Coming Home to Maple Cottage: The perfect, cosy, feel-good romance

by Holly Martin

  ‘How are things going with Sadie and the house and the adoption?’ Carolyn asked, placing her bookmark in her book and slipping it into her bag.

  ‘Good and bad, I suppose. She has no interest in Elliot, which is something of a relief. I couldn’t bear to go through a whole custody battle for him, but she has so far not been willing to sign the paperwork giving me full parental responsibility. Leo thinks she’s just stalling to play for more money.’

  ‘Bitch.’

  Isla smirked at hearing her mum curse like that then she sighed. ‘I’m actually starting to feel a little sorry for her.’

  ‘Really?’ Carolyn stared at her incredulously.

  She nodded as she took another sip. ‘I mean, I know she is completely ruining my attempt to adopt Elliot and I may have to sell the house to pay her off, which would technically make us homeless, but… she has no one. She grew up in foster care, several foster homes actually. She has no friends, no family and has been practically homeless for the last few years, scraping together enough money to eat and occasionally get a bed for the night. By the sounds of it, she’s hooked up with an arsehole of a boyfriend who pushed her into coming back here to get the money. I don’t think she’s in a good place.’

  ‘Maybe she should have thought of that before she left Matthew and their son and the home they had bought together. Who walks away from their only child?’

  Isla shrugged. ‘Parenthood isn’t for everyone. I’m not saying we’re going to become friends or that I even like the woman. I’m just saying I feel sorry for her and I understand desperate times call for desperate measures.’

  ‘So what are you going to do?’ Carolyn said.

  ‘I know her solicitor is pushing for an out-of-court settlement, but we’re still waiting to see what Sadie wants. I’d like this whole debacle over with as quickly as possible. I can’t wait around for this to go to court. Elliot’s adoption hearing is in two weeks and I’d quite like matters sorted before then, at least where he is concerned, even if the house business isn’t finished. The last thing I want is to put the hearing back. She just wants money so I’m going to go down to the bank this morning and ask to remortgage my house to get half the value. Hopefully that will be enough to get her to sign the paperwork for Elliot’s adoption and go back to where she came from. I have a job now, albeit a part-time one, so I should be able to afford the repayments. That’s if they’ll let me do it.’

  ‘And if they don’t?’

  Isla sighed. ‘Then I guess we’ll have to sell. But I should be able to afford a small flat with my half of the money. It’s not ideal but at least I’ll have Elliot and that’s the most important thing.’

  Carolyn shook her head, angrily. ‘It’s not fair.’

  ‘No, it isn’t.’

  They sat in silence for a while as they contemplated the mess that Sadie had created.

  ‘And things are finally happening between you and Leo?’ Carolyn asked, quietly.

  Isla couldn’t help the smile from spreading across her face.

  ‘Yes, it’s crazy. I’m completely in love with him, have been for some time if truth be told, and I’m pretty sure he feels the same way. He has all this guilt over the idea that he feels he is benefitting from Matthew’s death by us being together, but I think he is slowly getting past that.’

  ‘I’m happy for you, he’s a good man,’ Carolyn said.

  ‘Yes, he is. He doesn’t see himself that way, but he really is. And how are things going with you and Trevor?’

  Her mum smiled. ‘Really good. I never thought I’d be in love again but here I am.’

  Isla smiled. ‘Good things happen when you open yourself up to new possibilities.’

  Her mum nodded.

  Isla drained her cup. ‘I better go. I need to go to the bank shortly and I promised Leo I’d be at the office this afternoon. I’ll pick Elliot up after work.’

  ‘OK, no rush.’

  ‘Thanks Mum, see you later.’ She gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood up just as Sadie walked into the café.

  Within seconds, the whole café fell silent, everyone staring at the new arrival with complete contempt. Isla was quite sure that everyone in the village had heard that Sadie was back and was trying to kick Isla and Elliot out of their home. She was definitely not going to receive a royal welcome.

  Sadie stopped halfway between the door and the counter as she realised everyone was staring at her.

  She spotted Isla and shifted awkwardly.

  ‘I just want a ham sandwich,’ Sadie addressed the café at large.

  ‘Not from here you don’t,’ Emily said. ‘I’m not serving you.’

  Sadie stared at her in shock. Even Isla was a little stunned by this. She knew the villagers were loyal but she hadn’t expected this.

  Sadie looked around the café again, clearly seeing the hatred there, then turned and quickly walked out.

  Isla hesitated for a moment or two as conversation between the villagers slowly resumed and then walked up to the counter. ‘Can I get a ham sandwich to go?’

  Emily narrowed her eyes. ‘Is it for her?’

  ‘Let’s say I’m trying the good cop, bad cop approach.’

  Emily sighed. ‘Fine.’

  She took one from the fridge and rang it through the till. ‘It’s yesterday’s one so I hope it’s all stale and dry.’

  Isla smirked, knowing that would be very unlikely.

  She waved goodbye to her mum and went outside. Sadie was sitting on the sea wall, staring down at the phone in her hand and chatting to someone.

  ‘I just want to come home, Jim,’ Sadie said, sadly.

  Isla could hear his reply; clearly Sadie had him on speakerphone.

  ‘You’re not coming back here without that money,’ Jim snapped.

  ‘Everyone hates me, and you know what, I’m starting to hate myself. This was a mistake.’

  ‘If you walk away from there with a hundred and fifty thousand pounds, they can hate you as much as they want. You’ll be out of there soon, who gives a shit what they think of you?’ Jim said.

  ‘If we have to go to court, it could take months. You’re not here having to deal with all this. I’m pretty sure a waitress at the hotel yesterday spat in my food. And a bloody turkey chased me down the road this morning.’

  Isla smirked at the vision of Dobby chasing Sadie – it was his usual trick if anyone was walking past Jamie’s house, but she wouldn’t put it past Jamie to have set Dobby on her as he’d said he would the day before.

  ‘I’m running out of money to pay for the hotel and for food too and now I can’t even get served to buy a bloody ham sandwich,’ Sadie went on.

  ‘If you come home without that money, then it’s over between us. In fact, don’t even bother coming back to Goa without it.’

  The phone went dead and Isla watched Sadie for a moment. She looked utterly defeated, as if she hadn’t slept properly in years. Isla took a breath and walked over.

  Sadie leapt up as Isla approached, looking ready to defend herself in a fight. Isla offered out the sandwich and Sadie looked at it suspiciously.

  ‘Did you put poison in it?’

  Isla shrugged. ‘If you don’t want it, don’t eat it. Feed it to the birds, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.’

  Sadie sighed, her shoulders slumping as she took the sandwich. ‘Thanks.’

  She sat down on the sea wall, unwrapped the clingfilm and took a bite.

  ‘Why are you being nice to me?’

  Isla hesitated, not sure whether to say anything but then decided it couldn’t do any more harm.

  ‘Look, I understand you’re desperate for cash. The only thing I’m desperate for is to adopt Elliot. Sign the form to give me consent to adopt him, please. It’s a child’s life you’re playing with, your child’s life.’

  Sadie looked at her and then bit into her sandwich. She didn’t say anything but Isla could see she was thinking about it. Isla decided to let it go for now. She certainly didn
’t want to be accused of harassing her.

  ‘So you’ve travelled around a bit for the last few years?’ Isla asked.

  Sadie nodded as she ate; she wasn’t much good at this conversation malarkey. She hadn’t always been like this. Isla had met her only a few times after Elliot was born and she’d come across as quiet but nice. Now she seemed permanently on edge, looking at the world as if she was a dog waiting for the next beating.

  ‘What was your favourite place?’ Isla asked.

  ‘New Zealand… it’s so peaceful and beautiful.’

  ‘Maybe, when you get the money from the house, however much it is, you could go there instead of going back to Goa,’ Isla said, meaningfully.

  Sadie’s head whipped up as she took in what Isla meant. It didn’t look like that piece of advice had been well received.

  Isla shrugged. ‘Just a thought.’

  She walked away, hoping she hadn’t just done more harm than good.

  Leo walked towards The Cherry on Top with the intention of buying lunch and cake for Isla. She was right, he should have told her the night before that Sadie hadn’t signed the papers, not kept it from her. And he should have stayed this morning when she was stressing out, even if the only thing he could offer her as support was a warm hug. He needed her to know she was not facing this alone. He wasn’t great at this relationship thing and he needed to be. He wanted this to work more than anything.

  He saw Carolyn up ahead on the beach with Elliot making sandcastles, despite the coolness of the day. Carolyn was talking to two women he recognised from the village. Frances Cook used to live next to his mum and dad when he was little and Betty Lucas was her sister who lived down the road. Frances had never had much time for him when he was a kid, she was always coming round to complain to his mum about his behaviour. For the most part, his mum, bless her, would listen patiently to what Frances would moan about and, as soon as she was gone, just laugh it off.

  He moved closer to say hello to Carolyn and play with Elliot for a few minutes when he heard them talking.

  ‘You must be so worried about your Isla,’ Frances said.

  ‘I know, this whole situation with Sadie Norton is a complete nightmare,’ Carolyn said.

  ‘Well yes, of course,’ Betty said. ‘But we meant about her relationship with that Leo Jackson.’

  He stopped. That Leo Jackson?

  ‘What’s wrong with Leo?’ Carolyn said, defensively. ‘I think he’s wonderful with Isla and Elliot.’

  He smiled, slightly.

  ‘He’s rotten, that one,’ Frances said.

  ‘And did you hear what Elliot said back there, that he’s only using her for sex?’ Betty said. ‘He has no intention of marrying her.’

  ‘That’s not true, he’s proposed to her many many times,’ Carolyn said.

  ‘Oh well, you have to ask yourself why Isla has said no so many times. She obviously knows he isn’t the marrying kind. Do you know how many women he’s slept with?’ Betty asked.

  ‘Do you?’ Carolyn said, pointedly.

  ‘I bet even Leo Jackson has no idea how many women he’s slept with,’ Frances said.

  Leo shoved his hands into his pockets. That was probably true.

  ‘You know he got into trouble with the police when he was younger,’ Betty said.

  ‘Got into lots of fights too,’ Frances said.

  ‘Everyone knows a leopard never changes his spots.’

  ‘He’s self-absorbed, only looks out for himself.’

  ‘Isla will realise the truth soon enough and send him packing.’

  ‘Do you really want a man like that raising your grandchild?’

  ‘A man that’s kind and generous?’ Carolyn snapped. ‘A man that’s redecorated one of his bedrooms with planets and stars so that Elliot has in his own room every time he stays over? A man that’s been there for Isla and Elliot every single day since Matthew died? I think I’ll take my chances.’

  Elliot suddenly leapt up from his sandcastle-building. ‘Leo is not a leopard and he doesn’t fight with anyone and he’s the best dad in the whole world and I love him and you are all being very mean and I don’t like it.’

  Elliot ran off the beach, heading straight for the road. Thankfully there were no cars coming but Leo got to him before he could step one foot off the pavement. He caught him round the middle and scooped him up, holding him tight as his godson wrapped his arms around his neck and cried.

  ‘Hey, it’s OK,’ Leo soothed, stroking his back. He moved a little further away from the café and Frances and Betty, just in case they had any more mean things to say that he didn’t want Elliot to overhear.

  ‘They’re being mean,’ Elliot said.

  ‘I know.’

  Carolyn moved quickly over to them. ‘Leo, I’m so sorry, I had no idea you were there.’

  ‘I think you did a pretty good job of fighting my corner,’ Leo said.

  ‘I’m sorry, Elliot,’ Carolyn said. ‘I shouldn’t have let them say nasty things about Leo in front of you.’

  ‘Carolyn, it’s not your fault people are small-minded,’ Leo said. ‘Or that they chose to say those things in front of Elliot. Elliot’s fine, aren’t you, buddy?’

  Elliot pulled back to look at him, and Leo wiped the tears from his cheeks. He sniffled a bit but giggled when Leo tweaked his nose.

  ‘You’re not sad?’ Elliot asked.

  ‘Not one bit,’ Leo said, though the ache in his heart said otherwise. Did everyone in the village really think that of him? Did everyone look at Isla sympathetically and shake their heads at her getting involved with him? Would he really lose Isla and Elliot one day when she came to her senses and realised what kind of man he truly was? Someone so self-absorbed that he did nothing to stop his best friend from being killed.

  ‘I love you,’ Elliot said and then held his arms out really wide. ‘This much.’

  Leo swallowed down the emotion that had caught in his throat and stuck one arm out, which reached a lot further than Elliot’s arm. ‘I love you this much.’

  Elliot giggled as he tried to reach down to Leo’s hand but it was too far away.

  ‘And Isla loves you very much too,’ Elliot said.

  ‘And that’s all that matters,’ Carolyn said, meaningfully.

  Leo looked at her and nodded. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought. His family were loyal to him, he knew that, and beyond that Elliot and Isla were the only ones who were important. Isla saw something in him that was wonderful so he would trust in her that he was good enough for them. Everyone else could go to hell.

  He kissed Elliot on the head and tried to ignore the ache in his heart that refused to go away.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Isla arrived at work at lunchtime but there was no sign of Leo in the office. Not wanting to prolong the argument any longer, she went off to the warehouse to look for him. She found him checking fireworks from a large crate off a list on his clipboard. Loud music was playing and he obviously hadn’t heard her come in.

  She walked up to him, slipped her arms around his stomach and pressed a kiss onto his back. He jumped a little at her touch and then held his hands over hers. She sighed with relief.

  He turned round and she opened her mouth to apologise but he captured the words on her lips as he kissed her.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she giggled against his lips as he continued to pepper her with kisses.

  ‘I’m sorry too,’ he said. ‘I should have told you last night, not kept it from you. I just didn’t want you to worry. But it was wrong of me to keep it from you.’

  She pulled back slightly, wrapping her hands round his neck. ‘I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just getting so stressed out about this whole Sadie debacle and—’

  ‘It’s fine, don’t worry.’

  Isla sighed. ‘I spoke to the bank this morning about remortgaging the house so I can release some capital for Sadie and—’

  ‘Don’t do anything hasty, this is far from over yet,’ Le
o said.

  ‘I know, but whatever happens, whether we settle out of court or let the solicitors fight it out in front of a judge, Sadie is still walking away from this with some cash in her pocket. There is no way, despite the circumstances, that any judge is going to award me the cost of the whole house. Her name is on the deeds and if it was that simple to remove her we would have done that already. I’m not sure how much Hot Chocolate Cottage is worth but if she gets ten percent, that’s still at least twenty to thirty thousand pounds. I don’t have that. My funds are running out fast. And I don’t want to go to court, I don’t want this to drag on for months with Sadie hanging around like a bad smell. If I can pay her off now then I will. Sadly, though, the bank won’t let me remortgage. I haven’t had a job for over a year and that’s kind of frowned upon.’

  Leo stroked his hands up her back. ‘OK, we can figure this out, we can—’

  ‘I’m going to sell the house. There’s these estate agents who will buy the house off you for less than market value but the house sale will then go through relatively quickly.’

  He let out a heavy breath. ‘I don’t want you to do that, that’s your home.’

  ‘I don’t have much choice.’

  ‘OK. So you’ll move in with me into Maple Cottage. Elliot already has his own room—’

  Isla shook her head. ‘No, I was considering renting, but the rent on properties round here is sky high and it just feels like wasted money. So I’m going to buy a small flat on the other side of town.’

  He frowned. ‘Why would you not want to move in with me? Elliot’s happy there and we’re getting on OK.’

  She grinned. ‘More than OK. But we’re not there yet, me and you. To go from young, free and single to living under the same roof and raising a child together in a matter of weeks is a huge leap. I don’t want to do anything to risk us or put pressure on what we have.’

  ‘You don’t think I’d cope being a dad?’

  ‘I think you’d cope just fine, you’re a wonderful dad to Elliot and he loves you. But I’d quite like to focus on us as a couple for a while, not us as parents. If this was anyone else you were dating, you wouldn’t be asking her to move in after one amazing night.’