Page 60 of Love and Lattes at Pumpkin Hollow
Everyone said, ‘Happy birthday’ to me as I hugged my dad tightly and I felt, finally, that he was proud of me and that I hadn’t let my parents down like I thought I had. This farm meant so much to us and after selling all the tickets for half-term, I was hoping that we’d done enough to keep it for the next year at least.
My eyes found Dylan across the room again. He was beaming with pride too. And I knew that I wanted to go to him later.
The party wound down around 11 p.m. as it was a weekday, and Dylan and I walked to the gate to wave goodbye to everyone. Dad said we should clear up everything in the morning and had headed up to bed, which I had no doubt was to give me and Dylan some privacy. We’d spent a lot of the party side by side and I was glad we were now alone.
‘Did you have a good time tonight?’ Dylan asked as we strolled back down the driveway, the moonlight pooling in the gaps between the leaves on the birch trees as we passed them.
‘It was lovely. I thought it would just be us and Sabrina and Bradley so it was a nice surprise to have so many people come along.’
‘Let’s have a chat out here,’ Dylan said, gesturing to the field as we approached it. ‘I want to ask you something.’
‘Okay,’ I replied, curious as to what he wanted to talk about. All I’d been thinking about was going to the cottage for a kiss. And maybe more…
Dylan led us to the benches in front of the pumpkin patch. At night with no one around, the field was quiet and still and the moon shone down on the pumpkins, reminding me that it wasn’t long until Halloween.
We sat down beside each other and he took my hand in his. ‘I meant what I said the other day about really wanting you to trust me again,’ he said softly. ‘I really want to kiss you, for you to come back with me to the cottage, but I don’t want you to hesitate or not really enjoy it because you aren’t sure about my feelings for you, or my intentions,’ he added, his skin warm on mine despite the chilly night.
‘Intentions?’ I couldn’t help but give him a teasing smile. ‘What century is this, again?’
Dylan rolled his eyes. ‘I’m all serious, and you’re making fun of me…’
‘I’m sorry.’ I squeezed his hand. ‘What are your feelings, and intentions?’ I asked, grinning at the word.
He smiled. ‘I don’t know why I put up with you, but you’re what I want, Willow. I have never felt this kind of connection before. I think I felt it even on that first day when I was furious at you and all I could think about was getting my hands on the farm. Almost immediately, you threw me off kilter and you’ve been doing it ever since. I want you to know that, and I know it’s fast, but I can’t help it – I’m already falling for you.’
I couldn’t laugh at that. ‘Wow.’ I let go of his hand and took hold of the edge of his jacket and pulled him towards me. I gave him a lingering kiss and then leaned back slightly to look into his eyes. ‘I feel the same but what does this mean? You’re leaving soon…’
‘I don’t know but I spoke to Nate earlier,’ Dylan said, his eyes lighting up after I admitted I was also falling for him. It was scary on one hand, but on the other, it felt completely natural. Like we had always been meant to fall for each other. ‘I told him that I don’t want to work for him any more. I didn’t enjoy it. Being on the farm has shown me I don’t want to be stuck in a city doing office work and I don’t want to be in my car travelling around either, both of which working for him would mean. I like the countryside. Being outside. I like the freedom here. I like being able to follow my own initiative. And build something special. I don’t know what the future looks like but if you also wanted me to stay, I don’t have to leave at the end of the month. There’s no rush in working out what we do. I just was hoping that we could work it out together. What do you think?’
46
I let Dylan’s words sink in. He was in no hurry to leave once October ended. He didn’t want to work for his brother any more. He had feelings for me.
‘You like being here?’ I checked, my mind racing. I had been so sure that I wouldn’t see him again once the six-week pact we made was over with. But now hope sprang up inside my heart.
‘I do. Do you like me being here?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered. ‘I’ve been thinking that I don’t want you to go.’
‘Then I won’t go,’ Dylan said urgently. ‘I promise I won’t go. I don’t know what I’ll do here; I’m nowhere up to your farming standards…’ He grinned.
‘But we could work it out together?’
‘That’s what I want. Can I kiss you properly, please? I’m going crazy.’
I smiled and just had to time to nod before his lips met mine again.
This time, neither of us were shy or gentle about it. Dylan threaded his fingertips through my hair as he held the back of my head and I wrapped my arms around his neck, moving as close as I could get without climbing onto his lap. But then Dylan moved his hands to my waist and lifted me up on it. My legs fell either side of him while we kissed hungrily, like we’d both been desperate to do it again.
‘God, I have wanted to do this every single day,’ Dylan murmured when he moved to kiss my neck, making me shiver. ‘Are you cold? Want to go into the cottage?’
‘Yes,’ I breathed, although I hadn’t shivered from the cold, but from his touch.
Dylan scooped me with him as he stood up. I squealed and wrapped my legs tightly around his waist as he started walking.
‘You can’t carry me,’ I protested, laughing as he headed for the cottage with purpose.
‘I don’t want to let you go now you’re in my arms again. Is that okay?’ he asked, holding me close to his chest.
