‘I don’t want to,’ she said, gazing into his eyes. ‘I’ve been happier here than I have been for a very long time. And most of that is due to meeting you and spending time with you. You’ve made this trip very memorable for lots of reasons, Zac.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll miss the farm and your family but most of all I’ll miss you, very much.’
He reached out and took her hands in his, happy they had found each other. ‘You know my mum has offered for you to stay on at the farm and I know she meant what she said.’ He watched her expression change and before she even told him her answer he knew what it would be.
‘I can’t think of anything nicer, I really can’t, but I came with Gran and need to go back with her. And then there’s my divorce. I want to get that sorted as soon as I can. I still need to have a talk with my mother about this and explain more about what’s gone on between Rhys and I, and I won’t feel free of him until the divorce has been finalised.’
He understood and said so. ‘There’s no reason you can’t come back again though once Patsy’s settled back at home andeverything with Rhys has been sorted out, is there?’ he asked hopefully.
‘It might not be that easy though.’ She looked as if she was struggling to contain her emotions. ‘The thing is that Gran is used to me helping with her podcasts.’ He wasn’t sure what that had to do with Melody not coming back but didn’t like to question her.
‘She’s always been there for me and I feel obliged to be there for her whenever she needs me. I’ve also got the sketches for her next book to finish. I’m sorry,’ she said miserably. ‘I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but I can’t let her down now, especially not when she’s always been there for me.’ She took his hands in hers and looked down at them. ‘Anyway, I enjoy spending time with her and want to make the most of having her around.’ She reached up and rested her hand on his right cheek. ‘I’m so sorry.’
Zac tried to hide his disappointment but could tell by the guilty look on her face that she realised how he was feeling. ‘There’s no need to apologise. We can’t always have what we want.’ He thought back to his previous relationship and why it had ended too abruptly.
She drank some of her lager. ‘Maybe if you get any gigs near our home, then you could come and visit us. We could spend some time together, maybe, and go out together?’
He loved that she was trying to find ways to make sure their relationship, for what it was, didn’t have to end with her leaving Jersey. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it wasn’t an ending either. Not really. He would find a way to make things work somehow. Maybe he could only agree to tours around the United Kingdom, so they could see each other regularly. He told her his thoughts.
‘I like that idea,’ Melody said happily.
‘Good. It’s a start.’ He smiled at her. ‘I might have spent the summer here on the island, but as you know I have a tour coming up. I can’t afford to refuse too many jobs or I’ll lose out on some of my more lucrative gigs, but hopefully it won’t be too long until I’ll be on the mainland again.’
She beamed at him and he was relieved to see that she had truly meant what she said about hoping to see him again. ‘That makes me very happy,’ she said, raising her glass to say cheers.
‘Me too.’ He tapped his glass against hers, then stood and leant over the table to kiss her. Their tentative plans weren’t perfect by any means, but what they had already proposed was better than nothing. A lot better.
It dawned on him that maybe this was the best way forward for now. After all, this way they would have the chance to spend more time together and get to know each other better. Then, maybe Melody would find a way to come back and give island life another go.
35
MELODY
A couple of days later, Melody had just finished replenishing the honesty box with Lettie and returned to the house. She was thinking about the story Lettie had told her about Zac’s past relationship and wondered whether she now knew him well enough to broach the subject. Would it be too nosy of her to do that though? She wasn’t sure. But as her gran had often told her, there was no harm in speaking to someone as long as you accepted that the person you asked the question of might not wish to tell you.
She heard Zac call her name and went over to the window and looked down at him. ‘Do you want me for something?’
‘I do.’ He waved for her to join him out in the yard.
‘What is it?’ she asked, excited to see him as she always was now. He had a look of satisfaction on his face and she was fascinated to know why.
‘I’ve booked us a night’s stay somewhere special. I’m afraid I could only get one night, but it’s at least at the place I was hoping to book for us.’
She flung her arms around his neck. ‘That’s so exciting. Where?’
‘Nope. It’s a surprise.’
She pursed her lips. ‘Right then. When?’
‘Tonight?’
‘That soon?’ She was astonished, although she wasn’t sure why. She knew that Zac could be impulsive and loved him for his enthusiasm. And, she reminded herself, it wasn’t as if they had all that long before she had to leave again. She pushed away the thought and flung her arms around him. ‘I’m so excited. I’d better let Gran know.’
‘I’ve already mentioned it to her, and to my family. They all know we’re going out together for the night and that we’ll see them at some point tomorrow evening.’
She bit her lower lip, planning what she needed to pack before going. ‘Do I need something smart to wear?’
He looked a little thrown by the question and then concerned.
‘What is it?’ She hoped she hadn’t said the wrong thing.
