The inaugural Upper
Chewford Summer Festival had been packed up and put away, with everyone declaring it a success. When Ellie and Natalie showed up for the Monday night pub quiz, there was much slapping of their backs for a job well done. Josie insisted the first round of drinks were on the house, telling them their takings had been through the roof all weekend. Seeing as Sunday’s events had been based in the pub garden with the dog show and the final festival bands, Ellie wasn’t surprised.
She took their drinks back to where Natalie was already sitting at the table with her dad and Jonathan, Yolanda and Max, and Fi with the troublesome Rocky. As Ellie sat down, Fi was regaling them with a story.
“What did I tell you? We were robbed.” She moved Rocky’s paws in both hands, to make it seem like he was dancing. “We should have won that title, shouldn’t we? He might not have been in the running for best-trained dog, but he definitely should have won cutest dog. I mean, look at him? Don’t you think, Ellie?”
Ellie laughed. “Maybe ‘Dog With Most Snark’? Have a word with your cousin here, maybe she can introduce that category next year. I hear she has clout.”
Natalie held up both palms, shaking her head. “Nothing to do with me. The dog show was organised by Eugenie and Clive. Plus, can we please not talk about next year’s festival? I’m still recovering from this one. Give me a week at least.”
Fi grinned at her. “Okay. I’ll bother you next Monday.”
Yolanda rolled her eyes.
“But seriously, great job,” Fi said. “That last band was epic. I’ve never seen the whole village singing and dancing under the stars.”
Natalie smiled, taking a sip of her gin. “Me neither. Even you two were up,” she said, pointing at Dad and Jonathan.
“Too many people were demanding we did. Coming out to the whole village makes you a minor celebrity when you haven’t asked to be one,” Keith said. “You warrant far more attention than you deserve just because of who you are and who you’re choosing to love. Plus, people think they have the right to speak to you about your life even though they don’t. When Mrs Maynard made a beeline for us, that tipped the scales. I’d rather be up dancing than have her quiz me on when I realised I was gay.”
“I think I got off lightly,” Jonathan added, sipping his pint.
“You did,” Natalie agreed. “Mainly because Mum was there, too, so she got quizzed. I think she was glad to head home this morning.”
“She took it like a champ. I married her for a reason.” Dad squeezed Jonathan’s arm as he said the last bit, but Jonathan didn’t seem bothered that Keith’s ex-wife had been around. Jonathan had been married to a woman, too, and had a son. He totally got later-life coming out and juggling of family.
So far, it appeared that Keith had chosen well, and Ellie couldn’t be happier for him. She’d chosen pretty well herself, so it was a job well done for both of them. No matter that Keith had waited until his sixth decade to be himself. He was there at last, and he seemed thrilled with the view.
Josie tapped the microphone, and everyone looked up. “Two pound per person, four members max in a team. Our resident quizmaster, Helen, is ready with her questions. As every month, let’s see if you can outsmart an Oxford professor!” Josie glanced at their table. “Do you have room for one more?”
“Only if they’re good looking,” Fi quipped.
“Hands off, Hill. She’s mine.” Josie gave Fi a wink, before turning to Harry, who was sitting at the bar solo. “Babe, I’ve got you a team. Go sit with the Hill gin dynasty. Any questions on booze you’re disqualified from answering, though.”
Ellie took
Natalie’s hand as they waved off her dad and Jonathan, leaving them standing by the bridge. Their bridge
. Opposite the Old Mill. Right where it had all begun in more ways than one. Ellie squeezed Natalie’s fingers as they turned towards it, walking slowly. Because that was the pace Ellie did things these days. Slowly. Nowadays, she lived her life to her own beat. Even her headaches were almost a thing of the past because of it.
Above them, the sky was a midnight blue, the stars a quilt of fairy lights. The air was still warm on her skin. Beside them, the River Ale flowed almost silently, and the banks were empty, save for two women walking on the other side.
“First night out with your gay dad and Jonathan. How was it?”
Natalie blew out a breath and shook her head. “It wasn’t weird, which was weird in itself. It felt like it always should have been that way. It’s such a waste of years for him, but at least he’s found someone now. It’s like all the tension has been let out of his body, and he can finally breathe. Which means I can breathe. He was passing it all onto me, and I never understood why.”
“But you do now.” Ellie kicked a stone.
“Yeah, I do now.”
A flashing light broke the stillness.
Ellie turned, squinting as the light got closer, seemingly coming right at them. Was it a bike? As a whirring sound got closer, she was pretty sure it was. “Hey, watch out!”
The screech of tyres hit the air, as both she and Natalie jumped backwards. Ellie put a hand out to steady herself, stepping backwards, veering close to the edge.
Her insides lurched: not again, surely? Her vision swayed as she stumbled backwards still.
But she didn’t fall.
Instead, a hand reached around and righted her. Who had her back, literally? Natalie. Her five foot three wonder woman.
That Natalie was always there for her was something Ellie was still getting used to.
They clung to each other.
Natalie pulled her close and kissed the top of her arm. “You okay?”
Ellie couldn’t speak for a few moments as her breath tangled in her chest. “I’ll live.”
The cyclist had disappeared.
“Bloody tourists and their bikes.”
Natalie laughed. “Maybe we should steer clear of this bridge in future. Maybe it’s not a good omen for us.”
Ellie leaned over, hands on her thighs, getting her breath back. “I disagree.” She came up to standing, and glanced at Natalie. “This bridge introduced us, and it’s where we had our first kiss. Like it or not, it’s woven into our history. It’s our bridge.”
“Our bridge. It’s got a nice ring to it. Even if you take your life in your hands walking on it.”
Natalie stopped talking as Ellie cupped her face, placing her lips back to hers once more. “You’re amazing, you know that?” When she pulled back, Natalie’s eyes were sparkling like the stars above. “To make sure we win the bridge over, we have to walk it more often, and kiss on it more, too. Agreed?”
Natalie grinned. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“Starting tomorrow. I want to go for a run in the morning, and seeing as you’re going to be in my bed tonight, you may as well get up and come with me. What do you think?”
“It depends how long you keep me up tonight. If you use up all my energy, I can’t promise.”
Ellie kissed her lips once more, before tugging her towards home. “One other thing I want to ask if you’d do with me? Apart from the running and the sex.” She glanced Natalie’s way. “Now the festival’s done and we’ve got a bit more time, would you come sofa shopping with me this week?”
Natalie smiled, then kissed Ellie’s hand. They carried on walking. “I’d love to.”
Ellie took a deep breath of Chewford air, before squeezing Natalie’s hand. “Good,” she replied. Inside, her heart was punching the air.
They walked for a few moments, the only sound their muffled footsteps on the pavement. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
Ellie’s heart punched again. “This morning. But I’ll happily hear it again.” Even she could hear the smile in her voice.
Natalie elbowed her as they walked. “Whoever thought I’d fall in love with a Londoner?”
“Or that I’d be naming an ice cream after you. Are you ready for Popcorn Hill?”
“What if I get sick of it?”
“Not an option.”
“Then I’m ready. So long as you’re serving it. Sometimes naked, I hope.”
“I’m sure it can be arranged.” Ellie kissed her cheek.
“Then I’m all in. For you, but mainly for the ice cream.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
THE END
The third book
in the series, A Lesson In Love
by Harper Bliss, will be out on August 6th.
