Escape to Oakbrook Farm: A wonderfully uplifting romantic comedy (Hope Cove Book 2)

by Hannah Ellis

  “You need to go?”

  “I do, unfortunately.” His arms tightened around her as he leaned down to kiss her. Josie savoured the kisses. It was hard to pull away from him. When she finally left, it was with an ache in her chest she was sure would remain until she saw him again.

  Chapter 24

  On Monday morning, Josie sat on a bright orange beanbag in the children’s corner of the Reading Room, telling Tara and Amber all about her weekend. There was a lot to fill them in on since she’d seen them on Friday. They happily indulged her in all her talk of Sam and reassured her that he’d be back before she knew it.

  She was thankful to have the two of them as friends; they brought balance to her quiet days with Annette. They met another couple of times that week, and it was always relaxed and fun. She also had a trip out to Hope Cove for an afternoon on the beach with Lizzie. It was good to be close enough to call in on her sister without it being a major event.

  The week didn’t drag quite as much as she expected, and she spoke to Sam on the phone a couple of times.

  It was Friday when she really missed him. The evening in the Bluebell Inn wasn’t the same without him around. Josie spent a lot of time glancing around looking for him. It was automatic. Every time she looked up, she expected him to be there, grinning at her across the room. It was earlier than usual when she slipped away from the pub.

  When Amber had told her to ask Andy for a lift home, she’d waved the suggestion away, insisting on walking. It was such a short distance, it seemed silly to trouble someone for a lift. Except it seemed longer than usual that evening, and everything was so creepy in the dark.

  When her phone rang, she pulled it from her pocket and grinned when she saw Sam’s name on the display.

  “Hi,” she said, excited by the call.

  “Hi,” he said quickly. “Sorry. I know you’ll be in the pub, but I just had a really quick question …”

  “It’s fine.” She hugged the phone closer to her ear, as though that made her somehow closer to him. “I already left the pub. I’m just walking home.”

  “Boring night, was it?”

  “It was okay,” she said. “What did you want to ask me?”

  “Oh, yeah! Small breed of dog … nine letters … Any ideas? Fourth letter’s an ‘h’. I’m stumped.”

  She blurted out a laugh. “Sam, are you doing a crossword?”

  “Are you going to tease me now? You don’t know the answer either, do you? As someone who works at a dog kennels I’d have thought––”

  “Chihuahua!” she said, grinning widely.

  An owl screeched nearby and chills ran down the back of her neck. Her smile slipped and she quickened her pace. What was it about the sound of wildlife in the dark? It always freaked her out.

  “Are you still under the street lights?” Sam asked casually.

  “No. I just left them.”

  “Almost home then,” he said. “Put me on speaker and turn the torch on your phone on …”

  She did as he said, pressing the buttons carefully so she didn’t accidentally cut him off.

  “That’s better,” she said, as the light from her phone illuminated the road in front of her.

  “Thank goodness you always carry a torch with you,” Sam said cheekily.

  “I wouldn’t leave the house without one! Anyway, where exactly are you? What kind of place has less going on than Averton on a Friday night? I can’t believe you’re stuck in doing crosswords!”

  “I decided I’d just have a quiet night in. And I’m not really doing a crossword. I was just testing your knowledge. You passed the test!”

  She laughed. “And how’s the job going?”

  “It’s pretty good. I wave my magic wand and a house appears from nothing. You’d be impressed!”

  “I’m very impressed,” she said.

  “And how are things there?” Sam asked. “Lost any dogs recently?”

  “No!”

  “You’re doing well.”

  “I am actually. We’ve been a bit busier this week. It’s tiring.”

  “I know. When I was younger I spent my summers working for Wendy and Annette. It’s hard work.”

  “I can’t imagine how it is when the kennels are full.”

  “You’ll find out, no doubt. Then you’ll be wishing you didn’t plaster the entire area in flyers and posters.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. Somehow she’d reached the gate at Oakbrook. She’d barely noticed the last part of the walk. “I just wanted to drum up business,” she said.

  “I think you managed it.”

  “I suppose I did.” She thought of the bookings that had been coming in over the past week. It was a relief that all her advertising was paying off.

  At the kitchen door she took the phone off speaker and moved it back to her ear. Macy and Charlie came to greet her, and she stroked them affectionately before ushering them back to their beds.

  “You’ve gone quiet?” Sam said.

  “Have I?” she said in a loud whisper. She didn’t want to wake Annette.

  “Are you home already?”

  She lowered herself into a chair at the kitchen table. “Yeah.”

  “And you’ve brought me inside?!”

  “Yes.” She beamed into the phone. “Is that a problem?”

  “Not at all,” he said lightly, before launching into another anecdote about the project he was working on in Brighton. It was so lovely chatting to him, and she stayed in the kitchen whispering into the phone for almost an hour before she finally said goodnight.

  ***

  The next week followed in much the same way as the previous. They had eight dogs staying in the kennels so her days were busy trekking over the countryside and trying her hand at obedience training. Unfortunately, the dogs still ran rings around her, and the obedience training seemed to make the dogs naughtier rather than obedient.

  She was amused and suspicious on Friday night when she stepped out of the Bluebell Inn and her phone rang immediately.

  “How did you do that?”

  “What?” Sam asked innocently.

  “I just left the pub,” she said. “I literally just stepped outside.”

  “Good timing then.”

  “Is it?” she asked, glancing behind her into the pub window. Did he have a spy? “Because you did the same thing last week. It seems like more than good timing.”

  “Great timing?” he suggested. “Perfect timing?”

  She laughed and set off through the village.

  “How was the pub?”

  “Hmm.” Her mouth twitched into a half-smile. “There was a bit of an incident.”

  “Have I missed some excitement?”

  “We were playing darts …”

  “You were playing darts?” he asked, his surprise evident.

  “Yeah. The tall guy with the flat cap asked me to join his team.”

  “Martin? He’s replacing me already?”

  “Yes,” she said, amused.

  “Can you even play darts?”

  “He was teaching me. And it was going well.” She paused and smiled at the memory. “What’s the name of the short guy with the curly hair?”

  “Dean?”

  “Yeah. So it was my turn, and Dean was standing just to the side …”

  “Oh my God. Does this story involve paramedics? Tell me Dean survived the evening?”

  “Yes!” she said, laughing lightly. “But the dart somehow hit the edge of the board and bounced off. It flew sideways and smacked Dean on the head.”

  “Ouch.”

  “It didn’t stab him or anything!”

  “Hmm. Did anyone tease you about this?”

  “Everyone! Martin marched me away from the dartboard and sat me back with Amber and Tara. He said I’m banned from going anywhere near it! And then he loudly announced that if anyone ever sees me with a dart in my hand they should tackle me to the ground! Stop laughing! It was really embarrassing.”

  �
�At least I still have my spot on the darts team.”

  “You definitely do!” Josie sighed, wishing he was beside her instead of on the other end of the phone. “Are you coming home anytime soon?”

  “Looks like it’ll be next weekend.”

  “Try and make it for the pub on Friday night. It’s weird without you there.”

  “I guess I won’t make it back until Sunday.”

  She beamed into the phone. Sunday was okay too. Just knowing he’d be back soon was good enough. “I can’t wait.”

  Chapter 25

  Josie didn’t even bother messaging Amber on Monday morning, just set off for the Reading Room after she’d walked the dogs. It had become a regular meet-up.

  “Sam called me again on Friday night,” she said as she plonked herself down on a beanbag. She ruffled Kieron’s hair when he toddled past her.

  “That’s sweet,” Amber said.

  “Right after I left the pub,” Josie added, carefully monitoring Amber’s reaction. “Literally as I stepped outside.”

  “That’s good timing.” Amber reached to wipe Kieron’s nose, and Josie wasn’t sure if it was just a ploy to avoid eye contact.

  “That’s exactly what he said!”

  Tara gasped dramatically and glared at Amber. “Did you message him?”

  “I was wondering the same,” Josie said. “How did he know exactly when I was leaving?”

  “Anyone could’ve messaged him,” Amber insisted. “Why do you assume it was me?”

  Josie shrugged. “Seems like something you would do.”

  “I was sitting right next to Tara. She’d have seen if I messaged Sam …”

  “I don’t watch you that closely,” Tara said. “It was definitely you, wasn’t it?”

  “No.” Amber laughed, and Josie couldn’t tell if she was lying or not. “It’s so cute that he calls you, though. Does he know when he’ll be back yet?”

  “He said it should be next weekend.”

  “Has he asked you on a date?” Tara asked.

  “We haven’t arranged anything yet. He’s not sure when he’ll be back.” Josie assumed they’d have a proper date as soon as he got back, like he’d promised before he left.

  “Only another week,” Amber said. “It’ll fly by.”

  It didn’t, though. The week seemed to drag on and on. The closer it got to the weekend, the slower time seemed to go.

  In the Bluebell on Friday night, she was subject to more teasing about the darts incident. It was actually quite comforting to be teased by the locals. She felt like part of the community.

  “I’m going home,” she said after a fun evening chatting with the girls and the other locals, who were becoming more familiar to her. “Keep an eye on Amber,” she said to Tara. “Let me know if she’s Sam’s spy!”

  “I’m not messaging him,” Amber said adamantly. She laid her phone on the table and held up her hands. “I did speak to him earlier, though. He’ll definitely be back this weekend. I invited him over for a drink tomorrow night, but he said he already has plans.”

  “What plans?” Tara said eagerly.

  “I don’t know,” Amber said. “He was being a bit coy but I presume he’s planning on taking Josie on a date!”

  “That’s a bit presumptuous,” Josie said. “I might be busy.”

  Tara smirked. “Busy sitting in front of the TV with Annette?”

  Josie couldn’t help but laugh as she reached for her bag. Her evenings were pretty quiet these days, not that she minded. She said her goodbyes and headed for the door.

  When she was outside, she peered in the window at Amber. The phone was still on the table, and she held her hands up again when she saw Josie checking up on her.

  When Josie set off towards Oakbrook, she had her phone in her hand, waiting for it to ring. It didn’t, though, and eventually she scrolled to Sam’s number and pressed call.

  “Your timing’s not so good today,” she said when he answered. It sounded like he was moving around, and he didn’t say anything for a moment.

  “Sorry,” he said, finally. “Are you walking home already?”

  “Yeah. I thought you’d know that!”

  “I told you it was just good timing.” She could imagine him smiling as he spoke, and she remembered what the girls had said about him taking her out the next day. She hoped that was his plan.

  “How’s work?” she asked.

  “Job’s all finished.”

  She grinned. “So you’ll be home soon?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  She was annoyed by his vague grunting. Couldn’t he tell her exactly when he’d be back? She wanted to know to the nearest second. She’d just moved away from the streetlights when she saw movement ahead.

  “You okay?” Sam said.

  “Yeah.” She slowed her pace and peered into the moonlit street. “There’s someone on the road.”

  He laughed. “How rude. Someone else is walking on your stretch of road?”

  “I never see anyone at this time of night. It’s making me nervous.”

  “Don’t worry. You live in a village now. You probably know him.”

  “How do you know it’s a him?” she asked suspiciously. The figure was getting nearer and she smiled as she recognised his profile.

  “Just a guess. Is he on the phone by any chance?”

  She laughed and moved her phone aside as Sam neared her. She quickened her pace until she was in his arms, kissing him.

  “When did you get home?” she asked when she finally pulled back.

  He narrowed his eyes as though contemplating the question. “About three minutes ago. Maybe four. When did you call me?”

  She grinned and squeezed him tightly. It was so good to have him back.

  “I thought I’d come and walk you home. I hear there are some creepy characters roaming the streets this evening.”

  She gave him a quick nudge as they fell into step together. Their hands entwined automatically. “You scared me. It’s creepy enough round here without you skulking around in the dark.”

  “I wasn’t skulking around,” he said, laughing. “I was coming to walk you home.”

  “I suppose I’ll forgive you then.”

  He glanced at her and smiled warmly. “I don’t really like working away.”

  “Try not to do it again anytime soon then.”

  “I won’t,” he said as they reached the gate at Oakbrook.

  At the front door she couldn’t bear the thought of saying goodnight to him so soon. “Do you want to come in for a beer or a cuppa?” she asked hesitantly. “Annette will be in bed.”

  He followed her confidently into the kitchen. “I was actually wondering if I could raid the fridge. I’ve got no food at home and I’ve barely eaten since breakfast.”

  “Be my guest,” she said, bending to ruffle Macy’s fur.

  Sam scanned the contents of the fridge.

  “There are frozen pizzas,” she suggested.

  “Perfect.” He turned the oven on and then grabbed two beers from the fridge. “I like the changes you’ve made around here. Annette would never have had pizzas in the freezer before you came along. And there were only beers in the fridge on special occasions!”

  She sat beside him at the table and they clinked their bottles together before falling into easy conversation. They stayed like that for an hour, chatting and laughing and fighting over pizza slices.

  “You look exhausted,” she said eventually. He’d stretched his legs out and leaned back in the chair, looking as though he might fall asleep like that.

  “It’s been a long day,” he said through a yawn. “I should probably go and get some sleep.”

  Josie wondered when she’d see him again. He hadn’t mentioned doing anything the next evening. Maybe the plans he’d mentioned to Amber were something else entirely. He kissed her when he stood up and then made a fuss of the dogs before moving to the door. “I’ll see you soon,” he said vaguely.

  “Yeah.” But wh
en? “I thought maybe we could do something tomorrow, but Amber said you already had plans …”

  He shook his head in amusement. “I told you this place was full of gossips. You can’t have any secrets.”

  She forced a smile. He was doing quite a good job of keeping his plans secret. “So I’ll just see you another time, if you already have plans for tomorrow?”

  He hovered in the doorway. “I made the plans ages ago. I don’t really want to change them …”

  “No, of course not,” she said quickly. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I can give you a call over the weekend, see what you’re up to?”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Somehow the casual tone she was going for came out slightly manic. After spending three weeks desperate to see him, she was left feeling somewhat deflated.

  Chapter 26

  At lunchtime on Saturday, Josie sat nursing a cup of tea on Amber’s couch. “He said he was busy tonight but he’d call me.” It wasn’t the first time she’d relayed the information. The conversation was being well and truly rehashed and dissected.

  “What would he be doing tonight?” Amber mused. “It’s weird that he doesn’t just say.”

  Her husband, Paul, lumbered in the front door laden down with shopping bags. He shouted hello as he passed the living room.

  “What are you talking about?” he asked when he joined them ten minutes later.

  “Sam,” Amber said bluntly.

  “I just saw him in Tesco,” Paul said.

  “Really?” Amber patted the chair beside her for him to sit down. “What was he doing?”

  Paul’s eyes narrowed. “Shopping,” he said slowly.

  “What was he buying?”

  “Food, of course. It’s Tesco! And I was too busy trying to decipher your writing on the list to worry about what anyone else was buying.”

  “You’re useless,” Amber scolded playfully.

  “Why do you want to know what Sam was buying?”

  “Because he’s got plans tonight and he won’t tell us what he’s doing.”

  “How dare he!”

  The front door burst open and Tara barrelled in. “There you are,” she said. “Did you see my message?”

  Josie had started a group chat with the girls that morning to fill them in about Sam, but she’d not checked her phone since she’d arrived at Amber’s place. Both her and Amber looked blankly at Tara.