Five Go Glamping (22 page)

‘Fiona, you do know what I’m offering you here? Are you sure about this? Juliet’s salary is fairly… substantial.’

He looked perplexed but took note of my nodding. ‘Well, if you are sure,’ he said. ‘I’ll go and sort the paperwork out and be back in a while.’ As he left, I saw the beneficial bacteria women at the window and I waved at them with a huge grin on my face.

Mr. Floyd returned to the office with a new piece of paper, with the calculation of my redundancy on it, three times more than me and Connor had saved.

‘You’re sure about this Fiona?’ he asked, still puzzled.

I signed in the box after checking the amount. ‘I’ve never been surer.’ I said and smiled. I knew exactly what I was going to do.

But now I was here, standing outside the pub, it was all so scary. It was raining and I cursed myself for not bringing an umbrella. It was September already and the leaves were starting to turn a little, but everything still looked beautiful and I still felt at home.

It looked different somehow. I couldn’t think why at first, it was still the same grey stone with the tatty sign, swinging, but then I saw it wasn’t open.

I looked at my watch, four p.m. He probably wouldn’t open until seven.

George appeared over the crest of the hill.

‘He’s shut again is he,’ he said, looking more than disgruntled.

I looked through the dusty windows and saw that even the bar lights weren’t on.

‘Do you know what time he’ll open?’

‘Ask him yourself,’ he said. ‘He’s up there at the window.’

I looked up and sure enough, there he was stood at the upstairs window.

‘What are you doing here, Fiona?’ he shouted. The rain was coming down heavier now.

‘I know what you think,’ I shouted back. ‘And I know you don’t trust me, because you think it’s a rebound thing. But that’s not why I am here.’

He didn’t answer and I couldn’t see the expression on his face, partly because of the make-up now running into my eyes and stinging them.

‘I’m here about the job.’

‘The job?’ he shouted down.

‘That’s what she said, didn’t she?’ said George.

‘And because you asked me what my dreams were. So I had to come and see if this is what they were.’

‘What?’ shouted Sam.

‘She said because you asked what her dreams were. And she had to come and see.’ Then George turned to me, ‘What did you have to come and see?’

I waved him away, this was getting too complicated.

‘Look, it’s okay if you don’t trust me now, but you have to give me a chance. And I really want the job because I’ve never been happier than those days I spent working with you and I’ve finally found out what my thing is. This job, this might be my thing. Here. With. You. You might be my thing.’ I stopped to wipe some of the rain off my face. It was mingling with the tears.

I was getting exasperated and worn out. This was the scariest thing I had done in my life. ‘And I’ve decided to make a new plan. And my new plan is not to have a plan. And that’s because of you. I don’t really have a plan.’

He shut the window. And then he was gone. I turned to George who shrugged and I stood there in the pouring rain. My lovely yellow coat was getting soaked. I waited what seemed like ages, then the door to the pub opened and Sam came rushing out. He looked like he was bursting to tell me something but stopped when he stood in front of me. He wasn’t smiling, he was staring intently at my face, like he’d done the first day I met him. I panicked slightly as I waited for his response. This was irresponsible; what was I doing here when I could have been back at home signing contracts for a new apartment, going to work at my proper job? I waited for Sam’s answer for what seemed like forever.

He brushed his hair back over his eyes and stood there in the rain getting soaked through in his scruffy jumper.

‘And I couldn’t fit you in the photograph,’ I said, choked up.

‘You couldn’t?’ he said.

‘No, because it wouldn’t have captured all of you. Like the day on the cliff.’

He nodded.

‘So can I have the job or not then?

He placed his hands on either side of my face.

‘And I have loads of ideas, you know for marketing and stuff, like you could have meat flavoured beer or something.’

‘Shut up,’ he said.

‘And I can use a till. Like, as well as the cooking, I can use a till. And I am good at working as part of a team. And I have a good sense of humour…’

‘Fiona,’ he said, tilting my head.

‘What?’

‘The job’s yours.’

‘Thank you.’ I said.

‘Now, shut up, because I am going to kiss you. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ I said trying to keep breathing. ‘Okay then,’ and he moved his head closer to mine so our lips were almost touching.

‘And I may not be very good at it, because I haven’t done it in a good long while,’ he said, the rain pouring off his face. ‘But I do want you to stay, I haven’t thought about anything else but you since you left.’

‘You haven’t?’ I said as he moved in closer to me.

He shook his head, his face was really close now.

‘No, only you. Every day.’

‘You’ve been thinking about me every day?’

And then his lips were so close to mine and I could feel his breath and I wanted nothing more in the world than for him to kiss me. Our lips were almost touching…when out of the corner of my eye I saw George, who was standing far too close to us.

‘So are you bloody well going to kiss her or not then?’

I pulled away from Sam. And then I laughed. So did Sam.

‘Go in and get yourself a drink. Whatever you want, George. I’m busy here.’

George stood there for a minute before Sam pushed him. ‘Get out of here, George.’

George shot off into the pub and Sam moved back close to me, putting his arms around my waist.

‘So the job is mine then?’

‘Yes,’ he said.

He leaned in closer and kissed me, at first the gentlest brushes before pulling away but then a firm, powerful kiss. He kissed me like I imagined he would. His lips pressing on mine, holding my head in his hands.

‘Do you think this is going to be your thing?’ he whispered.

‘Most definitely.’ I said.

***

One Year Later

It was Saturday. Doris was telling me about her cats. She had named the stray ‘Biscuit’ and she held him aloft for me to see. He was beautiful. Doris was fully recovered and she had a new outlook on life now. She’d even been on some computer courses since her retirement. This was her first time Skyping. I said goodbye to her and told her to come and visit soon.

I was still in bed. I closed down Skype and took a photo of Brian Harvey who was snuggled in the duvet with me. Kirk had stayed the night and Brian had sneaked into the bed. He was getting so big. I wriggled back down under the duvet. I loved Saturdays.

‘Getting up at all today? Big day ahead.’

‘In a minute,’ I said, yawning.

Sam put a cup of tea and a sausage sandwich on my bedside cabinet.

‘We’ve got the tables still to do,’ he said.

He was already up and dressed, ready for the day ahead. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and he looked gorgeous.

‘Okay, bossy boots. It will get done.’

I shifted in the bed, moving Brian Harvey, so I could look at the view from my window. Sam came over and brushed his hands over my hair and kissed me on the forehead.

‘Are you excited?’ I said.

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be great.’

I took a photograph of my sandwich and uploaded it to the pub’s Instagram account. Sam didn’t mind so much any more, especially as he saw how it brought new customers into the pub. We’d been busy ever since Christmas. It had taken a few months and a lot of hard work and planning before things really took off, but by summer, we had tables booked every lunchtime and evening and had even taken on extra staff. Today was going to be extra special.

Downstairs, Kirk was tucking into his breakfast.

‘Morning,’ I said. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Excited.’ he said and smiled. ‘I’ve got a bow tie for Brian Harvey.’

He showed it to me. ‘That’s sweet,’ I said. ‘Look, Sam. Look what Brian Harvey is wearing.’ I attached it to Brian Harvey’s collar.

Sam laughed and then he winked at me and looked at me in that way he did. The way he had every day since I had been here and it still made me fizz all over.

I went over to the chalk sandwich board. We’d changed the name of the pub to The New Inn and it was painted at the top of the board. I rubbed yesterday’s specials off and wrote ‘Closed for private function’ on it.

Sam came over and took the sign outside for me. I followed him out and admired our new sign and the bunting I’d strung up for the occasion.

Steph and Sinead pulled up in Steph’s new car. She looked as glamorous as ever, even more so with a fascinator in her hair. Sinead looked gorgeous too.

‘All ready for the big day then?’ Sinead said excitedly.

Steph was round at the boot of the car. She took out a huge box of wine and Sam took it from her. Not long after we had returned from our glamping adventure, Steph had been offered her promotion but turned it down so Steph and Sinead could go into business together inspired by the meat wine idea. While they didn’t follow the drunken business plan exactly, they came up with the idea of helping people to select wine more easily and were now sourcing wine and repackaging it with simple black and white labels which read ‘Wine for meat’ and ‘Wine for fish’. One of the budget supermarkets had decided to stock it and they were making a great success of it. I was thrilled as well. Connor had eventually paid me back all the money he owed me and I had invested it in their business.

Sam opened the box and pulled out a bottle of wine which Steph had picked especially for today. It was labelled with ‘Wine for the Groom.’

He grinned.

Sinead and Steph hugged. It was great to see them and I loved them being here with me in my new life, even if it was just for a day or so.

Sinead, even though she was in her wedding attire, looked a little more business-like than usual and it suited her.

‘Come on, I’ll show you the marquee,’ I said.

I took them through the pub where we collected Kirk and Brian Harvey and took them into the beer garden where the marquee was.

It wasn’t quite to my taste and the colour scheme was a little bit over the top, but it was what Kirk wanted and he was delighted with it. After Kirk had gone home after the festivals last year, he’d decided to call Rhod, the police officer and they stayed in touch until Kirk visited at Christmas. After a whirlwind romance, Rhod had proposed and Kirk said yes, moving in with him almost straight away. It was nice Kirk being close and I got to see lots of Brian Harvey. Today was their big day, and a big day for me and Sam too. It had been an amazing year. I got to spend every day with Sam, and every night too. My heart felt like it would burst every morning when I saw the view as we drove off in Sam’s (now brand new) truck to buy ingredients. And in the evenings, we sat out the back and looked at the stars.

He came into the marquee, after getting the staff up to date on the plans for the day, and put an arm around me.

‘Soon be time to go,’ he said.

It was his idea to have the wedding here. I was reluctant, worried it would be a little overwhelming, but Sam had encouraged and helped me. We’d made such a success of the pub lately, he told me I couldn’t fail and could do whatever I put my mind to.

The service in the village was beautiful and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Sam and I stayed for a few photographs but then dashed back to check everything was running smoothly in the kitchen.

I had planned the menus, obsessing over it at times, when Sam reminded me everything would be okay and even if it wasn’t, then that would be okay too.

The wedding party arrived not long afterwards. Kirk and Rhod made a lovely couple and Brian Harvey made quite the groomsman. Kirk’s speech talked about how they had met, which caused uproarious laughter. I was sat with Steph and Sinead. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. Steph snapped a photo of us all, with Sam in too, and tagged it with ‘feeling happy’. And we were. We all were.

Kirk continued with his speech which left me, Steph and Sinead weeping with laughter. Then he talked about Rhod, so fondly and then Rhod in turn did the same.

Later on, after the disco, the guests who were left retired to the bar. Frank and George turned up – they were still loyal regulars and we’d made sure their seats were never taken even when we were at our busiest.

Kirk and Rhod were off on their honeymoon, and I had been given charge of Brian Harvey for the week.

Me, Steph and Sinead reminisced about old times until the two of them went to bed. They were flying off to Germany tomorrow for talks with another supermarket about stocking their wine.

Sam sent the other staff home and when Frank and George left, it was just the two of us and Brian Harvey.

‘Shall we?’ said Sam. He took my hand and me and Brian Harvey went to sit out the back. The lights in the marquee were off now – it was a clear night and the stars were shining brightly. I wanted as always to stay there forever. It was our day off tomorrow, so we could stay up as late as we liked.

I fussed Brian Harvey on my lap.

‘We should get a dog,’ I said. I was definitely a dog person.

‘Yeah?’ said Sam, nodding approvingly. ‘So what’s the plan for tomorrow?’

‘Tomorrow? I don’t know. Maybe we could go to the sheep festival?’ I said.

‘Could do,’ he said.

‘Or maybe we don’t make any plans?’ I said.

‘Also a good idea,’ he said.

‘So that’s the plan then? The plan is that we don’t have a plan.’ I said.

‘Sounds good to me,’ he said and he reached over and kissed me. It was just like the first time. It always was.