‘I’ve never seen Rob look so happy. They make a great couple.’ He put his hand over his mouth. ‘Was that insensitive? Does it bother you?’
I shook my head and smiled. ‘Not anymore. Gary seems like… another lifetime ago. My life has changed beyond recognition this year. Some of it’s been bad. Some of it’s been good. Although I was devastated when things ended with Gary – particularly how I found out – I can look back now and know it was for the best. Not because I have baby bean – although she’s an added bonus – but because Gary and I weren’t working. It was like treading on eggshells trying not to upset him. He needed out for obvious reasons, but I think I did too. I just couldn’t see it at the time.’
‘Do you ever see him?’
‘We saw a lot of each other while we were packing up the house, but I’ve barely seen him since it sold. I miss him. We’ve been friends since school so it’s strange not having him in my life. Maybe that’s another hope for next year.’
‘Does he know about the baby?’
‘Not yet. I want to tell him in person so I’ll probably arrange to meet him before school returns.’
‘I’ve got another hope for next year,’ Stevie said. ‘I want to run a half-marathon. I might as well put all the running to good use. Sarah didn’t have time to come as regularly in the run-up to the wedding so I started doing longer distances.’
‘That’s brilliant,’ I said. ‘You’ve really taken to running, then?’
‘I never dreamed I’d like anything remotely athletic, but I’d actually call it my main hobby. I couldn’t imagine not running now.’ He got up and put another log on the burner. ‘Did you manage to find a new interest?’
‘I don’t have to. I’ve been able to breathe fresh life into an old one.’ Stevie listened intently while I told him about Gary’s discovery in the attic. ‘It needs a bit of work, but I think there are the makings of a series in there.’
‘Will you try to get it published?’
‘I think so, but I don’t think it will be polished enough by the time baby bean arrives, so this could be a long-term project.’
Some loud bangs outside made Bonnie whimper and Stevie stroked her ears. ‘She’s not really scared of fireworks. She’s just a drama queen and sees it as a chance for attention.’
A ping from a clock on the wall made us both look up. ‘Midnight,’ Stevie said. ‘Happy New Year, Elise.’
‘Happy New Year, Stevie.’
‘I’d suggest we go out and watch the fireworks, but it’s started chucking it down.’
‘Then I’m happy to stay in here.’
‘There’s no need to miss out. I’ve got something for inside instead.’ He reached over the side of the sofa and lifted up a box of Christmas crackers. ‘Would you do me the honour…?’
‘Ooh, crackers! I never win the prize, though. I’m always a little scared to pull hard.’
We pulled the first cracker and Stevie won a small sparkly pink notepad. ‘More you than me, I think.’ He passed it to me. ‘Not sure it’s quite big enough to write another Ellorinia book in, though.’
I smiled. ‘Perhaps not.’
We pulled the second cracker. He won again: a mini set of screwdrivers. ‘I don’t wish to be sexist by giving you the pink notepad and pocketing the “man tools”. Would you like these too?’
I laughed. ‘No. They’re yours. You won them fair and square.’
‘One last cracker and you get to keep what’s in this, no matter what it is, because you’re my guest. Deal?’
I smiled. ‘Deal.’
Giggling, I pulled the cracker with him. ‘Yay! I won!’ I cried as an object tumbled into my lap.
‘What is it?’
‘A keyring I think.’ I picked up the silver fob and held it in front of me. Several silver charms hung from a chain.
‘What’s on it?’ Stevie asked.
I studied the items. ‘It looks like a dog, a buggy, a jigsaw piece, a blackcurrant, a house …’ Oh my goodness! My heart started to race as I spotted the connection and my hands shook slightly as I continued to separate the items. ‘It might actually be a cottage rather than a house. And perhaps the blackcurrant is a bramble? There’s an apple.’ For the teacher perhaps? I swallowed on the lump in my throat. ‘And there’s a bean.’ Tears rushed to my eyes as I stroked the kidney-bean shaped charm between my fingers. Could this mean…? I didn’t dare finish the thought in case I was way off.
‘That’s a pretty random set of items,’ Stevie said, reaching for the keyring. Electricity fizzed through me as our hands briefly touched. He lay it on his palm and spread the charms around. ‘Or is it? What do you think?’
I bit my lip as I chose the right words. I needed to be brave. ‘I think that they might initially seem a bit random, but when you put them all together, it’s like the missing jigsaw piece has been found. What do you think?’
‘I think you could be right. And if we add one more element…’ Stevie pulled a shiny brass key from his pocket and placed it on his palm beside the keyring then released a nervous laugh. ‘Sorry. I’m going to have to put these down because my hand’s shaking.’ He placed the key and keyring on the leg of his jeans instead. ‘The first time you came here, you described it as a family home. It is a family home, but the family I expected to live here didn’t quite materialise and Bramble Cottage has always felt like it had a missing piece of the jigsaw. I know two people – well, I’ve only actually met one of them so far – who could be that missing piece and could make it into the family home that it should be.’
I chewed on my lip as I waited anxiously to hear where Stevie’s speech was going to take us.
‘That same day,’ he continued, ‘I told you that I was scared of getting hurt again, or being the one to cause pain, so I’d been cautious with relationships, which was fine because I’d never met anyone worth taking the risk for. As soon as I met you, I knew you were worth taking the risk for. You were with Gary at the time so I put it down to a classic case of unrequited love that I’d get over eventually. Perhaps. With a lot of time. Then your marriage ended and I found myself alone with you in Stardust and you kissed me and… have you any idea how much restraint it took not to run after you that night?’
A warm tear slipped down my cheek. ‘Why didn’t you?’
‘It was too soon. You weren’t over Gary. I’d have pushed you into something you weren’t ready for, and potentially lost you forever.’
I nodded. He was right. Much as I’d been hurt and humiliated at the time, I’d have resented him for taking advantage when I was so confused. ‘How’s the risk assessment looking now?’
Stevie smiled. ‘I think I’m about to take the biggest risk of my life.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Sorry. I’m making a mess of it. This is harder than I thought. I’m so scared of saying the wrong thing.’
I wiped at another tear and smiled encouragingly at him. ‘In the time I’ve known you, I don’t think you’ve ever said the wrong thing. Whatever it is you want to say, please just say it.’