by Rebecca Pugh
In fact, spending time with Brad had become her new favourite thing to do when she wasn’t at the cafe. She knew, in the back of her mind, that when she left she’d miss him terribly. They’d shared some special moments together and she’d never forget how he’d offered her his hand before that ridiculous fairground ride had shot them both into the air, her screaming her head off hysterically. He was kind, considerate and surprisingly gentle, considering his roughened hands from the hard work he did on the farm. She wondered how her family would react to news of a new man in Maria’s life, but was there any point in telling them about Brad if she was going to leave? What would be left of them then? Would they simply go their separate ways, only ever thinking of each other when they remembered summers from long ago? The thought made her chest hurt. She wouldn’t think about it now. They still had time and so, until the time came for them to part ways, she’d enjoy the here and now instead of worrying about the future.
In order to look fantastic for the party, Maria divulged in a small shopping trip with Millie. They dipped in and out of a few shops, trying a few different things on here and there but nothing caught Maria’s eye in a way that made her need to snap something up. Finally, in the last shop they ventured into, she spotted a maxi-dress that completely stole her attention away. It was coral pink, with different coloured butterflies printed all over. It looked like the perfect summer dress. She loved it, and what with the weather behaving like it was, she thought it was exactly what she’d been looking for without even realising it. She ended up buying the dress, with lots of enthusiasm from her shopping companion, all with the thought in the back of her mind, ‘what will Brad think?’ She smiled when she imagined his face. He was always full of compliments and, thankfully, she’d finally managed to get her blushing under-control.
On the evening of the party, with a text from Rob to say that the family were on their way, Maria dressed and surveyed herself in the bedroom mirror, performing a small spin to get a good look at herself from every possible angle. She liked what she saw. In fact, the woman looking back at her appeared… happy. Ridiculously so. Her cheeks were fuller, which certainly wasn’t a bad thing in Maria’s eyes, and her figure looked curvier too. Her skin glowed and her hair was shiny. She admired herself, something she hadn’t done in a while, and nodded in approval. ‘You look good,’ she complimented her reflection. ‘Really good.’
Once Rob, Rosanna, Ellen and the girls had arrived, they strolled to the pub together, chatting happily. Everyone looked fantastic in their party clothes and Maria couldn’t wait for the night ahead. Kelly and Kayleigh looked particularly pretty in their blossom-pink dresses, both with a silky ribbon tied around their waists, ending in a big bow at the back.
When they arrived, she grinned in delight at the balloons and banners that decorated both inside and outside of the pub. Millie waved when she spotted Maria approaching, and hopped up and down with excitement. Maria read the words ‘birthday girl’ printed in curly font on the banners and rolled her eyes playfully. Everyone stepped inside and began chatting to each other right away. Maria saw Harriet across the room and waved. Harriet hurried over and led Maria to where the buffet had been set up. Amongst the cocktail sausages, sandwiches and bowls of crisps, the cake she’d made for Maria sat proudly. It was pastel pink with the lightest blue and purple writing across the top. ‘Happy birthday, Maria!’ it said. She felt tears pooling in her eyes at the kindness the woman had shown.
‘It’s perfect,’ she whispered, giving Harriet a massive hug.
‘Oh, stop it,’ she chided, squeezing Maria back. ‘You deserve it. Plus, it tastes wonderful, and I can tell you that because I’m a taste-tester as well as a cake maker.’ She winked and spotted Ellen, then walked off to chat to her, leaving Maria admiring the cake. She couldn’t believe how fantastically her mother and Harriet seemed to get on, and the thought of the women becoming friends filled her with happiness. It was as if she’d always be linked to this place, even long after she’d returned home. She’d never doubted that though. It would always hold a special place in her heart, no matter how big the distance between herself and Loland Green.
‘Hello.’
Maria turned on the spot to see Brad beside her. He looked dashing in beige trousers and a smart blue shirt, which accentuated his broad shoulders. Maria glanced towards the bar but the owners were busy serving party guests drinks and chatting away as they did so. If they had a problem with Brad being there, they didn’t appear to be making too much of a fuss about it.
‘They won’t kick you out, will they?’ Maria asked, glancing between Brad and the bar. She hoped not. She wanted tonight to go as smoothly as possible.
‘No, I’ve already spoken to them,’ Brad assured her. ‘They didn’t look too pleased to see me, but they didn’t insist that I get out so that’s good. I told them I was a guest of the birthday girl’s. You look amazing, by the way. That dress is stunning, much like the woman wearing it.’ His eyes travelled down the length of her body, taking in the dress and the way it hugged at her curves in all of the right places. ‘Really amazing.’
‘Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.’ Maria held his gaze, unable to look away. They smiled at each other, lost in the moment, everything else fading away.
‘Maria. There you are! Drink for the birthday girl.’ Rob moved a tray into the space between Maria and Brad, casting a curious look Brad’s way. ‘Who’s this then?’ he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
Maria accepted the glass of wine and took a sip before making introductions. ‘This is Brad. He works at Meadow Farm.’ She wasn’t sure whether to add anything else but Brad smiled, seeming satisfied with their secret.
‘Nice to meet you,’ Brad said, holding out his hand to shake Robert’s.
‘Likewise, mate,’ Rob said, giving him a strange look. He turned back to Maria. ‘Quite a turn-out, isn’t it?’ They both looked around the pub, which seemed to be filling up rather quickly. The DJ was beginning to set up over in the corner, fiddling with the disco lights, and people had already begun helping themselves to the buffet.
‘Sure is,’ Maria smiled. ‘I’m looking forward to having a boogie on the dancefloor later.’
‘You and me both,’ laughed Rob. ‘I’ve been perfecting my moves especially for tonight. Anyway, I better get back to Rosanna. I have another glass of wine to deliver. It was nice meeting you, Brad, and keep your hands off my sister, all right?’ He said it jokingly but it made Maria swallow nervously. Once he was gone, she threw Brad a sympathetic smile.
‘Sorry about that. Rob’s a bit protective over me. He has been ever since…’
‘It’s fine, don’t worry. Who can blame him? Although, if I’m going to be truthful, I’m going to find it incredibly hard to keep my hands off you this evening.’ He sent her a hungry, devilish grin that was impossible not to return.
‘Stop it,’ she hissed. ‘People will wonder what’s going on.’
‘So what?’ Brad shrugged. ‘We’re adults. You can’t possibly keep me away from you all night, Maria. I simply won’t allow it.’
‘You don’t have a choice, Mister,’ she replied in a silky, low voice. She sent him a playful glare, as if to warn him off.
‘You’re killing me,’ he groaned, shaking his head in despair.
‘Don’t worry,’ soothed Maria. ‘Perhaps we could sneak off later? Down by the lake? I’m not sure I want you to keep your hands off me.’ She smiled suggestively, loving that she had this effect on him.
‘Now there’s an idea,’ he grinned, about to take a step closer.
‘Maria, there you are!’ Millie rushed over, and Brad stepped away quickly, reinstating the distance between them. ‘Oh, hi Brad,’ she added, confused to see him there. ‘I didn’t know you were invited tonight. It’s nice to see you out and about.’
‘Hello, Millie.’ He smiled politely. ‘Yeah, Maria kindly invited me, and I thought why not? I don’t get out enough and it’s nice to see everyone.’
Maria mouthed ‘sorry’ to Brad as she allowed herself to be dragged away, even if it was unwillingly. He shrugged and replied, ‘it’s fine.’ He watched her move away in amusement.
The evening passed by quickly. Maria enjoyed herself so much when the DJ began to play his party tracks and all of the guests took to the dancefloor. She danced with the girls, with Rosanna and Ellen, and even had a little boogie with Rob. Millie had all eyes on her when she took to the floor, and it wasn’t long until Harvey joined her, both of them with one of Susie’s hands in theirs. The lights flashed, the buffet was attacked by hungry party guests and when the night began to close in, she managed to sneak her way back to Brad’s side without anyone noticing. They were either too knackered from throwing their best shapes on the dancefloor, or too woozy from all of the booze that had been consumed. Even the pub owners were enjoying themselves.
‘You looked great out there,’ Brad said. He glanced around to make sure no one was looking and then took hold of her arm, leading her outside the pub and towards the lake. As always, it was a picturesque sight. Maria almost wanted to stop only to stand in place and admire it properly.
‘Brad, we can’t,’ she squealed, laughter bursting out alongside her voice. Despite her protest, she didn’t put up too much of a fight and allowed herself to enjoy the sensation of his skin against hers. She wanted to be tugged outside by this beautiful, handsome man. She’d been dying to feel his lips on hers since the night had begun and now she finally could, to her heart’s content hopefully.
Brad continued pulling her gently along until they reached the lake. He looked around to make sure no one was about, then tugged her towards one of the many large oaks that surrounded the area. He stood against the aged trunk of the tree, thick and rough, and pulled her towards him, her hands landing and resting on his chest, moving up and down beneath her palms to the rhythm of his breathing. His lips were on hers immediately, hungry and searching. Maria kissed him right back, feeling a thrill at having snuck away with him when her family and friends were in the pub, oblivious to her disappearance. She wanted this moment with Brad and now that it had finally arrived, she wanted to make the most of it.
‘I love this,’ Brad whispered, his hands resting comfortably on her hips. ‘I love everything about this. About us. I think… I think I’ve fallen pretty hard for you Maria.’ His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed. It was clear it had taken a lot of courage for him to say those words.
Maria stilled as she finally made sense of what he’d just said. Without realising that she was doing it, she backed away from Brad and his words. Just a few steps, but enough to create a sudden distance between them. It was stupid because she knew he had feelings for her. The time they’d been spending together was more than enough evidence of that. But hearing him say it out loud, declaring it in such a final way, made her panic. Keeping their relationship just between the two of them had been easy. It was their little secret and no one else had to know. She loved that about them, because in keeping to themselves, there were no pressures or expectations. They rolled with it, took it easy and didn’t need to think about where they’d go next.
Maria looked back at Brad and sucked in the air greedily. ‘Well we’ve spent a lot of time together,’ she offered, knowing it sounded pathetic. But what else could she say? One part of her brain was urging her to tell him how much she loved his company too. It didn’t take a genius to see that her feelings towards him had grown stronger by the day. But the other part that was niggling at her was telling Maria that it was too soon to ruin it all by declarations and promises that they couldn’t keep. She’d already been let down once. What if it happened again?
Brad nodded firmly, a fierceness behind each of his words. ‘I mean, this time I’ve been spending with you means the world to me, Maria. I’ve been hesitant before now, scared that what Sophie did to me would be repeated, but I feel like I can trust you. I know I can trust you. You’re special. You’re the first woman I’ve met since… Well, since Sophie, who’s managed to make me feel this way. I look forward to seeing you constantly. Your smile. Your laugh. You make me happy, Maria. I’m not sure I could go a day without seeing you now. It wouldn’t feel right. You colour my world. It’s all happened so quickly, I know that, but this summer is the best summer I’ve ever had. By miles. And I’ve had a lot of summers.’
Maria didn’t know what to say. She was speechless. Scared. ‘I have to go home soon. What then?’ Foolishly, deep down, she hoped he’d offer up a suggestion that worked for both of them, but she knew he couldn’t. It was impossible.
Brad stepped forward and reached for her hand. ‘Long distance relationships can work. You wouldn’t need to worry about that.’ He sucked in a breath. ‘I spent so long being scared of something like this happening, but now that it is, I want to run with it. Take it by both hands and make the most of what we have.’
Maria swallowed.
‘Just think about it, okay? I don’t want this to all amount to nothing. We’ve both had terrible things happen to us, but this is our chance to say goodbye to the past and move forward together. Be happy.’
She smiled, dipped her head a little. ‘And what if it did turn out to be nothing? What if, in the end, we weren’t right for each other?’
‘Then that’s life, isn’t it? But something tells me that that wouldn’t happen. I feel it, Maria. Right here.’ With a hand over his heart, he looked back at her sincerely. ‘Isn’t it worth taking the chance?’
She remained silent. She couldn’t fathom how it would work. And could she really put so much trust and faith into a relationship already? Brad was a kind-hearted soul, she knew that, but she’d thought the exact same thing about Mike and look how that had ended.
‘You don’t have to decide right now, Maria. Just think about it? Okay? Listen, I’m going to need to head back home.’ He stared at her for a second or two, and from his crestfallen expression, she could tell that this hadn’t been how he had imagined the conversation would go. After a deep kiss and a soft, warm embrace, Brad brushed her hair out of her face and then turned to head home.
Maria remained by the oak tree for a few more minutes, taking the time to reflect on his words. She turned in the direction of the pub and wondered what excuse she could give in order to call it a night. Headache? Drank too much? Knackered? One of them was sure to work. She took one last glance in the direction which Brad had walked. She knew why. What was the use in chasing him down though, when the end result would remain the same? She was going home and that was final. Nothing was going to change that. Not even feelings for a man she really had come to admire and enjoy the company of. It was then that she knew she wasn’t ready for this. For what could come to be if she allowed Brad into her heart. Properly, and with finality. It was too soon. Too much.
Instead, she walked slowly back towards the pub, made her excuses quickly, and then hurried back to Daffodil Lane. She cried into the pillow with her heart aching at the thought of leaving this place that she’d grown to love so much. The people she’d met, the friends she’d made, the new love she might have had, all came together and sent her to sleep, with her mind full of the memories she’d made that would stay with her forever.
Chapter Fourteen
Maria kept her eyes open for Brad throughout the last couple of days before she had to leave. He didn’t visit the café or show his face once when she was working, and she wondered if he was avoiding her purposely. She was highly aware of the days slipping by until she would leave Loland Green and Daffodil Lane behind for good. Maybe she’d come here again at some point in the future, for a short weekend or a holiday perhaps, but she wasn’t certain of it. She just hoped to see his face once more before she went, even if only to say goodbye. She didn’t want to leave with things so unsteady bet
ween them. It sat heavily in her gut, leaving her uncomfortable and unable to relax.
The morning before she was due to leave, Maria found herself walking around the cottage in a daze, admiring the temporary home she’d become so used to during her break. She decided to visit the café for a spot of breakfast one last time. The evening before she’d given the cottage a good clean, ensuring everything was as spick and span as it possibly could be. She felt tearful as she polished and hoovered and stripped the bed to slip on fresh new sheets. Even more so when she gave the beautiful conservatory a quick dust too. She admired the view she’d come to love, of the fields rolling far into the distance, and sighed. If only she didn’t have to leave. If only she had the chance to speak to Brad before she went.
As Maria was about to pop the end of a delicious sausage into her mouth, pondering over how she’d spend her last day on Daffodil Lane, Brad entered the café and found her immediately. He made his steady way towards the table and smiled softly when he took the seat opposite.
‘Hello.’
Maria swallowed the chewed sausage quickly. ‘Brad. Hi.’ She placed her cutlery down and returned the smile. ‘I was hoping I’d see you again before I left. Tomorrow’s going to be tough. There’s part of me that really doesn’t want to leave.’
‘That’s understandable,’ he nodded. ‘But it’s not like you have to stay away forever. You know that.’ He pinned her with a questioning gaze, eyes not leaving hers once. ‘The night of your birthday party, those things I said, I meant them, Maria. It wasn’t just a spur of the moment declaration. I really would like to see where we’d go.’ He looked down at the table, drawing small circles on the shiny wood with the tip of a finger, almost nervously. ‘Have you…’ He met her eyes once more. ‘Have you thought any more about it?’