part0039

Natalie strode down the hallway and into the lounge. She couldn’t be mad with Dad. He was helping her out with the opening tonight. But honestly, how many times had she told him to put his glasses on a chain around his neck? Still, the walk here had upped her step count for today. Not that she needed it. The amount of racing around she was doing, she’d already romped right through it.

She walked into the lounge, then caught her breath.

Because standing there was Ellie. Every inch of her tall and gorgeous, just like always. Natalie’s emotions went to war inside her. Damn it, she was mad attracted to this woman, and her body was wasting no time telling her that. Yet, Ellie was also responsible for the severe mind-fuck she’d experienced over the past 24 hours.

From love and lust to pain and despair. Four seasons in one day. It’d started off with spring hope, and ended with the ice age. Natalie blinked.

“What are you doing here?” She couldn’t compute it at all. “Are you burgling Dad’s house? Because that’s a bit weird.”

Ellie held up a key. “Your dad gave it to me.”

“Why?” Nope, her brain was still fuddled.

“He wants us to work out our differences. He said something about being guilty of miscommunication himself and that he didn’t want it to happen again.”

Natalie drew a sharp breath. “Dad being gay is a bit different to you lying to me.”

Ellie’s eyebrows shot up. “He’s come out?”

She hadn’t told her, had she? Natalie nodded. “I was going to tell you last night. That was my big news. But it kinda got buried.”

“So you’ve talked about it?”

“We did. Things are clearer. On the mend.” She sighed. “So there’s that.”

“He told me he wants to see you happy.”

“I’m not so sure you’re part of my happiness anymore.” She ground her teeth together. Ellie couldn’t just expect to walk back into her life and Natalie to roll over. She was going to have to convince her she was worth taking a chance on. Right now, her odds were less than 50/50.

“Okay, I deserve that.” Ellie gestured towards the sofa which faced out onto the garden. “But will you just hear me out? Give me a chance to state my case. At the end of that, if you still don’t want to hear anymore, I’ll walk away. But just sit down for five minutes. Please?”

Natalie pursed her lips, then slowly walked over to the sofa. “Only because you asked nicely.” And because being in the same room as Ellie made her skin tingle all over. That part hadn’t changed. But if she couldn’t trust Ellie, that didn’t matter. She had to be able to live life without looking over her shoulder all the time, waiting for Ellie’s past to walk in. Could Ellie guarantee that?

“Okay, I’m sitting. You’ve got five minutes.”

Ellie nodded, pacing, before focusing on her.

It hadn’t escaped Natalie’s notice that this room had seen a lot of pacing of late.

Ellie took a deep breath and rubbed her hands together.

“Apart from the last 24 hours, I’ve never been happier in my life since I moved into this village. Since I opened The Ultimate Scoop. But mainly since I met you. Sometimes I questioned my choice of living in the cottage for the first six months, cutting myself off from everyone and everything. Those were six months when I could have been living here, could have met you. But I think everything happens for a reason. The truth is, I needed to exorcise those ghosts before I could truly move on. Sitting in a field with just sheep for company allowed me to do that.”

She paused, eyeing up Natalie.

Natalie was still listening, processing her words. She remembered the first ones the most. About Ellie never being happier since they met.

It was the same for her.

Up until last night.

“Anyway,” Ellie continued, pacing again, then stopping. “Then I moved to the village. And nearly drowned you.” A ghost of a smile crossed Ellie’s lips before she went on. “And even though I was shit at parking and pub quizzes, you were sweet to me. You helped with my business, you helped me get over myself, and then you kissed me. Everything changed after, Natalie. You have to believe me. I had to go back to London to get the flat in order and put it on the market. Which is happening.

“I want to settle down here. I want to plant some roots finally, in a place where the soil is fertile and there’s a chance for my roots to survive and flourish.” Ellie looked at her, went to speak, then moved closer.

She got down on one knee.

A frisson of something shot up Natalie as her heart began to slam in her chest. What the fuck? Was she proposing?

Ellie saw her reaction, because almost as soon as she knelt, she jumped up again, and shook her head. “Oh fuck, I’m not proposing, don’t freak out. It was just something Gareth said.”

Natalie frowned, then burst out laughing, relief coursing through her. “What did he say?”

“That I should throw myself at your feet and beg forgiveness. I was trying to do just that, but then I saw your face.”

She clutched her chest, her heart still hammering under the surface. “I mean, even if we make up, I’m not agreeing to marry you today. That might be a step too far. Just so we’re clear.”

Ellie smiled, sat next to Natalie, and took her hand in hers. “Crystal clear. No marriage proposal. I’m sitting just so I’m not tempted to drop to my knees again.” She took a deep breath. “I had a good chat with your dad. Told him that Grace being here was something I had no idea about. She pieced together where I lived from what I told her in London, and she just turned up. And yes, I shouldn’t have let her stay on the sofa, but she tried all the pubs and they were full because of the festival.”

Natalie’s face twitched. She pulled her hand away. The near-proposal had made her forget about Grace for a moment. “But you told me it was done. You must see how that looks.”

“Of course I do. But we really are done. We were done a very long time ago. It’s just, Grace doesn’t like not getting what she wants. If I said yes, let’s go, she’d run a mile.” She stared into Natalie’s eyes. “It’s you I want, and I hope my words and actions over the past few months have told you that. I’m sorry about the last 24 hours, but they just spiralled out of my control. I should have sorted out my flat earlier. I should have cut Grace out of my life earlier, especially after we started seeing each other. Not just hoped she’d disappear. That’s my fault, and I’m truly sorry.”

Natalie held on to the sincerity in Ellie’s words and in her stare. It was all there: openness, vulnerability, honesty. She wanted to believe what Ellie was telling her. Having her this close, breathing her in was making it easier to do just that. Natalie inhaled her, before dropping her gaze to her lips.

They still looked just as inviting as always.

“Has Grace gone?”

Ellie nodded. “She has. She sent me a text saying so, at least. But even if she does show up again, it doesn’t change what I’m telling you. That I choose you. Us. And everything that goes with that. Your gay dad included.”

Natalie finally cracked a smile. “My gay dad. That’s a sentence I’m still getting used to. He’s bringing his boyfriend to the festival, did he tell you that?”

Ellie’s eyes widened. “He’s got a boyfriend? Wow, quick work.”

“That’s where he’s been hiding out. It seems like the Hill family is having a run on love at the moment.”

“I hope that’s true.” Ellie brought Natalie’s fingers to her lips and kissed them. “I think my five minutes is about up. Have I done enough to convince you?”

“No more Grace?” It was that final piece of the puzzle Natalie needed to know.

Ellie shook her head.

“And you’re not running back to London any time soon?”

“Once my flat is on the market – which is happening once the agent gets their arse in gear – and it’s sold, I’m going to look for somewhere here with a garden. Maybe even get a dog, who knows?” She smiled. “But those roots I’m planning to lay? They involve you. Every last one of them. When I look at my future here, it includes you. In fact, you’re pretty essential to it.” She cleared her throat, squeezing Natalie’s hand one more time. “What I’m trying to say is, I’ve fallen for you. I love you, Natalie. I have ever since I pushed you in the river.”

Just like that, Natalie melted. No other woman had ever said I love you to her with such conviction. Ellie had only had one shot at this and she’d smashed it out of the park. She was looking at her now, still with that openness in her eyes, that hesitancy in her stare.

Ellie had laid it all on the line. She’d made herself vulnerable, had held nothing back.

Natalie needed to respond to that. She couldn’t turn away. So she smiled. “I think falling in love with you took me a bit longer.”

Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned over and pressed her lips to Ellie’s. If it were possible, they tasted even sweeter than the first time around. She’d never stopped dreaming of them, never stopped swooning over how right they felt applied to her own. Kissing Ellie was a glorious endeavour, one she wanted to do again and again. The only way that was possible was to accept her words and let her back in. Ellie had told her she loved her – and this time, Natalie believed her. That was enough for Natalie to lower her barriers.

Then, as Ellie’s tongue slipped into her mouth, all thoughts fell from her mind. Now, she was just sinking into her kiss.

When they pulled back moments later, Natalie had to catch her breath before she spoke.

Ellie ran a finger down her cheek, before kissing her lips lightly again. “Does that mean I’m forgiven?”

“I guess it does,” Natalie replied. “But you’re still on probation.”

“Understood. If you need to put handcuffs on me, just let me know.”

Natalie grinned as warmth flooded her. That feeling was back again. The Ellie feeling. The one that wrapped itself around her like sunshine. Like freshly laundered, fluffy towels. She’d missed it.

“So have you really fallen in love with me, too?” Ellie’s face lit up as she asked.

Natalie gave her a slow, sure smile. “I have. Despite my best intentions. I don’t give out those gin tastings to anyone, despite what I told Jenna this morning.”

Ellie put a hand to her face. “Oh god, can we not relive that terrible half hour of our lives, please.” She peeked out, giving her a grin. “Talking of which, don’t you have a festival to open?”

Natalie’s face crumpled, before jumping up. “I do. For the last few minutes, this has taken my mind off getting up on stage.” Ellie stood up beside her. “Dad said he’d help me, but that feels weird now. He can say the first few words, but do you think we’ve got time to practice what we planned?”

Ellie gave her a firm nod. “I do. We can do this together.” She kissed her lips, before drawing back. “By the way, I love that you kept your power outfit, despite everything.”

Natalie tugged on her mint-coloured collar. “Some things are non-negotiable. Turns out you’re one of the other non-negotiables, too.”