He succeeded. The landscape changed as they dropped into a wooded area, the sky darkening through the bare branches, crispy leaves crunching beneath their feet.
“How was it having a cousin the same age as you?” she said.
Zack laughed. He had never considered what it would be like to not have Jake. “It was great. It still is. He was a ready-made best friend.”
“Like another brother?”
“In some ways but not quite. We’ve never really fallen out or fought like I did with Scott and Alex. We only lived together when we were in our early twenties for a few months and apart from him being a scruffy bastard, we fit together like an old married couple who had separate bedrooms,” he said, making her laugh.
She took his hand even though the path was now gentle, an easier descent than that which they’d just overcome.
“I like Jake,” she said and for a moment he felt as if she was about to bust more than his ego. “He’s a good guy, even if he has more women than I have hot dinners.”
He exhaled deeply with relief. “I’d like to say he’s had some form of childhood trauma, but he had the ideal life as a kid. The worst thing that happened to him was being told he had to go to university when he just wanted to work on my dad’s farm.”
Sorrell paused as they left the small wood behind them. The snow was thickening, large flakes dancing down like enchanting fairies. “Did he benefit from going to uni?”
“The profits of condom makers went up,” Zack said.
Sorrell laughed, her eyes on the snow. “This snow is so different from what you get in the city.”
“There’s a lot to be said for the country.” He paused, considering his words and then deciding to cut to the chase. “Do you think you’ll stay here?”
She was quiet and he had that sinking feeling again.
“I do now,” she said.
He bit his lips together to stop himself from cheering. He didn’t want her to leave. She may have stolen his builders but he had given her part of his heart already.
“What’s changed?”
“I like this place and the hotel has gone better than I thought. Abby has been a godsend. The guests so far have nearly all been pleasant. I need to tell Jake that one of the alpacas keeps heading into the manor grounds,” she said. “I think it’s found a gap in the hedgerows. It isn’t a problem; I’m just bothered about how far it’s heading away from the farm.”
“Is it dark brown with slightly red eyes? A weirdly long neck even for an alpaca?” he said, suppressing a groan.
“That’s the one. How did you know?” She looked at him curiously.
Zack let out a weary and fucked-off sigh. “That’s Jessie. She thinks she’s a person. And if she was a person, she’d be up on charges for voyeurism. She keeps watching the residents through the windows.”
Sorrell started laughing. “A pervy alpaca! That’s brilliant. She should be Jake’s spirit animal!”
Zack laughed, deciding that it was a good time to tell Sorrell some of the horror stories involving Jake that had accumulated over the years. He also started to set a quicker pace, conscious of the conditions on the hillside worsening.
They had just reached the cave entrance when his phone beeped, the tone familiar. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the message.
“Shit,” he said.
“What is it?”
“Walking party on Halden Pike. They’re at the peak and have lost their bearings, or something’s gone wrong. Scott’s just seen a flare go off,” he said. He knew this meant their date would have to go on pause; he just wasn’t sure how long for.
“How do you know what’s happened?” she said.
“They logged the walk they were doing and left details, which suggests they’re experienced walkers who will have a compass. I’m going to have to help Scott.” He looked at her apologetically. “Unless Jake or one of the other team members can go.”
She shook her head. “Why don’t I walk back down to town and you can head straight to Scott?”
The car park was in sight. It was another twenty-minute walk to the town and the snow was worsening.
