The hangover woke her. Her head pounded, her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth and she was desperate for a drink. Thankfully, she had the day off today. She vaguely remembered Hector trying to talk to her and she knew she couldn’t face him when she felt like this. He’d have to wait.
She had to admit that her feelings towards him were beginning to confuse her. He did make her flutter, but then he always had; although she’d refused to take him seriously, convinced that the minute she succumbed to his charms he’d go off her. She still believed that. And he was also young. Pippa had only ever dated men older than her and Hector was younger. Only a few years but still … She wanted to settle down and she wanted a child, but she didn’t think Hector was ready for anything more serious than a dinner date.
Of course, she could ask him that question, but actually she didn’t want to. Although, of course, if she told him what she wanted from him he might run a mile. But then she didn’t want to lose his friendship. They’d grown closer and when he said he was going to LA, she’d realised how important he was to her. Also, of course, she’d been jealous when he’d spent time with Brooke before; although initially she’d encouraged him and her dating. Why was she so confused? What was happening to her? Surely she couldn’t be falling for Hector? No, no, no …
So, he was one of the nicest people she knew. He was handsome, kind and interested in both her and Meadowbrook. More than that, he was part of the community and like family to them. And he was so handsome. Had she already thought that? But he was young and yes, he was successful – actually, incredibly successful – and he was also serious about his work and clever and interesting. She’d always thought of him as lazy, but with his books he’d proved that was no longer the case. And he wasn’t a ladies’ man anymore, was he? She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard about him being with someone. Even in the hotel, when the guests threw themselves at him, he didn’t succumb. Was he really serious about her? She just couldn’t quite bring herself to believe it. After all, there was too much at stake. If she dated him and he lost interest, which she was pretty sure he would, then it would affect the whole family. Freddie was particularly close to him and also, now he was Toby’s godfather. Of course, there was no way that Pippa could jeopardise that relationship.
She felt ill but more than that, she was in a tizzy, so she did the only thing she could do and fell back to sleep.
A persistent knocking woke her. She reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and opened the door. Brooke, looking immaculate, stood on the other side.
‘Oh, boy, you look horrible,’ she said.
‘Thanks.’
Pippa stood aside. She could feel her hair matted and sticking out. She didn’t even want to look in the mirror. Although her head was better than it had been earlier, she still felt dreadful.
‘I’m sorry. Look, Pippa, I needed to see you and this was by your door. I think Hector slipped it under there.’
She handed Pippa a piece of paper. Pippa had to blink a few times before she could focus.
Dedication for Hector Barber’s book number two
To Pippa, my one true love
‘I don’t…’
Words failed her. He was dedicating the book to her? That was just so amazing! But claiming she was his one true love? Really? Did he really mean this?
‘Look,’ Brooke started. ‘I know that I was harsh with you over Harvey, but only because any fool could see what a wonderful guy Hector is and how much he adores you. You just seem so immune to it.’
‘I always thought that … that it wasn’t real. I mean, his feelings. I adore Hector, but he’s young and he’s got a past.’
‘We’ve all got pasts, even me, and I’m younger than both of you. Pippa, you always go for older men and it always ends up in disaster for you, right?’
‘Well yes, so far.’
‘But you seem to have a thing about Hector’s age and he’s only a couple years younger than you. God, you’re so infuriating!’
‘Isn’t it a bit early on in our sisterly relationship for you to shout at me?’ Pippa raised an eyebrow and pain shot through her head.
‘No, because I’ve been trying for ages to get you to see what’s right under your nose. This poor guy is in love with you and you refuse to see it. And what’s more, I’ve seen the way you look at him, the way you change slightly when he’s around. Your eyes light up, so I think you’re actually in love with him, too.’
‘I am?’
Was she? This was crazy. Did she light up around him? Probably, but he was one of her favourite people. Did she fancy him? Well of course she did, she was human and he was hot. Was she in love with him? Oh God, what if she was?
‘I think you are, the rest of the family think you are. We’ve been talking about it.’
‘Isn’t it also too early in our sisterly relationship for you to be ganging up on me with our other siblings?’ Pippa smarted.
‘No, it’s not. We all want you to be happy and we want Hector to be happy, and we think you’d be happy together, but instead you’re both miserable.’
‘I’m not exactly miserable.’
‘You’re lonely, Pippa. Remember when I first came to the hotel? Well, I felt you were a bit lonely and that’s why you wanted things to work out with Harvey, but he was so wrong for you.’
‘How could you tell that?’
Pippa knew little sisters were supposed to be annoying, she’d heard that from her siblings enough over the years, but an instant annoying little sister wasn’t quite what she had in mind.
‘He cared about work, money, and you don’t care about those things. You care about people and animals and what matters. Harvey didn’t.’
‘That’s true, actually. He wasn’t very interested in anything to do with my family. But anyway, he’s history, so why are we talking about him again?’
‘I was trying to give you an example as to why you should be with Hector. He cares about the same things you do.’
‘That’s true.’
‘And, well, I’m not sure how much I can tell you as it’s a surprise, but he’s going to prove it to you.’
‘What?’
‘I think it’s best if I don’t say anymore. Take a shower, get dressed and I’ll wait here.’
‘Brooke, you are beyond annoying, you know that?’
‘I know. But I have a feeling it’s worth it. But if I were you, I’d put some make-up on; you look pretty terrible.’
The shower made Pippa feel marginally more human. She took a little time to dress, selecting her favourite black jeans, a T-shirt and a floral kimono-style jacket. It made her look better than she felt. She blow-dried her hair, ignoring Brooke telling her to get a move on, and applied her make-up. Whatever was happening – and she didn’t have a clue as to what it was – she was pretty certain that it was going to be a game-changer. She didn’t understand it. Hector was off to LA, right? She was guessing from what Brooke was saying that the idea was for her to tell him not to go, but how could she? She didn’t want him to go, but she also wasn’t sure how to tell him that. She was too confused.
‘Oh, you look nice,’ Brooke said when she finally emerged. ‘Gorgeous, in fact. Not like earlier.’
‘Don’t sound so surprised!’ Pippa snapped.
But Brooke flashed her a bright smile.
‘Let’s go.’
‘Where are we going exactly?’
‘Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, we’re going to the field. You know, near the ponies, where you do the events?’
‘Why on earth are we going there?’
‘You’ll find out.’
Pippa followed Brooke out of the house and down to the field.
At first, she spotted her whole family. Everyone was there. Gwen and Gerry had Lucky on the lead, Harriet and Connor were stood there with Toby in the pram and Hilda at their feet, then there was Gus and Amanda, Fleur and Hayley, and Freddie and Gemma. They were all staring at her.
‘Just what is going on?’ Pippa asked as she faced them.
She wasn’t good at being the only one who had no clue as to what was happening. She didn’t like it and she wasn’t big on surprises, either.
‘OK, we’re ready,’ Freddie shouted.
Pippa’s mouth dropped open as the morris dancers came onto the field and with them, dressed up to the nines in lederhosen, a funny hat and even bells on his knees, was Hector. Following them onto the field were the gardening club and the Meadowbrook events committee, led by Hilary. Pippa wondered if she was either still asleep, dreaming, or if this was a hangover hallucination.
‘What the hell?’ Pippa asked Brooke, who smiled and shrugged.
Music started from the morris dancers’ sound system and Pippa couldn’t believe that it was Beyoncé. As ‘All the Single Ladies’ rang out of the speakers, handkerchiefs started flowing, sticks were crossed and bells rang out as the dancers tried and failed to emanate the famous dance. Or their interpretation of it.
Everyone was crying with laughter as they carried on, despite the fact that it was a disaster. And although Hector was enthusiastic, he kept going the wrong way. At one point, he banged straight into John, the vicar, and they ended up in a heap and had to be helped up by a couple of other dancers.
Fleur and Hayley were stood at the front doing the correct dance. Edie had joined them and everyone was singing along: ‘If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it.’ Pippa shook her head. This was the maddest, craziest thing she’d ever seen. And it was pure Meadowbrook.
After the song, which sounded as if it were on repeat at least three times, finished, the morris dancers sat down for a rest and everyone crowded around. Hector approached Pippa, took his handkerchief and offered it to her.
‘Milady,’ he bowed. ‘I’m not proposing. I know Fleur thought I was, but that would be presumptuous, as we haven’t even been on a date,’ Hector said. ‘But I wanted to show you I was serious about you.’
‘By putting bells on your knees and dancing badly to Beyoncé?’ Pippa asked.
‘Yes, perhaps that might not seem the most obvious choice, but I know how much all this means to you: family, Meadowbrook, the sanctuary, the community. And I wanted to show you that it means so much to me, too, not least because you mean so much to me. The song, well, it was sort of my way of saying that I want to commit to you before it’s too late. Perhaps I should have gone for Ed Sheeran, but this lot can’t dance to ballads, apparently.’
‘But morris dancing?’ Pippa shook her head.
‘I thought that it summed up Meadowbrook and if you knew I was willing to try to do that for you, then, well … And yes, I also know that Fleur and Hayley filmed me, so I’m going to end up humiliated on social media – my career may even be over – but then you’ll know I am serious about you, once and for all.’
‘You dedicated your book to me,’ Pippa whispered, unsure what was happening.
‘How did you know that?’
‘You slipped the page under my door. Brooke picked it up when she…’
They both turned to look at Brooke, who was staring intently at the sky.
‘I wasn’t going to tell you. I was going to go to LA and just leave, but…’
‘But?’
‘Your family had other ideas. You see, a while ago I told Brooke I was going to tell you how I felt by doing this and so I practised with the morris dancers, but then you fell for Harvey, so we gave up on the idea. But Brooke told the others and they helped me to arrange this. A sort of last-ditch attempt to win your heart. To get you to see that I’m not just after you because you keep rejecting me. I’m after you because I’m in love with you.’
‘Did you enjoy the morris dancing?’ Pippa asked, her lips curled in a smile.
As the warmth of the sun seemed to spread right into her heart, she realised that this was real. This was how her siblings had fallen in love one by one, although without morris dancing, and now it was her turn. They all tuned into their feelings and Pippa … Well, now she was acknowledging that hers were speaking to her loud and clear.
‘A little too much, I fear,’ he replied with a grin.
‘Actually, he’s a natural,’ John, the vicar, said, slapping him enthusiastically on the back.
Pippa shook her head.
‘So, what now?’
‘Well, I don’t have another song, if that’s what you mean, but we could try something…’
‘No, that’s not what I mean. Hector, I don’t want you to go to LA.’
‘You don’t?’
‘No, I don’t, and perhaps we could go out for dinner tonight, the two of us. I know that this wasn’t a proposal, but maybe it’s your way of asking me on a date.’
‘A date would be a very good start.’ Hector blushed.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, give her a kiss,’ Edie shouted and the entire field cheered.
‘Bloody hell, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for our first kiss,’ Hector said.
‘But we’d better not let the crowd down,’ Pippa said, feeling giddy with happiness.
It was as if all the feelings she’d been holding back gushed forth and she couldn’t control them even if she wanted to.
She moved towards him and he put his arms around her. Goodness, it felt so right! And as she let her lips lightly brush his, she knew this was right – it felt right. And as everyone in the field erupted in cheers and applause, she also knew that she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She kissed Hector again and she was sure the bells she could hear weren’t the ones on his knees.