“That’s okay, right?”
Pippa took a deep breath. It was the best thing for the fair. And surely Alex would be on his way back to Kent soon. It would be temporary. “Fine. I did say you could help.”
“Great.” He sounded relieved. “Just as well, I’ve already been quite busy.”
Pippa frowned. “What on earth are you on about?”
She could practically feel his smugness radiating down the phoneline. “Well, Finn called me several times the past few weeks to ask for advice on what we could do for the fair as he and Julie have been pitching in. So, I’m kind of up to date on everything. Anyway, I spoke to Mae and Erin—”
“Yes, I heard you spoke to Mae,” Pippa couldn’t hold back her incredulity. “Well done on remaining alive.”
Alex whistled. “Yeah, she was particularly outraged.”
“Was there shouting?”
“There was asymphonyof shouting,” he confirmed. “But no less than I deserve. Anyway, once I convinced Mae and Erin I genuinely wanted to help, they grudgingly allowed me to only if you permitted me.”
“Fine.” Pippa knew she couldn’t deny the extra aid just because it came from Alex. “And what do you mean by busy?”
“I’ve been able to put my contacts to good use,” he said with a little laugh. “Which I am sure you will find willreallyget this show on the road.”
Pippa thought for a moment. What was he on about? But then it hit her. The mysterious benefactor. “The medics? That wasyou?” She wanted to weep. Of courseit had been Alex. He’d said he was willing to do whatever it took to get back with her, and he must have worked out what she needed after talking to Finn.
“I—”
Pippa didn’t let him finish as gratitude overwhelmed her. “You literally saved our skin!” she cried. “The event would have actually been cancelled had you not done that.”
“Um. Don’t mention it,” he said hoarsely.
“We wondered who had hooked us up with them.” She remembered Mae mentioning that the organisation was based in the South East. She groaned. Kent was South East! How had she not noticed that? “I can’t thank you enough.”
There was silence for a while but then Alex spoke, his voice stronger. “You don’t need to thank me. I know this fair means a lot to you. And you mean a lot to me. I’ll do whatever it takes – I told you that.”
It took all of Pippa’s strength not to ask where this energy had been when he’d made the choice to leave. “Well, the gesture’s appreciated.”Albeit totally futile,she thought as she glanced over at Wolfie, who was engaged in conversation with Frankie. Although he wasn’t looking at her, Pippa had the strange feeling he was keeping tabs on her every movement through his peripheral vision. His quiet possession of her sent a delicious shiver through her body.
“Anyway,” Alex was saying. “What I also wanted to say was I’ve managed to get a cracking deal on bunting from a mate. It’ll take some effort, but I reckon I can string it up across the green and make it look really festive.”
“Lovely,” Pippa said. Bunting flapping in the fresh breeze coming off the moors would be a nice touch for the festivalgoers perusing the food trucks and stalls on the green.
“Thanks,” Alex said. “Will I see you at the set-up day tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” Pippa echoed. God, tomorrow was the penultimate day before the fair and she’d barely thought about it for the past day. A flurry of images assaulted her memory: Wolfie’s lean body, his mouth leaving burning trails across her skin… No wonder the fair hadn’t been her foremost concern that day. “Look, I’d best go,” she said. Wolfie had vanished into the library and Frankie was glaring at her, arms folded and toes tapping. “Thanks for everything.” Before Alex could comment further, she hung up.
“You sly minx.” Frankie nudged her shoulder.
Pippa looked around for Wolfie, clocking almost straight away that the library door was closed. “What?”
“Something happened with Tall, Blond and Brooding, didn’t it?” Frankie giggled. “The way he looked at you when he came out … I swear, I could have started playing naked Twister whilst singing ‘99 Red Balloons’ in the original German and he wouldn’t have so much as glanced my way.”
“Don’t be so silly,” Pippa said. “Your singing voice is perfection, Frankie, of course he’d have glanced.”
Frankie didn’t waver. “You’re not denying it.”
Pippa blushed. “Denying what?”
“You and Wolfie!” Frankie cried. “What’s happened? Did you kiss or—” He clocked her burning cheeks, and the resulting shriek could probably have been heard at the top of Clough Hill. “Youdidn’t!”
“I couldn’t possibly say,” Pippa said, but under Frankie’s relentless gaze, she caved. “Okay yes. Something happened this afternoon.”
