‘Brilliant. Thank you so much.’
After arranging to pop up to the farm at ten o’clock on Sunday, Ashton said goodbye, and as he headed home he found he was looking forward to it. It would be nice to have some company, and he couldn’t wait to see the photos she would take.
He ignored the growing suspicion that it was Carla herself that he couldn’t wait to see.
CHAPTER SIX
Carla held her breath as she pressed the shutter button, then she checked the LCD and silently showed Ashton the screen. He had taken the same shot and he showed her his in return.
They weren’t too dissimilar. Pleased, Carla grinned at him.
She and Ashton had been out on the hillside above the farm for the past couple of hours, taking pictures of the gorgeous scenery. Ashton had shown her how light and composition affected the outcome of an image, and she’d learnt a great deal already. But she had a feeling there was still a great deal more to learn.
She was so grateful to Ashton for accompanying her to the shop yesterday and helping her choose, because the number of cameras on display had been overwhelming. If she had been on her own, she would have probably been too confused to buy anything. Right now, she was having so much fun that she was glad she’d bought one, even if the purchase had been impulsive and not very wise under the circumstances.
The abrupt trilling of her phone shattered the peace, and Carla winced. She looked at the screen. It was Dulcie, and she wondered what she wanted. ‘Sorry, I won’t be a minute,’ she said.
‘No worries.’ Ashton moved away to give her some privacy. His retreating back was broad-shouldered and slim-hipped, and as she answered the call, her eyes wandered south to his backside. Realising she was ogling him, she snatched her gaze away.
‘Dulcie? What’s up?’
‘I’ve just had a thought.’
‘Ooh, that’s scary.’
‘You’re not as funny as you think you are, you know.’ Dulcie’s voice held a smile. ‘Why don’t you ask Ashton if he’d like to join us for lunch? I didn’t think to mention it before you went out. I can give him his voucher at the same time.’
‘Hang on. Ashton,’ she called. ‘Would you like to have lunch at the farm? I hear Otto does a mean Sunday roast.’
Ashton looked surprised. ‘Um, that’s kind, but I don’t want to intrude.’
Dulcie yelled down the phone, ‘Tell him he won’t be!’
‘Dulcie says you won’t be, but if you’ve got other plans…?’
‘My plan was a frozen pizza.’
‘Tell him we’re having beef with all the trimmings,’ Dulcie said. ‘Oh, poop, he’s not vegetarian, is he?’
Carla didn’t know. ‘Are you a vegetarian?’
‘No.’
‘In that case, you’re coming to lunch,’ Carla told him. ‘He’s coming to lunch, Dulcie.’
‘Great. I’ll set another place. Forty-five minutes?’
‘Fab.’ Carla ended the call. ‘We’d better get going.’
‘Okay. Are you sure you don’t mind?’
She gave him a sly look. ‘Not at all. It means more time for lessons – unless you have to shoot off afterwards.’
When he informed her that he didn’t, Carla was rather more pleased than the news warranted.
Aside from Ashton himself, there was Carla, Dulcie and Otto, Maisie and her fella Adam, as well as Beth (the girls’ mother), Walter (who was Otto’s dad and Beth’s partner) and another sister, Nikki, plus her son Sammy, who appeared to be about twelve or thirteen. Ashton felt a little overwhelmed.
‘No Gio today?’ Beth asked.
