Page 106 of Best Summer Ever

‘But then,’ I said, putting down my wine and taking his hand, ‘I never would have almost clipped you with my car…’

‘That’s true.’ He smiled. ‘And I wouldn’t have walked in on you naked after your swim.’

‘Or had me bump into you in the pub.’

‘That’s also true.’ Josh grinned. ‘All those precious moments would never have happened, would they?’

‘Not a single one.’

We were quiet for a moment then.

‘So,’ I eventually said, once I’d temporarily tamped down the desire to jump on him again, ‘you now finally know the truth behind your father leaving Wynbrook and taking you with him.’

‘I do.’ Josh nodded. ‘Knowing Dad wanted to sell the estate, and snatch what he thought would be his share, sounds very much like him. The selfish idiot. And I also know that Algy has recently been seriously considering selling up so he could choose the most sympathetic buyer for the place himself. He said he’d told you that.’

‘He did, though I wouldn’t have mentioned it, not even to you, because he’d asked me not to tell anyone.’

‘He trusts you without question, Daisy.’ Josh smiled. ‘And I can understand why.’

‘And I feel honoured that he does,’ I said. ‘Algy is as dear to me as my own family. Can we be completely certain that selling the estate definitely isn’t on the cards now?’

‘Not even in the deck,’ Josh said firmly. ‘Wynbrook Manor Estate is staying in Alford family hands and being run as it has always been. By which I mean, with the welfare of its staff and the environment at its heart.’

‘Algy’s got you well trained already!’ I laughed. ‘That’s his mantra.’

‘That he has,’ Josh happily agreed. ‘Though I’ve had a couple of fresh ideas for the place myself that I might want to set in motion.’

‘Such as?’

‘All in good time.’ He grinned again. ‘They’re both very good things, so there’s no cause for alarm. They just need further thinking about before I share them, even with Algy.’

‘Well, that’s all right then,’ I said, shifting closer. ‘Might one of those ideas involve giving me the go-ahead to give the decor in here a bit of a spruce up?’

Josh looked around.

‘I don’t think it needs sprucing up,’ he said, with a seductive smile. ‘But I wouldn’t mind taking a closer look at the paintwork up on the mezzanine, just to be sure…’

‘I think that can be arranged,’ I said, standing up and pulling him to his feet. ‘In fact, I know it can.’

Chapter 25

As seemed to be my habit since moving into the summerhouse, I woke almost as soon as it was light the next morning and in spite of the fact that I hadn’t had much sleep. Josh’s inspection of the paintwork had lasted hours and been hugely satisfying.

‘Good morning,’ he said and smiled as I stretched out next to him in the bed.

‘Good morning.’ I smiled back as I turned to face him and pushed my messy hair out of my face. ‘What time is it?’

‘Still early,’ he sighed, moving closer and kissing me. ‘You’ve got hours before you need to open the garden.’

I pretended to pout.

‘Don’t go thinking that because you’re now effectively my boss, you can bring work into every conversation,’ I said, kissing him back.

‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ he laughed.

‘Though actually this is one job I don’t mind talking about all the time.’

What a novelty that was.

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