“Four o’clock? You’ll be there?” He needed that to look forward to, even though this was going to be a day he’d been looking forward to for months, ever since the idea had occurred to him for a festival, he needed to know when he’d next see her.
“I’ll be there. Call me if there’s anything you need me to do. Can I follow the river round?”
He nodded. “Or I can just walk you back over the fields? You should see Gran and the Coven’s stalls they’ve set up.”
A shadow crossed her face and he realised she was still unsure about anyone putting two and two together if they saw her with him.
Jake shook his head. “No one’s going to think anything. The residents of Severton don’t think that I’m sleeping with every woman they see me with. And I haven’t dated or gone home with anyone for months.”
“I know. I don’t doubt that, Jake.” She took his hand in hers. “Let’s walk back that way then.”
He bent his head and kissed the tender spot between her shoulder and neck, feeling her shiver, feeling her arm come back round him again.
“If you’re good, I’ll buy you a treat from Gran’s stall that isn’t selling gin.”
Lainey laughed, walking closer to him as they headed back on the narrow path, music becoming louder as they drew closer to the main stage and the rehearsals that were going on there.
“Let me guess what it is.”
“If you do, you’re definitely becoming a Severton resident.”
“Sex toys.”
“You’re not just becoming a Severton resident; you’re becoming a member of the coven.”
They were sittingtowards the back of the field watching the last song of the night. It was a local band who were on the way to making it big, and the crowd had gone wild for them. Keren and Sorrell were with them, along with Marley and half a dozen others that Jake had gone to school with or knew from the Search and Rescue team. Scott and Zack were on babysitting duty, somehow managing to have ended up with Jonny and Rayah’s kids split between them too.
The sky was slightly clouded, stopping the night from being cool, although the odd star peaked through. Lainey was sitting next to Rayah, having a whispered discussion about something that Jake couldn’t hear. He’d kept a small distance from her, not trusting himself to be too close and not touch. Every so often, he needed to remind himself to stop staring at her, or making it too obvious, but then he’d catch her staring at him too.
Frustration welled up in him, fracturing his usual happy mood. He stood up and wandered towards one of the beer tents, wanting to put a little space between him and everyone else for a few minutes. He had nothing else to do tonight, the tasks having been delegated to the people he’d hired and two of his own team, and he was hoping he’d get to spend a bit more time with Lainey.
Alone.
A yell, then a shout made him pause. Two security staff members rushed past him, both of them looking happy to have something to do as the night had been peaceful so far. Jake watched as they pulled Dylan Granger out of the tent, his fists clenched. Another man followed, shouting something that Jake couldn’t quite make out.
Another small town night.
He waited until Dylan had been led away, not interested in any form of conversation with the man who was clearly drunk and angry, knowing that if Dylan saw him, he’d be dragged into a conversation or debate, requesting Jake to sort something out to help.
When he got back to Lainey and his friends, he took the spot next to her, handing out the beers after opening them with his pocket-knife. She didn’t edge away from him, which he thought she might. His hand brushed hers as he handed her the drink, and he felt that burst of sparks splash through him.
Olly laughed at something Marley said, the band in the background now quieting. Marley’s guitar was next to her, always ready to provide some form of entertainment. She picked it up, and started to strum, singing an old folk song that Jake had heard too many times growing up.
“Come on, Jakey, join in.” She paused the song, repeating a riff.
He shook his head. It had been years since he’d sung in public, leaving that to Scott.
“I can’t do this one on my own and Olly doesn’t know it. He needs teaching.” Marley reached out a foot and booted him with the sole. She hadn’t worn shoes all day.
Jake rarely passed up an opportunity to school Olly.
“Just this once and no, I’m not doing it in public.”
Marley shrugged. He knew she would consider this battle won.
He joined in with her vocals, remembering when they’d sang this together before, over a campfire before they’d left to go to university. The sound was different: his voice had deepened further, he sounded gruffer, while there was a depth to her tones that hadn’t been there when they were eighteen.
All the while he sang, he felt Lainey’s gaze on him, saw her smile from the corner of his eye. She hadn’t known he could sing, she probably didn’t know that most of the Maynards could hold a decent tune and it was only Scott who’d decided to make some form of career from it. It wasn’t something they tended to broadcast.
