Turning away, I went to lie down on top of the bed. I sank into the comfortable covers with a contended sigh.
Outside, I could hear Maple let out a bark. I could hear the chickens in the distance. The sun streamed in through the window. The life of the farm somehow was the balm I needed. I closed my eyes and knowing that I wasn’t alone any more, I slipped into a deep sleep.
* * *
When I woke, it was close to dinner time. The long summer days were starting so the sun hadn’t set yet when I went back downstairs.
Willow, Uncle Adam and Dylan were bustling in the kitchen getting everything ready. Maple was eating her dinner in a bowl near to the Aga on the tiled floor. It all seemed so cosy and inviting that I forgot for a moment the reason I was here, and I smiled at the scene. I walked in but paused when I saw Blake was sat at the pine table. I couldn’t forget the reason then.
‘Daisy, did you have a good nap?’ Willow called out and all eyes turned to me. Reluctantly, I glanced at Blake, who shook his head and turned away from me again. This guy really had taken a dislike to me.
Rolling my eyes, I asked Willow if I could help but she told me to sit down as it was all ready. I sat at the opposite end of the table to Blake – petty but necessary. I looked out at the birch trees in the drive, stretching up to the endless sky.
Everyone came over with dishes for the table, declaring they were starving. I remembered that because the farm day started early, dinner here was usually at 6p.m. I had got used to working late and grabbing a hasty dinner with Henry at 8 or 9p.m., but more often, I ended up eating alone as he’d been stuck at the office with his dad or out with a client or his friends at the country club they all belonged to, and which I had tried to avoid going along to as much as possible. I hated trying to make small talk with people I had nothing in common with there. Henry’s parents had seemed to live separate lives and were rarely home with us during the week. So it was a novelty to be at the table with so many, eating an early and homemade meal.
Uncle Adam had made honey and mustard chicken with new potatoes, along with a huge bowl of salad and crusty homemade bread. Also on the table were bottles of wine, water and lemonade. I loaded my plate and poured out a large glass of wine. My appetite had suddenly come back and I wasn’t going to argue with it.
‘I still can’t believe you live on a farm; you used to be scared of our horses,’ Blake said to Dylan once we all started to tuck in.
I raised an eyebrow. He really seemed judgemental to me.
Dylan chuckled good-naturedly, however. ‘As soon as I came here, I had this feeling like I was home,’ Dylan said with a smile across at Willow, who sat opposite him. ‘Which seemed crazy to think but that feeling just never left me.’ He looked back at Blake. ‘I guess you don’t see your horses much now? His family run a riding school,’ he added to explain to the rest of us. ‘You must miss your old home living in the city?’
Blake sighed. ‘More than I thought, I’ve realised today being here,’ he admitted quietly then quickly took a gulp of wine like he hadn’t planned on saying that.
‘Dylan said your hometown isn’t far away from here,’ Willow said. ‘Are you planning to visit your family?’
‘Um, maybe…’ Blake said, avoiding her eyes.
I couldn’t help but wonder what the story was there. If his family lived nearby, why was he staying here and not with them?
‘Well, like I said, mate, the cottage is all yours. We can start work on the others first. You can even stay longer than the two weeks you’ve booked for, if you need to.’
My eyes widened at the idea, and Blake noticed my reaction. ‘Two weeks will be fine, I’m sure, thank you,’ he said shortly.
I hoped it wouldn’t be this awkward every time I saw Blake while I was here. I distracted myself by eating more of Uncle Adam’s tasty food.
Willow looked over at me. ‘More chicken?’ She quickly put more on my plate. I looked down and realised I’d already eaten my first portion. ‘Did you not eat at your fiancé’s house or something?’ she asked with a laugh.
‘Not like this,’ I said. ‘It’s delicious, Uncle Adam. I’ve had way too many takeaways or dinners out lately. I’ve missed home cooking like this. Henry and his family rarely ate together unless it was an occasion we went out for.’
‘We love eating together,’ Adam replied, looking surprised that other people didn’t feel the same way.
‘We’ve been the same lately,’ Blake piped up suddenly. ‘Me and Sarah, I mean. We’ve put everything into our business; we just had takeaways or ready meals.’ He shook his head. ‘Maybe that’s why things have gone so wrong,’ he added quietly. His voice was tinged with bitterness.
I wondered if this Sarah explained his bad mood. His girlfriend, I assumed as he didn’t wear a wedding ring.
‘You both wanted the business to succeed,’ Dylan said. ‘It was natural you focused on that.’
‘It can be hard working and living together sometimes,’ Willow agreed.
Maybe Blake and his girlfriend had recently broken up. Maybe that had caused some of his earlier hostility towards me. Still, it was an overreaction to a stranger. It’s not like it was my fault if she had left him. And I couldn’t say I blamed her.
‘Hey,’ Dylan teased Willow.
She grinned. ‘You know what I mean; we have to make sure we keep time just for each other, right?’
‘Definitely,’ he replied, again exchanging that smile with Willow that made my heart ache. I got the sense that even though they worked and lived on the farm together, their relationship wasn’t just surviving as mine had been; it was thriving.
