She nodded, seeing the unmistakable confusion in his face. ‘Our relationship is not how he made it sound,’ she said, desperate to explain, aware that it was too little. As long as she hadn’t left it too late that was what mattered most, she reasoned.
He stared at her briefly. ‘But you are married to him, though, aren’t you?’
Melody nodded, hoping desperately that Zac’s discovery about her marriage wouldn’t ruin any trust he had in her. She couldn’t bear to think that their fledgling relationship might be brought to an end thanks to Rhys’s untimely arrival.
‘I see.’
She gave his hand a squeeze. ‘I can explain everything, but not now, OK?’
‘Let’s get you inside,’ Patsy said. ‘You’ve had a dreadful fright.’ She looked at Zac and gritted her teeth for a moment. ‘You’ve no idea what my girl has gone through with that man.’
Mortified, Melody hugged her grandmother, desperate to calm her. ‘It’s fine, Gran,’ she insisted.
Melody noticed the expression on Zac’s tanned face and could tell he thought it was anything but fine. He nodded.
Wanting to show the others how grateful she was for their support, Melody turned to them. ‘Thank you both for being there for me. I’m so sorry he came here like that. I’ve no idea how he knew where to find me.’
Lettie took her hand. ‘It’s fine. He’s the problem, not you. I’m just worried that he threatened to return.’
‘This is all my fault.’ Melody sniffed, barely able to contain her tears of frustration.
‘No it isn’t. I only worry in case he does come back and you’re by yourself. I think we need to make sure there’s always one of us with you. Bullies like him are usually less inclined to pick on someone if they have company.’
Melody knew he would be, but only slightly. Rhys had just shown how unbothered he was about how people perceived him and that had been with an audience, but the thought of having witnesses was a comfort. ‘That would make me feel a bit better.’
Desperate to divert the attention from herself, she added, ‘Can we forget he ever came here and try to enjoy the rest of our evening? We have a few busy days ahead and I don’t want anything to distract from that.’
‘Yes,’ Lettie said. ‘Let’s do that.’
25
ZAC
Zac helped Melody, Patsy and several of The Book Club Girls to fill three hundred tote bags with all the promotion merchandise they had been sent by the businesses taking part in the wellness festival, while Lettie worked on the farm. When all the bags had been packed, the ladies went back to the barns to put up posters and make final touches while he went to help his mother make some drinks in the kitchen.
‘Mum, stop worrying,’ he repeated for the third time, still shaken to discover that Melody was married. That changed everything despite what he had said to that revolting husband of hers.
Since his relationship with Jazz had ended and she had moved on so quickly after losing the baby, Zac had been anxious about taking a chance and becoming too involved with someone else. Surely if Melody was still married to Rhys, regardless of whether they were separated, then she wasn’t in a position to take things further with him, Zac thought miserably. Clearly there were too many obstacles between himself and Melody for them to move forward.
‘I’ll never forgive myself for letting that dear girl face that man without any forewarning,’ Lindy grumbled.
‘How were you and Lettie to know he was a nasty piece of work when you let him wait for Melody? He came across as perfectly charming when we arrived. If it hadn’t been for Melody’s reaction,’ he said, pained to recall her obvious fear of the man, ‘then I wouldn’t have picked up anything either. Anyway, we soon sent him packing and with all the people we hope will come to the festival I think there’ll be little chance of him causing any aggro.’
Lindy wiped the kitchen worktop despite having only done so a few minutes before. ‘That poor girl. I hate to think what she’s been through with that ex of hers. Such a shame.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘He’d better not come back here and give her a hard time when I’m around.’
Zac relaxed slightly, happier now his mother’s usual fighting spirit had returned. He hated to see her upset and believing she was the cause of something unsavoury. He knew that Rhys would get more than he bargained for if he did come across his mother again. It would serve him right too. The bully. He pictured Patsy’s expression and knew his mother wasn’t the only person Rhys needed to be on the lookout for. And he would also give him what for if he came across the narcissistic bully again. How dare he bully a woman, Zac thought angrily. No, Rhys really needed to stay well away.
He finished refilling the ice trays and placed them back into the freezer compartment at the top of his mother’s large fridge. ‘I’d better go and join the others. They’ll be wondering where I’ve got to and will probably assume I’m skiving.’
‘No, they won’t,’ she said, smiling and looking as if she assumed that’s exactly what they would do. ‘Do you need me to come and give you a hand with anything?’
He looked at the racks of cooling cupcakes and others holding biscuits and shook his head. ‘I think you’ve got more than enough to do decorating that lot for tomorrow. Anyway, we’ve only got the final bits to sort out now.’ He noticed the oven light on and then more mixture sitting in the mixing bowl waiting to be baked. ‘How many of these things are you planning on making?’
‘Enough,’ she said. ‘Don’t look at me like that. You’ll be the first one to scoff any leftovers.’
She was right – he would. He gave his mother a hug. ‘Promise me you’ll stop worrying. Melody seems much more like her old self again today. I’m hopeful she’s managed to put the whole incident behind her now.’ He didn’t really believe that to be the case at all but needed to say something to try and assuage his mother’s concerns.
‘Fine, if you’re sure.’
