Page 79 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

She stood up, jolted by a feeling so strong. No more wasting time or holding off. Their love was too precious. She hoped to God that Tom would be back home again by now.

‘Go, lass.’ It was her dad’s voice, clear in her mind. And as she looked down over the valley once more, she saw there was a light on at Tom’s farmhouse.

She raced to the quad, leapt on. The wind in her hair and hope in her heart.

She was relieved to see the grey truck parked up outside the farmhouse. She rushed into the kitchen, not bothering to knock. ‘Tom. Tom!’

And there he was. All ruffled dark hair, pale blue shirt, forearms bare. Thank heavens. He was sat at the kitchen island and looked up at her … with such sadness behind those green eyes that she loved so much. A small glass of whisky was propped beside him. She was almost afraid to go to him. Yet, all she really wanted was to throw her arms around him.

‘What do you want, Rach?’ His tone was flat, broken.

‘It’s not what you think … and I-I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole story before … I was trying not to hurt Eve and Ben …’ The words spilled out.

‘I don’t want more excuses … I can’t go back to a relationship that isn’t honest, Rach. I thought what we had was better than that.’

‘It is. Tom … it is,’ she paused, trying to grasp the words to find her way back to him. ‘Where were you last night, the night before? I’ve been worried sick.’

‘Needed to think. Wondering if I can go ahead with all this …’

‘Oh, Tom.’ He flinched as she touched his shoulder.

She had hurt him so much by holding back on the truth. ‘I’m so sorry … but that kiss, all those rumours, it was never me and Jake, honestly. I swore to Eve I wouldn’t say anything, but it’s gone too far, and I can’t lose you. I can’t lose us. I love you so much, Tom, and I can’t bear that I’ve hurt you in all this.’

He looked up, his expression unreadable.

‘Tom, listen, please … the rumours, that kiss they’ve all been talking about. It was Eve. Some stupid, crazy moment with an artist friend. Just one kiss. Someone must have seen them. She begged me not to tell anyone; she’s afraid she might lose Ben over it.’ Rachel sat down on the stool beside him. ‘But once I knew I might lose you, I knew I had to say. It’s the truth, Tom.’

‘Eve …?’ He looked up, his brow creased.

‘Yes, Eve. I’ve left her in a right state back at ours. She’s going to have to ’fess up. She knows it’s all her own fault, and she’s devastated.’

‘So, you and Jake …?’

‘Nothing, absolutely nothing at all going on there. Of course not.’

‘But I saw you, Rach, outside the Pantry.’

‘I promise, it’s like I said it was, I had something in my eye and Jake was just helping me out.’ It was like the gods were against her, such bloody awful timing. ‘Look it’s still bloodshot, it’s been sore ever since. And why the hell would I want to kiss Jake? I’m not that bloody stupid. Give me some credit, Tom.’

A shadow of a smile appeared on his face. ‘A fly. Honestly?’

‘Yeah, I swear on Maisy’s life.’

‘Wow. And Eve …’ It was as though he wanted to believe it all and yet hardly dared.

‘Yes, Eve. Hand on heart. She’ll tell you herself.’ She placed a palm across her chest, every fibre in her body praying that he would believe her. What else could she do?

He sat looking dazed, as if he’d been hit with a sledgehammer.

There was only one thing for it. She dropped to one knee onto the flagstone floor beside him. ‘Tom Watson, will you marry me?’

There was a second or two of silence.

‘Will you marry me, tomorrow?’ she repeated, with every nerve in her body on edge, waiting.

Trust me. Love me. Her eyes spoke to his.

‘Bloody hell, Rach. It’s all true, isn’t it? Jeez …’ He ran a hand through his hair, took a breath. ‘I will … of course, I bloody well will.’