Escape to Oakbrook Farm: A wonderfully uplifting romantic comedy (Hope Cove Book 2)

by Hannah Ellis

  Josie couldn’t stop thinking about the job in London. It occupied her every waking thought and disturbed her sleep too. Her brain wouldn’t switch off long enough for her to sleep. What was really bothering her was that the more she thought about it, the more she was tempted by the job offer.

  On Thursday afternoon she set off to visit Lizzie. Her sister would give her sensible advice. She’d tell her to stop being such a dreamer. Lizzie had never thought much about Josie’s acting dreams and a bit of level-headedness was exactly what Josie needed.

  She blurted out the situation as soon as she was sitting with Lizzie and Max in their cosy living room. They exchanged a look but didn’t seem overly surprised. For a moment, she wondered whether someone had already told them, but she didn’t think so.

  “Say something,” Josie said, as they both sat silently.

  It was Max who finally spoke. “Lizzie said you’d last six months at Oakbrook. I went with three.”

  “You had bets on how long I’d stay?”

  “We just thought you’d get bored.” Max looked sympathetic. “Averton is pretty quiet.”

  “I’m not bored,” Josie insisted. “I love Averton. I’m just confused because of the job offer. It could be a great opportunity.”

  “When does the job start?” Lizzie asked. “We’d need to find someone to replace you.”

  Josie spat out a laugh. “Is this some sort of reverse psychology? Tell me I should go to get me to stay?”

  “No.” Lizzie gave her a puzzled look. “I know how much you wanted to work in TV. Of course you’d jump at it. We really never expected you to stay long with Annette. We just need to make sure we find someone to help with the kennels.”

  “I haven’t decided for definite what I’m going to do,” Josie said. She’d been so sure Lizzie would tell her to stay put. She shifted in her seat. “There’s Sam to think about too.”

  Max and Lizzie exchanged a knowing look and it irritated Josie. It was like they had their own secret language. “What?” she asked, desperate to be let in on the silent conversation.

  “It just seems like you’re at different phases in your life,” Max said gently. “Sam’s ready to settle down, get married, have kids, all that stuff. And it seems like there are other things you want to do first.”

  She suspected what he really wanted to say was that she still needed to grow up, but he was diplomatic as always.

  “So you think I should take the job? Move to London?”

  “If that’s what you want.” Lizzie shrugged. “What does Sam think?”

  “He wasn’t very happy with the idea. I need to talk to him properly.”

  Josie really hadn’t expected Lizzie to be so understanding, and when she left Hope Cove she was determined to discuss things properly with Sam. She was supposed to give Michaela an answer about the job the following day, and she had no idea what she would say.

  It also felt strange that she hadn’t seen Sam for two days. She missed him. Thankfully he sounded a bit more upbeat when she called him. He invited her over to his place after work.

  “Have you really been working late, or were you avoiding me?” she asked when she arrived.

  “I was really working late.” He followed her into the living room and she glared at him, trying to gauge if it was the truth. His eyebrows dipped. “Maybe I was avoiding you a bit too.”

  “Thanks a lot!” She dropped onto the couch and he perched close beside her.

  “I was just trying to get my head around things. Get my thoughts in order.”

  “And?”

  He shrugged and reached for her hand. “And I don’t want you to leave, of course.”

  “I have to decide by tomorrow,” she said wearily.

  “So soon?” He leaned forward, resting on his knees. “Did you speak to Annette about it?”

  “No.” The thought of discussing it with Annette made her feel like crying. How could she leave Annette? “I wanted to talk to you about it but you were avoiding me.”

  “Surely you know I’m not going to encourage you to go? It seems like something you have to decide for yourself.”

  “But I wanted to discuss what happens between us if I take the job. I know we’d be fine but—”

  “Would we?” He glared at her in surprise. “How can we have a relationship if we live 200 miles apart? You know my thoughts on long-distance relationships.”

  “But—”

  “I don’t want a long-distance relationship,” he said firmly. “I don’t even want to try and figure out how that might work.” He shook his head. “It wouldn’t work.”

  “Don’t say that.” She sat up straighter, leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you. It’s not like I like the idea of us living so far apart, but I need to be level-headed and think about my future.”

  “Which apparently won’t include me if you move to London.”

  “We’d make it work,” she said quietly.

  “So you’ve already decided?”

  “No,” she said miserably. “I still need to talk it through with Annette. I feel like I’m being torn in half. There are reasons to go and reasons to stay. I don’t know how to decide.”

  When he didn’t say anything, she tugged gently on his arm. “You realise you haven’t kissed me in days.”

  His features softened when he turned to her. The distance she’d been feeling between them seemed to disappear when he kissed her.

  “Can I stay here tonight?” she asked when they broke apart.

  He gave her that look where he pretended to mull something over, then he grinned and pushed her back on the couch.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” She giggled as he positioned himself on top of her with a look of mischief.

  Chapter 32

  She thought she’d sleep better at Sam’s place but instead she spent most of the night watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful in the glow of moonlight that filtered in the window. How many nights would she get to spend with him if she moved to London? It would become an exception rather than the norm. Maybe that would make their time together even sweeter. Maybe not.

  She was exhausted when she walked into the barn on Friday morning and was thankful they only had three dogs staying. It was nice and quiet. Unfortunately one of them was the mischievous Pixie who belonged to Graham, the neighbour up the road. Since Josie had lost her on that first day, she’d always been vigilant with her. But with her head in the clouds when she opened the stable door, Pixie slipped right past her. The barn door was open and Pixie was off like a shot. Josie made it outside in time to see her scale the fence and disappear down into the valley.

  It was hard to summon the energy for a chase, but Josie set off briskly in the direction Pixie had gone. Tears came to her eyes almost immediately. She was too tired and emotional to deal with a lost dog. There was no sign of her at Sam’s house. That’s where Josie looked first, hoping she’d done the same as last time. Sam had already left for work so she couldn’t even ask him for help.

  For almost an hour, she wandered the hills and fields, calling out to Pixie and feeling completely defeated. Finally, she headed for home to tell Annette she’d lost the dog. She kept her head down and only noticed Annette sitting on the patio when she was almost there. Pixie was sitting on her lap.

  Josie attempted a smile but her eyes filled with tears and her chin twitched madly. She sat at the table and put her head in her hands. Sobs wracked her body.

  She felt Annette’s hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” Josie said, her chest heaving as she fought against the sobs.

  “She came back,” Annette said. “No harm done.”

  “It’s not the first time I’ve lost her.”

  “I know. And I’m guessing that’s not really what you’re so upset about either. You’ve been in a funny mood for days.”

  “Did Sam tell you I lost her before?”

  “No.” Annette chuckled. “I saw out the window. That first day.”


  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Pixie always comes back. And I thought it would be good for you to lose a dog on the first day. You’d be extra careful.”

  Josie sniffed. “I’m not very good at this job.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Annette seemed genuinely surprised by the remark. “You’re great at it.”

  “The dogs don’t listen to me. I nearly trip over them about twenty times a day. I thought I’d get better but I’m not. I’m just no good at it.”

  “Of course you’re getting better with the dogs. You just don’t notice because it’s gradual. Is this what you’re so upset about?”

  She shook her head and brushed tears from her cheeks. “I’ve been offered a job. In London.”

  “Ah.” Annette inhaled deeply and then shot Josie a sympathetic look. “You’re leaving me?”

  “I feel terrible.” More tears appeared. “But it might be really good for me. I want the job. I don’t want to leave you. Or Sam. I don’t want to hurt Sam.”

  Annette patted her hand. “Sam loves you. He’ll want whatever’s best for you. Whatever makes you happy.”

  “You need me here, though …”

  “I like having you here,” Annette said. “But I’ll survive. You don’t have to worry about me.”

  “It’s the acting job,” Josie said. “The TV show I worked on before. I’m just so torn. It feels like whatever I decide will be wrong.”

  “Nope,” Annette said brightly. “Whatever you decide will be right.”

  ***

  By the time Josie spoke to Michaela that afternoon, she was adamant there was no way she could leave Annette. When she’d transferred an online booking from the computer to Annette’s old-fashioned diary earlier, and replied to comments on social media, she was reminded that Annette definitely couldn’t manage the place on her own. She also wasn’t physically fit enough to walk the dogs. It was almost always Josie who did that now. She couldn’t stand the thought of a stranger coming in to help.

  She slinked up to her bedroom when her phone rang and closed the door behind her.

  “I thought you’d have called me by now,” Michaela said quickly. “You suddenly think you’re some big star who can keep me waiting?” Her words were jokey, but Josie detected a hint of annoyance in her tone too.

  Josie stood in the window, gazing out over the fields. “I needed time to think about it.”

  “What’s to think about? It’s exactly what you want. I can’t actually believe how lucky you are that they’ve requested you back. You know they specifically requested you, don’t you?”

  “I thought they were asking all the supporting artists to come back?”

  “They’re asking them all. But they specifically asked for the same barmaid. And they asked whether you’d be willing to develop the role.”

  “Did they?” Josie asked, sceptically.

  “Do you think I’m making it up?” Michaela sounded indignant.

  It had definitely crossed Josie’s mind. “I don’t know.” She didn’t know why she was hesitating. All she had to do was say no thanks and get off the phone. Why was she stalling? “Can I have more time to think about it?”

  “I need an answer before you get off the phone,” Michaela said. “And if you say no there’s no changing your mind later. I can’t believe you even have to think about this. It’s an amazing opportunity. Do you know how many people would kill for this? I spend half my time on the phone to people like you, begging me to find them a job. You were one of them not so long ago. Now I have a job for you and you’re not sure! What’s going on?”

  “My situation changed.” She moved to sit on the bed, her gaze landing on the flowery wallpaper. “It’s complicated now.”

  “I need an answer,” Michaela said. There was a tapping in the background as though she was drumming her nails on the desk.

  “I suppose I have to say no then.” As soon as Josie said it, she panicked. It was like flipping a coin to make a decision and realising what you want as soon as the coin landed. “Wait,” she said, terrified it was a final answer sort of situation and she’d just sealed her fate.

  “What should I tell them?” Michaela asked impatiently.

  “Tell them I’ll take it. I want the job.”

  Chapter 33

  What on earth had she done? She felt as though she was spinning out of control. Had she really accepted the job? Was she actually going to move to London?

  When Annette asked about the phone call, Josie had lied and said they’d given her more time to think about it. She needed time for it to sink in. Telling Sam would be awful, and she was already dreading it.

  He messaged to say he’d see her in the pub that evening but would be a bit later than usual. He was stuck at work. It bought her some time to gather her thoughts.

  She was like a zombie when she sat down at the usual table in the Bluebell Inn with Tara and Amber.

  “I would be depressed too if I just turned down the job opportunity of a lifetime.” Tara patted her arm. “I hope Sam’s worth it.”

  “She didn’t turn it down just because of Sam,” Amber said.

  “No,” Josie said, staring straight ahead. “I didn’t.”

  “I hope you don’t live to regret this,” Tara said. “If I were you, I’d forever wonder what might have been.”

  Josie’s eyes snapped to Tara. That summed up how she’d been feeling all week – that maybe this was a great opportunity, and if she let it slip away she’d forever wonder how it would have turned out.

  “I didn’t turn it down,” she whispered.

  “Didn’t you speak to your agent?” Amber asked.

  “I spoke to her.” She looked at Tara, then at Amber. “I just didn’t turn it down. I accepted the job.”

  “Oh my God!” Tara cried. Josie couldn’t tell if it was shock or excitement but shushed her friend nonetheless.

  “You’re leaving?” Amber asked quietly.

  “I was going to say no,” she explained. “I did say no to start with, but it felt wrong so I changed my mind. But I haven’t signed a contract or anything. I can still back out. But if I said no today, it would’ve been final, they’d have found someone else.”

  “So you still might turn it down?” Amber asked.

  Josie rubbed at her face. “I don’t think so. I really want the job.” She took a deep breath and looked up at them. “I think I’d regret it if I didn’t give the acting one last shot. Working at the kennels was never going to be a long-term career path. I feel like it’s the sort of job you should do because you love it, and I’m not sure I do.”

  “Wow,” Amber said sadly. “I can’t believe you’re going to leave.”

  Amber’s words made Josie panic and she was filled with doubt again. “Oh God, what am I doing? I love my life here. I’ve never felt so settled. Why would I give that up?”

  “Because this is a great opportunity,” Tara said.

  “I’m so confused.” Josie automatically looked towards the door when it opened. Sam beamed at her from the doorway. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Hurrying over, she greeted Sam with a kiss. Then she stood at the bar asking him about his day and hanging off his every word. When he asked how her day was, she shrugged and said it was the same as always. That was far from the truth, obviously. It wasn’t every day she accepted an acting job in London. She ended up telling him the same as she’d told Annette – that she had more time to think about the job.

  “I’ll get back to the girls,” she said when Sam glanced at the pool table and nodded a greeting to the group beside it. “See you later.”

  He gave her a quick kiss, and she went back to the table in the far corner.

  “I didn’t tell Sam,” she said in hushed tones. “I just couldn’t bring myself to say anything.”

  “You might be underestimating him,” Tara said. “If he knows how much the job means to you, he should be understanding. And it’s not like you’re splitting
up with him. You can still have a relationship.”

  Josie reached for her wine glass and twirled the stem. “He’s made it very clear how he feels about long-distance relationships.”

  “Sam loves you,” Tara said bluntly. “He’ll soon change his mind about long-distance relationships when it comes down to a choice between that and losing you.”

  Josie certainly hoped so. “Part of me wishes they’d never offered me the job,” she said. “I was perfectly happy a week ago.”

  To change the subject, she asked Amber about Kieron. It was guaranteed to get her talking. Josie nodded along and made the odd comment. Eventually, Tara rolled her eyes and moved the conversation on again. It was a struggle for Josie to pay attention, and she was glad when Sam finally came and sat with them. She leaned into him when he put an arm around her shoulder, and she suddenly felt like crying.

  They didn’t stay for long after that and walked home in an unusual silence.

  He squeezed her hand as they neared the gate at Oakbrook. “Are you staying at my place?”

  “I think I’ll stay at home.” She didn’t offer an explanation. She didn’t have one, other than she was feeling deceitful for not telling him the truth about the job.

  “Shall we do something tomorrow?”

  She tensed. “I was actually planning on a quick trip up to Oxford. Just for one night. I haven’t seen my parents for a while and my friend Emily is back there for the weekend so it seemed like a good time.” Actually, Emily had just messaged her that afternoon to say she was in Oxford for the weekend and asked Josie to come too. Josie had told her she was too busy, but it suddenly seemed like a good idea. It would give her some much-needed headspace. “I only spoke to Emily today,” she said.

  Sam looked disappointed but didn’t say anything.

  “Could you do me a favour?” Josie said.