‘He tried to argue that he does know me, and that he loves me. That he didn’t realise I wasn’t happy with the wedding. That we could sort things out. Then he said I owed it to him and his parents to go through with it.’
‘No way!’ Willow said indignantly.
I nodded. ‘He said it would be really embarrassing for them if I stopped the wedding, and they had spent a fortune on it all plus there were important people there…’
‘I’m glad you didn’t listen,’ my uncle cut in fiercely.
I sighed. ‘Yeah. I knew I couldn’t go through with it just to save face. It wasn’t right for either of us. Before he could stop me, I took off. I ran and kept on running until I got here.’ I exhaled shakily. He had looked so stunned when I’d left. It had all been so horrible. ‘I feel like a coward for not being able to face Henry’s parents, or to talk to him any more, but I thought he might persuade me to go through it. I just had to get out of there.’
Having blurted out all of my sorry story, I braced myself for their disapproval.
4
‘He should have listened to you,’ Willow said. ‘I get why you took off. You went with your gut.’
Adam nodded. ‘You couldn’t marry him just because of what people would think about you stopping the wedding. You can’t spend your life with someone you don’t love.’ I remembered how much in love Willow’s parents had always seemed. It was so sad that they hadn’t got their forever. ‘You both would have been miserable.’
‘I think we would have,’ I agreed, but I wasn’t sure Henry would ever see that. I took another bite of a sandwich for more fuel. ‘I should have said something sooner, though. His parents must have spent a fortune. And maybe if I had said I wanted more of a say in the wedding or in our life, they might have listened…’
‘It sounds like they didn’t give you a chance. That they didn’t ask you what you wanted. That seems quite…’ Willow searched for the right word. ‘Controlling?’
‘Maybe,’ I agreed, thinking that Henry’s father did seem to control a lot of our lives. ‘But I went along with it all. I made a lot of mistakes trying to find a way to be happy.’ It hadn’t worked, though. I hadn’t been at all happy. What if I couldn’t ever be? What if I could never let love in again? I was so scared of feeling that pain of loss again.
‘I think they will understand in time,’ my uncle said kindly. ‘And they will realise it was for the best.’
‘God, I hope so.’ I lapsed into silence, wondering what Henry and his parents had done after I’d left the wedding venue, and what they thought of me now. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to face the messages on my phone stored in Willow’s car. I just wanted to hide out here for as long as possible. Although part of me knew it couldn’t last long.
‘How about some cake?’ Adam started to get up then, but Willow told him to stay seated and she jumped up and brought over a delicious-looking lemon drizzle cake.
Adam cut the three of us a big slice each and passed them over.
‘I’ve been too stressed to eat,’ I said, tucking in. ‘This is all so good. Henry and I just eat out or get takeaways. I’ve forgotten what home cooking is like.’
‘I’ll make us a delicious dinner,’ Adam promised instantly.
Willow chuckled. ‘Dad loves to feed people so you’ve come to the right place,’ she said, looking at him fondly.
I smiled. They hadn’t lost their good humour and were as close as ever, it seemed. I was so relieved. And the farmhouse was cosy and there was still the old warmth to it despite all the tough times it had witnessed. It was so lovely to see. I hadn’t realised how much I had needed to be back with my cousin and uncle, and in their home again.
We finished up the lunch and then Willow reluctantly said she’d better get back to work. ‘Why don’t you have a rest upstairs? Then we can all have dinner together at the end of the day.’
‘Are you sure?’ I felt bad that she was so busy but was sending me for a lie-down.
‘Daisy, today was supposed to be your wedding day. Take a minute to chill.’ Willow whistled for her dog, Maple, and they headed out of the farmhouse. I refused to go straight upstairs, though and helped my uncle clear away our tea things although he told me not to.
‘Willow seems so happy,’ I commented as he washed up the plates and cups and I dried them. I thought about how devastated she had been five years ago at her mum’s funeral. It was nice to see the spark back in her eyes.
Adam smiled. ‘She is. Last year, we thought we might have to give up the farm but she fought for this place. And I was so proud to see it. I can’t do as much now with my health but Willow has been amazing. And Dylan and her make such a good team. She’s so pleased you came here.’
‘Really?’ I felt even worse for not keeping in touch more than I already did. ‘I don’t want to get in the way.’
‘She won’t let you. She runs a tight ship, that one.’ He winked.
I let out a laugh. ‘Well, maybe I can help out with some of the farm chores while I’m here, like I did when I was younger.’ I had no idea how long I could stay on the farm but I was in no hurry to go back to Henry’s family home, that was for sure.
‘Willow was right, though – for now, you should take it easy, okay?’
Seeing there was no point in arguing any more, I finished helping my uncle then I went back upstairs to the spare room, closing the door. I went over to the window and looked out at the farm. It stretched out for over three hundred acres. Behind the farmhouse were fields of different fruit and vegetable crops and to the side of the house were polytunnels where they grew more crops. I also saw where they kept chickens and where Willow was currently walking with Maple, carrying wood from the barn. Then I looked over at the Airbnb cottages and saw Dylan talking with Blake outside, reminding me of how critical he had seemed of me walking out on my wedding. I was worried about seeing him again. He was clearly judgemental and I didn’t need that right now.
