‘Orangery?’ Brodie laughed. ‘This place is even bigger than I thought.’
‘Is someone going to come and help me carry this lot inside?’ Erin bellowed from somewhere in the hallway.
Callum exchanged amused glances with Joe. ‘I suppose we’d better go and help her.’
It only took a few minutes to unload Erin’s car and another twenty to unpack everything and store it safely away in the fridge and walk-in pantry.
Callum stood admiring the filled room before closing the door. ‘You guys are amazing. Thanks so much for doing all this. I just wouldn’t have had the time to do it by myself.’
‘Or done it as well as we have,’ Erin teased, slapping him on the back of his shoulder. ‘Seriously though, big brother, I think you’ve done well finding this place and arranging all this for Grandad. He’s going to be bowled over.’
‘Can I get you all a drink to say thank you before the others arrive?’ he offered.
‘Not for me,’ Erin said. ‘I’m going to park the car out of the way and bring in my stuff. I want to bags a room before the rest of them descend on us and hang up my dress for tomorrow night.’
Brodie shook his head. ‘I need to get back to Lettie and the baby. I promised to help feed the animals tonight.’
Joe shrugged. ‘And I have to go with him because he brought me here.’
‘I’ll show you both out.’ Callum walked with them to the front door and just as both his friends stepped outside they saw a shiny black car with tinted windows slowly passing the house along the driveway.
Callum watched in silence as it passed, wishing he could see whether Tasha was inside but presumed she must be.
‘Who’s that, do you think?’ Joe asked.
‘That will be Riley Sharp and his assistant Tasha. They’re staying in the cottage down the drive while he’s here filming.’ Both his friends immediately turned to stare at him but before they could speak, Erin shrieked.
The three of them turned to her to see what was wrong. ‘Sorry, I’m just excited to be staying this close to my crush.’
Callum withheld a groan. ‘But he’s here because he wants privacy, so you’re not to venture down there. Understood?’
She gave him an angelic, wide-eyed look. ‘Totally.’
Callum wished he believed her but right now he had to hope his sister behaved herself and was too busy with Grandad’s birthday celebrations to go and bother the annoying actor.
‘However, there is something I’ve just thought of.’
Erin had that self-satisfied look on her face that he knew meant she had come up with an idea she really liked.
Callum sighed. ‘Go on, what is it?’
‘I think it’s all very well us having to keep away from them physically, but our family can get rather overexcited when they’re all together, and not a little noisy.’
‘And you’re worried the noise will carry to Riley’s cottage, I suppose. I’ve been worried about that too.’
‘Exactly.’ He went to respond but Erin raised her hand, holding it in front of his face briefly before lowering it. ‘I do have a solution though.’
‘Which is?’
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
He frowned and gave her question some thought. ‘You think we should invite Riley and Tasha to Grandad’s party, don’t you?’ he asked, dreading her agreeing.
‘It does make good sense,’ Joe said.
‘You see?’ Erin gave Callum a pointed look. ‘I’m not the only one to think this is a good idea. That way if they do come, they’ll not mind the noise because they’ll probably be making some of it.’
‘And if they don’t want to come to the party?’
