Page 30 of Starry Nights over Dragonfly Lake

‘Why not?’ she asked. ‘Don’t any of them have a sense of humour?’

‘Because they’re serious people,’ he said. ‘And I have a reputation to uphold.’ He shook his head. ‘You see, this is why your career stalled,’ he carried on. ‘Not everything needs to be dumbed down all the time. You go for the lowest possible denominator every time.’ He gave her a sudden wide smile. ‘This is whyyou need to stick with me, sweetheart. So you can learn from me and grow as a person.’

‘I think I’m okay actually,’ she told him, feeling defensive, pulling her coat on and wrapping it around her.

‘Better than okay,’ he replied, bopping her on the nose with his finger. ‘You’re just charming. You just need to learn to behave a little better.’

She went to object to his review of her personality but he stopped her before she could say anything.

‘I’ve done a lot of thinking today. For both of us, thankfully.’ He gave a little laugh. ‘And I want us to be together. Long term, I mean.’

‘I’m not sure,’ she began to say, but he held up a finger against her lips to shush her.

‘I’m talking about forever,’ he said. ‘Make things permanent.’

Beth took in a large intake of breath. Forever? Was this a semi-proposal? ‘But you’re not even divorced yet.’

He frowned briefly before ignoring her question. ‘Don’t you think we make a great team?’ he carried on. ‘You can type up my speeches, make us a lovely home for me to come home to. Be on my arm at those fancy boring dinners I have to attend.’

Her romantic mind faltered. Was that what he expected her to do with her life? Be his secretary? Just a piece of arm candy at parties? What about all of her studying? All the sacrifices she had made to gain her qualifications? Was she just to let them all go?

She knew that she had never fully fulfilled her promise. She had failed. At everything, as it turned out.

So forever with Jeremy could be very tempting. In fact, it was what she had longed to hear him say for quite a few months. A forever home with maybe even a forever family. But all she could think of was that Jeremy was totally wrong for her. Wasn’t he?

15

After Beth had come outside to inform him that Walter and Dotty were on their way from the hospital, Noah had stopped work on clearing up and went to get changed into dry clothes.

When he finally came downstairs and went into the kitchen, he was glad to see both his aunt and uncle were home at last.

‘How are you?’ he asked Walter, going straight over to where his uncle was sitting at the head of the table. Walter’s face looked pale and he had his arm in a sling.

‘I’ll be fine. Don’t you start fussing like everyone else.’ He looked up at his nephew. ‘Glad to see you still here though.’

‘Noah’s been hard at work all day clearing nearly all of those trees that came down,’ Lily told him. ‘And we’re very grateful for that.’

‘Good lad,’ said Walter. ‘Sorry I couldn’t be around to help.’

‘I think you’ve done enough today,’ Dotty told her husband, looking weary and strained. She shot Noah a thankful smile. ‘Glad you stuck around for us though.’

‘Of course,’ replied Noah.

Outside the storm was still continuing, the sound of rain lashing against the kitchen windows. Sitting at the table, Ben appeared very downbeat that evening and Noah wondered whether his grandad’s accident had upset him more than he was letting on.

‘The roads are blocked everywhere now,’ said Dotty. ‘And flooded too.’

‘That’s too bad,’ muttered Hannah, with a grimace.

‘Why?’ asked Dotty.

Hannah sighed. ‘Jeremy’s still here,’ she whispered. ‘Wish he’d just leave, to be honest.’

‘Not sure anyone’s getting down those country lanes tonight,’ said Walter, as another gust of wind whipped against the windows.

Noah looked up as Beth appeared at the door with Jeremy close behind her.

He was still surprised by Beth’s choice to have a boyfriend like Jeremy. They didn’t seem exactly connected like the soulmates that she had told him she dreamed about. Of course, he could see why she appealed to Jeremy. She was beautiful, so of course he would make a beeline for her. But Jeremy was quite old-fashioned in both his way of speaking and his manner. Noah wondered if perhaps it was the man’s intelligence that had attracted her.