Page 28 of Starting Over at Halesmere House
Despite the tension earlier in the kitchen, it was a nice lunch and Alice was certain Sandy hadn’t missed the slightly strained atmosphere between her and Zac. Neil’s remarks had seemed to sit heavy on Zac and he was the most subdued Alice had ever seen him. And she wasn’t much better, after last night. Zac was the first to excuse himself as he’d arranged to take Lily and Arlo out for a couple of hours. Alice left not long after and Neil decided to stay for the second coffee Sandy suggested, making plans for their hike during the week.
Back at the barn, Alice had a jolly video call with her two little nieces, who wanted to share their latest Star of the Week awards from school and insisted on trying on the brand-new swimming goggles they’d got for Center Parcs at Christmas. Alice adored them and no matter how much she might mourn her own loss, these two gorgeous girls were her touchstone to family life with youngsters. She promised faithfully to ride every wave in the pool together when they met for the holidays. She’d already bought their Christmas presents and was looking forward to sharing them on the day.
At Halesmere on Monday, Alice was back planting bulbs until it was time to meet Lizzie in her office above the forge for the lunch they’d arranged. Alice had meant to join Ana for yoga as well but had slept in. She didn’t usually need to set an alarm but maybe she’d have to, if she wanted to make that regular seven a.m. start. Early mornings in the haulage business, where she’d hit the ground running every day to keep pace with all that was going on, were over.
Already she could feel her fitness increasing, even though her muscles still ached. Her sleep, disrupted since Gareth had left, was slowly improving and she put some of it down to all the hours she was spending in the fresh air. She felt connected to this place and the landscape around her, often distracted by the views of fells in the distance, brown with bracken, or the ripple of dark water in the tarn beyond the field where Arlo’s sheep grazed.
Lizzie was busy planning the Artisan Open Day, set for the first Saturday in December. Over sausage rolls from the shop, she suggested to Alice that the open day would be the perfect opportunity to officially launch the Flower Shed and show off Alice’s plans for the meadow and her courses next year, as the studios would already be busy with extra visitors.
Alice was very happy to agree and as they ate the muffins she’d quickly made this morning, Lizzie filled Alice in on some of her own history at Halesmere and how she and Cal had met before going their separate ways for more than decade. They’d bumped into each other in the spring when Lizzie had helped plan her best friend Gemma’s wedding at Halesmere, and a brand launch involving Cal, who worked with a sustainable Cumbrian clothing company. They chatted for a while, and it didn’t take Stan long to track them down when he returned from a timber-buying excursion. He joined them for tea and a muffin, promising to bring pastries to share tomorrow.
Lizzie was interested in Alice’s former career and what had brought her to Halesmere. Alice explained about her passion for gardening and studying at college to gain her two qualifications. She’d started online and had soon switched to an in-person class, preferring the course content and being hands-on. Flexible working had been in place at the yard for some time, with drivers operational all hours, and she’d tried to let her staff be as adaptable as possible. She also tentatively explained that she had entered a triathlon in the summer, and Lizzie and Stan both offered encouragement. A small step but one in the right direction nevertheless, and she felt lighter for having shared it.
Stan wanted to know when Alice would give him a run out in a lorry, and she laughingly promised she would one day. But until then, he informed them cheerfully, despite what they thought, he couldn’t sit around eating muffins with people who apparently had a lot less than him to do.
‘Is that a hint, Stan?’ Lizzie jumped up, scattering crumbs as she lobbed kitchen roll into a bin. ‘Are you trying to get rid of us?’
‘What makes you think that?’ he questioned with a grin. ‘Tell Cal I’ll be round the cottage this afternoon to take a look at them doors.’
‘I’ll try but he’s off up Haystacks with clients so there’s not much chance of a message getting through now.’ Stan was on his way to the door and Lizzie tugged his bobble hat as she darted past him. ‘Besides, if you ever got a phone then you could tell him yourself.’
‘An’ what would I want with one o’ them things? Not much use to me if it won’t work with wood, make a decent brew or playTest Match Special.’
‘Oh, it’ll definitely playTest Match Special, Stan. One day you’ll discover apps, I promise. I can’t believe you haven’t even looked at eBay. It’d be like having a giant, online workshop at your fingertips.’
‘Pearl won’t let me. Says it’d be dangerous unless I’m plannin’ to sell stuff an’ we haven’t got room for any more tools. Or knittin’ needles, now I come to think about it.’
Alice thanked Lizzie for lunch and her support, and said goodbye too. In the courtyard, milling around, was the film crew following Cal’s reality TV star client and Max for a television series on the Lakes and the Dales, so Alice snuck back into the Flower Shed; she didn’t want to pop up in the background on telly any time soon.
She only realised lunch had gone on later than planned when Arlo raced past in his school uniform, Max shouting something after him about getting changed and that the sheep could wait. Alice smiled as his words fell on deaf ears and Arlo took off through a gate. Ella appeared with Lily and Prim, who also disappeared after Arlo, and they came over to chat with Alice and check how she was settling in.
Lily was taking a keen interest in everything to do with the baby, although Arlo was more occupied with the care of his sheep. Ella and Max had decided not to discover the sex of the baby, which meant Lily was desperate for the new arrival to be born so she could find out. She also wanted to know why she wasn’t entitled to sibling leave from school, like parents from work, and she was cross that half term had come and gone without any sign of the new baby. Arlo, cheeks pink with colour and muddy shoes, reappeared with Prim, and Ella gathered them up to take them home for tea.
It was dark when Alice locked up her studio later and she saw a light on in Zac’s flat. Scooping up his hoodie, she crossed the courtyard and knocked at his door. Zac answered and she said hello to him and Neil, who was busy in the tiny kitchen.
‘I thought you might be missing this, and I should return it.’ She held out the hoodie. Such a simple gesture and one that drew them back to Zac’s reason for lending it to her. ‘I have washed it.’
‘You weren’t that dirty.’ They shared a smile, and he shifted a shoulder, revealing more of the small room behind him. ‘But thanks.’
‘You’re welcome.’ The two-seater sofa was very snug, and she couldn’t imagine Zac sleeping comfortably on that with those legs; he must be bent double.
‘Would you like to come in?’
‘No thanks, I’m on my way home for a shower.’ She’d changed out of her waterproofs, and she was ready for something more presentable than her dungarees. ‘Zac, I hope you don’t mind my asking, but were you being serious when you offered to go cycling with me?’
Alice had thought about this on and off all day. If he’d meant it, then his proposition did make sense. He knew the landscape and where to cycle much better than she did. And it was only cycling – nothing more intimate, like a date or dinner.
‘Totally serious.’ His voice lowered. ‘I’m no expert and I’ve never done a triathlon, but I know what it’s like to train for something you need to do.’
‘I think I could use the motivation of having someone alongside me, at least for now,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m not a huge fan of cycling, as you’ve probably guessed.’
‘Is there anything about the triathlon that you actually like?’ His voice was teasing; his eyes told her he understood.
‘I’m looking forward to trying the swimming,’ she offered. She needed someone right now to push her, to make her carry on if she wanted to give up and remind her it was all worth it. He was smiling and she quickly held up a hand. ‘Don’t even think it,’ Alice warned. ‘Not before the spring. I’m not getting in a lake in November for anyone.’
‘Point made. So have you got a date in mind?’
‘A date?’ She raised a brow.
