by Fay Keenan
‘The farmhouse at Adelaide’s is in a pretty wild state,’ Alex said. ‘Which isn’t a major problem while the weather’s warm, but it’s going to need some work before the winter if I’m going to survive the cold. There’s a builder in there at the moment, trying to plug some of the bigger gaps and make it a bit more comfortable before the weather turns.’
‘Brave of you, leaving him to it while you’re over here,’ Matthew observed. ‘Not sure I’d be able to put that much trust in someone from four thousand odd miles away.’
‘He’s an old friend.’ Alex smiled. ‘And I’ve promised him a few gallons from the first presses as a sweetener if he can get the place sorted out by the autumn.’
‘I like your thinking.’ Matthew laughed. ‘My great-grandfather used to pay his labourers in cider back in the day, too!’
They sat in companionable silence for a while as they waited for Anna to join them. Drifting across from the window of Ellie’s bedroom was the sound of Anna reading her daughter a bedtime story, and the little girl protesting that she wasn’t remotely tired.
Matthew raised an eyebrow. ‘Six going on sixteen at the moment,’ he said as Anna’s soothing tones gave way to the faintest trace of motherly exasperation. ‘Thinks she knows everything.’
‘My niece is the same,’ Alex said. ‘My older sister tells me to take it as a warning for the future!’
‘Is that on the cards?’ Matthew asked.
Alex laughed. ‘Not unless there’s something I don’t know about!’ Then, as he realised what he’d said, his heart thumped painfully. ‘I mean, uh, there’s no one waiting back home just at the moment.’
Matthew smiled gently. ‘Sorry. None of my business.’
‘N-no, it’s fine,’ Alex said, heart still thumping uncomfortably. ‘To be honest, I’ve been so caught up with work up until now that I haven’t really given much thought to settling down.’ He smiled ruefully down into his half-empty wine glass. ‘And with Adelaide’s getting started, I’m pretty sure I won’t have time for anything else any time soon, either.’
‘I wouldn’t rule it out,’ Matthew said, a soft smile lighting up his features as Anna finally came back to join them. ‘These things can happen when you least expect it.’
Alex smiled into his glass. Sophie had told him all about the way the hitherto aloof Managing Director of Carter’s Cider had fallen head over heels in love with the custodian of the village tea shop after both had suffered emotional upheavals, and, the way she’d told it, it had been the Somerset love story of the decade. From the way that Anna and Matthew looked at each other, he didn’t doubt their deep and abiding love. For the moment, though, he had enough to focus on with Adelaide’s. But he had to admit Sophie was intruding on his thoughts a little more than was professional. Especially since she’d tentatively agreed to go out for a drink with him. The Somerset air had a lot to answer for; especially when it was sweet with the scent of cut grass and honeysuckle.
‘I guess I should get going,’ Alex said, shaking his head as Matthew passed him the wine bottle. ‘I’m moving into a new place tomorrow and I need to make sure I’ve got everything together.’ Besides, he thought, he’d had a couple of emotional near misses tonight; it really wouldn’t do to have his lips loosened any further by more booze.
Matthew stood to walk him out. ‘Thank you for coming over,’ he said as they ambled towards the back gate.
‘Thanks for a lovely meal,’ Alex replied. ‘It’s not every day you get to have dinner with the boss!’
Matthew laughed. ‘As I said, my door is always open.’ He thrust forward a hand and shook Alex’s, clapping a hand on his shoulder as they parted. ‘Anything you need, just give me a shout.’
‘I will.’ Alex felt the warmth of Matthew’s hand and, for an achingly unsure moment, he desperately wanted to level with the man. In Matthew’s eyes, he saw friendliness and warmth, and the understanding of just how much hard work was going to be ahead of him to get Adelaide’s off the ground. For now, though, he needed to keep his secrets. He left Cowslip Barn that night feeling more conflicted than he had in a long time.
10
The next Monday morning, Anna was preparing little Jack’s breakfast and chivvying along Ellie with hers, when Meredith slunk around the kitchen door and quietly started making herself a coffee. With her back to her stepdaughter, Anna continued to try to get some Weetabix into Jack before he was due to go to nursery. Meredith had been a little elusive all weekend, after deciding to spend the night at her friend Izzy’s house on Saturday. On Sunday, Anna had been so caught up with baking a few extra summer season supplies for the Little Orchard Tea Shop and keeping the younger children amused that she hadn’t kept track of her stepdaughter’s movements.
‘Were you late last night?’ she asked as the whirr and grind of the coffee machine started.
‘Not too late,’ Meredith replied. ‘But I didn’t want to disturb you and Dad.’
Something in Meredith’s voice didn’t sound quite right. For a second, Anna thought about chiding Meredith about drinking too much, but Meredith wasn’t much of a drinker, and certainly wasn’t prone to binge drinking. Abandoning little Jack’s breakfast bowl on the tray of his high chair for a moment, Anna turned around and saw Meredith’s red eyes and contrasting pallor.
‘What’s the matter, sweetheart?’ She walked over to where Meredith was still waiting for her coffee, and put an arm around her stepdaughter. ‘Did you have a row with Izzy?’
Meredith shook her head. ‘No, nothing like that.’
‘Come on,’ Anna said. ‘Come and sit down.’
Meredith allowed Anna to lead her to the kitchen table. As Matthew came into the kitchen, chomping on the last of the toast that he’d made five minutes earlier and taken to his study, Anna shot him a warning look.
‘Do you want me to drop Jack and Ellie off?’ he said, clocking his daughter’s stricken face.
‘Thanks, that would be great. Jack just needs his teeth brushing and Ellie’s got to find her shoes.’
‘Come on, you two,’ Matthew said, picking up Jack out of his high chair and ruffling Ellie’s hair to get her going. Anna breathed a sigh of gratitude; Matthew was a godsend in the mornings, especially when the unexpected happened, and Meredith clearly needed a bit of gentle handling.
‘Tell me what’s happened,’ Anna said softly, once Matthew had left with the younger children.
‘I got a text on Saturday night.’ Meredith sniffed, her voice trembling slightly. ‘Flynn’s broken up with me. He’s met someone else.’
Anna’s heart dropped through the floor. Flynn O’Connell had been Meredith’s boyfriend since they were at school together. Their relationship had endured the distance of both being at university at different ends of the country, as well as a car accident a few years ago that had seen Meredith in hospital with a serious head injury. ‘Oh, Merry.’ She put her arms around her stepdaughter as the tears, not the first ones since she’d read the text, spilled over.
‘I should have seen it coming.’ Meredith sniffed again, blowing her nose loudly as with her free hand Anna handed her a tissue from the box on the kitchen table. ‘He started getting all weird after I accepted my offer from York, if I’m honest.’
‘Oh, sweetheart, you weren’t to know,’ Anna replied gently. She reached forward and brushed a strand of hair out of Meredith’s eyes. ‘And it is incredibly difficult to keep a relationship going over such a long distance. You’re both having so many amazing experiences.’
‘Are you saying it was only a matter of time?’
‘Not exactly, but people change. Especially at your age.’
Meredith shook her head. ‘It’s just really hard because he was my first in so many ways.’ She laughed and her cheeks coloured at the memory. ‘Although you knew that, of course. I’ll never forget that conversation.’ Meredith reached forward and hugged Anna. ‘I’m so glad I ended up having it with you and not Dad – he’d have probably gone round to Flynn’s wit
h a shotgun!’
Anna shook her head. ‘I think he probably guessed. He just wanted to make sure you were safe.’ She didn’t add that she’d actually tactfully informed Matthew that Meredith’s relationship with Flynn had gone to the next level soon after she’d had the chat with Meredith – and although he’d been concerned, he’d accepted it was the way of things. So long as she was careful, he’d said.
‘Guess I won’t need to worry about that for a while now, though.’ Meredith’s voice shook.
‘Give yourself time to heal,’ Anna said softly. ‘It will get better, I promise.’
Meredith smiled shakily. ‘I know it’s not like… like you went through with Ellie’s dad, but it hurts.’ The tears started to fall again.
Anna drew Meredith in closer and let her cry. She remembered once saying to Matthew that everything felt so much more intense at Meredith’s age. Sadly, that also included the heartbreak. At nineteen, it was an inevitable lesson for Meredith, but no less a hard one. Thankfully, Flynn had pushed off to work in France for his university holiday so there was no chance of Meredith bumping into him in Little Somerby this summer.
Just as she was passing Meredith another tissue, Matthew came back through the door into the kitchen, having strapped the two younger children into the car. Glancing at Meredith, his eyes met Anna’s, and as his wife almost imperceptibly shook her head the question died on his lips. Instead, he crossed the kitchen and dropped a brief kiss on the top of his daughter’s head before speaking.
‘If the office calls, can you tell Jen I’m going out into the Royal Orchard with Joe Flanagan?’
‘Will do.’ Anna looked quizzical. ‘I’d forgotten Joe was starting work this week. God, how time flies.’
Meredith glanced at her father. ‘Joe Flanagan? I haven’t seen him in ages. What’s he doing now?’
Matthew grinned. ‘Well, much against his father’s wishes, he’s working as a tree surgeon. Paddy wanted him to go to university, but Joe was adamant he was going to work with Jim, and now he’s been given his first commission here. The orchard maintenance team are going to show him the ropes, and then he’s going to prune the Royal Orchard over the next couple of days. Jim’s keen for him to get the feel of things as soon as possible.’
Meredith turned back to Anna. ‘I’d better get myself sorted out,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a shift at The Cider Kitchen at lunchtime.’
‘Will you be OK?’ Anna asked. ‘I can always ring Caroline and tell her you’re unwell.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ Meredith replied. ‘It’ll take my mind off everything.’ Caroline had offered Meredith some more hours back at the restaurant during her summer break in addition to the couple of nights a week she’d been doing since she came home. The restaurant was going from strength to strength, and now that they were opening on weekdays for breakfast she needed a few more hands to the pump to cover the increased footfall. Standing, Meredith blew her nose again and then headed out of the kitchen to get ready.
Matthew watched her leave, a look of concern on his face. ‘How is she?’ he asked Anna.
‘Hurt.’ Anna sighed. ‘She and Flynn have broken up. But she says she saw it coming. I guess it was inevitable with four counties between them.’
‘Shall I pick up some Chew Moo’s ice cream from the shop on the way home?’ Matthew smiled down at his wife. ‘I remember what you said to me when she started with Flynn – that ice cream would be useful when the time came.’
‘She might like that.’ Anna said. ‘At the moment, she doesn’t seem to be off her food, thankfully.’
‘I’ll clear out one of the cider vats and fill it with the stuff, if needs be.’ Then, more seriously, he said, ‘I wish I could protect her from the heartbreak. I know that’s daft, but I hate seeing her hurt.’
‘She’ll handle it in her own way, in time,’ Anna replied. ‘All we can do is be here for her.’
‘You’re right, as ever.’ Matthew glanced at his watch. ‘I’d better get going. I’ll drop Jack and Ellie off.’ He sighed. ‘I’ve also said I’d talk Alex through the Royal Orchard this morning, and Joe’ll need settling in.’
‘I thought you were learning to be more hands off,’ Anna chided. ‘Do you really have to be there, too? Can’t someone else handle it?’
Matthew grinned. ‘I promised Paddy I’d keep an eye on Joe. But it won’t take long. I’ve not got any meetings until later this morning, and it’ll be nice to get out into the open air for a bit. I’ll see you later.’
Anna tilted her face up towards Matthew for a kiss. ‘See you later.’ Vowing to make sure that she gave Meredith as much TLC as she needed, she also hoped there’d be a few slices of cake left over at the Little Orchard Tea Shop to bring home later.
11
The next week flew by, and before Sophie knew it Saturday morning came around again. She’d been particularly busy as the first of the Eloise crops would be off the trees in mid August, which would mark the beginning of the picking and pressing season for Carter’s. The honey rich scent of the sweetest apples in the orchard as they were washed and then gradually pressed would infuse the air, gently at odds with the alcoholic kick that the finished Eloise cider would have. Sophie loved seeing them coming in, beginning their journey from tree to bottle. She’d tried not to wax too lyrical about it to Alex, for fear that he might think her some apple obsessed weirdo, but it was definitely the marker of her favourite time of year. Eloise was unusual in that it ripened in the late summer rather than autumn, but this meant that it was out of the way before the heavier, denser apples came in from September onwards.
As was her usual routine, but mindful that she might be invading Alex’s space now that he was residing with Lily, Sophie dropped in on Lily that morning with a couple of cream cakes from Bird’s Bakery. Lily was fond of a strong morning coffee to counteract the effects of her habitual Benedictine nightcap, and was of the age where ‘none of this dieting makes a scrap of difference, anyway, darling,’ so cake was always welcome. Lily opened the door with her usual smile, and when she’d finished making the coffee, from a coffee pot she’d had since the 1970s – ‘No new fangled machines and pods for me,’ – they settled themselves in the front room, sipping the coffee and munching contentedly on the vanilla slices Sophie had chosen this week.
‘Best cakes in the county,’ Lily said, stabbing the pastry base with her cake fork. As she finished her mouthful, she topped up Sophie’s cup with coffee and cream and passed it back to her. ‘So, what’s new with you then, love?’
‘Not a lot,’ Sophie said. ‘And I’m sure Alex has filled you in on most of the comings and goings at work, and there’s really not a great deal else gone on this week.’ Alex had checked out of Brenda’s B & B and moved into Lily’s spare room the previous Sunday evening, where he was proving himself to be the model house guest. Sophie had smiled when her grandmother had texted her on Tuesday morning to extoll the good manners of her new resident, who had insisted on taking Barney for a walk before work, and unloading the dishwasher when he’d come back that evening.
‘What about this job offer from Martingtons Cider? Have you made a decision yet?’
‘Not yet,’ Sophie hedged. ‘But I’ve scheduled a meeting with them for late October, when the picking season’s well and truly over.’
‘It sounds like a good opportunity,’ Lily said. ‘I’m beginning to wonder what’s keeping you from saying yes here and now.’
‘Oh, I don’t know, Gran,’ Sophie said, rising from the far too comfortable armchair in her grandmother’s parlour. ‘I honestly don’t know which way to jump. Martingtons have made me a brilliant offer, and I might not get another one like it, but I’m just not sure it’s what I truly want.’ She crossed the parlour to take her grandmother’s coffee cup back to the kitchen. ‘Shall I put another coffee on?’
‘No, thank you, my love, but could you just dash upstairs and get my reading glasses? I left them on my bedside table last night when I was proofreading on the Kind
le and forgot to bring them down with me this morning.’ Lily was in the late stages of completing her current romance novel and since she’d discovered the Kindle, she’d taken to reading her manuscripts on there, as it made errors easier to spot.
‘Sure,’ Sophie called over her shoulder. She could hear the water running as she padded up the winding staircase to the landing. Alex must have come back from his run before she’d popped in. He’d told her that he’d taken to jogging around the perimeter of the village before work during the week; he’d obviously taken to doing it at weekends, too. As she got to the top of the stairs and turned right onto the landing she glanced down at her phone, which she’d been checking on the way up. Her grandmother always complained if she checked it too regularly in her presence, so she was just scrolling down her Instagram feed as she passed the door to the guest bathroom. Not looking where she was going, she ran slap into Alex, who was coming out of it, dropping her phone, hands going up to block the collision and landing on some very warm, very wet, bare flesh.
‘Whoa!’ Alex laughed. ‘Too much traffic this morning. Excuse me.’
Dropping her hands immediately, mortified, Sophie found herself nose to chiselled jaw with Alex, who was wearing nothing but one of her grandmother’s fluffy white towels slung low on his hips. His body still wet from the shower, hair slicked back from his face, she immediately noticed the toned torso, the towel so low that she could make out the top of a faded appendix scar running over his abdomen towards his hip, the long limbs and the fine dark hair that dusted his chest, thickened and then disappeared tantalisingly below the line of the towel. Immediately, her face felt hot. This was not going to help her caution about socialising with him one little bit. ‘Sorry,’ she muttered, taking a step back. ‘I wasn’t looking where I was going. I just came up to get Gran’s glasses.’
‘No problem.’ This time, Alex’s laugh was a little nervous. ‘Here, let me get that for you.’ He knelt down and picked up Sophie’s phone from where it had fallen onto the carpet. Sophie immediately found herself willing his towel to slip, and then started thinking even more unsuitable thoughts as his sleek, dark head raised and he looked up at her, all damp tendrils of hair and melting dark brown eyes as he handed her back her phone. As he stood back up, they were still a little too close to each other to be comfortable. Sophie took a step one way, dragging her eyes away from Alex’s near naked body and up to his face, but as she did so, Alex stepped the same way and they ended up close together again. Sophie could feel the heat emanating from Alex and had to fight the urge to reach out a hand and trace a line over that tantalising curved scar on his abdomen.
