Page 125 of Best Summer Ever

‘I think so,’ I whispered.

He gently manoeuvred me, so I was standing right in front of him.

‘I’ve fallen in love with you too,’ he said softly as he gazed up at me.

I stared deep into his eyes and for a moment wished we weren’t in a busy hospital corridor, but then realised, when love declares itself, the location doesn’t matter. All that counts is the two people saying the words and I felt more than ready to say them back.

‘And I love you too,’ I told him. ‘I love you, Josh Alford.’

Chapter 29

A few sunny days had flown by since Thomas Alford had turned up at Wynbrook Manor, cruelly attempted to cause a rift between his recently bonded father and son and then almost immediately left again, only in an ambulance rather than the taxi he’d arrived in. His assistant Jerome had informed Josh that the pair of them were now holed up in a Norwich hotel until such time as they could fly back to America and there were no plans for the Alford men to ever get together again.

I was feeling exhausted after an extremely busy, but brilliant, August bank holiday weekend for Wynbrook Blooms, which had seen me extend the opening hours to include the Monday because the weather had been kind, the plants had flourished and the customers had kept flocking in to buy our fabulous flowers after visiting the fruit farm.

It was now early Tuesday afternoon and having spent the morning unwinding and relaxing in the summerhouse and bonding further with Luna, who was becoming almost affectionate when the mood took her, I was on the hunt for my beau and heading dreamily through the gorgeous garden towards the manor.

The cutting garden was looking rather depleted again, but I had been making further notes, more detailed now, as to how I would extend it, both in terms of size and season, if Algy decided it was destined to become a permanent addition to the Wynbrook portfolio. In fact, all of my ideas had come together in the last few days and Josh had said his plans were shaping up nicely too. I put that down to us having declared our true feelings for one another and being both more relaxed and secure as a result.

I had already labelled parts of the last few weeks as the best summer ever, but the last few days had cemented the title firmly in place. We had been practically inseparable since our heart to heart in the hospital corridor… and very happily so.

However, the summer itself was moving on, wasn’t it? Only that morning I had felt chilly enough to reach for a shirt to cover my camisole before eating breakfast on the veranda. How much longer would it be before I caught the scent of woodsmoke? Not that I minded, because I was already looking forward to autumn at Wynbrook.

‘And then he said,’ I heard someone shriek from the kitchen, as I imagined myself dressing the summerhouse with dried leaf garlands, more twinkling lights and drinking pumpkin-spiced everything on the veranda, ‘perhaps Johnny would like a stiff one too!’

I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the giggle that had leapt into my throat and I was back in August again, autumn suddenly forgotten.

‘And did you give him one?’ I heard Algy ask.

There was definitely more than a hint of mischief in histone and I thought I should leave my visit until later and was about to turn tail, but was spotted.

‘I see you out there, Daisy!’ came a singsong voice.

‘And I hear you, George,’ I said, stepping properly into view.

Algy and George had only been very recently introduced, but had got along like a house on fire, and both George and Skipper were now regular visitors to the manor.

‘Are you going to answer Algy’s question?’ I grinned.

‘Not in front of a child like you,’ George said and smiled back, as he straightened his silk scarf and stood up. ‘I’ll tell you tomorrow, Algy,’ he winked.

‘Don’t leave me in suspenders!’ Algy objected, but George wouldn’t say more.

‘I better be heading back to Wynmouth,’ he said instead.

‘Have you called the taxi?’ I asked him.

There was only one locally and it must have been doing a roaring trade in ferrying George to Wynbrook and back.

‘Not yet,’ he said, pulling out his phone.

‘In that case,’ I offered, ‘let me take you. I’m heading to Wynmouth myself.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Absolutely. Though I’m hoping to take Josh with me. Is he about?’

I yelped as Josh’s arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind and he spun me around.

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