in crafting Starcross Manor into a book I’m truly proud of.

  As always thanks and much love to my family, Emily, Jack, Ruby and Tilly for all your cheering, flag-waving and constant support.

  Much love to Woody (my mad cocker spaniel) and Nell (my bonkers labradoodle) you are both my writing partners in crime and are always by my side.

  Endless love for my best friend Anita Redfern, you laugh, I laugh. You cry, I cry. You jump off a high cliff, I yell do a flip! You are simply the best and everyone should have a friend like you.

  Group hug to all the family at One More Chapter, especially Charlotte Ledger, who goes far beyond the call of duty to encourage, inspire and make the magic happen. I love being a part of this fantastic publishing team and am truly grateful for all your hard work turning my stories into books.

  Thank you to my amazing editor Emily Ruston who must hold her head in her hands every time she receives my first draft but then in the most amazing way makes my books the best they can be.

  To Bella Osborne for teaching me that post-it notes are a must and sometimes I can’t just fly by the seat of my pants, planning is the way to go. You rock!

  A special shout out to Glynis Peters, Deborah Carr and Terri Nixon – The survivors!

  Team Barlow! Huge love to my merry band of supporters and friends, Kiren Parmar, Suzan Holder, Louise Speight, Suzanne Toner, Catherine Snook, Sue Miller, Janet Baldwin, Kathy Ford, Bhasker Patel, Angela Anderson, Pam Howes and John Jackson and all of the members of the Romantic Novelist Association. I am truly grateful for your support and friendship and your constant shout-outs and sharing of posts never go unnoticed – Thank you.