‘What’s going on between you and Jack?’ Julia leant in conspiratorially. ‘Are you together?’
‘No! Not at all. We know each other through a mutual friend.’
‘Who?’
‘Nicole.’
Julia snapped chocolate into pieces and divided the bits between two awaiting mugs as Evie stirred the pan of milk on the stove. ‘She’s a lovely lady. How do you know each other?’
‘Evie worked with Nicole when she was at the agency,’ Jack interrupted. Evie wondered how much of the conversation he’d overheard before he’d sneaked up on them.
‘Thank you,’ Evie mouthed when Julia’s back was turned. Julia seemed to accept the explanation although Evie wondered, given how close Jack was to Nate, how much this woman knew about her past already. But if she knew, she wasn’t giving anything away and Evie was grateful.
The hot chocolates were as decadent as Nate and Jack had promised, and Evie sat in the chair closest to the fire as they chatted and laughed and the night fell over Hollyhock Farm, a comforting blanket of a life so different to the one Evie had assumed Jack led. This juxtaposition was filled with integrity, genuine friendships, and in the last seven hours her opinions had made a complete U-turn.
‘Both of you must stay for dinner,’ Julia insisted. If Evie wasn’t mistaken, both she and Nate seemed to be thriving on Jack having company. ‘Unless you need to get back to the city.’
‘Dinner would be great,’ Jack answered.
Evie cleared her throat. ‘I’d love to, it’s very kind of you to offer.’ Tonight was a rare night off from the shelter, and instead of going back to her apartment alone, she felt excited that she got to spend the evening in such great company.
Nate and Julia insisted they didn’t need any help when it came to preparing the beef stroganoff and as they chopped, peeled and diced, they left Jack and Evie to talk over a beer each beside the fire.
‘They’re really nice people,’ said Evie.
‘Nate’s my best friend. He’s been with Julia for years, and I can’t imagine a couple I like more.’
Evie jumped as the fire crackled and spat out a piece onto the hearth.
‘We’d better move away.’ Jack laughed.
‘You need to stop blowing it with those bellows!’ She smiled at him, reminded of the way he’d taken charge today and how she hadn’t minded one bit.
The orange glow of the fire highlighted Jack’s neck as he tilted his head back to get more of his beer. ‘I’d better savour this. You, on the other hand, can get completely wasted and I’ll ferry you home.’
‘I don’t think that’ll be necessary, but thank you for the offer.’
‘What do you think of it out here at the farm?’
She didn’t hesitate. ‘It’s a different world entirely.’ Without thinking she added, ‘I hope I get to go through the maze soon.’ As soon as she’d spoken, she realised she was implying another visit, but before she had a chance to feel too awkward, Jack put her at ease.
‘I’m sure that could be arranged.’
Right now, with the easy conversation, the fire crackling and the enticing smell of dinner snaking towards them, Evie couldn’t imagine a happier place.
When dinner was served, they sat around the oak table talking weddings, Christmas trees, holiday markets, jewellery. They chatted away about all the tasks on the farm that Evie had never thought about, they discussed fruit picking and Evie promised to come up here again in the spring. And by the time Jack and Evie drove away from the farm that evening they’d already promised an exchange visit, with dinner in the city in the New Year after the rush of the season had calmed for Nate and Julia.
Driving away from Hollyhock farm, Evie realised these people, friends as they had become after only a few hours, had treated her as an equal, and more frighteningly they’d treated them as a couple.
‘They do know we’re not dating, don’t they?’ She looked across at Jack as the car slowed to the town’s speed limit when they arrived at one end of the main street of Hazelbrook, the big clock watching over the shops, some of which were lit up with their own arrangement of lights. The place held that small town feel, as though even strangers would be drawn into its embrace.
Jack grinned. ‘They know we’re friends, yes. Oh, they’ll be matchmaking like hell, but let them. It gives them something to do.’
Evie’s heart skipped a beat. She’d found Jack attractive at the start, but good looks alone had never been enough for her to fall hook, line and sinker for anyone. Then again, she was beginning to realise Jack Churchill was a whole lot more than the handsome, almost arrogant businessman she’d first met.
‘Why are we stopping?’
Jack had pulled up into the forty-five-degree angled car park space in front of a row of shops, the town clock to one side.
