A Taste of Home

by Heidi Swain

‘Oh wow,’ I gasped, tugging at his arm, ‘look at the stars.’

  It was a completely cloud free night and the moon was little more than a crescent so we could easily pick out the constellations. It looked very much like the sky I used to spend my evenings gazing at in Puglia. There was no light pollution there either. It didn’t cross my mind then, that stargazing with Eliot felt far more romantic than me noticing the pinpricks of light when Anthony took me home after our meal. I’d been aware of the illuminated night sky then, but not in the same way.

  ‘It’s a beautiful night,’ Eliot whispered. ‘That’s Venus, isn’t it?’

  I looked to where he was pointing.

  ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I think so.’

  ‘Associated with beauty and love and…’

  ‘Desire,’ I swallowed and then, for the second time that day, I found my lips on his, only this time, he was the one who kicked the kiss off.

  ‘I was going to say prosperity,’ he whispered, when we finally broke apart.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ I whispered back.

  ‘What are you apologising for?’ he grinned.

  ‘For interrupting,’ I smiled back.

  ‘Not for kissing me?’

  ‘No,’ I squeaked. ‘That was definitely you this time.’

  ‘Well,’ he said, holding my gaze. ‘I wanted to level things up a bit, so you didn’t feel quite so guilty about earlier.’

  ‘Was that the only reason?’

  He shook his head and, still smiling, leant around me, unlocked the kitchen door and gently pushed me inside. Then he turned and left without another word.

  Chapter 22

  The next few days were a whirlwind of frenetic activity. Together, Bec and I picked the fruit early in the day and then she kindly took it with her to town as she was working in the café. After she’d gone, I would carry on making lists, giving the barn its basic makeover and devising a simple menu, incorporating the succulent Fenview Farm strawberries, to give a flavour of the potential supper club events to come.

  There was also the added excitement of getting the internet sorted and knowing Fenview Farm’s connection to the world wide web was imminent. I couldn’t wait to have my first video call with Marco, Alessandro and Nonna. As wonderful as my new life was, I missed being able to include them in it and I was looking forward to combining my two fabulous families. I just knew Grandad and Nonna were going to get along.

  However, even with the hectic schedule, I was never quite busy enough to stop thinking about what had happened between me and Eliot after our evening in the pub. He might have said that he had kissed me with a view to alleviating the guilt I felt for throwing myself at him first, but his impish actions served to confirm that I wanted to kiss him and I wanted him to kiss me back, again and again. And again.

  ‘How’s it all going?’

  I was indulgently mulling over thoughts of kissing Eliot as I was giving the barn one last sweep ahead of arranging the seating and working out how best to incorporate some of Grandad’s collection, however the sound of Louise’s voice hastily pulled me out of my fantasising reverie and put a bit more colour in my cheeks too.

  ‘Hey Louise,’ I blushed, as I leant the broom against a straw bale and shifted focus from her son to her. ‘So far, so good, but there’s a long way to go and I’m still struggling to get rid of the dust.’

  With her hands planted on her hips, she took the space in.

  ‘You probably won’t until you’ve properly sealed the walls and floor,’ she practically pointed out. ‘If I were you, I’d stop sweeping and brushing until you can do that, otherwise you’ll just keep kicking it up.’

  ‘I think you’re right,’ I agreed. ‘I’m never going to banish it with a broom, am I? I can’t wait until the internet’s up and running and then I can start getting prices for things like sealant online.’

  Banishing the motes was going to be quite an undertaking, but one I was very much looking forward to.

  ‘And you do know about the auction sales in town, don’t you?’ asked Louise, stepping further in and looking up at the ceiling and around the walls.

  I had done the same myself when addressing Anthony’s concern about the soundness of the building, but I hadn’t found any of the problems he’d hinted at. It all seemed fine to me. Had it not, I would never have suggested having the trial run. I would have been inviting a structural surveyor around instead.

  ‘No,’ I said. ‘What auctions are these?’

  ‘Oh, they’ll be just the thing for you,’ she keenly said. ‘They’re at the town hall once a month and they sell anything and everything. It’ll be ideal place to go for bits and pieces for here. You can pick up tables and chairs for practically nothing and there’s always a good range of household items like cutlery and crocks.’

  ‘Oh wow,’ I said, thinking of the ever-growing list of things I was going to need once the events – hopefully – took off. ‘That does sound perfect.’

  ‘I’ll let you know when the next one is, but bear in mind it’s a bit of a mishmash. You probably won’t get complete sets of anything.’

  It sounded more appealing by the minute. I wanted the supper club experience to be eclectic and unique, with a vintage twist, so mismatched would be ideal and most likely cost less. I knew I was getting a bit ahead of myself, thinking about décor and design, but now I had Grandad’s blessing and the idea had met with such enthusiastic approval from my Cherry Tree friends, there was no harm in dreaming, was there? Thinking big would hopefully help me convince Jake and Amber that Fenview Farm was the right place to serve their fabulous Skylark produce.

  ‘That’s fine by me,’ I smiled, already imagining the bargains I would be able to pick up. ‘Perfect in fact.’

  ‘I had a feeling it might be,’ said Louise, looking well pleased. ‘Do you happen to know where Bill is?’ she then asked. ‘He wanted me to come and give him a hand with something.’

  ‘I’m here,’ he said, briskly announcing himself in the doorway and making us both jump. ‘And Fliss doesn’t need to be bothered with details, Louise. She’s got more than enough going on.’

  ‘You scared me half to death,’ Louise tutted, fanning herself with her hand. ‘My temperature’s gone right through the roof. You can’t do that to a woman of my age without inducing a hot flush. You’ll have to wait for me to cool down now.’

  ‘No time for that,’ he said, walking out again. ‘Come on.’

  I was intrigued to know what they were up to, but Grandad was right, I did have my hands full. I watched them walk away then turned my attention back to the barn and forgot all about the clandestine conversation happening in the house.

  * * *

  ‘Oh, my goodness,’ drawled Bec as I ran her through the proposed list of taster desserts for Saturday night while we were picking the conveniently ripened plump and juicy red and blackcurrants. ‘Can’t you just make them all?’

  ‘Yes,’ I said, thinking of the delicious Anglo-Italian combos I’d come up with, ‘I certainly could.’

  I was going for a fusion menu. The finest Fenview Farm fruit incorporated into my Italian favourites. I had briefly wondered about including Nonna’s tart, but the farm cherries weren’t ready and I really did want my first taste of it away from Puglia to be a more private experience and made with Fenview fruit.

  ‘Great,’ Bec smiled. ‘Because the semifreddo and sorbet both sound divine.’

  ‘But I’m not going to,’ I told her.

  ‘Why not?’ she pouted.

  ‘Because if I do, I’ll have nothing left to serve later in the season, will I, you clot.’

  That was assuming the first evening was enough of a success to warrant thoughts of doing it again. Bec gave my pronouncement further thought, while I fretted on the whys and wherefores of the evening to come.

  I was excited about the prospect of creating and managing the club, but as Saturday drew nearer, I was also increasingly worried that I wouldn’t be able to make it the total triumph I
needed it to be. Without thinking, I began to twist and turn the selection of Mum’s bangles I had taken to wearing.

  ‘That’s fair enough,’ Bec finally agreed, before checking her watch. ‘I suppose you’re right. Crikey, I better get going.’

  ‘Oh blast,’ I said, when she showed me the time, ‘me too. It’s later than I thought and I’ve got to head to town. I need to pick up some stuff.’

  I was planning to create a cosy ambient setting in the barn and with just two electric sockets installed, I was investing in an abundance of twinkling fairy lights to help set the scene. The longest strands were going to be powered by electric, while the others, which I could twine around the place settings and bales, were battery operated. They were something I would be using when and if the business properly launched so I wasn’t worried about the money I would be parting with to buy them. It was all part of my, speculate to accumulate and fingers firmly crossed, plan.

  On Grandad’s recommendation, I’d called the hardware store in Wynbridge and they were only too happy to oblige me with the lights as they had a few boxes left over from their festive stock. I’d also ordered the batteries from them and added a couple of wallpaper pasting tables to the list as they were cheap and relatively sturdy.

  I might not have been able to have everything in the barn exactly how I wanted it, but I was determined to get it looking and feeling as good as possible. I hoped everyone, but especially Jake and Amber, would understand that the evening was a work in progress. I was planning to make notes on what everyone thought had worked, along with anything that hadn’t. Hopefully there wouldn’t be too much to scribble on that page.

  I didn’t linger in town, calling only at the café, the hardware store, and the deli for a few extra ingredients. When I got back to the farm, I was surprised to find Anthony’s car parked on the drive. He wasn’t in it, but the low murmur of voices led me to the kitchen where I found him talking to Grandad.

  ‘Hi,’ I said, walking in and dropping my bag from the deli on the table.

  I’d left everything else in the Land Rover, ready to unload straight into the barn.

  ‘Fuck,’ Anthony swore, as he spun round to face me. ‘Where did you spring from?’

  Grandad looked equally as shocked.

  ‘Town,’ I frowned. ‘I’ve just got back. What’s going on?’

  ‘Nothing,’ they said together.

  ‘I’m sorry I swore,’ Anthony apologised. ‘But you really made me jump.’

  ‘No worries,’ I said, my gaze flicking between the two of them. ‘I’m guessing you were looking for me, Anthony?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Grandad. ‘I said you wouldn’t be long so he might as well wait. You were quicker than I thought though.’

  For some reason, I got the feeling that was problematic rather than pleasing.

  ‘Do you two know each other?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes,’ said Grandad.

  ‘No,’ said Anthony.

  ‘Well, you either do or you don’t,’ I pointed out, struggling to read the atmosphere.

  It might have been strained because I had made them jump, but then again it could have been something else entirely.

  ‘Sort of,’ Anthony conceded. ‘A bit. Not well.’

  ‘Right,’ I said, still none the wiser.

  ‘Mr Brown has just been telling me about your plans for the barn,’ Anthony carried on. ‘You’ve certainly got some big ideas, Fliss. Have you had the building checked out, like I suggested?’

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with it,’ I told him, feeling annoyed that Grandad had mentioned what I had in mind. ‘I’ve had a good look over it and it’s fine.’

  ‘In that case,’ Anthony smiled, ‘I hope I’m invited to the launch this weekend?’

  ‘It’s not a launch,’ I told him. ‘Just a few friends getting together to talk about the idea and have a look at the venue.’

  ‘Oh, well that’s even better,’ he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels. ‘Just my area of expertise. I’ll be happy to come along and offer an opinion.’

  ‘Right,’ I uncertainly said.

  If it was his opinion about the barn’s safety, then I didn’t want it.

  ‘I’m a friend after all, aren’t I?’ he laughed.

  Suddenly I wasn’t so sure what category I’d put him in, and Grandad’s expression suggested he wasn’t either. What with his banging on about the barn and his repugnant rumour about Eliot, I was rapidly beginning to regret my decision to have dinner with him in an attempt to throw the man I really wanted to be with a curveball.

  ‘Of course,’ I swallowed.

  ‘I’ll see you Saturday then,’ he brightly said.

  My stomach churned at the thought of him and Eliot being in the barn together. I knew Eliot wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the smooth running of things, and besides, he surely couldn’t know what Anthony had said he’d heard about him, but I wasn’t sure Anthony would be able to resist making mischief. I didn’t want Eliot knowing it was Anthony I’d been out with now, but their coming together was beginning to feel inevitable.

  Watching Anthony in the farm kitchen and noticing Grandad’s reaction to him, I realised, I didn’t really know him very well at all and in the last few minutes my brain had shifted him from convenient smokescreen to explosive loose cannon. It did nothing to settle my nerves.

  ‘What time are you kicking things off?’ he asked.

  ‘Seven,’ I said. ‘Or just after.’

  ‘Well, I’ll see you then. I better get going. Bye, Mr Brown.’

  Grandad didn’t answer.

  ‘I’ll see you off,’ I said, moving to follow him out. ‘I was hoping to have a quick word.’

  I wouldn’t get a better, or more private, opportunity to make my feelings about what he had told me about Eliot more forcefully known. There was no way I could risk him coming Saturday night thinking I was in two minds about the integrity and motives of Grandad’s dearest friend. Now was the time to nip all that in the bud.

  ‘No time,’ he said. ‘I’m in a rush.’

  ‘Just two minutes.’

  ‘We’ll catch up on Saturday,’ he nodded and was gone.

  Now I’d have to call him instead, which was far from ideal. And as well as repressing the rumour, I’d have to ask him what it was he had come to the farm for too. He’d acknowledged that he’d come to see me, but he hadn’t said why before he’d shot off again.

  ‘I didn’t know it was him that you’d been seeing,’ Grandad gruffly said as the Audi shot out of the yard.

  He didn’t sound impressed.

  ‘We’ve only been out once,’ I pointed out. ‘The night you gave me the ruby earrings.’

  ‘I know when it was.’

  I didn’t know why but he clearly didn’t approve of my choice of dinner date and neither did I now. Going out with Anthony had been a huge mistake and it hadn’t stopped Eliot and I falling further for each other either. Truth be told, I didn’t think there was anything that could.

  * * *

  I woke to rain on Friday which was no bad thing because it stopped me splitting my focus even further. Unable to pick any fruit, I could justifiably divide my time between dressing the barn and prepping dishes.

  Even with Bec’s help, I still had a mountain of jobs to get through, pretty much all of the most important ones, and time was running out. Marco had always teased me about being a control freak and I was beginning to wonder if he was right. Maybe I should try delegating a little more.

  ‘Commis chef, porter and general dogsbody reporting for duty,’ grinned Eliot as his face appeared around the kitchen door.

  ‘What?’ I snapped, looking up from my lists.

  I didn’t have time for messing about, and to be honest, whatever guise Eliot had turned up in, I didn’t have time to spare for mooning about over him either. More than anything I needed to remain calm and collected and the reaction of my head and my he
art to his sudden appearance rendered me incapable of either.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said, sensing the tone and dialling it down. ‘Not the time?’

  ‘Definitely not the time,’ I agreed.

  ‘In that case,’ he said, turning around, ‘let me try that again. I was only clinging to humour to make our first meeting after the snog-gate part deux debacle less excruciating, but I read it wrong. Hold on. Wait there. Don’t move.’

  He walked back out and I shook my head.

  ‘I really don’t have time for this,’ I called after him, but I was smiling as I said it.

  A few seconds passed.

  ‘Hi,’ he said, walking back in and looking a little damper than he had been before. ‘I had a feeling that you might be busy today so, as it’s my day off, I thought I’d come over and see if I could lend you a hand.’

  ‘Idiot,’ I muttered, but I was still smiling.

  ‘I’m going to sort the internet,’ he carried on, ‘but then I’m at your disposal to chop fruit, arrange tables and carry boxes.’

  ‘The ideal dogsbody.’

  ‘Exactly. And I absolutely promise not to kiss you or even mention what happened before because that would make it awkward again…’

  I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip.

  ‘Bugger,’ he groaned. ‘I almost had it, didn’t I? Hold on.’

  He went to walk back out again.

  ‘Enough,’ I said, holding up my hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘You’ve worn me down. You’ve got the job because the last thing I need are more damp footprints trailing in and out of my kitchen.’

  ‘Excellent,’ he grinned. ‘And just as well because I’ve got no way of getting home until Bec picks me up.’

  ‘No bike today?’

  So preoccupied with my plans I hadn’t noticed he was wearing civvies.

  ‘Not in this weather. I’m not a fair-weather biker, but it’s been a while since it rained and the roads are pretty greasy. So, what can I do?’

  While he faffed and fiddled setting up the internet and swore a bit at Grandad’s laptop in the dining room, I settled to making the strawberry semifreddo which was going to be the following evening’s star turn. I also baked half a dozen small strawberry loaves and prepped three trays of meringues. They would take ages in the oven so could be left to their own devices while we dressed the barn.