“What?” said the very confused driver.
“What?” Pippa echoed with a yelp from the wheelbarrow.
Wolfie turned and looked down at her. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
“More than okay.” Pippa could barely breathe at the epic ‘okayness’ of what he had just said.
“I’m staying in Hurst Bridge,” Wolfie went on, “and so I won’t be selling.”
“Are you sure?” Pippa said. “I don’t want to make you stay if—”
“I’m staying, Pippa Munro.” Wolfie grinned. “I’m staying at Squires. And I’m staying with you.” His eyes snared hers and in them she saw no guile, no uncertainty. He looked at her like she was a treasure the world had been denied for far too long.
“As romantic as this is, I do have to go.” The driver’s irritated voice broke the spell. Pippa and Wolfie’s heads whipped round like they’d forgotten he was there. “Like I said, I can’t help. If you need the envelope back, you’ll have to take it up with the intended recipient. If they refuse the delivery and request return to sender, then we can return it to you.” He coughed. “Subject to fees, of course.”
“Please!” Pippa said. “Are you sure you can’t make an exception in this instance?”
“No,” the driver said wearily. “I’ve scanned the package in. It’s logged. It can’t be un-logged.”
“This is really important though,” Pippa insisted.
“Actually, what’s important is, I don’t care.” The driver shrugged and trudged to the back of the van to open the doors.
“Come on, help us out!” Wolfie said. “I made this big romantic gesture to take the documents back.”
“He pushed me in a wheelbarrow!” Pippa piped up. “He ran down the hill in leather brogues, for crying out loud! You can’t get more dramatic than that.”
“Churches brogues as well!” Wolfie pointed down to his smart shoes which were now scuffed and one of the laces had become frayed. “Ruined!”
The driver blinked. “Was I not clear on how much I don’t care?”
Wolfie threw his hands up in exasperation. “I know you don’t! Come on, surely you’ve been in love? Done something crazy to impress a woman?”
The driver stifled a belch and shoved the parcels he was carrying into the van. “No. But if I was still married, I can tell you my wife would not find me losing my job due to breaking protocol remotely romantic.”
Wolfie dug in his pocket. “I have some money. I could—”
“Hey, no.” The driver backed away, hands raised. “You think a few quid is acceptable for me getting sacked?” He sighed, defeated, and reached into the cab of his van to pull out a small flyer. “Call the head office. The number’s on there and it’s manned 24/7. We can hold the package at the hub if you raise a dispute. Say you gave me the wrong envelope and they’ll suspend delivery. That’ll give you time to fix this, right?”
Wolfie took the flyer. His eyes flicked up to the driver. “I pushed this woman through town on a wheelbarrow when I could have just called this number?”
The driver tutted. “Yes. You did. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to drive twenty miles out of my way to get to my next pick-up because of these chuffing road closures.”
As the courier drove off, Wolfie turned back to Pippa, who still lay in the wheelbarrow. He ambled over and looked down. “So. What now, Pippa Munro?”
She eyed him cheekily. “Do you think he meant your house was fancy or thatyouwere fancy?”
“Come here,” he growled.
With a rush of happiness, Pippa stood up in the barrow, flinging her arms around Wolfie’s neck. The barrow wobbled precariously due to the sudden movement, but she didn’t care.
Wolfie snaked his hands round her back and pulled her tight to him. The barrow almost tipped, but Wolfie’s grip kept her safe.
Nose to nose, Pippa whispered. “Ask me your question again.”
Wolfie arched his head back so he could look at her. His eyes shone and Pippa had never felt surer of anyone’s love.
“What now, Pippa Munro?” he said.
