‘On my travels, you mean?’
He nodded. ‘Would that be something you’d consider? Because I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than spend the next few months—’ he gave her a gentle squeeze ‘—or years making memories with you. We could discover new places together. I think it would be amazing.’ Aware he was letting his enthusiasm get away from him, Joe forced himself to calm down. ‘What do you say?’
She gazed up into his eyes for a few seconds, unnerving him when she didn’t immediately answer his question.
‘Don’t feel you have to agree just to please me,’ he said hurriedly. ‘It’s only a thought. To be honest, this is the first time I’m thinking it through properly.’ He was rambling and wished he would stop talking and give her a chance to think. To respond.
Skye beamed at him suddenly. She flung her arms around his neck, surprising him and making him laugh. ‘I say let’s do it.’
‘You do?’
‘I said so, didn’t I?’ She laughed.
Barely able to believe what had happened, Joe wrapped his free arm around her waist and held her against him, kissing her, unable to believe that something that had begun as them both wanting to help out a friend could end up with them finding their perfect partner.
‘I have a feeling our story has just begun. What do you think?’ he asked, gazing into her eyes.
‘I had just come to the same conclusion.’
* * *
The following morning, he left Skye at the farm to go and tell his mother his plans.
‘You’re leaving? Why?’
‘Because I need time away from my job,’ he said, repeating what his supervisor had told him when he agreed that Joe was doing the right thing by taking time away to do something completely different. ‘You need this, Joe,’ he had said. ‘I’ve been worried about you since your grandfather died. You seemed to push yourself harder than ever rather than taking time to deal with your grief.’
‘I know that now,’ Joe said, finally willing to listen to the man who had tried his best to do the right thing by him. Now, though, he was facing his mother and she was another matter entirely.
‘Anyway, Mum, we both know this place is too small for the three of us and with my boss telling me I can return to work whenever I feel ready, I think this is the perfect time to do this.’
‘And are you really doing this for you, or for Skye?’
He didn’t like the way this was going. ‘I want to keep spending time with her and getting to know her. We both want to travel more, so why not just go for it?’
She shook her head grumpily. ‘I’ve only recently returned and you choose now to leave?’
Joe wasn’t sure what to say without being rude but checked himself. ‘Mum, I don’t judge when you follow your heart, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do by going away with Skye. I’ll be back at some point and we will stay in touch.’
He went to give her a hug. ‘I’ll say goodbye now,’ he said, hoping to leave before they ended up having a row. He loved his mother and didn’t want to leave things with bad feelings on either side.
She reluctantly hugged him back. ‘You must do as you wish, I suppose. I’m only your mother. Why should my feelings be considered?’
‘I love you, Mum,’ he said, refusing to be drawn into an argument, aware that was what she was trying to do to keep him there a bit longer. ‘I’ll keep in touch.’
50
SKYE
‘I’m so excited you’ve both decided to carry on and go travelling together,’ Lettie said as she cuddled baby Isla and walked with Skye to join Joe and Brodie in the yard. ‘He’s such a lovely man.’
‘Who, Brodie?’ Skye teased, watching the two men chatting with Gareth and Lindy next to Brodie’s vehicle.
‘No, silly, Joe.’ They laughed and Skye wished she had longer to get to know Lettie and spend time with Melody, but it was time for them to leave and she was excited to give her grandmother a hug after being away.
She saw Joe look their way. ‘There they are.’ She watched his mouth draw back into a wide smile and the loving look emanating from his eyes and hoped that never changed.
‘We’re not late, are we?’ Lettie asked, handing Isla to Brodie briefly before enveloping Skye in a tight hug.
