“I bet he was delighted!” Allie giggled.
Derek and Gail Connelly were the owners of The Red Fox and Derek loved a celebration at his pub because it was good for his bank balance.
Allie went over to Camilla and Tom while Honey got the champagne and glasses.
“Hello.”
She turned to find Dane standing next to her.
“Hello yourself. Congratulations!” She offered her cheek as she was holding a tray. Dane kissed her then took the tray from her.
“Are we celebrating something?” He cocked an eyebrow and Honey laughed.
“Nah… just a regular Friday evening. Did I forget to tell you that I always drink champagne on Friday?”
“You did. That could be expensive.”
“I’m worth it.” She grimaced but Dane nodded.
“You certainly are.”
Dane placed the tray on the table and accepted congratulations from Camilla, Tom and Allie then Honey poured them all a glass of champagne.
“No Dawn and Rick?” Dane asked.
“No, they’re so sleep deprived they’d be snoring under the table after one glass.” Camilla shook her head. “It’s not easy having a new baby and two young children.”
“I bet,” Dane said.
Honey raised her glass. “Shall we get this party underway then? Well done, Dane, on getting your dream job. We’re all delighted for you!”
“Thank you.” Dane clinked glasses with everyone. “I’m so relieved. I love the school, the village and teaching and I didn’t want to have to move and start over again. I’ve just got settled.”
“Will you buy a house in Heatherlea now?” Camilla asked, her black eyebrows slightly raised.
“Uh… possibly.” Dane cleared his throat. “I haven’t thought much beyond getting the job and preparing for the next term. I suppose I should start thinking about that though… renting can be costly and it’s good to invest in a property.”
“Ignore Camilla,” Honey said. “There are lots of factors that go into deciding to buy… including having a hefty deposit. The days of getting a mortgage easy peasy are long gone. I was lucky that I didn’t have to try to get one because I inherited the cottage, but not everyone has generous relatives.”
“That’s sad but true,” Tom said. “However, some people leave their houses to animal charities these days.”
“Tom loves that idea,” Camilla explained. “He’s even got posters up in the surgery telling people how they can go about leaving everything to dogs and cats.”
“And donkeys, rabbits and hedgehogs.” Tom nodded. “It’s a win-win if you ask me and animals need love and support too.”
“They do,” Camilla agreed. “But it’s not for everyone.”
“Especially not if you have children.” Allie frowned. “Mandy and Jordan will get anything I leave behind… and Chris of course.”
“They’ll get Chris?” Dane chuckled.
“No!” Allie smiled. “Chris will get a share of my estate. Although they might well want to inherit him as he can keep their children entertained with plenty of stories.”
“Ah have I arrived during a morbid conversation?” Chris smiled down at them. “I thought this was meant to be a celebration.”
“It is!” Honey stood up. “Take a seat and I’ll pour you some champagne. Tom was just trying to persuade us to leave all our money to animal charities.”
“Guilty as charged.” Tom held up his hands.
“Did you finish your edits?” Honey asked Chris.
“Yes, thank goodness. I loved the story when I started but after three rounds of edits and copyedits, I’m glad to see that book go off to my publisher.”
They all laughed.
“It’s really good though.” Allie beamed with pride. “I read it and I think it’s even better than the last one.”
“You always say that.” Chris hugged Allie and she gazed at him, her eyes full of love.
“Honey, you look incredible this evening. That dress is beautiful and your hair… just wow!” Dane spoke quietly to her.
“Really?” Heat rushed into Honey’s cheeks.
“I love the new length. You could pull any hairstyle off.” He reached out and ran a finger over the curl that caressed her cheek and she shivered with delight.
“I’m glad you like it. Having it cut was nerve-wracking but I’m glad I did. Jenny’s a great stylist.”
“She certainly is.”
“More champagne?” Honey asked.
“Go on then. You shouldn’t have done this… gone to all this trouble, I mean.”
“I wanted to. I…” She paused and met his gaze. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I can’t stop smiling.”
“Did the meeting with the governors go well last night?”
He nodded. “But after two hours of polite chat, I was ready to drop.”
“I bet. And how did today go?”
“I got through it, let’s put it that way. The pupils were really well behaved, even though they could sense that I was exhausted. The head teacher gave an assembly this morning to officially welcome me to the school, which was nice, and lots of my class made me cards to say congratulations.”
“That’s so sweet.”
“One of the bonuses of teaching… I’m privileged to work with the next generation of Heatherlea. It’s amazing, Honey, wondering who will go on to be lawyers, writers, scientists, doctors and nurses, teachers and artists…” He smiled as he gazed into the distance, and Honey experienced a surge of affection. He really cared about what he did and she knew that any children he taught would be very lucky indeed.
18
“See you soon!” Honey waved at her friends as she left the pub with Dane.
Outside, the sky was clear and stars twinkled like tiny diamonds set in ebony silk. The air was cool and fresh and after the bustle of The Red Fox, the peace and quiet was a relief.
“I’ll walk you home, shall I?” Dane asked.
“Okay.” She’d hoped he would anyway, or that he’d invite her to his cottage, but she had tried not to lead him; she wanted him to decide for himself.
They walked side by side and Dane talked about what a great time he’d had and how excited he was about the coming term. When they reached Honey’s street, he walked her up her path and waited while she unlocked the front door.
The heat rushed out as she swung the door open; it was cosy and inviting inside.
“Are you coming in?” she asked, trying not to meet his eyes in case he felt pressurised in any way.
“Uh… I have to be honest, Honey, I’m completely beat. It’s been a tough week.”
She swallowed her disappointment.
“Of course it has. You need to rest this weekend.”
“I wish! I have so much to do now… preparing for the new term and all that, plus…” He sighed. “Honey, I have to go away over Easter. I was hoping to spend some time with you but I’ve been offered an opportunity… There’s a pioneering school in Wales that has developed new teaching and learning strategies and the head teacher asked me to go on the residential course they’re running.”
“On your own?”
“No, with some of the other staff.”
“For two whole weeks?”
He nodded.
“Some of my colleagues can’t go for the full course as they have families, but as I… uh… don’t have any commitments as such, and seeing as how I’ve just got the job, I didn’t like to say no. Besides, it’s a fantastic opportunity to check out what other schools are doing and to share good practice.”
Honey held his gaze, and seeing the excitement there, she knew that she couldn’t ruin it for him.
“It sounds amazing, Dane, and you should go for it.”
“We could spend some time together this week if you like?”
“Aren’t you working?”
“Well, yes, but in the evenings.”
“Right… yes, okay. Now go and get some rest
.”
She leant forwards and kissed him on the cheek before turning and heading inside.
“Good night, Dane. Good luck getting your work done over the weekend. I’ll see you at some point in the week.”
He stared at her for a few moments in silence, and Honey wondered what he was thinking. Had she blown it by pulling away from him before? Even though Dane would be staying in the village now, it seemed that just weren’t destined to spend more time together. Hard as it might be, perhaps she needed to put this behind her and move on. Dane was going to be very busy over the next few months and perhaps there was no room in his life for Honey or for love.
Keeping busy over the next week kept Honey from going over what had gone wrong between her and Dane. She’d definitely developed feelings for him but gone through a variety of ups and downs as she’d tried to understand how to deal with those feelings. Yes, she physically desired Dane and she enjoyed his company, but she knew she’d held back because of old fears that she’d never really dealt with. Add to that Dane’s workload, and his desire to secure a teaching position in Heatherlea, and things between them had just seemed to fizzle out. It was possible that her own lack of certainty about what she could offer to a relationship had dampened Dane’s desire for her but it could also be that he hadn’t actually liked her enough to fight for her in the first place.
Whatever it was, she had to get on with her life and spending long days in her studio painting and making unicorns, mermaids and pretty pots had helped her. She’d played her music loud, drunk plenty of herbal tea and focused on her art in its various forms. When her muscles had ached and her stomach grumbled, she’d gone inside and spent time on yoga and in the bath, as well as eating plenty of chocolate, and tried to ignore the messages that made her mobile buzz.
Tuesday at the café had been a quiet affair with just her, Allie and Camilla, and they’d spent most of the evening discussing possibilities for the Easter Sunday party at The Cosy Cottage Café. When Honey had allowed herself to read Dane’s messages, they’d been polite enquiries about how her week was going and nothing more, so she’d sent one reply, telling him she was deep into an art project and would speak to him soon.
On the Saturday morning, when she knew he was leaving for Wales, she considered popping round to his cottage but then thought it would be better if she didn’t. He would be busy getting ready and she didn’t want to get in the way, so she donned her old dungarees and flip-flops and headed down to her studio, where she turned her music up loud and carried on with her work in progress.
Two hours later, she was singing along to eighties hits when a loud knock at the studio door made her jump.
She turned the volume on the music down and shouted, “Come in!”
Dane’s large frame filled the doorway. His indigo jeans and light grey shirt emphasised his broad shoulders and muscular arms. He was clean-shaven and his dark hair was shorter than usual. “Sorry if I startled you but I tried ringing and I kept getting your voicemail. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”
“Oh…” Honey was suddenly conscious of the state of her dungarees with their paint splatters and torn knees, and her unwashed hair that she’d pushed behind her ears. “Uh… excuse the state of me. I wasn’t expecting company.”
“You look amazing.” He smiled cautiously but his eyes twinkled.
“Ha ha! Yes, I bet I smell amazing too.” She clamped her arms to her sides, not wanting him to catch a whiff of her sweat. The studio got warm through the day and Honey hadn’t showered that morning, intending on having a long hot bath when she’d finished.
“Even the paint on your cheek suits you.” He stepped closer and brushed the spot with his thumb. Her nerve endings fired at his proximity and his touch, but she kept her arms pressed to her sides, afraid now that she would throw herself into his embrace if he touched her again.
“Well, have a good time. I hope it’s a great course.”
She held out a hand awkwardly and Dane stared down at it.
“You want to shake hands?” He frowned.
She nodded, so he took her hand and shook it woodenly, as if they were nothing more than acquaintances.
“Look…” He met her eyes and something burned in his. “I know that we had something between us and I also know that I might have blown a bit hot and cold towards you, and for that I’m really sorry. I’ve had… it’s no excuse, but I’ve had a lot on my mind. Add to that the fact that I wasn’t always sure what it was that you wanted from me, and it’s been a bit of a rocky time emotionally. However… I like you… I more than like you, and I’d like to think that you have feelings for me that stem beyond shaking hands.” When Honey didn’t respond, he continued, “Do you?”
“I do.” Her voice was croaky, her mouth and throat suddenly dry.
“Okay. That’s good. It’s a starting point.” He offered a shy smile. “I have to go now but when I return, I think we need to talk. Properly. No holds barred, about what it is we want. If we left things like this and never spoke about it then I’d have regrets.”
“So would I.”
He opened his arms and Honey stepped into them, pressing her face against his hard chest. He smelt so good, like ginger and citrus, and underneath it was the scent of man that made Honey’s heart pound against her ribs.
“I’ll keep in touch but I should be back two weeks today. Have a think about how you feel and what you want, Honey. We’ve both been to blame for not being open about our feelings. Relationships aren’t straightforward and people come with baggage, but I’m hoping we can work through ours… together.”
“Dane, I—”
“No… please, don’t tell me now. It’ll be too much of a rush and make it harder to leave than it already is. Let’s talk when I get back. I have to go or I’ll miss the bus and make the head teacher mad if I’m late.” He grimaced.
“That wouldn’t be a good start.”
“No.” He raised her chin and pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss but one that made Honey’s heart lift because she felt a connection in his touch, as if a kiss could convey what words couldn’t.
“Before I go…”
“Yes?”
“I love the work you’ve been doing here.” He gestured at the rows of unicorns and mermaids set out on the shelving units and workbench in various stages of production. “It looks like you’re working on a large order.”
She smiled. ‘Something like that.”
“Good for you. You’re very talented and it’s wonderful to see that the public will be able to appreciate your work.”
“Thanks. It’s quite a recent development but also very exciting.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You were busy and I was busy and it never seemed to be the right time.”
He shook his head. “I should always have made time for you. I am here for you, Honey.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“Speak to you soon.”
He walked to the door and Honey raised a hand in farewell. She hated to see him go, but would cling to the fact that he’d be back. Two weeks would feel like a lifetime, but she had her work, her chickens, her friends and the Easter party to help with, so she’d be busy, as would Dane. Then he’d return to Heatherlea and they would talk. The thought made her anxious, as opening up like that was a huge risk, but if she didn’t, she would likely lose Dane forever.
So she would tell him everything; it was a risk she was willing to take.
19
Before Honey knew it, a week had passed and she’d barely had time to wallow in missing Dane at all. Her friends had kept her busy, she’d spent time in her studio working on her orders, and Allie had requested her help at the café the previous two days as she was baking ready for Easter Sunday.
The day of the party dawned fresh and sunny, the sky was forget-me-not blue without a cloud in sight and daffodils and tulips poked their colourful heads up in pots and borders, basking in the
rays of the spring sunshine.
As she walked to The Cosy Cottage Café, the air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers and newly mown grass, as everything awoke properly after the bleak winter months. It lifted Honey’s spirits and filled her with hope and yearning for things yet to come.
The white gazebo was already set up in the front garden of the café and the pink, lilac and yellow bunting that Jordan had draped around the front of the cottage and looped between the trees, flapped in the breeze. Honey set the box she was carrying down on a trestle table under the gazebo and waved at Allie through the window.
It was going to be a good day and she was looking forward to it.
“I can’t wear this, Allie.” Honey frowned at her reflection in the full-length mirror of the café toilet. “I look like some kind of—”
“Easter Bunny?”
“Yes.”
“Well that’s what you’re supposed to look like. Anyway, look at me!” Allie held out her arms and the fluffy yellow wings attached to them bounced.
“You’re a chick.”
“Exactly. Come on, it’s all part of the fun.” Allie straightened the hood of her costume with its bright red beak that sat like a sun visor above her eyes.
“I guess I could get used to it.”
Honey eyed her reflection, from the satin white onesie to the big white feet that fit over her shoes, to the tall white ears that sat on the headband. Beneath it, her colourful hair sprang out in waves. She turned slightly to give the bobble tail sitting above her bottom a flick.
“You’re a gorgeous bunny, Honey.” Allie laughed. “Honey bunny.”
“Ha ha!”
“Come on, let’s go and see how the boys look.”
“You’re making Chris wear a costume too?”
“Of course. Jordan and Maxwell helped me choose it.”
“Poor Chris.”
In the café, Honey bit her lip when she saw the costume Chris had been allocated. From the waist up, he was normal Chris, but his legs dangled over the shoulders of a bunny. Until Honey looked more closely and saw that the bunny’s legs were, in fact, his, and the ones hanging over the bunny’s shoulders were fake.
A Year at The Cosy Cottage Café_A heart-warming feel-good read about life, love, loss, friendship and second chances Page 42