By the time he warns me that he’s almost done, my mouth is dry and my pulse is way too quick for someone standing still. When he stands up, there’s a sheen of sweat on his forehead and he’s grinning in triumph. “Shall we carry it back to get it wrapped?”
I have to swallow twice before I can form words. “Yeah.”
I take the top of the tree while he wraps one hand around the base and carries the saw in the other. It’s not exactly heavy, but it is awkward, and I focus on not stumbling. Thankfully, that has the added benefit of calming down my stupid body, and my pulse is almost back to normal by the time we reach the shed.
Much to my delight, Pete has also been replaced by a lovely woman named Sadie. His sister, apparently. She chats happily to Sean as she takes the saw off him and then payment from me.
“I haven’t seen you before,” she says with a bluntness I wasn’t expecting. “Where’ve you come from?”
“I’m just visiting.” I hand her my credit card with a smile. “I’m helping Hailey and Charlotte get the B&B side of the pub ready for New Year’s.” I wonder if I should mention their last name or maybe the name of the pub, but I should’ve realised that everybody knows everyone’s business in a small place like this.
Recognition shows in her eyes and she nods. “Ahh, the Charnwell Inn. I heard Char was taking over from her sister.”
“You know them?”
She laughs as she gives me my card back. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I know everyone.” She hands me my receipt, and when I look at the amount, it’s less than I was expecting to pay. “Local’s discount,” she whispers, nodding to it. There’s a queue starting to form behind us, so I smile and thank her and help Sean carry the tree over to be wrapped.
With it securely tied to the roof of his car, we set off back to the pub.
“Thanks for doing this.” Although I’m pretty sure I could’ve cut down a tree on my own, it wouldn’t have been half as easy, and no way would I have fit it in my car. Or on it.
“It’s no problem.” He taps a rhythm out on the steering wheel. “Although technically shouldn’t Hailey and Char be thankingus?”
“Well, yes, but my sole reason for coming here early was to help them out. And you’ve made it ten times easier.”
He shrugs. “I like to help.”
We sit in silence for a bit, but after our earlier chat about the past, it doesn’t feel awkward. I relax back in my seat, enjoying the scenery. It’s beautiful, the wildness of nature stretching for miles all around us. I can only imagine how lovely it must be in summer.
I don’t exactly live in a city—quite the opposite—but even with Sherwood Forest practically on my doorstep, it doesn’t feel anywhere as out in the countryside as this does.
“I’m glad we got this chance to talk,” Sean says, startling me. I turn to look at him and meet his gaze for a second. His eyes are the deepest blue, I get lost in them for a second before he focuses on the road again.
It takes me another second to register what he said. “Me too,” I offer, then give him a little more, the easy mood in the car making me chatty. “I’ve thought about you a lot over the years.”
“You have?” He sounds surprised, and I wonder if that’s because he hasn’t given me a second thought. But before that idea takes root, he adds, “I’ve thought about you too.”
I have to face the window to hide my smile. It’s way too big for such a simple statement. We don’t say anything else on the subject, and soon enough we arrive back at the pub. It’s almost one o’clock and I’m starving. The pub car park is full, so we park around the back at the side of Hailey’s cottage instead.
She comes out to greet us, squinting in the winter sun, Lucky trotting alongside her. “Everything go okay?”
“Yep.” I wait for Sean to join me by the passenger side.
He whistles for Lucky, bending to stroke him when he dutifully comes over to stand next to him.
“We picked a beauty.” I know Char left early this morning. They’ve kept all the same staff from when Liz owned the place, but Liz also worked behind the bar, and I wonder who’s behind it now with Hailey being out here. When I ask as much, she says, “Liz offered to stand in for Char while she’s off visiting their grandma. She’s used to working here, anyway, and it made sense while I’m like this.” She gestures to her belly. “Gave me a chance to finish off some of the painting in the bedrooms.”
“Should you be doing that?” I wince as soon as I’ve said it.
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, I’m quite capable of using a paintbrush. I was only doing the cutting in around the windows. Which were open for ventilation,” she adds, with a look that dares me to comment.
I don’t. Obviously.
“Where would you like the tree?” Sean asks, diverting her attention, and she smiles at him like he’s the best thing ever.
I bet he never puts his foot in it.
“Hmm...” She eyes the tree, forehead scrunching. “We won’t be able to decorate it until tomorrow now, so maybe just leave it out here tonight? It’ll be all right left in the netting, won’t it?”
