‘Look,’ Brooke started. ‘I know that I was harsh with you over Harvey, but only because any fool could see what a wonderful guy Hector is and how much he adores you. You just seem so immune to it.’
‘I always thought that … that it wasn’t real. I mean, his feelings. I adore Hector, but he’s young and he’s got a past.’
‘We’ve all got pasts, even me, and I’m younger than both of you. Pippa, you always go for older men and it always ends up in disaster for you, right?’
‘Well yes, so far.’
‘But you seem to have a thing about Hector’s age and he’s only a couple years younger than you. God, you’re so infuriating!’
‘Isn’t it a bit early on in our sisterly relationship for you to shout at me?’ Pippa raised an eyebrow and pain shot through her head.
‘No, because I’ve been trying for ages to get you to see what’s right under your nose. This poor guy is in love with you and you refuse to see it. And what’s more, I’ve seen the way you look at him, the way you change slightly when he’s around. Your eyes light up, so I think you’re actually in love with him, too.’
‘I am?’
Was she? This was crazy. Did she light up around him? Probably, but he was one of her favourite people. Did she fancy him? Well of course she did, she was human and he was hot. Was she in love with him? Oh God, what if she was?
‘I think you are, the rest of the family think you are. We’ve been talking about it.’
‘Isn’t it also too early in our sisterly relationship for you to be ganging up on me with our other siblings?’ Pippa smarted.
‘No, it’s not. We all want you to be happy and we want Hector to be happy, and we think you’d be happy together, but instead you’re both miserable.’
‘I’m not exactly miserable.’
‘You’re lonely, Pippa. Remember when I first came to the hotel? Well, I felt you were a bit lonely and that’s why you wanted things to work out with Harvey, but he was so wrong for you.’
‘How could you tell that?’
Pippa knew little sisters were supposed to be annoying, she’d heard that from her siblings enough over the years, but an instant annoying little sister wasn’t quite what she had in mind.
‘He cared about work, money, and you don’t care about those things. You care about people and animals and what matters. Harvey didn’t.’
‘That’s true, actually. He wasn’t very interested in anything to do with my family. But anyway, he’s history, so why are we talking about him again?’
‘I was trying to give you an example as to why you should be with Hector. He cares about the same things you do.’
‘That’s true.’
‘And, well, I’m not sure how much I can tell you as it’s a surprise, but he’s going to prove it to you.’
‘What?’
‘I think it’s best if I don’t say anymore. Take a shower, get dressed and I’ll wait here.’
‘Brooke, you are beyond annoying, you know that?’
‘I know. But I have a feeling it’s worth it. But if I were you, I’d put some make-up on; you look pretty terrible.’
The shower made Pippa feel marginally more human. She took a little time to dress, selecting her favourite black jeans, a T-shirt and a floral kimono-style jacket. It made her look better than she felt. She blow-dried her hair, ignoring Brooke telling her to get a move on, and applied her make-up. Whatever was happening – and she didn’t have a clue as to what it was – she was pretty certain that it was going to be a game-changer. She didn’t understand it. Hector was off to LA, right? She was guessing from what Brooke was saying that the idea was for her to tell him not to go, but how could she? She didn’t want him to go, but she also wasn’t sure how to tell him that. She was too confused.
‘Oh, you look nice,’ Brooke said when she finally emerged. ‘Gorgeous, in fact. Not like earlier.’
‘Don’t sound so surprised!’ Pippa snapped.
But Brooke flashed her a bright smile.
‘Let’s go.’
‘Where are we going exactly?’
‘Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, we’re going to the field. You know, near the ponies, where you do the events?’
‘Why on earth are we going there?’
‘You’ll find out.’
Pippa followed Brooke out of the house and down to the field.
At first, she spotted her whole family. Everyone was there. Gwen and Gerry had Lucky on the lead, Harriet and Connor were stood there with Toby in the pram and Hilda at their feet, then there was Gus and Amanda, Fleur and Hayley, and Freddie and Gemma. They were all staring at her.
‘Just what is going on?’ Pippa asked as she faced them.
She wasn’t good at being the only one who had no clue as to what was happening. She didn’t like it and she wasn’t big on surprises, either.
‘OK, we’re ready,’ Freddie shouted.
Pippa’s mouth dropped open as the morris dancers came onto the field and with them, dressed up to the nines in lederhosen, a funny hat and even bells on his knees, was Hector. Following them onto the field were the gardening club and the Meadowbrook events committee, led by Hilary. Pippa wondered if she was either still asleep, dreaming, or if this was a hangover hallucination.
‘What the hell?’ Pippa asked Brooke, who smiled and shrugged.
Music started from the morris dancers’ sound system and Pippa couldn’t believe that it was Beyoncé. As ‘All the Single Ladies’ rang out of the speakers, handkerchiefs started flowing, sticks were crossed and bells rang out as the dancers tried and failed to emanate the famous dance. Or their interpretation of it.
Everyone was crying with laughter as they carried on, despite the fact that it was a disaster. And although Hector was enthusiastic, he kept going the wrong way. At one point, he banged straight into John, the vicar, and they ended up in a heap and had to be helped up by a couple of other dancers.
Fleur and Hayley were stood at the front doing the correct dance. Edie had joined them and everyone was singing along: ‘If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it.’ Pippa shook her head. This was the maddest, craziest thing she’d ever seen. And it was pure Meadowbrook.
After the song, which sounded as if it were on repeat at least three times, finished, the morris dancers sat down for a rest and everyone crowded around. Hector approached Pippa, took his handkerchief and offered it to her.
‘Milady,’ he bowed. ‘I’m not proposing. I know Fleur thought I was, but that would be presumptuous, as we haven’t even been on a date,’ Hector said. ‘But I wanted to show you I was serious about you.’
‘By putting bells on your knees and dancing badly to Beyoncé?’ Pippa asked.
‘Yes, perhaps that might not seem the most obvious choice, but I know how much all this means to you: family, Meadowbrook, the sanctuary, the community. And I wanted to show you that it means so much to me, too, not least because you mean so much to me. The song, well, it was sort of my way of saying that I want to commit to you before it’s too late. Perhaps I should have gone for Ed Sheeran, but this lot can’t dance to ballads, apparently.’
‘But morris dancing?’ Pippa shook her head.
‘I thought that it summed up Meadowbrook and if you knew I was willing to try to do that for you, then, well … And yes, I also know that Fleur and Hayley filmed me, so I’m going to end up humiliated on social media – my career may even be over – but then you’ll know I am serious about you, once and for all.’
‘You dedicated your book to me,’ Pippa whispered, unsure what was happening.
‘How did you know that?’
‘You slipped the page under my door. Brooke picked it up when she…’
They both turned to look at Brooke, who was staring intently at the sky.
‘I wasn’t going to tell you. I was going to go to LA and just leave, but…’
‘But?’
‘Your family had other ideas. You see, a while ago I told Brooke I was go
ing to tell you how I felt by doing this and so I practised with the morris dancers, but then you fell for Harvey, so we gave up on the idea. But Brooke told the others and they helped me to arrange this. A sort of last-ditch attempt to win your heart. To get you to see that I’m not just after you because you keep rejecting me. I’m after you because I’m in love with you.’
‘Did you enjoy the morris dancing?’ Pippa asked, her lips curled in a smile.
As the warmth of the sun seemed to spread right into her heart, she realised that this was real. This was how her siblings had fallen in love one by one, although without morris dancing, and now it was her turn. They all tuned into their feelings and Pippa … Well, now she was acknowledging that hers were speaking to her loud and clear.
‘A little too much, I fear,’ he replied with a grin.
‘Actually, he’s a natural,’ John, the vicar, said, slapping him enthusiastically on the back.
Pippa shook her head.
‘So, what now?’
‘Well, I don’t have another song, if that’s what you mean, but we could try something…’
‘No, that’s not what I mean. Hector, I don’t want you to go to LA.’
‘You don’t?’
‘No, I don’t, and perhaps we could go out for dinner tonight, the two of us. I know that this wasn’t a proposal, but maybe it’s your way of asking me on a date.’
‘A date would be a very good start.’ Hector blushed.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, give her a kiss,’ Edie shouted and the entire field cheered.
‘Bloody hell, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for our first kiss,’ Hector said.
‘But we’d better not let the crowd down,’ Pippa said, feeling giddy with happiness.
It was as if all the feelings she’d been holding back gushed forth and she couldn’t control them even if she wanted to.
She moved towards him and he put his arms around her. Goodness, it felt so right! And as she let her lips lightly brush his, she knew this was right – it felt right. And as everyone in the field erupted in cheers and applause, she also knew that she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She kissed Hector again and she was sure the bells she could hear weren’t the ones on his knees.
Epilogue
Six months later
‘So,’ Chris PT said as he stood in his and Brooke’s new studio. ‘Are you still single?’ he laughed while Pippa giggled and Hector huffed.
‘You know full well she’s not, she’s with me.’ Hector put a proprietorial arm around her.
‘If you ever get fed up with him, you know where I am,’ Chris said with a wink.
‘I’m not sure about him,’ Hector said as he walked off. ‘I mean, what is the point of him?’
‘He’s Brooke’s business partner and look at what a great job they’ve done. He’s also a friend now and you have to get used to him.’
They’d acquired the studio in Keynsham and Brooke was moving into a large, modern flat above it. She wanted to be near work and although they’d miss seeing her every day, she wasn’t far away. Although they’d grown close, it would do Brooke good to have her own independence.
The studio had a fitness room for classes, a gym full of equipment and a personal training room as well as a space for treatments, like massage. It was gorgeous and although the Singers had all helped and done their bit, Brooke had shown that she was more than capable herself – a true chip off the old block, as Gwen said. She and Chris had come up with a great business model, and with both of them being young and ambitious, they already wanted to open other studios.
Harriet was the voice telling them to rein it in until they’d got this one up, running and successful. She’d been their self-appointed mentor, but actually she’d been incredibly helpful, if not a bit bossy in true Harriet style.
Brooke had settled into the family in so many ways, Pippa reflected. It was as if she’d always been part of it. And she and Brooke had become closer, as she was with the others. It was funny, but Brooke and Gus seemed to have the strongest bond, probably because although she was all about fitness, she also shared his passion for art and was actually quite a good painter, too.
Pippa was no longer jealous. She was the protective older sister now – a role she’d never played before – and she quite liked it. She tried, tentatively, to get Brooke to speak to her mum again, but she still wasn’t ready to forgive her quite yet. But Pippa wouldn’t give up. She knew that Brooke missed her mum and would at the very least like to make peace with her at some stage.
Gemma and Freddie had set the date and were getting married at Meadowbrook the following spring. Pippa was helping Gemma to organise it and was going to be her maid of honour. Hector was best man, along with Gus, so that seemed fitting. Pippa was excited for the wedding and although she didn’t want to rush anything with Hector, she harboured a secret hope they wouldn’t be too far behind. They hadn’t been together that long, just six months, but they’d known each other for so long the relationship had accelerated. She couldn’t believe, looking back, that she hadn’t come to her senses sooner; it had been the best six months of her life. She’d never been happier, in fact.
‘Auntie Pip, did you know they were serving wheatgrass rather than wine?’ Fleur asked.
She was still with Alfie, who’d become a bit of a fixture with the Singers, and even Gus liked him now. Actually, sometimes Gus seemed to like him more than Fleur did.
Hayley was shyly shuffling around behind them. Luckily for Gus and Amanda, she was more interested in sport than boys and had already become one of the studio’s first clients.
‘Well, it is a fitness studio, Fleur, but don’t worry, we ordered champagne for later; although you’re still a bit young.’
‘I’m almost seventeen, for goodness’ sake. Uncle Fred had been drinking for years by the time he was my age.’
‘Not the best argument to use,’ Pippa laughed.
‘I’m going to be eighteen soon,’ Alfie said. ‘But I’m not keen on drinking, to be honest.’
‘No wonder Gus loves you, then,’ Hector laughed.
‘Yes, I almost dumped him because Dad said he reminded him of him!’ Fleur’s voice was full of outrage.
‘Thanks,’ Alfie said.
Fleur hugged him. ‘Nah, I like you, you can stay. After all, who else would put up with my crazy family.’
Edie approached. She’d insisted on coming as a newly converted fitness addict – according to herself. Edie had even taken to wearing leisurewear. Tonight, she was in her favourite bright pink shell suit. It was quite a sight.
‘So, Edie, are you going to be joining?’ Hector asked.
‘It’s a bit far for me to get to, even though I’ve got a bus pass – not that you’d know to look at me. But Brooke’s going to keep doing our yoga classes; the village wouldn’t manage without them.’
It was true. Even the morris dancers kept going to the weekly classes and for many of the villagers it was their big social event of the week. It meant that Brooke had an important role to play in Parker’s Hollow as well as at Meadowbrook, which their father would also have approved of.
‘OK, let’s go and pour champagne now,’ Pippa said. ‘Go and get Fred. He’ll help you, Hector.’ She kissed his cheek.
Hector had changed so much about Pippa’s life, and all for the better. She was more relaxed now and she felt she’d finally grown into herself. After divorcing Mark, she’d found career. But now, meeting Hector, she was feeling as if she could finally be her whole self. She was still a career woman, but the loneliness had gone. That feeling of being anxious that she’d felt at the beginning of the year, the moody teenager she so often was, no longer existed. Being with Hector had shown her what a relationship should be like: a partnership, a friendship, but also passionate and equal. It was so strange the way before she’d always been the underdog in relationships. Even with Harvey she felt as if she was the one making compromises. And for some reason she seemed
to have a deep-rooted belief that that was the way it should be. She’d talked it through with Gemma and decided it stemmed from the fact she was so young when she first met Mark that she’d just thought that it was normal and even after that, it had taken her a while to realise that it didn’t have to be this way. But she was happy now.
Hector was a little bit annoying at times, though, and he got on her nerves. He was messy and with his writing career, he lived in a different world quite a lot of the time. But the way he made her feel was worth those annoyances and they were minor in the scheme of things. He treated her so well, like a princess, in fact, and she was getting used to being spoilt. In turn, she enjoyed taking care of him. He had a lot on with work, so she was happy to step in and make sure that his domestic life went smoothly.
He was away a lot for work and Pippa missed him like crazy, but it also meant she got to concentrate on the hotel when needed. They’d come up with a balance, where they didn’t live in each other’s pockets, and it suited them both. They’d also discussed their living arrangements. The apartment in the hotel was small and they needed more space. It also would do their relationship good to be away from the hotel. Pippa had spoken to Harriet about finding a general manager and getting them to live-in, so that was on the cards. Hector thought they should buy a house in the village. It was a big step but one that Pippa felt she was ready for. Or at the very least ready to think about.
‘So, do you think this is going to work?’ Brooke asked her, interrupting her thoughts.
Brooke looked so young and vulnerable at times, but everyone was right, she also reminded Pippa of her father more and more. The way she tilted her head, the looks she gave … Pippa wished he could have met her.
‘How can it not? It’s great, Brooke. You’ve done so well, especially with everything you’ve gone through.’
And Pippa meant that. She was immensely proud of how well she’d done. She’d lost a father, who wasn’t her father, and she’d grieved for a father she’d never got to meet. She’d fallen out with her mum and she’d gained four siblings. And she’d opened a business. As Harriet said, she was more of a Singer than even she realised.
The Ticket to Happiness Page 30