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She squeezed his hands as they watched the moving crowd. Holly raised her eyes to the far back wall and saw the large portrait of Ivy in her meadow which Sid had painted and felt a tear slide down her cheek. Smiling she brushed it away. Turning around she pecked Mitch on the cheek. ‘Let’s go and have a look around.’
Visitors had filteredin and out of the arts hub for hours and by four o’clock there were still a few stragglers left as the artists packed away. They seemed pleased with the way the day had gone. Holly bade farewell to the last artist and she was alone in the barn, Mitch had been at the café helping Jaz, Anne and Koby clear up. Holly felt a smile spread across her face as she saw him approaching with Trixy who sat down, just inside the door, panting.
Mitch pulled Holly close. ‘Jaz has taken the staff up to the pub, Julian’s giving them drinks on the house. I said we’d follow.’
Holly felt his heart thud against her chest matching the beat of her own. ‘I’m so pleased you came. It’s been the best day.’ She couldn’t help the tears and didn’t even try to stop them as they changed into a sob. Mitch held her tight, not saying a word, letting her cry. Pulling a pack of tissues from her pocket she wiped her eyes. ‘Sorry, I don’t know where that came from.’
Mitch brushed the hair out of her eyes. ‘It’s been a stressful year.’
Holly nodded. ‘That thing I said. Telling you to stop trying to save me because I wasn’t Vanessa, I’ve regretted it every second since. I’ve wanted to ask you to forgive me. It was a truly awful thing for me to say.’
‘You hit a nerve. But as they say – the truth hurts. I was trying to compensate for not saving Vanessa.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t need to forgive you, Holly, or anyone else. What I need to do is somehow forgive myself.’
Holly gave Mitch a squeeze. After a while she looked up at him. ‘So we’re good?’
Mitch laughed. ‘Yes, really good. I feel like I’ve come home.’
‘Really?’ Holly asked.
‘As soon as I saw you I wanted to stay and – assuming you’re up for it?’
‘Up for it?’ Holly stepped back and put her hands on her hips.
Mitch chuckled. ‘I’m not known for my romancing words – I’m not exactly Shakespeare.’
‘Well, as it happens, Mr Booth. I am up for it,’ Holly said and moved forward, kissing him tenderly on the lips. He took her in his arms, holding her tightly.
After a while Mitch pulled away. ‘Let’s get that drink.’ He took Holly by the hand and led her along the path as Trixy followed. ‘So when are you rebuilding the cottage?’
‘I’m all out of funds, I’m afraid. I’ll be in that caravan for some years to come.’
‘Maybe I can help. You have the property – I’ll buy the materials.’
‘Oh, Mr Booth, you’re not after my land, are you?’
‘Ms Loveland, I can assure you, I’m after a lot more than your land. Maybe you’d like to stay at the farmhouse with me while we rebuild the cottage?’
They walked hand in hand to the pub with Trixy bounding ahead, knowing that whatever life threw at them, they’d be together.
* * *
