Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow. Jessica Redland

my belongings, feeling too shocked to cry and too confused to debate it further. If he didn’t want to be with me, I wasn’t going to humiliate myself by begging him.

      I was carrying the last couple of bags out to my car when a woman showed up with a car full of suitcases and boxes. Turned out they’d been seeing each other for four years but she was married and unwilling to leave her husband. Presumably Harry’s relationship with me was an attempt to make her jealous and coax her into action and it had finally worked. I didn’t stick around to find out for certain.

      After that, I hadn’t felt ready to trust again so I’d avoided men, but the idea of being with someone two of my closest friends vouched for was appealing. There was no way they’d push us together if he was a player.

      ‘We’ve confirmed a date for the wedding,’ Hannah said, bringing my focus back to her. ‘3^rd March next year.’

      ‘Oh my gosh! That’s brilliant news.’

      ‘You’ll be chief bridesmaid and James will be best man, which will be so fabulous if the two of you are an item.’

      ‘And maybe a tad awkward if we’re not.’

      She winked at me. ‘You will be. I’m convinced of it.’

      ‘Surprise!’

      Party poppers exploded and streamers were hurled as Toby stepped into the function room that evening. From the astonished expression on his face, Hannah had been right and he genuinely hadn’t suspected a thing.

      Toby hugged and kissed Hannah. I hung back in the crowd and took a moment to check out James while he greeted Toby’s parents. Hannah’s ‘hottie’ description was bang on. I hoped he had an amazing personality to match his good looks because first impressions were setting off serious fireworks.

      I felt so nervous, I was shaking by the time Hannah appeared by my side with James in tow.

      ‘The famous best friend! We meet at last.’ He gave me a huge smile. ‘I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I’ve known you for years already.’

      Relaxing my shoulders, I laughed. ‘Same here. Your ears were probably burning on the golf course because someone’s been singing your praises all afternoon.’

      ‘How funny because Toby was doing the same about you.’ James gave Hannah a gentle nudge in the ribs. ‘You two are about as subtle as a sledgehammer.’

      She raised her hands in surrender and tried to look innocent. ‘No idea what you could possibly mean. Toby and I just wanted our best man and chief bridesmaid to get acquainted. And I’ll leave you both to do just that.’

      Without waiting for a response, she turned and made her way across the room, no doubt grinning to herself.

      ‘Would you like a drink?’ James asked.

      ‘I’d love one, thank you.’ I followed him to the bar.

      ‘I wouldn’t let on to those two, but I’ve been really looking forward to meeting you. I couldn’t wait for six o’clock to arrive.’

      My stomach did a back flip.

      He fixed those intense blue eyes on mine and smiled. ‘What are you drinking?’

      While he ordered our drinks, the butterflies took flight. They continued to soar as he led me to a dark corner so we could talk. They swooped when he wrapped his arms round me and held me close on the dance floor later that evening and they went crazy when he took my hand as we walked back to Fuchsia Cottage after the party ended.

      ‘I knew you two were perfect for each other,’ Hannah slurred, clinging onto Toby as they staggered along the lane beside us. ‘Didn’t I call it?’

      ‘You one hundred per cent called it, Hannah,’ James said. He rolled his eyes at me and we laughed at the state of the pair of them, ricocheting off each other.

      We all piled into the kitchen to make coffee but Hannah only got as far as filling the kettle before declaring she had no space for any more liquid and needed sleep. Toby followed her upstairs, leaving James and me alone.

      ‘Did you mean it when you said Hannah had called it?’ I asked, the several glasses of wine consumed across the evening making me feel brave.

      James took my hands in his and drew me closer to him then gently kissed me. His lips were warm and his beard was soft as he moved his kiss across my cheek to my ear and then back to my lips.

      ‘I hope that answers your question,’ he said.

      ‘It does.’

      ‘Can I take you out for dinner one night this week?’ he whispered. ‘Are you free on Tuesday?’

      ‘I am and yes please.’

      I lay in my bed an hour or so later smiling, the feel of James’s tender kisses still on my lips. Hannah and Toby genuinely had called it. He made me laugh, I made him laugh, we shared so much in common and, when we kissed, it felt as though we’d been designed to fit together. Knowing that he was in the room next door meant drifting off was not going to be easy but I eventually slipped into happy dreams.

      On Sunday morning, I awoke a little after seven to the sound of the front door closing. Peeking through the blinds, I saw James heading towards his car with his overnight bag in his hand and my stomach sank. He’d clearly woken up full of regret and was making a swift escape to avoid any discomfort. Maybe not the perfect fit after all.

      Half an hour later, I opened the front door to leave.

      ‘Going without saying goodbye?’

      I jumped and turned to face James, leaning against the kitchen door frame, looking a little unsure of himself.

      ‘I thought you’d gone,’ I said.

      ‘Not yet. I wanted to see you first. Make sure everything’s okay between us after last night.’

      My stomach sank for the second time that morning. Did that mean he regretted last night and wanted to make sure there’d be no awkwardness at the wedding next year? ‘We’re fine. Last night was great but, don’t worry, I won’t hold you to dinner this week.’ I was going for casual but my voice sounded strained.

      ‘You don’t want to go out with me?’ He looked hurt.

      ‘Erm… yes, I do, but I’m handing you a get out of jail free card.’

      ‘What if I don’t want a get out of jail free card?’ he said, his lips curling into a smile as he took a step closer to me.

      I smiled shyly and placed my bag on the floor. ‘Then it looks like we’re going out to dinner on Tuesday.’

      ‘And what happens if I can’t wait that long?’ He took another step closer so that our bodies were almost touching.

      ‘I’m free tomorrow night too.’

      ‘And what if I can’t wait that long either?’

      ‘I don’t need to rush off now,’ I whispered, gazing into his eyes.

      ‘In that case, would you like to spend the day with me?’

      ‘I’d love to.’

      He wrapped his arms round me and gently kissed me.

      ‘I was worried you might have slept on it and changed your mind,’ he said when we broke apart.

      I saw the uncertainty and felt his vulnerability – just like my own – and, at that moment, I fell a little bit in love with James Turner.