‘My pleasure,’ he said, passing her the crate.
Adira put it in her car then made for The Hot Spot. Max was busy hammering iron, then sinking it into a vat of cold water. Steam filled the forge as she joined him.
‘Hello there,’ he grinned. ‘Any pre-wedding nerves?’
‘Not yet,’ she laughed, ‘but I’m sure there’ll be a few on the big day.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ he assured her. Then he went to collect the bottle openers he’d made. He passed a hessian sack over to her. She opened it and pulled one out to examine. They too had been beautifully crafted, with the black cast-iron handle twirling into a laurel-shaped leaf.
‘Max, they’re so elegant!’ she gasped. He smiled, pleased with her reaction.
‘Glad you like them.’
‘I do.’ She reached inside her bag for her purse, but Max stopped her.
‘They’re a gift,’ he said, putting up his hands.
‘Sure?’
‘Absolutely.’
Touched once more by the Courtyard tenants’ spirit of generosity, Adira clutched the sack close to her. ‘Well, thanks Max, much appreciated.’
As she walked to her car, James waved a hello from his florist shop window. What a lovely bunch, she thought driving home. Lilacwell was looking so pretty with its bright Christmas lights swooping across the high street. All the window shops were beautifully displayed with decorations and the old-fashioned lampposts gently glowed in the early evening dusk. Never had she appreciated her surroundings more than in Lilacwell. For a second her mind cast back to last Christmas, when she’d been hustling amongst the busy, last-minute shoppers along Oxford Street. Whilst it, too, would have been brightly lit with lights, she’d have had little time to stop and admire them. She would have been in a hurry, anxious to buy the bare essentials then get back home to start working again. How time had passed her by, missing all the important things life had to offer. Well, not now. She lived in Lilacwell, not London. In precisely three days’ time she was getting married to a wonderful, kind, gorgeous man and couldn’t be happier. Just then her phone rang. Pulling into the side of the road, she saw that it was her gran and quickly answered.
‘Hi, Gran.’
‘Hello, darling. How are you?’
‘I’m fine, thanks, and you?’
‘No pre-wedding nerves?’ Edie teased.
‘Not yet. I’ll probably have plenty on the day, though,’ laughed Adira.
‘I’m sure you’ve got it all under control,’ assured Edie, then continued, ‘Adira, I’m right in saying we’re all staying on the campsite, aren’t I?’
‘Yes, Gran, your very own shepherds hut. Is that all right? You’re welcome to stay in The Laurels, we’ve a spare guest room?’ Adira had naturally assumed her gran and parents would appreciate their own space, rather than stay in the house with them.
‘No, that’s fine darling, really, I’m quite looking forward to a night under the stars,’ Edie said smiling.
‘What, you, Mum and Dad, all by the campfire?’ joked Adira, laughing at the thought of her mother doing anything remotely like that. Whereas her gran she could easily imagine getting into the spirit of the great outdoors. ‘Do you think Mum will be OK on the glamping site?’
Edie’s mouth twitched at the term ‘glamping’ – it was still plain old camping when all said and done. When had it suddenly become glamorous? You were still pitching up a tent or sleeping in a caravan in a field. Honestly, the youth of today. But as for her daughter enjoying the experience? Hmm, she wasn’t too sure about that. Cleo was renowned for her picky ways, never one to muck in with the rest of them. Secretly, she was half expecting her to check into a nearby hotel, but didn’t want to admit that to Adira, for fear of disappointing her.
‘She ought to be,’ replied Edie diplomatically. ‘Those shepherds huts look amazing.’
‘Well, failing that, she can camp out in Sheila,’ said Adira, the precious campervan being her pride and joy.
‘High honour indeed! Right darling, I’ll let you go. I’m sure you’ve a thousand and one things to do. See you in three days’ time my love.’
‘Bye, Gran.’
Suddenly, it all hit home. Adira sat in contemplation before starting up the car again. In just three days she would become a married woman. She would be Adira Hendricks, wife of Jasper Hendricks. Her life would change forever. Goosebumps covered her as an unstoppable grin spread across her face.
Chapter 30
Rory was late. He wasn’t having a good day at all; everything was running against him. It had all started with the man driving the hire van turning up an hour late. Then it had taken longer than he’d expected to fill the van with all the boxes he’d packed. A last-minute phone call from his solicitor held him up even more, then, once on the road, traffic had piled up. When finally reaching the motorway, a huge sign warned of more delays and the closure of one lane. It was now early evening and he was getting anxious. The last thing he wanted was to miss Jasper’s stag do. He was also eager to talk to Cassie but realised he wouldn’t have time for that tonight.
