Page 108 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘You remembered!’ said his mother, sounding pleased. ‘Well, I’ve booked the theatre in Aldwych town in the evening. We thought we might have an early dinner beforehand somewhere.’

To Jack’s own surprise, he found himself suggesting that he join them for the meal.

‘Are you sure you can spare the time?’ asked his mother, sounding thrilled.

In anyone else, he would have expected a sarcastic tone but none came. His parents would just be pleased to see him. The guilt inside him increased tenfold.

‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘I might even bring someone with me,’ he carried on, glancing back to where Lily was chopping up the apples inside the shed.

He had no idea why he was even suggesting the idea.

‘How lovely,’ said his mother. ‘It would be very nice to meet any of your friends.’

You’ve already met, he thought to himself, but he didn’t say anything.

‘I’ll book a table at The Ivy in Aldwych,’ he told her.

‘Well, that would be a real treat!’ she replied. He could feel her smiling down the phone. ‘I’d better make sure your father wears a tie!’

They signed off with Jack promising to text her the time of their pre-theatre dinner.

He had no trouble reserving a table, especially at the early hour of half past five in the afternoon.

He walked back into the shed and found Lily looking up at him.

‘It was my mother,’ he told her. ‘It’s my dad’s birthday tomorrow. They’ve got tickets for the theatre.’

‘When was the last time you saw them?’ she asked, standing up to stretch her back.

She was now so close to him that he could reach out and hold a length of long red hair that was on her shoulder.

‘Look, it’s complicated,’ he told her, still holding the strand between his fingers.

‘Perhaps only to you,’ she said.

With a groan, he pulled her up against him and dropped his mouth onto hers. The kiss was one of the sweetest he had ever known. He had missed having her in his arms, he realised, and it had only been twelve hours or so. Or perhaps he had just wanted not to admit that to himself.

Lily pulled away slightly to look at him with one eyebrow raised.

‘It’s the only way I can think of to stop you asking so many questions,’ he murmured, reaching for her once more.

‘Avoidance tactics,’ she told him, but she put her arms around his neck as she said it to keep him close.

He looked down at her. ‘Why don’t you come with me to have dinner with them before the theatre?’

‘Me? To dinner with your parents?’ She looked astonished. ‘Don’t you want to see them on your own?’

‘They like you,’ he told her.

She was quiet for a moment before nodding. ‘OK,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’ She gave him a little shove as she went back to her chopping. ‘We’d better crack on with the job in hand. No more avoidance tactics,’ she told him.

But as he caught the soft smile playing on her lips, he realised that he was beginning to look forward to seeing her every day. He was enjoying their kisses. Those snatched moments together.

Was it love? He had no idea.

As he poured the next load of apples into the funnel, he realised that he felt scared. What if she didn’t feel the same way?

He didn’t know his own heart. How could he be expected to know what was going on in hers?