A Home On Bramble Hill: A feel-good, romantic comedy to make you smile. Holly Martin

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СКАЧАТЬ had watched Joy take all her boxes back to the shed and then lay down on the chair swing and she hadn’t moved since. That had been over an hour before. She had evidently fallen asleep on the chair and all Finn could think about was how cold she would be.

      He was determined not to care so he’d forced himself to go back to bed. Sleep evaded him and periodically he kept sitting up to look out the window to see if she was still there.

      Knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he resolved this, he grabbed a thick blanket off his bed and stormed down the stairs. It was like having a child next door. She was old enough to look after herself, she certainly shouldn’t be falling asleep outside.

      He opened the connecting gate and walked straight over to her. One arm was behind her head, her eyes were closed, casting shadows over her pale cheeks with her long dark lashes. Her red hair, glinting in the moonlight, looked like curls of fire as it hung over her shoulders.

      Cursing himself, he placed the blanket gently over her, and tucked it in around the edges. She stirred slightly and he prayed she wouldn’t wake up and see him.

      ‘Dad?’ she mumbled.

      God, his heart ached for her. He had to physically stop himself from carrying her into the house and putting her to bed.

      He went back to his own house, happy that she was now at least warm, though it was still several hours before he actually fell asleep.

      *

      Joy woke the next morning and smiled when she realised she had spent the night outside. Her grin broadened even more when she realised she was tucked warmly underneath a blanket.

      It had to be Zach. He really was lovely. It was such a shame that he had this reputation. She would be silly if she thought she could be the person to change him.

      She stood up, wrapping the blanket tightly round herself to protect her against the cool chill of the morning.

      The man himself was standing in his garden, smoking a cigarette. Startled to see her there, he quickly stamped it out, grinning at her sheepishly.

      ‘Morning.’ Zach stepped closer to the fence. He smelt of smoke, and though it was not a particularly attractive habit, the smell of it always reminded her of her dad. He leaned across the fence to touch her face and to her horror he gently pulled a snail from her forehead. She blushed as he placed the snail on the fence between them.

      ‘I erm… fell asleep on the chair,’ she explained lamely.

      ‘So I see.’

      His eyes were so gentle, filled with amusement.

      She gestured to the blanket. ‘Thanks for this, that’s very sweet.’

      He paused for a moment then smiled. ‘You’re very welcome. I didn’t want you to get cold.’

      She buried her face in it, relishing the earthy smell.

      ‘Joy, would you like to go out for a drink with me, maybe a meal somewhere? Somewhere that’s not The Pride obviously.’

      She wanted to, of course she did. But unless she entered into it knowing it would only ever be a one night stand, she would be very disappointed. And she had never been the type for casual flings. She was an old romantic at heart and ultimately was looking for The One. Her mum and dad had been together for years, and every memory she had of them together was of them giggling, kissing and holding hands, just like they were in the first throes of love. They would sit under the old oak tree in the garden and kiss and cuddle every night. She wanted that, to grow old and grey with the man she loved. And although she had dated a few men over the years, never really knowing whether they were going to be The One until she had been with them for a few weeks or months, it was quite clear that with Zach, it was only going to last a few days.

      Zach smiled at the length of time it was taking her to answer. ‘Well at least it wasn’t a straight out no.’

      ‘It’s still a no I’m afraid. I like you Zach, I really do, but I’m not the sort that has one night stands.’

      ‘Neither am I.’

      She arched an eyebrow at him.

      ‘I know my track record isn’t great, but I genuinely am looking for love. So many times I think I’ve found it and so many times I’ve been disappointed.’ He took her hand, stroking his thumb over the back of it. ‘But this time I really do think I may have found the one I’m looking for.’

      She smiled but shook her head. ‘And how many women have you said that to?’

      ‘You’re the first, I swear. Look what can I do to prove to you that you’re the only one for me?’

      ‘No sex for a month.’ She didn’t know where she plucked that one from but it seemed to put him off her all of a sudden. He dropped her hand like he had been burnt, his face fell and she almost thought he might start to cry.

      ‘A month?!’

      ‘If I’m the only one for you, then you should have no need to pursue other women.’

      He clearly toyed with the idea for a moment. ‘Ok, no other women for a month, I promise, and then will you sleep with me?’

      ‘I’ll go out with you.’

      He scowled slightly, but then nodded. ‘Ok, you have a deal. I will prove to you that you are the only woman for me, that we can be happy together. Look I have to go, I’ll see you later.’ He sent her one last dark appreciative look before he went back into the house.

      She watched him go with a smile.

      ‘He’ll break your heart,’ came Finn’s voice behind her.

      She turned and quickly looked away when she realised he was standing in the garden with no top on.

      ‘He won’t because I’m not going to give it to him. You know him better than I do, but I’m pretty sure he won’t make the month.’

      ‘He’s a determined sort. When he wants something he’ll keep going after it until he gets it.’

      ‘You make that sound like a bad thing.’

      ‘It is if it belongs to someone else.’

      ‘Well he isn’t going to get me.’

      He looked at her with disbelief and she rolled her eyes as she moved back towards the house.

      *

      Finn watched her go back in and went back into his own house. He had two gardens to sort out today, one on the far side of Bramble Hill and one in the nearby village of Strawberry Green. He was good at gardening and he loved the satisfaction it gave him of seeing plants grow and flourish under his care.

      He had started off doing odd gardening jobs at the weekends when he was fourteen, helping his dad. It was when he was working in one of the large houses on the outskirts of Ashton Woods where he grew up, that he was spotted by a casting director for The Darkness Trilogy. He was freakishly tall even back then and was apparently perfect for the role of the dark СКАЧАТЬ