I started in surprise and hit my head on the car roof. ‘Ow!’ I said again, and scooted back across the seat, stepping back onto the ground. I switched on the torch on my phone and shone it into the equally surprised face of Blake. He stood next to my car wearing joggers, a hoodie and trainers. ‘You scared the crap out of me!’ I told him, annoyed. ‘Why are you sneaking up on me in the dark?’
‘Hey, you were the one who scared the crap out of me,’ Blake accused, holding his hand up. ‘I thought someone was trying to steal this car!’
‘Surprised you didn’t offer to help them,’ I replied grumpily. I rubbed my head then leaned down to rub my ankle, both of them sore now. Awesome.
‘You really think I’d do that?’ Blake questioned then, sounding offended.
‘How am I meant to know?’ I flung back. ‘You’ve been hostile to me since you arrived.’
He sighed. ‘I’m sorry but I was worried someone was trying to steal this car,’ he repeated.
I put my hands on my hips. ‘Out here?’ I asked, eyebrows raised, looking around at the dark, peaceful farm. ‘We’re not in the city now.’
Blake squinted at the torch on my phone, holding up his hand and wincing. ‘Okay, fine, I guess it was an overaction. But why are you out here at this time of night?’
‘You first,’ I returned as I shut the car door. I lowered my torch so it wasn’t shining directly into his eyes but so I could still see him.
‘I couldn’t sleep so thought I’d go for a run. I often do it when I can’t sleep,’ he replied with a shrug.
‘It’s not as safe out here with no street or car lights.’
‘I grew up with this, though,’ Blake reminded me. ‘Let me see you back to the farmhouse, make sure you don’t injure yourself more.’ He smiled then, and I think it might have been the first time he had properly smiled at me since we met earlier. I couldn’t help but notice that he had a dimple in each of his cheeks, making his smile very cute: a surprising development.
‘I don’t trust you being nice,’ I warned him, unsure whether to agree but on the other hand, I didn’t want to trip again.
‘Shit, we really have got off on the wrong foot, haven’t we?’ He stared at me for a moment then he cleared his throat. ‘Please let me.’
‘Okay, fine,’ I replied but I wasn’t sure if we could salvage our bad first impression of one another, or if I even wanted us to.
We fell into step to walk back up to the house together.
I dared to look at my phone then and I let out a sigh, causing Blake to glance at it too. I let him see the screen, which now had over a hundred notifications on it. My pulse picked up at the thought of reading all the messages and listening to voicemails from Henry and his parents, and whoever else wanted to tell me I was crazy and/or a bitch for running out on Henry like I had.
‘Bloody hell, who’s trying to contact you that much?’ Blake cried, shaking his head. ‘Oh, sorry, that was nosy…’
We reached the farmhouse door then and both paused, hovering as we faced one another, just able to see in the moonlight.
‘Who do you think?’ I replied. ‘I know you judge me for what I did today but you don’t know the full story,’ I snapped, suddenly weary right down to my bones.
Blake shifted uncomfortably. ‘I’m sure. Look, I think we both have a lot going on right now. Maybe we could start over again?’ He held out a hand in the darkness. ‘I’m Blake Daniels.’
I hesitated but I knew it was better if we could co-exist peacefully on the farm while we were both here. I held out my hand and shook his. His handshake was firm and warm. ‘Daisy Connor.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ he said, looking down at my hand and the diamond ring still on my wedding finger. I hadn’t thought about taking it off; everything had happened so fast. He dropped my hand. ‘I am sorry for being so… cold towards you. It was just the wedding dress. And this ring. They remind me of what’s going on in my own life. It was a shock. Like the universe was punishing me or something.’
He seemed to feel bad and I didn’t like holding grudges so I nodded. ‘I really do feel terrible about leaving my wedding. Your reaction just made me feel even worse about myself but I know that most people would have probably reacted the same way. It’s not like I ever planned to be a runaway bride. I’m judging myself so you don’t need to.’
‘I’m not judging you,’ he said quickly. ‘As you said, I don’t know what went on.’
‘I know I left it too late but I haven’t been on my own for a long time and I was… scared to call it off,’ I admitted to this almost-stranger in the darkness, glad he could hardly see the shame on my face. ‘I don’t expect you to understand, though…’
There was a beat of silence. ‘My reaction was mostly about me. I found out my girlfriend – well, my ex now, I should call her – was cheating on me. Actually, I walked in and found him in our apartment…’ He coughed uncomfortably. ‘I thought we were in love, the real thing. That she was… Never mind. Let’s just say seeing you in a wedding dress reminded me that I’m alone now too.’
‘Shit, Blake. I’m sorry she did that to you.’ I didn’t exactly forgive what he’d said to me earlier but I did understand his hostility towards me now. I knew if someone I loved had cheated on me, I would hate the whole male population for a very long time. ‘Now we know why we’re not at our best right now.’
‘Hopefully, being on the farm might help us both. Do you know how long you’re staying for?’
I shook my head. I knew Willow and my uncle had said the spare room was mine for as long as I needed it but I had no idea how long I might want it for. ‘But we can stay out of each other’s way while we try to decide what to do next, right?’
