Zoe didn’t rise to the bait, though she wanted to. People were polite to a point, but some found it hard to hide their true feelings about Alex’s plans to build a glamping site on his land at Hilltop Farm. Things would change in Thimblebury, there was no escaping that fact, and he would be the cause. But it was a free country – he had his planning permission and every right to earn a living. Zoe knew he would do his best to keep disruption to a minimum and to keep the site as sustainable and respectful to the land as he could. He would have rules in place that would ensure the peace of the community in the village below, and he would enforce them if he had to. Eventually, Zoe believed,the villagers would realise it was a good thing for them. Victor, of course, was already convinced because he had his own business catering to tourists in the form of his alpaca trekking, and Magnus and Geoff who owned the shop were slowly coming round.
Shabana glanced with obvious confusion between the two women sitting either side of her. Zoe was about to change the subject when her phone began to ring. She got up and rifled for it in her tunic pocket, frowning at the caller ID.
‘I’m sorry, I think I have to take this,’ she said, stepping out the back door into a damp and chilly garden. ‘Dad…is everything all right? Is it Chantal?’
‘Of course everything is all right! I don’t only phone when there’s a problem.’
Zoe decided not to correct him, but the fact remained that two phone conversations with him in one week was unheard of. ‘I only thought…well, it’s the middle of the day too.’
‘Oh, are you busy? You’re at work. I should have?—’
‘I’m on lunch – it’s fine.’ Zoe folded one arm around herself, phone clamped to her ear as she gazed out over hillsides greywith drizzle. She didn’t know why she should be so tense speaking to her own father, but perhaps the news of Chantal’s pregnancy had rattled her more than she’d wanted to admit. After all, Chantal was younger than Zoe and that was enough to get her head around, without the added irony that Zoe hadn’t even had a baby yet. It seemed, as she listened to him continue, the shocks were far from over.
‘I only called to ask…What are you doing next month?’
‘I haven’t a clue! What date next month?’
‘Valentine’s Day.’
‘I expect I’ll be doing something with Alex.’
‘Alex?’
‘Yes, Dad, Alex. My new boyfriend. I did tell you about him.’
‘Oh, yes, you did. Well, I’ve asked Chantal to marry me, and she said yes. And we were thinking of a Valentine’s Day wedding.’
Zoe’s eyes widened as she stared out onto the hills, all thoughts of the heavy clouds obscuring their peaks now gone from her mind, replaced by shock. Though, when she’d had time to reflect, she’d wonder why she ought to have been shocked at all. Since her parents’ divorce, her dad seemed to lurch from one midlife crisis to another. She didn’t doubt he loved Chantal, but this was all too sudden for Zoe’s liking.
‘I know it’s a bit soon,’ he said into her silence. ‘And there’s a lot to organise, but we both wanted to tie the knot as soon as we could, what with the baby and everything Of course, I want you and your brother to be there if you can.’
‘It’sveryshort notice. How are you even going to pull it all together in time?’
‘It’s what we both want,’ he repeated. ‘Chantal and me. We’d like to make it all official, as soon as we can. Before she gets bigger with the baby. We’ll find a way to make it work. In fact, Chantal has already started. She’s brilliant, you know, so cleverand resourceful. She’s already chosen a dress…I don’t know how she does it.’
Zoe’s thoughts were all over the place, but one came into focus. Had he told her mum? Because if he had, Zoe needed to be ready. Her mum would need comfort and support. Zoe and her brother would do their best to be pleased for their dad, even if they didn’t particularly feel it, but the same could hardly be expected from the woman he’d abandoned. ‘Does Mum know?’
‘Yes. I sent her a text earlier…I mean, if she’s read it, she’ll know.’
‘Right. Where are you going to have this wedding?’
‘I’m not sure yet – Chantal is looking for a venue that has last-minute availability.’
‘That might prove tricky,’ Zoe replied, a vague hope springing within her that they might not be able to marry on Valentine’s Day after all, and Zoe might have some time to breathe and process her new reality before it was thrust upon her.
‘She’s determined. She’ll find somewhere.’
‘I’m sure she is but still, it’s a big ask.’
‘Is that all you have to say? Aren’t you going to congratulate me?’
‘Of course. Ummmm congratulations. I’m happy for you both.’
‘You mean that?’
‘Dad, I don’t know what you expect me to say! I want what makes you and Mum happy, you know I do! But this is…’
‘What?’
