Page 64 of Love and Lattes at Pumpkin Hollow
I looked at the field in front of me. It was all lit up and looked spooky and cool with the lanterns dotted around the farm with the few pumpkins we had left. We had sold most of them. The farmer we’d sold the orange ones on behalf of was so pleased, he’d already asked about next year but I told him I was hoping to grow my own.
I had also draped fairy lights over the outside of the two polytunnels we’d kept up – the others I’d taken down as we didn’t need the autumn set-ups any more. Inside the tunnels, I’d added more lanterns and draped fairy lights across the ceiling and themed them for Halloween with the skeletons and witches and cobwebs, along with more I’d picked up this week. Any remaining pumpkins were also stacked outside and we’d set up a spookily cool photo opportunity under the Pumpkin Hollow sign.
‘It looks great,’ Dylan said, following my gaze. ‘Perfect for Halloween.’
‘Look.’ Dad pointed and we turned to see a line of lights turning into our drive. Against the dark night, they made for a dazzling sight. Coupled with the full moon that was casting a bright beam down on us, the LED lanterns were so pretty and also looked magical. We lapsed into silence as the line of lanterns grew closer, heading up the drive towards the farmhouse. The birch trees currently looked their best, before the breeze would shed their golden leaves completely, ready for winter, and they swayed in the night as if they were welcoming the town to the farm too.
A local band who had offered to play for the exposure started playing ‘I Put A Spell On You’ as the food vans readied themselves for visitors and we greeted everyone on the trail, directing them to enjoy the pumpkin patch for the final night. We watched as kids ran around, people took photos and others queued for food and drink. A few people even started dancing to the band. Lanterns lit up everywhere and the whole farm glowed merrily.
I left Dad and Dylan with Maple at my heels to walk around and greet as many people as I could. I glanced up at the full moon, remembering the wish I’d made on the stars. Somehow, it had come true.
‘This is so much fun,’ Sabrina said when I approached her and her family. ‘I even heard Paul saying he can’t wait for next autumn now.’ Her eyes twinkled with amusement.
‘The profits the café van made here in half-term surprised him, I think. He muttered about betting I’d charge him next year to have a pitch here. So, I let him take a pumpkin home,’ I replied with a laugh. He hadn’t gone so far as to say he was sorry for being so disparaging about my idea but I could tell he was pleasantly surprised by how well it had all worked out. He was an acquired taste, for sure, but he had been a huge support in the end. I told Sabrina then that we’d done well enough to not have to sell in the near future and that my dad had signed the farm over to me too.
‘Oh, Willow!’ She gave me a hug. ‘I’m so happy for you!’
‘Thank you for all your help. There was a point when I thought it was all over. It’s thanks to you I didn’t give up that day in the café.’ All had felt lost at that moment when I’d seen the storm damage and had an argument with Dylan. My best friend had made sure I didn’t walk away from either of them.
‘There’s no need to thank me. You’ve done so much for me over the years. That’s what being best friends is all about.’ She leaned in as she caught sight of Dylan heading our way. ‘And is Dylan going to help you run the farm?’
I nodded happily, unable to stop the smile on my face. ‘He doesn’t want to leave and I want him to stay.’
‘Well, I’m pleased for you both. You make each other better.’
Dottie started crying then so Sabrina went to check on her, and Dylan caught me by the waist, wrapping his arms around me.
I looked up into his eyes. ‘Hey, you.’ I put my arms around his neck and pulled him down to give him a quick kiss. ‘Sabrina just said something sweet. She said that we make each other better.’
‘You make me better for sure,’ he said. ‘You were right that day we met when you said I wasn’t passionate about anything. I had lost my passion for life. I had no idea what I wanted. I was missing that spark I’d had when I was younger. You’ve given it back to me.’
‘You’re definitely passionate now,’ I said softly, thinking about last night when we had stayed up late in bed again, unable to get enough of each other. ‘You’ve pushed me to believe in myself and work hard to make my dreams come true. And ask for help. And be a little bit less stubborn. Just a little bit anyway,’ I added with a grin.
‘I think we didn’t know how lonely we were until we found each other,’ Dylan said, smiling back. ‘I’m so glad I found your farm. I thought I could take it from you but instead, you’ve given me everything I ever wanted.’
‘Dylan, that’s the sweetest thing,’ I cried, kissing him again. ‘You’ve made me so happy!’
We let each other go and looked around at the people enjoying the Halloween night. In the distance, the farmhouse was lit up and behind it, Dylan’s cottage was waiting for us to be alone in it together.
‘You know I’m in this for keeps, don’t you?’ he asked me then. ‘I see our future together. Here. Do you?’
I looked out at the farm then. I thought about the year ahead. A cosy winter then Christmas together, followed by a busy spring and summer season when the farm would thrive and then a second year of running the pumpkin patch, hopefully bigger and even better than this first year. Dylan would work on the cottage business alongside the farm too so that might take off. There were so many possibilities.
But each night, whatever the day had brought, we could curl up together in each other’s arms and that made me feel ready for whatever the next year was going to deliver.
‘I see my future with you,’ I agreed. ‘We made the most unlikely pair when you turned up, didn’t we? But somehow, we belong together. And I can’t wait to see what happens next.’
‘Me too. I love you, Willow.’
‘I love you too,’ I replied.
I looked up at the sky again. Next to the glowing full moon were twinkling stars, and one twinkled a little bit brighter than the others, almost as if it were dropping me a wink. It was nice to think that maybe it was a sign from my mum or the universe or whatever there might be out there watching over us that I was on the right path finally. I felt it inside my heart even if that wasn’t actually a sign. I was right where I was meant to be and I had the best people around me too.
‘I can’t quite believe I live in Birchbrook now,’ Dylan said with a laugh as a group of teenagers dressed as vampires walked past, all holding lanterns in one hand and drinks from the café van in the other. ‘Or that autumn might be my favourite season.’
‘Might be?’ I teased, shaking my head in mock outrage.
‘You’re right – I’m sorry. Autumn is definitely my favourite season!’ he declared.
