Aunt Daisy's Letter

by S J Crabb

  “She’s right. Sable asked me to oversee some work at her new Château but before you get excited, this place is a dump.”

  I feel a little bad about my description because actually, I love the quirky little place but Heidi is a dreamer and would have been imagining some sort of fairy palace, so I needed to set her straight about that before I start posting artistic shots on Instagram.

  “Anyway, what’s up, why are you calling?”

  I detect the excitement in her voice as she squeals, “Thomas and I are going to the Maldives on an all-inclusive week away. He won it in the raffle at work and asked me. Can you believe my luck?”

  Looking around me, I imagine her five-star luxury compared to my two star one and feel a little jealous if I’m honest.

  “Great, when do you go?”

  “Monday. It’s so exciting. The thing is, I was hoping you’d cover for me at Nouveau Knitting. I knew you were off and thought it worked out perfectly.”

  I know it’s wrong of me but I feel relieved because the thought of running her crazy business is not my idea of fun.

  “I’m so sorry, babe, you can see I’m out of the country.”

  She groans. “Never mind, I’ll ask my mum instead. She’s itching to get her hands on my business, so I’m sure she’ll leap at the chance.”

  I feel bad because Heidi’s mum is a nightmare. By the time she comes home, I expect her shop will be re-organised, probably re-decorated and a whole load of new classes added to the working day. She will have arranged supplier visits and bought everything she thinks is a good idea, which in reality is useless and probably bankrupt Heidi in the process. I feel like the worst friend in the world and say apologetically, “I’m sorry. Is there anyone else? I mean, it may be safer to close for the week.”

  “Maybe, it’s a possibility. Anyway, tell me about your trip, what’s that all about?”

  Excitedly, I fill her in and she shrieks loudly, “That’s so romantic. You are so lucky. You know, this is the stuff of dreams and you must keep me updated on how things go. I mean, do you think you’ll… you know?”

  “What?”

  “Do that thing on your list?”

  “What thing?”

  “Have sex with a stranger on the beach.”

  “No, I won’t and do you know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because that item has already been ticked off and it’s January for goodness’ sake. I’m struggling to take my coat off, let alone the rest of my clothes. In fact, it’s looking doubtful that I’ll even change for bed because this room I’m in apparently has no heating and the only way these clothes are leaving my body is if there’s some form of heat keeping the cold out.”

  “I’ll bet Finn has some heat he can throw your way.”

  Heidi giggles and I say crossly, “There will be none of that, no, this trip is a learning experience of a different kind.”

  She laughs, and I know that I’m only fooling myself. Seeing Finn again reminded me of how sexy he is. Even I know that at the first opportunity, I’m ditching my principles in a jiffy, just for one stolen forbidden moment with him.

  Heidi interrupts my thoughts and says gently, “Well, I should call my mother. Keep in touch though and don’t spare any of the gory details. I’ll keep you informed on my own love trip and we can compare notes.”

  We say our goodbyes and as she cuts the call, I’m happy for her. At least one of us gets the exotic holiday.

  As I settle down for the night, I change into my onesie under what passes as a duvet and hope that the bed is warm because this trip is not the luxury one I hoped for. Thinking of Finn in the nearby room is fuelling my fantasies, and he invades my dreams as I sleep.

  When I wake the next morning, it’s to the sound of activity and what appears to be some kind of lorry reversing outside my window.

  Quickly, I grab my phone and see that it’s 10am already and groaning, I leap out of bed and shiver as an icy blast hits me. Grumbling to myself and imagining all sorts of revenge on Sable at my hands, I struggle into the warmest clothes I brought with me and head outside to see what all the commotion is.

  The courtyard is a hive of industry and I see several lorries and vans congregating outside the Château and in the middle of it is Finn, directing them where to go and shouting in what I assume is French.

  Just for a moment, I savour the sight of him. He is so commanding, so rugged and so manly, that I feel instantly heated by my own thoughts. If anything, my memory of him didn’t do him justice because he appears larger, more muscular and more dominating than I first thought, and as his eyes meet mine across the courtyard, I see the interest reflected right back at me.

  Just for a moment, we lock looks and the rest of the world fades away. I almost catch my breath because this moment promises so much and I will be so disappointed if it doesn’t deliver what it says on the tin because from the look in Finn’s eyes, my stay here is going to be the stuff of dreams. It’s only when I hear a yell, that I look away and see a man gesticulating wildly as a lorry tries to reverse in my general direction.

  Jumping out the way, I watch as the builders offload their cargo and I can see that Sable has been very busy with her shopping list.

  What was once a ramshackle courtyard in the land that time forgot, is now transformed into a builder’s yard. All around me the men organise themselves and I can only watch in fascination.

  After a while, Finn wanders over and smiles. “Morning, Adams. Did you sleep well?”

  “As well as can be expected.”

  Finn breaks off and shouts something in French and then turns back and smiles.

  “I don’t suppose you could fix them some coffee? They appear to run better on it and we may get some progress by the end of the day.”

  “Of course, leave it with me.”

  Quickly, I head back to the guest cottage and try to unscramble my mind. Being here with Finn is amazing, but we do have a job to do after all and the builders will need a steady stream of encouragement if this place is ever going to take shape.

  For most of the day, we settle into our roles. Finn liaises with the builders and I keep them all fed and watered. I am surprised to see what appears to be a delivery of French bread and cheese with some ham and olives in a wicker basket on the kitchen table. As I prepare the meal, I savour the simplicity of the French way of life which is so different from my one in London.

  I find the day goes quickly and by the time the last builder leaves, I feel strangely happy and satisfied on a day well spent. They were all so appreciative of the simplest thing, like a coffee and a reviving biscuit to keep them going. Finn dipped in and out and I enjoyed working alongside him, happy at the cheeky winks he gave me and the sexy smile that made my soul heat up.

  As soon as the last builder leaves, calm is restored and Finn groans. “That was full on. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do is cook this evening. How about we find a nice little restaurant in the nearest town and treat ourselves to some French cuisine?”

  “That sounds like the best idea you’ve had since I met you.”

  We share a smile and it makes me happier than I thought it would.

  By the time we get washed and changed, the light is turning to dusk and Finn smiles. “You did well today.”

  “What, make a few coffees and some food, it was hardly rocket science.”

  “No, but it was demanding. Not much of a holiday for you.”

  “It’s fine, holidays are overrated, anyway.”

  We head out in Finn’s car and I quickly turn the heater on full blast. “You know, Finn, it says something when the car is warmer than the cottage. I may just sleep in here tonight.”

  “Why, were you cold last night?”

  “Freezing. They obviously forgot to put central heating in my room. I was warmer when we were camping.”

  Finn looks a little upset and says apologetically. “I’m sorry, Lily. I forgot about the heating. I had a fire in my room a
nd thought you had too. Maybe you should have my room tonight, I’m used to extreme conditions.”

  I hold my breath because any sliver of information about Finn and his life interests me way more than it should and I say nonchalantly, “So, you spend a lot of time outdoors.”

  “Yes, you could say that.”

  “Does it involve camping?”

  “Sometimes, sometimes not.”

  I feel a little exasperated and say impatiently, “You may as well tell me what you do, Finn because if you don’t, I’ll ask Sable.”

  “You can if you want, she doesn’t know either.”

  I stare at him in surprise and he says flatly, “It’s not something I talk about and I’m not prepared to start now. Just know it’s nothing to worry about.”

  We fall silent and the curiosity is burning me up inside. Finn is an enigma. On the one hand, he’s open and chatty and yet he has this mysterious side to him that fascinates and intrigues me.

  As we park outside a bistro, I joke, “Then I will just have to get you drunk so you tell me everything in a drunken stupor.”

  “You can try but I don’t drink to excess. I never have and probably never will. You see, Lily, I know my limitations and have enough self-control to stop. I’m guessing you don’t, so if we have a drinking contest, I’m guessing the only one spilling her secrets will be you. So, tell me now, do you have any secrets you want to tell me about, Lily?”

  He stares at me with a deep, penetrating look and I feel myself flush as I feel guilty about things I haven’t even done. Finn seems to be good at setting me on edge. It’s like when I walk through the customs ‘nothing to declare’ channel in the airport. Even though I have nothing to declare as the name suggests, I walk with guilt written all over my face because I’m sure they are waiting to spirit me off to one of those sterile rooms to search me. I am always the one who can’t keep a secret because just one sharp look is enough for me to spill everything from my lips and this is no exception because I say quickly, “I kissed a stranger at a masked ball.”

  ♥27

  Finn looks slightly stunned as I say quickly, “I mean, not that it’s wrong or anything, it’s just that, well, you know, caught up in the moment and all that.”

  Finn shakes his head and laughs incredulously. “Why is that a secret?”

  Feeling a little foolish, I say quickly, “Well, obviously it’s not, I mean, I’m a free agent and can do anything I want to. The thing is, I suppose, I’m, um, just not usually that kind of girl. I mean, I don’t make it a habit to go around kissing sexy foreigners but it was kind of in the moment.”

  “What, like sleeping with your expedition leader?”

  I stare at him in shock and he starts to laugh. “You know why I slept with you and it wasn’t like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “You know, naughty.”

  He starts laughing harder. “Naughty. You’re priceless.”

  “And you’re an asshole but we already established that.”

  I start to feel angry and it’s not directed at Finn for a change. I’m angry with myself because why am I such an idiot? It’s no business of Finn’s if I slept with the masked man but for some reason it felt as if I had been disloyal to him but I don’t know why.

  Feeling embarrassed more than anything, I make to leave the car and to my surprise an arm pulls me back and he says softly, “Le cose belle arrivano quando non le cerchi.”

  Spinning around, I stare at him in total shock and he winks. “I didn’t want you to experience your list with anyone but me, so I kind of intervened.”

  “You! It can’t have been. He was nothing like you, don’t tell me you paid someone to do it, an escort, or something.”

  He smiles gently. “No, it was me. When Felicity passed me the list, I committed it to memory. I spoke to Sable and she told me about the masked ball and I saw my opportunity to give you a memory to treasure.”

  “You did that – for me?” I gasp in astonishment and he nods. “Sable gave you two tickets to the ball and a third one for me. I was relying on you not taking a date, although it wouldn’t have stopped me.”

  I stare at him in astonishment, as he says softly, “It was easy. I disguised myself by wearing a wig and different colour contacts, and with the mask it totally transformed me. I chose to be Italian because that sounds the most romantic when spoken. I watched you all night and then seized my moment when your friend was distracted.”

  I feel uneasy. “That was genuine, wasn’t it? I mean, Thomas isn’t part of this – is he?”

  “Relax, I wouldn’t know the guy if I saw him again. No, this was all about giving you a memory to cherish forever and me a little excitement at the same time. You see, Lily, like I said, your bucket list got me thinking and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be the one to do those things with you. Thinking of you out there looking for experiences worried me and if I’m honest, made me jealous.”

  “Jealous, but why, you hardly know me?”

  Taking my hands in his, he gazes deep in my eyes and says, “I do know you, Lily. I know that you intrigue me and I’ve never met anyone like you. You make me laugh and surprise me in a good way.”

  “Really?” My voice is weak to my own ears and he nods. “I’ve never met anyone like you and when you left, I missed you terribly. I wanted to see you again but felt a little like a kid with his first crush, so I did what I’m good at.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Subterfuge.”

  He shakes his head and says sternly, “Anyway, we should be heading off to eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m so hungry I can’t function properly. Come on, let’s see if French food is all it’s cracked up to be.”

  Leaving me with many questions burning inside, he exits the car and comes to open my door, helping me out like the true gentleman he said he is.

  As we head into the warm, cosy bistro, our conversation has stirred up many more questions, but I can’t help carrying with me a warm feeling inside. Finn has gone to so much trouble for me and who cannot be flattered by that.

  Over dinner we talk about normal things. I discover we have the same taste in music and like the same type of films. He makes me laugh and it appears I do the same to him and as the food and wine settles any nerves I may have; I thoroughly enjoy the evening spent with my delicious new friend.

  We are both reluctant to leave the comfort of the bistro, but the day has taken its toll and I find myself yawning loudly. Covering my mouth with my hand, I feel my face burning as Finn laughs. “No stamina.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Not really, but that’s ok. I’ll settle up and we can head back.”

  “I’ll settle up, you don’t get to make all the decisions. Maybe I want to pay.”

  “You’re so stubborn. If it’s that important to you, you can pay next time.”

  “What about this time?”

  “I called it, so I’m paying.”

  He heads off to pay and I laugh to myself. It’s becoming a bit of a sport annoying him, and I quite enjoy our exchanges. I suppose I do it to disguise the real feelings that are developing for the man who haunts my dreams at night and appears to be on my mind every waking hour of the day. Is it possible to fall this fast and this hard for a man I hardly know? As I watch him leaning on the bar talking to the barman, I feel a little flutter in my heart and know my answer. Yes, it is because I appear to have fallen hook line and sinker for the impossible man before me. Now I just have to hope he feels the same.

  We step outside in the night sky and the stars twinkle above us. I shiver a little as the frost catches me and enjoy the fact that Finn puts a strong arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. “You see that star, Lily, the one furthest to the right.”

  I peer up and see a star apparently on its own, twinkling a little brighter than the others.

  “What about it?”

  He says huskily, “That’s a very special star because it’s the star of new beg
innings.”

  “You’re making that up.”

  Shaking his head, he pulls me just a little closer. “No, I’m not and do you know how I know?”

  “How?” I am mesmerised by the light in his incredibly blue eyes as he stares into mine and suddenly any chill in the air evaporates in a wave of heat that floods through my body. Finn whispers, “Because of this.”

  He lowers his lips to mine and kisses me so softly and sweetly, it causes butterflies to invade my stomach. Unlike our past kisses, this one is more hesitant, less rushed and a lot more lingering. He doesn’t make a move to pull away and just pulls me closer, wrapping me in his arms where I seem at home. Kissing Finn under the star of new beginnings means so much more than before. He has promised me this isn’t just a moment in time, but possibly the start of something incredible. Kissing Finn feels like the most natural thing in the world, and I don’t question a minute of it. As the star of new beginnings shines down on us, I don’t even care if he’s making it up. The fact he mentioned it at all gives this kiss greater meaning, and I’m in no hurry to finish what we have just started.

  ♥28

  When I wake the next day, it’s in Finn’s bed. As I stretch out in contentment, I wonder if he slept half as well as I did.

  True to his word, he swapped rooms with me and although we did kiss some more when we returned home, that was all we did. I am happy to take things slowly because I don’t feel in any hurry to move this relationship, if that’s what this is, on any faster. If, as I believe, we have a lifetime together, the rest will come when it’s the right time.

  Once I’m ready, I head out to the kitchen and see that it’s empty. There’s a warm pot of coffee on the range, and so I know Finn is up already. I hear the shower running and smile to myself as his attempt at singing drifts through the small cottage.