It’s only a summer fling…

Boutique jewellery designer Lily Thomas knows hating the boring ring her fiancé gave her isn’t a good enough reason to end a seven-year relationship. Especially when settling down with Edward is the only thing she’s ever done right in the eyes of her mother–and her hometown. Besides, everyone else seems to be getting married: Lily’s best friend Cora, her cousin, her friends from work. So why not Lily?

But when Alex Harper, Lily’s high school crush, moves back to Felinfach, he shows her exactly why. She can’t pretend to be someone she’s not just to keep her fiancé happy. It’s a terrible way to start a marriage, and a terrible way to live. Lily calls off her engagement, but she still needs a date to all the weddings crowding her summer calendar. Conveniently, Alex has a few weddings to attend as well.

They agree to be wedding buddies, and soon the whole town is talking about them. If everyone’s going to talk anyway, why shouldn’t Lily and Alex make the most of it? As long as they both know it’s only a summer fling…

CONTENT WARNING: May induce desire for pretty jewellery…

Also available from Sophie Pembroke

Room for Love

An A to Z of Love

Summer of Love

Sophie Pembroke

Copyright

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2014

Copyright © Sophie Pembroke 2014

Sophie Pembroke asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © June 2014 ISBN: 9781472096456

Version date: 2018-07-23

SOPHIE PEMBROKE

has been dreaming, reading and writing romance ever since she read her first Mills and Boon as part of her English Literature degree at Lancaster University, so getting to write romances for a living really is a dream come true!

Sophie lives in a little Hertfordshire market town with her scientist husband and her incredibly imaginative five-year-old daughter. She writes stories about friends, family and falling in love, usually while drinking too much tea and eating homemade cakes. Or, when things are looking very bad for her heroes and heroines, white wine and dark chocolate.

She keeps a blog at www.SophiePembroke.com, which should be about romance and writing, but is usually about cake and castles instead.

Contents

Cover

Blurb

Book List

Title Page

Copyright

Author Bio

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Endpages

About the Publisher

For Ann-Marie

Chapter One

‘This could have been your party, you know.’ Lily’s mother, Evelyn, ran a critical eye over the crowd of guests filling Cora’s parents’ house with polite chitchat and discussions about wedding favours. The terrace doors were flung open to let in the late spring sunshine, the party spilling out onto the patio, breathing in the sickly sweet smells of Mrs Harper’s perfectly landscaped flower gardens.

Lily, for her part, planned on staying as close to the drinks table as she could manage.

‘Fond though they are of me, I don’t think the Harpers would necessarily throw me an engagement party in their house.’ Lily repressed a shudder at the thought. An engagement party came just below root canal surgery on her list of things she wanted. A whole room of people telling her how happy they were she was finally settling down, for her mother’s sake. And then indulging in a recital of every time Lily had screwed up as a teenager. Not fun. No, her engagement and wedding would be about Lily and Edward – no one else. Small, intimate and meaningful, that was what she wanted. ‘Besides, they already have their own daughter’s engagement and wedding to deal with.’

Across the room, Lily’s best friend Cora sparkled with excitement, rivalling even the sizable rock on her left hand. At this distance, Lily couldn’t make out the delicate white gold band, stamped with tiny stars, or the princess-cut diamond at its centre, but she didn’t need to. She knew exactly what they looked like. That ring marked Lily’s best work to date, and her best friend would wear it for the rest of her life. Perfect.

Lily’s eyes dropped to her own ring, the boring round solitaire on yellow gold. It was a perfectly nice ring, she supposed, looked at objectively. But it wasn’t her. And it had been hard to stamp down on the tiny part of her brain that insisted that the man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with her should realize that, as a jewellery designer, she’d want to design and make her own ring.

Except Edward was traditional; it was one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place. He’d wanted to choose the ring himself and surprise her, which was sweet. Thoughtful. It made the ring even more meaningful, even if it wasn’t quite what she’d have chosen for herself.

Of course, some would say she should just be grateful he’d proposed at all. After seven years, people had started to talk. And Lily really didn’t want to give people a reason to talk about her, ever again.

‘I’m just saying that now you’ve finally persuaded Edward to pop the question – ’

‘That’s not exactly how it went,’ Lily interrupted, but Evelyn ignored her.

‘You’ve been engaged for almost three months. I don’t understand why you don’t want to celebrate that.’ Evelyn’s eyes narrowed as she focused in on Lily’s face. ‘You’re not planning some crazy elopement stunt, are you? Dragging that poor man off to Las Vegas or Gretna Green or somewhere? Because you know I will never forgive you. The way people would talk…’

Maybe she should. Maybe that was what she needed to make the whole thing feel real, feel more her. The ultimate extreme in small and intimate weddings – just her and Edward on a beach somewhere with a couple of witnesses dragged in off the street. Perfect. She wasn’t the big white wedding sort, really. But Edward wouldn’t like it, she supposed. He’d want the wedding in the local church, and the reception nearby, she imagined. They should probably talk about it, really.

Besides, her mum was right. Depriving the village of Felinfach of the chance to see its most wayward daughter conforming at last would never be forgiven. People would never stop talking.

‘What on earth would make you think I’d elope?’ Lily said, as if the idea held no temptation at all. Still, it was a little insulting, the assumption that she’d run off at the first opportunity. Wasn’t seven years with the same man, living in the same place, pursuing the same dream, enough to convince people she’d become a more stable person?

Evelyn shrugged, turning her attention to the far more interesting people around them. ‘Well, there was that time you ran off to Glastonbury without telling me.’

‘I was sixteen!’

‘Keep your voice down, Lily.’ The snap in Evelyn’s voice served as more of a reminder of that horrible summer than her words. Six months after her father died, after her mother emerged from the funeral as a different person, a widow, and still another month to wait for her sure-to-be-dismal GCSE results. Filled with a restlessness she couldn’t shake, Lily had hopped in a car with some friends and headed for the festival. Apparently the fact that Cora also absconded had slipped Evelyn’s mind.

Somehow it always did. To everyone who knew them, Cora was the good, well-behaved one of the pair, while Lily was the tearaway. Never mind that they’d done everything together, from the age of ten onward, whether it was getting into trouble or studying for exams. Including getting engaged within a couple of months of each other.

Only problem was, while Cora looked serene and sparkling at this new turn of events, Lily could feel that old restlessness rising up inside her again, bubbling under her skin, waiting to break out. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and stamp it down. She wasn’t that girl any more, hadn’t been for a long time.

‘Who’s that talking to Cora?’ Evelyn asked, and Lily glanced up, amazed Evelyn had found someone at the party whose life story she didn’t already know and enjoy telling to strangers, dropping her voice to a whisper for the most scandalous parts. Felinfach wasn’t a big place, and Evelyn had lived there all her life. As, obviously, had Lily. She might not be quite so well informed about her neighbours as her mother, but still. She knew things.

But not this. Beside Cora stood a man Lily couldn’t remember seeing before. Surely she’d have remembered those wide shoulders, that curling black hair? He faced away from her, so she couldn’t make out his face, but she’d been through the guest list with Cora just a few days before, and there hadn’t been any unfamiliar names, or mention of unfeasibly attractive men arriving just when the both of them were off the market.

The man looked around, and Lily felt a blush rising as he caught her staring. And it only grew hotter when a name from the guest list flashed up from her memory and she realized who he was. Alex Harper. Cora’s older, gorgeous cousin. Just enough older than them that he’d only ever seen them as kids. God, he’d grown up well… He’d always been good looking, but in a boyish way. Now… absolutely all man. Definitely man enough to make a girl a little sorry she was taken…

With a quick, sharp smile, she turned away, focusing her attention on her mother instead, until Alex lost interest and moved on. Chances were he wouldn’t remember her anyway. He’d have plenty bigger things on his mind than a girl he half recognized.

Cora had told her Alex had been commuting between Felinfach and London since his dad got sick, last autumn, but Lily hadn’t seen him, or expected to. Now his father was gone, and apparently Alex was back in town sorting out the cottage the Harpers had lived in on the edge of Felinfach, ever since they moved back home when Lily was seven. He’d probably be back in London in a matter of days. No need to remind him of her existence at all.

But Evelyn foiled her plan by announcing, ‘I’ll go and find out,’ and marching away across the room.

Lily watched her go, and saw Cora paste on her best social smile. Poor Cora. But really, she owed Lily some Evelyn time, given how often Lily had taken the blame for her. Still, probably best to be out of sight in case Cora decided to pull her in to the conversation, too. Especially since Cora only had one topic of conversation lately – wedding planning.

It was natural. In just a few months, Cora would marry the love of her life, move into one of the little cottages on the edge of town, start a family, bake cookies, and live happily ever after. Of course she wanted to discuss her plans and dreams with her best friend.

And Lily was thrilled for her, honest she was. Only… she was supposed to be looking forward to the same future. So why wasn’t she sparkling and serene? Why did she keep asking herself if things really had to change, when she and Edward were happy as they were?

What was wrong with her that she got more excited about her friend’s happily ever after than her own?

Suddenly depressed, Lily grabbed a fresh glass of wine from the table by the door and slipped through the opening to the hallway. She knew Cora’s parents’ house as well as her own. Surely she could find somewhere private for just a few moments’ peace and quiet? And drinking. She definitely needed wine if she planned to seriously contemplate her future.

* * * *

Cora was still rabbiting on beside him, but since her topic hadn’t changed once in the last twenty minutes, Alex felt justified in tuning her out while he turned his attention to more interesting things. Like the blonde across the room, clearly being bored to death by a conversation with an elegant older woman whose hair didn’t move.

‘And I think it’s wonderful that you’ve come home to Felinfach, Alex, I really do,’ Cora said, unnecessarily, as she’d already expressed the same sentiment three times. Alex loved his cousin dearly, but God did she love to talk.

‘I’m glad,’ he said, also for the third time. It wasn’t a lie; his cousin’s opinion mattered to him. She tended to be an excellent judge of character, something borne out by her choice of fiancé, he felt, after a long, wine-soaked evening in the man’s company a few days before. He should ask her the blonde’s name.

‘It’s just…’ Cora said, and stopped. That was new. Alex paused in his consideration of the way the blonde’s hair swept across her shoulders when she shook her head, revealing a very elegant neck.

‘Just?’ he prompted, looking at his cousin.

Cora bit her lip. ‘Just… Are you sure you really want to stay? Not sell the cottage and go back to London? Don’t you think you might be, well, a little bored, here in Felinfach? I mean, it’s hardly the capital…’

‘I know. I did grow up here too, remember?’ Even though it seemed like a lifetime ago, now. Once, he’d been one of the boys hanging out round the rundown old mill, causing trouble and somehow never getting caught. Before he grew up and grew responsible, of course.

‘Yeah, but that was years ago.’

Alex winced at the implication about his age, even though he’d been thinking the same thing. ‘So maybe Felinfach’s got more exciting,’ he said. Cora raised her perfectly plucked brows. ‘Maybe I’ve grown more boring?’

That surprised a laugh from her. ‘Somehow I doubt that.’

But he had, Alex knew.

Maybe it was looking after his dad, these last six months. Seeing a man he loved, respected and admired facing the end of his life. Hearing him look back over the last seventy years and talk about what had mattered to him, and what had turned out not to matter at all.

Alex’s brother, Gareth, had helped out too, but he had a wife and two small boys as well as a full time job. And Alex hadn’t minded sacrificing his weekends to spend time with dad. For the first time in years there was something that mattered more to him than work. And he realized, one quiet evening in the cottage, that he liked it that way.

He didn’t want the cut and thrust of the City any more. Didn’t want the endless parties, the late nights that became early mornings, the stress and the responsibility and the indigestion. Hell, he didn’t even really want the women that went with it all, any more.

He’d talked it all through with his dad, in conversations more meaningful and deep than he’d had with anyone in years.

‘The key, Alex, is to find your dream, what will make you happy for all the years ahead. And then to find someone who’ll thrive on living it with you. Someone whose dream matches yours. Just like your mum and me had.’

With his dad’s words echoing in his head, Alex had started making changes almost immediately – taking on a couple of local clients, to get back into the swing of small business accounting, trimming down his hours in the City. He’d hoped to be able to move back full time before his father passed, but he’d been too slow. He’d missed his chance. It wasn’t a mistake he was planning to make again.

He, Alex Harper, was ready to settle down, to find his future, and he was going to go after it with the single-mindedness that had served him so well in his career thus far.

Now he just needed to find the right woman to settle down with.

‘Seriously, Alex,’ Cora said, placing a hand on his arm. ‘I’m just trying to understand. It’s a huge change for you, and I know…’

She stalled, and something compelled Alex to say, ‘Go on.’

‘I just worry that you wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for your dad.’

He shouldn’t be surprised that Cora had realized that, or even that she thought it was a bad thing. It was what everyone in London thought. A knee-jerk response to a traumatic event. Some of his ex-colleagues, he knew, were even placing bets on how long it would take him to ditch the countryside and move back to London.

They were going to be disappointed.

‘I’ll admit, Dad getting sick, and so soon after Mum died… Maybe it made me speed up my plans.’ The last words his father had spoken to him, in a phone call a few days before he’d died, echoed round Alex’s head. I don’t want you to spend your life at one thing, only to realize it wasn’t what mattered at all. But he wasn’t ready to share that with anyone just yet, not even Cora. The conversations he’d had with his dad were private. And the pain of knowing he’d never have them again still hadn’t dulled.

He shook his head to dispel the miserable thoughts, and smiled at Cora in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. ‘I was always going to move home eventually, Cora. Settle down. And yeah, talking with Dad over the last few months helped me to crystallise what it is I really want. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. And doing it now, hell, I don’t even have to worry about selling Mum and Dad’s cottage.’

Cora didn’t look entirely convinced.

‘What are you even going to do here?’ she asked. ‘Besides stripping that hideous wallpaper out of the cottage, of course.’

‘Oh, you know. This and that.’ Alex shrugged, trying to decide how much to tell her. ‘Some accounting, I guess. I’ve already been working with a few clients remotely – the Avalon Inn up the road, for one. Once I told them I was moving back permanently, they were very keen to get me on board. There’s been no accountant practicing in the town since Mr Phillips retired last year. I’m needed here.’

Cora eyed him with suspicion. ‘And you think that’ll be enough of a challenge for you? After years in the City?’

‘I’ve got some other plans, too.’ Alex looked away. Too soon to mention his new career direction just yet. He’d not discussed it with anyone except his dad. He’d wanted to wait until he had something concrete to show people. Something to prove he was serious.

And in the meantime… ‘For starters, who’s the blonde?’ He nodded in her direction, and realized with a start that she was watching him too. His pulse kicked up a beat. Maybe Felinfach wasn’t nearly as boring as Cora made out. And he could definitely do with a distraction, to take his mind off Dad.

The blonde looked away again, but not before Alex saw a delightful pink colour flush across her cheeks. Definitely not boring.

‘Lily?’ Cora said, and Alex blinked. ‘Don’t you remember her?’

Of course he did. He remembered her seven and stuck up a tree, and he remembered her fifteen and wearing too much glitter makeup. He remembered driving all the way to Manchester, his last summer home from university, to pick up her and Cora after their ride left them stranded in Glastonbury and they got kicked off the train at Manchester Piccadilly for travelling without tickets.

He did not remember her hot.

‘She looks… different.’

‘Well, you haven’t seen her in ten years. You’ve changed in that time too, you know.’ Cora’s eyes sharpened, her smile slipping off her face. ‘And not only is she my best friend, she’s engaged. So don’t even think about it.’

Alex threw up his hands in defence. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ It was a shame, but attached women were firmly off limits, as far as he was concerned. Especially ones planning a wedding. Marriage was not something to be messed around with.

‘Good.’ Cora sounded mollified, at least. But then she groaned. ‘Oh God, here comes Evelyn. Quick, escape while you can.’

The stiff haired lady who’d been talking to Lily approached them with determination in her step. Alex did a quick search of his memory. ‘Lily’s mother?’

Cora nodded. ‘Terrifying woman. I’m serious, I’d run.’

Sounded like a plan to him. Especially since, across the room, he caught a glimpse of blonde hair disappearing behind the door to the hall. Now, where was she going? And, more importantly, should he follow?

Alex darted out of Evelyn’s way before she came close enough to require an introduction and polite conversation. Pausing at the drinks table, he helped himself to another glass of wine and considered his options. On the one hand, engagement put Lily firmly out of the running for personal entertainment. On the other… he couldn’t help but be intrigued to see how she’d grown up. Alex wanted to know what sort of man had tamed Cora’s wild child best friend. If he stayed in Felinfach as he planned, he’d need friends. And from what he remembered of Lily, she’d always known how to have fun. If Felinfach had a less boring side to it these days, Lily Thomas would know where to find it.

Mind made up, Alex grabbed a second glass of wine, and followed Lily out of the party and into the house.

* * * *

Cora’s childhood bedroom hadn’t changed in the eight years since she’d left for university. The cream walls still had their stencilled flowers up by the ceiling, and the dressmaker’s mannequin wore the same pale blue ball gown it always had. Lily paused at the bookcase, running a finger along the spines of some old favourites, remembering rainy afternoons curled up in Cora’s window seat, reading together. Until she got bored, of course, and begged Cora to come find something more interesting to do.

Lily sighed. Maybe that was the reason everyone saw her as the troublemaker. Limited attention span. Often resulted in mischief.

That, at least, was one thing she could say had changed for the better over the last decade. Precious metals and gemstones required patience; she couldn’t rush them. She’d learnt that quickly enough, when it became obvious she’d bankrupt herself before she even started if she didn’t slow down, learn what she was doing first. She’d practiced for hours, days, months with less expensive materials, until she felt confident enough to risk shaping and setting the more valuable ones.

But her patience had paid off. She just had to look at the ring on Cora’s left hand to remember that.

‘I never took you for much of a reader.’ She might not have recognized his body, but Alex’s voice behind her sent an instant shiver of familiarity through her.

Turning slowly to face him, she shrugged. ‘I like books. I like adventures.’

‘Reading about them or having them?’ Alex leant against the doorframe, looking too broad, too dark, too handsome for Cora’s girlish room.

‘Both.’ Lily tipped her head to one side and took the opportunity to really look at him, to catalogue the changes ten years had wrought in him. No longer a slender, pretty boy. He’d broadened out, become sturdier, rougher. Hotter. ‘It’s good to see you again, Alex.’

‘I wasn’t sure you’d recognized me.’ Hands in the pockets of his perfectly cut grey trousers, Alex cast a sheepish look at the carpet. ‘To be honest, I didn’t realize it was you until Cora told me. You’ve changed.’

‘Ten years will do that to a girl.’

‘Has it really been that long?’

Lily just nodded. No reason for him to remember, but she’d never forget. The last time she’d seen Alex, he’d been dropping her home after the Glastonbury debacle. His parting words – ‘Chin up. You wanted to go, you had fun. Own your decision and face the consequences.’ – had been the only thing to get her through the next two weeks of misery with her mother. And they’d stayed with her since. Somehow, some words of advice from a guy only four years older than her, a wise and worldly twenty at the time, had become a guiding principle in her life.

‘Cora tells me you’re moving home,’ she said instead, backing up against the whitewashed desk as Alex came into the room.

‘Well, back to Felinfach, at least. Mum and Dad’s old cottage is a bit ramshackle, but…’ He shrugged, a smile twisting at his mouth. ‘I always had an affection for the place.’

‘I heard about your dad,’ Lily said, remembering abruptly. ‘And your mum, last year. I’m sorry. I always liked them.’

‘I think Dad had a bit of a soft spot for you, too,’ Alex replied. ‘He always liked someone who did what was right for them and damn the consequences.’

Lily tried to smile. Was that how Alex remembered her? She wasn’t sure she could still remember that girl, these days.

‘So you’ve come to sort out all our money troubles?’ At least she’d remembered he was in finance. Faced with the reality of Alex Harper, facts were harder to hold onto. God, if she’d thought him crush-worthy at twenty, it couldn’t compare to him at thirty. Not that he’d ever thought of her at all. Or remembered her, apparently.

‘Actually…’Alex glanced away, then looked back, his eyes sharper. ‘I’ve got some new plans. A new direction, so to speak.’

Which sounded interesting. ‘Care to elaborate?’

He shook his head. ‘Not yet. Not until I’m sure where it’s going.’

She thought about pressing him for details, but from the way he darted aside, looking away, it was pretty clear he didn’t want to talk about it.

Alex sat on the bed, looking even more out of place against the pink ruffles, and patted the duvet beside him. ‘Come on, then. Catch me up. How’s the last decade been for you?’

‘I don’t know where to start.’ Lily left a good few inches between them when she sat. Somehow, she had a feeling being alone in a bedroom with Alex wasn’t a situation girls normally got out of with all their clothes intact.

‘How about telling me about your fiancé.’

‘Fiancé?’ Alex nodded at her left hand, and Lily blinked down at the ring she hadn’t designed. ‘Oh, that. Yeah. It’s… complicated.’

Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘Did he ask you to marry him?’

‘At the top of the Eiffel Tower on Valentine’s day.’ Lily sighed, remembering the way the other diners had stopped and stared when he got down on one knee, even as three other men were doing the same at other tables. They’d all had their pictures taken together afterward. It was, by far, the most conventionally romantic proposal ever conceived. Which was Edward all over. He knew the conventional, appropriate thing to do for every situation. And he did it, every time. Her mother thought that made him the perfect man. Lily had a horrible, growing suspicion that all it made him was predictable.

No, not predictable. Steady. Reliable. Dependable. All good things. She liked that Edward was the steady one. His steady job meant that she could pursue her dream career. Having Edward as a calm centre in her life made it easier for her to resist the flights of fancy and impulsive ideas she’d been so prone to as a teen. And when she was having a panic about the shop, or her mum, or life in general, Edward was the one to sit her down, stroke her back and remind her that everything was going to be okay. That she could cope.

Edward made her a grown up, and that was a good thing.

‘And did he give you this ring?’ Alex asked, interrupting her thoughts.

The ring, however, was still a sore spot.

‘Unfortunately.’ He frowned at her answer, and she felt compelled to explain, ‘I’m a jewellery designer.’

Alex winced. ‘Ah. He didn’t think you’d want to design your own?’

‘No.’ She really needed to stop sounding so bitter about that. She shook her head. ‘It’s okay. I understand. He wanted to have a ring to give me when I said yes, and wanted to choose it himself. It’s romantic.’

‘If you say so. Anyway, that aside, and this is the crucial bit: when he asked, and when he gave you this ring – did you say yes?’

No real way out of that one. ‘Yes. But…’

‘No buts. What, are you going to be one of those couples who get engaged but never get around to getting married?’

What would be so wrong with that? Why not just carry on the way things are, happy and content. Why does it have to be a big thing?

But then Lily thought about the way her mother was already planning the perfect day in her head, and the catalogues of invitation samples Edward had started leaving around the flat. It was a big thing to them. ‘Apparently not.’

‘Why would you want to be?’ Alex’s eyes were wide and disbelieving.

Oh, honestly. Talk about a double standard. ‘Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be sprinting the other way if someone told you that you had to get married this summer. The way Cora tells it, you’ve been running around with every single woman in the Greater London area for the last decade.’

‘Maybe I’m ready to settle down.’ The words were casual, but Alex’s eyes were serious.

‘Really? That’s why you moved home?’ Of course it was. Why else would he leave the bright lights and bonuses of the City? God, she was an idiot. Lily bit the inside of her lip. The way Cora talked about Alex’s life in London, it would be a pretty huge lifestyle change for him. She wondered if he’d make it stick. ‘Sorry, then. I’m just… I look at Cora, and how happy she is to be marrying Rhys, and I think… maybe I’m not cut out for marriage.’

‘Maybe you’re not marrying the right man.’

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t had the thought herself once or twice, in the dark of the night when the bad thoughts come, but hearing it in Alex’s calm, unconcerned voice made something sharp stick in Lily’s lungs. ‘That’s not it. He’s… Edward and I have been together since I was nineteen. He’s everything I ever wanted. I love him. And we’re happy. I just don’t see why that has to change.’

Alex threw up his hands in mock self-defence. ‘Sorry. What do I know? Back in town permanently less than a week, remember? I’m sure you know what you’re doing.’

But while his words sounded good, his eyes still said, Who are you trying to kid? ‘So, where is he today?’

‘He had to work.’ Jerking up off the bed, Lily headed for the door. ‘Sorry, I think I hear Cora calling me.’ Never mind that Cora was probably still having her ear bent by Evelyn; Alex didn’t know that. And Lily needed to be somewhere else, quite desperately. Somewhere where people wanted her to marry Edward. Not with someone who just made the restlessness rise up and try to break free. ‘Good to see you again, Alex.’

She didn’t look back as she shut the door behind her.

* * * *

Alex leant back on his elbows as he watched Lily’s blonde head disappear behind the door. Who was she trying to kid? No way she wanted to get married to this guy. So why was she going along with it? Sure, maybe she loved him like she said, but if she had cold feet about the engagement why didn’t she just say so? Just tell him what she needed.

What had happened to the Lily he remembered? The one who’d fight anything she didn’t like, tooth and nail? Maybe he’d never known her well when they were younger, but back then you only had to spend a few minutes in the same room with her to know that Lily never backed down from a fight, stood up for what she felt and demanded what she needed.

So, what had changed? The woman who’d sat beside him on the bed hadn’t seemed to feel anything at all except vague unease. Uncertainty. She’d seemed… lost, in her own life.

Well, even if Lily hadn’t talked to Edward about her concerns, Alex would bet she’d have spoken to Cora. Those two had talked about everything, endlessly, since they were little.

Jumping to his feet, Alex was halfway to the door, ready to go and demand some answers from his cousin, when another thought occurred. Why did he care? What did it matter to him if Lily got married or not?

It didn’t, of course.

It was just… He believed in marriage. He believed that it mattered, that it wasn’t something to be rushed into. Once he found the right person, he knew he’d be ready to commit for life.

His parents had, and they had gone on strong for almost forty years. And his brother, Gareth, he’d married the love of his life, given Alex two perfect nephews, and settled back to enjoy life.

It wasn’t that Alex was a romantic idiot or anything. He just thought marriage should be taken seriously.

Lily obviously felt differently if she planned to go ahead with marrying some idiot who didn’t even let her design her own ring. Not that it was his problem, or any of his business. But for the sake of the sanctity of marriage…

Maybe Alex should do what he could to help her see that settling for a life that wasn’t her dream was a really stupid idea. Just like his dad had helped him.

Decision made, Alex made his way to re-join the party. But when he reached the door, he found Rhys standing outside, looking confused.

‘Was that Lily?’ he asked, looking back towards the stairs where, presumably, Lily had escaped.

‘Yeah, we were catching up,’ Alex said.

Rhys raised his eyebrows. ‘Well, that explains why Cora was looking for her. Word to the wise, mate. She’s very, very taken.’

‘I know,’ Alex said, a little stung at the implication. He might have a bit of a history, but he was very strict about only getting involved with single women. ‘Like I say, we were just catching up. Been a long ten years.’

‘Yeah.’ Rhys studied him with a steady gaze. ‘Look, it’s none of my business anyway. But you know what your cousin’s like. She gets these ideas, however ridiculous, and then she decides to meddle. For my sake, save me from the meddling? It’s crazy enough here with all the wedding stuff. I swear, Cora hasn’t had a single thought that doesn’t have to do with the wedding in months. She’s probably only worried about you and Lily in case it upsets her table plan.’

Alex grinned. ‘Sure thing.’ After all, what did it matter to him who Lily Thomas married anyway?

Chapter Two

Lily fished the teabag out of her mug, regretting the three glasses of champagne she’d had after her conversation with Alex the day before. Drinking in the afternoon – especially anything with bubbles – was always a sure-fire way to a banging headache. She’d gone to bed early, before Edward even made it home from whatever work had called him into the office on a Sunday afternoon, then woken up in the early hours and stared at the ceiling until the alarm went off, unable to stop the thoughts swirling around her brain.

So now she was exhausted, fed up, and they were out of milk. Black tea was no way to start a difficult day.

Edward appeared in the doorway, his short blond hair still damp from his shower, his tie not yet straightened. That was her job, of course. Lily narrowed her eyes and wondered what would happen if she sent him to work with a crooked tie.

God, they didn’t need to get married at all. She was already his little housewife.

‘Is there any milk?’ Edward asked, kettle in hand.

‘Afraid not,’ Lily said, and braced herself for an accusing look that never came. God, what was she doing? Looking for problems where they didn’t have them. Anything she could point to and say “and that’s why I don’t think we should get married just yet”. Anything to justify her own fear of saying “I do.”

‘I’ll have coffee, then.’ Putting his tea mug back on the tree, he selected a coffee one instead, and Lily wondered how it had never driven her insane before that he had to have a different style of mug for each type of drink.

This was ridiculous. It had to be pre-wedding jitters or something. Seven years with the man, and she’d never been as irritated with him as she was now, and for absolutely no good reason. She loved him. They were good together. Why was she looking for excuses not to take this final step?

This was probably all Alex Harper’s fault. She couldn’t explain quite how, but when she figured it out, she’d sure as hell be sharing it with him.

She needed to get out of the house. Needed to be in her studio, in her shop, in her own space. Needed some time alone to remember how she got here, to be rational about what she wanted in life. Love. Security. That sort of thing.

‘I’m gonna, you know, shower,’ she said, shuffling towards the kitchen door. Soothing water to wake herself up and start the day over. Preferably with a decent cup of tea. Assuming the milk in the shop fridge was still in date. Perhaps she should swing by the corner shop just in case…

‘Hang on,’ Edward said, and irritation crashed over Lily once more as she saw the slow smile she usually loved on his lips. ‘I’ve got something I wanted to show you.’

Lily leant against the counter as Edward pulled a piece of creamy card out of an envelope. ‘Tell me that’s not another wedding invitation,’ she said, groaning. ‘We’ve already got five to attend this summer!’

‘Ah, but this is the most important one.’ He handed it over with a flourish, and Lily reluctantly took it. And stared at it, her hands trembling.

‘But this is…’

‘Ours.’ Edward’s grin took over most of his face. Lily couldn’t tell if it was just her irritation making it look smug. She decided not. ‘Obviously it’s just a mock up – we still need confirm possible dates at the church and the golf club, and I know you haven’t decided what colours you want for the flowers and bridesmaids and such – ’

‘Wait. Wait a minute. I haven’t…’ Lily tried to pull her thoughts together, when it felt like her head might explode. Of course this was what happened next. Her mum was right, they’d already waited three months. ‘Just… The golf club?’

Edward blinked at her. ‘Ye-es, the golf club. Like you agreed the other night?’ God, was she so lost in her own commitment crisis that she’d actually started blocking out all wedding conversations? She did remember nodding along to something while watching the telly earlier in the week, though. Apparently that had been her wedding planning contribution. ‘Although I suppose if you wanted to look at a couple of the inns and hotels in the area, it wouldn’t hurt,’ Edward went on, and Lily felt guilt blossom in her chest.

‘Maybe we should. I mean, we want to be certain, right?’ About more than just the venue. ‘In fact…’ Lily drew in a deep breath and tried to find that core of rationality and practicality she’d been nurturing for the last decade. ‘We haven’t actually talked about setting a date, yet. Have we?’

The muscles in Edward’s face tightened, the way they always did when he was trying to pretend he wasn’t annoyed. ‘You might not have. But we’ve been engaged for three months now, Lily, and I’ve been trying to talk to you about this for two of them. I thought you wanted me to get involved in the planning. I know I’ve been busy at work, but I am trying –’

‘That’s not it,’ Lily said, willing him to just understand, even if none of it made any sense to her either. How could she explain that every time she thought about donning a big white dress and walking down the aisle, her stomach clenched? Just imagining the lists of cakes and favours and dresses and seating plans gave her a headache. Lily glanced down at the still unfamiliar ring on her left hand. Another thing making her feel tense and unhappy.

Surely this wasn’t how engagement should be?

‘Look, Edward.’ Lily scrabbled around for some words that weren’t “this is a bad idea.” ‘I just don’t see why we need to rush.’

Edward’s pale eyebrows arched. ‘Rush? Love, we’ve been together seven years. We’ve been positively leisurely about this.’ Reaching out, he took her hands between his and put on his concerned face. She’d seen it before, once or twice, when her grandmother died and while she’d waited to hear about a small business loan from the last bank in town that hadn’t turned her down already.

If he had pulled it out now, things must be bad.

‘Still, most couples these days are engaged for a year or so before they get married, right?’ Maybe a year would be enough for her to get her head around the idea of being Edward’s wife.

Wife. God, she’d never wanted to be anyone’s wife. Never wanted to belong to someone in that way, be just a possession, something to trot out on show at parties. To lock herself into something so permanent, close off her escape options, just in case. Never wanted to give up that much of herself.

But hadn’t she already? When she decided that security mattered more than being herself. When she decided to stop being the person everyone gossiped about. When she said yes to a proposal that felt like it was happening to somebody else, with a ring that didn’t feel like hers?

Edward sighed. ‘Even if you want to wait until next spring for the wedding, we need to start looking at venues now. All the good ones get booked up fast. It’s only because I’ve got an in at the golf club we can even look at this summer.’

Why were they talking about dates and invitations and venues when all Lily could think was what a mistake it all was? ‘Why do we have to get married at all? Aren’t we happy as we are? I don’t understand why we can’t just carry on being happy. Just being us.’

The concerned face was back. ‘Look, Lily, I love you. I want to marry you. And we’re not getting any younger. If we want a family… we’re at that age now where getting married is the thing to do. It’s time.’

It’s time. It sounded like a bell tolling in her head, telling her it was time to stop being Lily, stop being herself. To make a final choice and an unchangeable commitment to what her future would be. Time to settle down and be someone’s wife. Someone’s mother. And yet, all she could think to say was, ‘I don’t want to get married just because everyone else is.’

Edward rolled his eyes as he patted her hand, a fond smile creeping back onto his face. ‘Of course not. God forbid you do something at the accepted time or in the traditional way.’ She knew he meant it as a joke, a throwaway mention of her wilder days. But all Lily could think was that she was still that stubborn child to him, the one determined to do what she wanted, regardless.

Seven years of conformity, of being what he wanted, what everyone wanted, hadn’t changed the way people saw her at all. ‘I have to go to work,’ Edward said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. We’ll talk more about dates and venues later. You’ll feel better about this once we’ve got all the details hammered out.’

But she wouldn’t. If anything, just thinking about their upcoming conversation made her feel a thousand times worse.

* * * *

‘You know, having you actually living in the next village makes this much more convenient.’ Nate Green, co-owner of the Avalon Inn, pushed the inn’s account books across the reception desk.

‘Thought it might be handy,’ Alex agreed, taking the books and tucking them under his arm. ‘Besides, I was starting to miss the old place.’

Nate ducked out from behind the desk. ‘That’s right. You grew up here, yeah?’

Alex nodded. ‘From the age of eleven until I left for university, and quite a few summer holidays before that. Have to say, it doesn’t seem to have changed much.’ Except for Lily Thomas getting tied down and boring, and the huge hole he felt every morning when he came down to the breakfast table in the cottage to find himself the only one there.

‘Been checking out old haunts, have we?’ Nate moved to the front entrance, heaving the heavy oak door open for Alex to step out into the sunshine.

‘Not had much of a chance, yet,’ Alex admitted. Taking care of his dad had kept him pretty busy, then the move itself. But now he had the time… ‘I thought I might take a walk up to the old Mill this afternoon, see if the place has collapsed in on itself yet.’

‘The Felinfach Mill?’ Nate asked, then shook his head at Alex’s nod. ‘Think you might find that place has changed a bit, even if nowhere else has.’

Alex shrugged. ‘Well, it’s a nice day for a walk, anyway. Tell your fiancée I’ll get these back to her by Thursday, yeah?’

Nate nodded, and Alex raised a hand to wave goodbye before he stashed the books in the backseat of his car and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Was everyone getting married this summer? First Cora and Rhys, Lily and her idiot fiancé, and even Nate and Carrie in a few weeks. That one had been inevitable, in Alex’s opinion, ever since Carrie inherited the Inn last winter. Nate and Carrie were a perfect match. They were what Alex was looking for, why he’d moved home to settle down.

Now he just had to find it.

The journey back into Felinfach took him downhill, through trees and past the stream that eventually led to the Mill. He could drive, Alex supposed, but he’d never really spent any time at the Mill since he’d passed his test. To him, the Mill would always be long, hot summer walks out of village, towards freedom. So he parked up in the car park by the tiny Felinfach library, locked the accounts books inside, and set off on foot.

Felinfach had always seemed such a small, confining village during Alex’s teenage years. Now, walking down the high street, taking in the small array of businesses and shops, houses and community features, he realized he’d never taken the time to learn anything about it, beyond the parts he’d felt were oppressing him. School, home, avoiding the neighbours who might report back on his mildly scandalous activities. That had made up his world.

Well, that and the Mill.

When they were kids, the Mill, with its rotting beams and mossy walls, was the only place to be on a summer afternoon. And as teenagers, it was perfect for hiding out with a bottle of cheap cider and a few mates, or to take a girl for a little privacy.

At seventeen, he’d ruled that shambles of a building. At thirty, he was morbidly keen to see what was left of it after he’d grown up and moved away. Did Nate’s cryptic comments mean it had finished falling apart, finally?

Cresting the hill out of the town, the Mill rose up ahead, whiter than Alex remembered. He frowned, but kept walking. Maybe he should have asked Nate exactly what had happened to it. What if some rich couple had bought it and renovated it? More to the point, why hadn’t he thought of doing that? Well, apart from the fact that the place had to be a money pit. It had been on the verge of collapsing in on itself for years. Why else would they all have been so keen to hang out there as kids? The danger was half the fun.

About halfway between the town and the Mill, Alex saw the first sign. ‘Felinfach Arts and Heritage Community.’ So, not a Grand Designs project, then. A business, instead. And one that suddenly held a great personal interest for him.

Increasing his pace, Alex found himself at the entrance to the Mill in no time. The rusty chain-link gates that had never kept them out were gone, replaced by something tasteful in wrought iron, presumably commissioned from one of the Arts and Heritage Community themselves. Another sign, this one decorated in flowing blues and greens, stated the intentions and motives behind what seemed to be a co-operative of artists. And a piece of paper stuck to it declared one empty unit, waiting for the right creative person to fill it.

Alex had never thought of himself as a creative person. His family would laugh at the very idea – in fact, his dad had, the first time he plucked up the courage to mention it. He was a numbers man, all about the hard facts and figures. But then, during a two-week holiday – his first in three years, and forced upon him by his boss to, in his words, “stop you burning out, you idiot,” – he’d picked up a camera and gone looking for things to photograph. And suddenly, as simple as that, Alex had found something he loved more than numbers.

He’d taken a couple of courses since then, and spent his limited downtime improving his technique. He’d stopped staying out late, so he could get some good shots of the morning light on the Thames. He’d stopped dating his usual kind of women, because they always wanted him to photograph them. It wasn’t that he didn’t like taking shots of people, but he wanted them to be real. His girlfriends always wanted to be posing, perfect and unreal. Alex wanted to take photos that showed who they really were.

For some reason, they never liked that very much.

He hadn’t told anyone yet, but the accountancy thing was only to keep the finances ticking over while he fixed up his new home. In the long term, he planned to be a photographer. Like he’d told Cora, his dad’s death might have speeded things up, but this had always been his plan – and knowing it was a plan his father had supported, once he’d got over his surprise, made him all the more determined.

He’d intended to take it slowly, build it up a bit at a time. He didn’t need to rush, not while he could still make money the old way. But seeing that opening at the Mill… What better place for him to set up a studio?

He shook his head and stepped back from the sign. He was moving too fast. Being able to make split-second decisions might be an asset in the City, but not always in real life. So he’d take some time to think it through, look at his plans and budgets, and move when the time was right for him.

Except that strategy was the same one that meant he hadn’t managed to move home properly until after the funeral. And, since he was there anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to look.

Inside, the bright and airy feel of the Mill matched the sign outside. The outbuildings had been built back up from their crumbling state, forming the main artisan units, housing studios and shops, all with wares on display outside in the sunshine. In just a casual glance, Alex spotted a glassblower, a blacksmith, a painter. The Mill building itself, on the edge of the rushing river, looked to be a cafe-cum-gallery, with whitewashed chairs and tables outside, and a chalkboard proclaiming the best Welsh Rarebit in the county.

There were customers and patrons enough wandering around to give the place a buzz; apparently art was thriving in Felinfach. Tucked away in the corner sat an antiques shop – presumably providing some of the heritage the signs boasted of. And next to it…

‘Tiger Lily Jewellery,’ Alex read from the hanging metal sign. The words curved around a stylised white lily, a reminder of a much younger girl than the one he’d seen the day before. Still, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt to whom the shop belonged. And it was about time he paid her a visit.

* * * *

Even tea hadn’t been enough to improve Lily’s day.

She struggled to open a tiny silver jump ring with her straight-nosed pliers, just enough to slip on the earring hook and a sparkling crystal star charm, cursing when the whole damn lot slipped out of her grip and clattered to the scarred and marked work table. With a deep breath and a sigh, she checked the clock above the shop door for the umpteenth time that morning. Still only twelve-thirty. And she still thought just writing the day off and going back to bed might be the best thing she could do.

Except Edward would probably wake her up to talk weddings when he got home, even if she had the duvet over her head and her headphones in.

Gathering up her beading tools and trinkets, Lily finally had to admit the avoidance tactic had run its course. Pretending the engagement hadn’t happened, or that it didn’t mean there ever had to be an actual wedding, wasn’t going to work any more. Which meant she had to make some decisions. Did she marry Edward, or did she call the whole thing off? Admit that she was too scared to go through with it?

Time to own her decision and face the consequences.

On the face of it, an easy choice. She loved Edward, had spent the last seven years building up their relationship to this moment. They were comfortable together. She knew exactly what her life would be if she married him. It would mean she’d finally grown up and settled down. Would show the town she wasn’t the girl they remembered any more. It would make her mother happy, her friends happy, and Edward happy.

But the wiggling uncertainty in her belly told her it might not make her happy.

Of course, she’d been wrong about that sort of thing before. Once upon a time, she’d been certain that the only thing in the world that could make her happy was Alex Harper noticing that she was a woman. Since she’d been fourteen at the time, with the benefit of hindsight she knew it was just as well he hadn’t. Then there was the time at seventeen when she’d been sure that moving out of her mum’s house and in with her much older boyfriend would make her life complete. It had lasted three weeks.

Lily tossed the last of the findings back into her box and tried to stop her mind replaying the list of stupid decisions she’d made from the age of twelve to nineteen. It was lengthy, embarrassing and old news now, anyway, for all that her mother liked to relive them regularly. They didn’t matter now. None of the idiotic things she’d done as a teenager did. She was twenty-six, for heaven’s sake. She owned her own business, took care of herself, and was engaged to a successful businessman who loved her very much. She wasn’t that disappointment, that failure, any more.

Straightening her shoulders, Lily decided a new mantra was in order. ‘I am a grown up,’ she told herself. ‘I am a successful person, not defined by my past.’ She grinned; it felt good, not just to say it, but to believe it.

But then the shop door opened and Alex Harper walked in, bringing her past bang up to date with her present.

‘Lily Thomas,’ Alex said, his smile broad and warm. ‘You’ve turned into a veritable entrepreneur while I was gone.’

Rolling her eyes, Lily reminded her fluttering insides of her mantra. A decade-old crush on her best friend’s dishy older cousin really had no place at all in her grownup life. ‘Hardly. I rent my space here, sell my jewellery, and still owe the bank my soul.’

‘Still, quite the set-up you’ve got here.’ Alex turned slowly around, making a big show of taking in the room, with its glass display cabinets along one wall, and the workbench at the back. People liked to see how her jewellery was made, Lily had learnt early on. She couldn’t do everything out on show in the shop – anything remotely dangerous or involving heat she kept for the studio behind the main shop. But during trading hours, she liked to work on smaller, simpler and cheaper pieces out front. It still amazed her how many times someone had watched her make a pair of earrings, then bought them on the spot.

‘I like it,’ she said, shrugging. For some reason, she didn’t want Alex to know how much the place meant to her. Hadn’t ever wanted anyone to know, really. If they knew she really cared, they’d just be watching, waiting for her to screw it up. Same as always.

‘Really, Lily. This place is something else.’ She looked up into his eyes as he spoke and, to her surprise, saw real meaning there. Biting her lip, she smiled up at him, and he grinned back. Then, in a burst of movement, he was off investigating her window display. ‘I mean, look at these!’ Grabbing a champagne flute full of rings from the display, he brought it over to her workbench and tipped them out onto the surface she’d just cleared. ‘They’re all so sparkly. Are they white gold?’

Lily looked down at months of work, learning to shape, then stamp or engrave the perfect ring, then exploring the best ways to add stones and gems. Rings were still a fairly recent addition to her collection, but she was building up a bit of a local demand for individually designed rings. If someone intended to wear a piece of metal around their finger forever and ever, it made sense that they wanted something personal, something they’d chosen. Edward obviously hadn’t understood that.

In the pile of silver on the desk, Lily could see the progression of her abilities, could see them getting better. Not many of those were of saleable quality – they were more for practice than anything else – but that’s why they were piled up inside a champagne flute for display purposes. No one looked closely, and collectively they had quite an effect.

‘Sterling, most of them. One or two brass and copper, as you can see.’ Lily started packing them back inside their glass, and the sound of them clinking against the glass filled the studio. ‘The white gold and platinum ones are over there.’ She motioned towards the locked display cabinet on the other side of the studio. She’d made sure she was really good before she’d started in on the more precious metals.

Alex wandered across to look, leaving her to pack up the display rings again. ‘These are really beautiful,’ he said, his fingers reaching up to touch the glass. ‘You made Cora’s ring, right?’

‘Of course. She’s my best friend. Like I’d let anyone else do it.’

‘You let someone else make yours,’ he pointed out, turning back to face her. The quirk of a smile told her he was joking, but the words still barbed her heart.

‘Yeah, well. That’s different.’ Tipping the last ring into the glass, she placed it back into the window display. ‘What are you doing here, anyway? Ring shopping for the fiancée you haven’t found yet?’

‘Actually,’ Alex said, sounding hesitant for the first time Lily could remember. ‘I had something I wanted to talk to you about. Fancy a spot of lunch while we talk?’

A lunch date with Alex Harper. How her teenage heart would have pitter-pattered. Lily looked around the empty shop; she’d had a decent number of customers that morning, but Monday wasn’t exactly her busiest day. ‘As long as we eat at the Mill, so I can keep an eye on anyone wanting to look in the shop.’

‘Whatever you want,’ Alex agreed, holding the door open for her. The warmth in his voice promised considerably more than lunch, but she suspected that would be the same whoever he was talking to. The man was walking charm and sex, after all.

Lily grabbed her bag and her keys, reminding herself that she was a grown up, engaged woman, and she didn’t want that sort of thing from Alex any more.

Probably.

Chapter Three

It was ridiculous that he should feel nervous about this. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to find the right words, or the way to start the conversation. Not that Lily seemed to notice his discomfort; she was too busy glancing back at her shop every few moments from their table outside the main Mill building, in case anyone wanted to buy anything. Alex gazed at the menu, not taking in any of the words. He needed her full attention, and the only way he knew to get it was to talk about her stupid fiancé.

‘Does Edward like you working here?’ he asked, and Lily spun back round to face him, as predicted.

‘Is that what you brought me here to ask?’ The sharpness in her tone felt familiar, somehow.

‘No.’ But suddenly he wanted to know the answer. What was her life like with this man? Alex might not have met him, but he knew already he was wrong for Lily. She needed someone like her, someone sharp and bright and honest. Someone who would let her be herself.

Lily’s gaze dropped down to the menu, held tightly in white-knuckled hands. ‘He’s been very supportive,’ she said, but the words were dull, empty.

‘Supportive how?’

‘He says…’ She sucked in a breath, as if steeling herself for something unpleasant. ‘He likes that I’ve found a way to make my hobby pay for itself.’

‘He… Hang on. What? This is your career, right?’

She gave a sad little laugh and lowered her head so her hair fell into her eyes. ‘He’s right. I mean, I don’t earn anywhere near as much as him, but then, I’m only just getting started…’

A hot rage started in Alex’s belly, rising up through his chest. Who the hell was this man to try to keep Lily Thomas from being every golden thing she’d always been meant to be? To patronize her and make her feel less, when Alex knew straight off she was worth a dozen Edwards?

‘And you call that being supportive?’ Alex asked, trying to keep his voice even.

‘I know, I know,’ Lily said, looking up with a quick smile. ‘But he doesn’t mean it that way.’

‘I don’t really see what other way there is to mean it,’ Alex said, the words coming out clipped.

‘He just… It’s more art than work to him.’ She shrugged. ‘He understands the business side of it, and he helps with the books and that sort of thing. But he doesn’t really understand that fiddling with bits of metal and stone can be a real job.’

‘Of course it is,’ Alex said immediately. It was as real as photography, anyway. He hid a wince. Wasn’t he the same? Not telling anyone about his dream in case they thought it was stupid? In case they thought a numbers man couldn’t have a creative side? In case they all told him he was an idiot for wanting to try?

Well, at least he had one person, right here, he could trust to be on his side. So now he just had to tell her. It had to be better than talking about her idiot fiancé, anyway.

‘In fact, that’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.’

Lily’s brow crinkled up. ‘My shop?’

‘To start with, yeah. How did you get set up here?’

Leaning back in his chair, Alex listened as Lily embarked on a lengthy story, with several subplots, about how she came to be ensconced at the Mill. She paused only briefly to order the Welsh rarebit when a waitress interrupted them. Alex followed suit, more interested in Lily than the menu.

He’d been wondering since yesterday where the Lily he remembered had gone, but listening to her talk about the renovations the Mill had undergone, the committee structure, how they decided who to let in to the collective… He saw her again. Her cheeks flushed, her hands constantly moving… He could see the passion in her face, the brightness of her eyes, even with every flash of that incongruous ring as she illustrated a point with a gesture. She looked alive, for the first time since they’d met again.

‘So you were part of this from the start?’ he asked as the waitress brought their drinks. ‘This is, well, all your doing?’

Lily shook her head, looking down at the glass in her hands. ‘A very small part of it. But the whole idea of the collective was that we all got to have some input into how it was set up. We pay rent, like we would anywhere, but we also help to run the place.’

‘It’s a great set-up.’ Alex sipped his drink while he found the courage for what he wanted to say next. Hearing Lily talk so enthusiastically about the Mill had made up his mind. What was the point in waiting when such a great opportunity had opened up before him? ‘Which is why I was hoping you could tell me a bit more about the studio space that’s opened up for rent.’

A frown creased across Lily’s forehead. ‘The studio? Why? I mean, if you’re looking for office space, this really isn’t the right place.’

‘I’m not,’ Alex said, but Lily kept talking over him.

‘Although a few of the guys here would probably be interested in speaking to you – a lot of them used Mr Phillips as their accountant and he’s been trying to help us out since he retired, but he really does need to slow down now. The doctor says –’

‘Lily.’ Reaching across the table, Alex rested his hand on hers, his thumb brushing across the smooth skin of her palm before he even realized he was doing it. ‘I’m looking for a studio. Not an office.’

‘A studio?’ she echoed, bafflement shining across her face. ‘But why?’

If she laughed, Alex would give up the whole idea, right now. But he had to tell somebody, sometime. So… ‘I’m setting up as a photographer. Not an accountant.’

‘Oh.’ Her eyes widened, but she didn’t laugh. ‘That’s… that’s wonderful, Alex.’

The tightness in Alex’s lungs began to loosen, and he could breathe again. ‘It’s kind of a secret project for now, if you don’t mind. I mean, I talked it through with my dad, before he died. We planned it all out together, But… I want to get properly set up before I start telling people.’

‘And you need a studio. Of course.’ Glancing behind her, Lily caught the attention of their waitress and asked, with a smile, ‘Jess, is Max in today?’

The girl nodded. ‘He’s in his office. Want me to call him down?’

‘Don’t worry. We’ll go up and see him when we’re finished.’

‘Max?’ Alex asked when the waitress walked away.

‘Mr Hughes,’ Lily clarified, and Alex nodded, recognizing the name from her story.

‘He owns the place, right? He’ll want to check me out, I suppose.’

‘Yeah.’ Lily looked hesitant for a moment. ‘He’ll probably want to see some of your work. I don’t know how far along you are with your plans…’

Not far enough, Alex realized. He was jumping in head first, moving too fast. He should slow down… But as he looked around the Mill, saw what it had become, and as he stared into Lily’s eyes, full of belief in him… He couldn’t risk missing this chance.

‘I’m still in the early stages,’ he said honestly. ‘But I’ve got my equipment and student portfolios back at the cottage. I need to set up some shoots for more professional shots, and I’ll need to kit out a studio properly…’ He had lists, back home on his laptop, lists and plans and schedules. Why hadn’t he brought them with him? Because he hadn’t known this opportunity would present itself. Still, he should have been prepared.

Lily clapped her hands together. ‘I know! You can photograph my new ring collection for my promo material and catalogue!’ Alex glanced up at her, surprised out of his self-recriminations. ‘If you wanted to, of course,’ she said, enthusiasm dimming.

‘No, no, I want to,’ he hurried to reassure her. ‘That would be great. Perfect, actually. And maybe a few of the other artists here would be interested in letting me photograph their stock. Help build a proper portfolio for me, and give them some shots to use on their websites and such.’

‘I think they would.’ That beautiful smile spread across Lily’s face again, and it caught at something in Alex’s chest. This was the life he’d left London for. Working at something he loved, with like-minded people. And a beautiful woman at his side.

Except, Lily wasn’t his. And he still had to convince Max Hughes that he was a good bet for the collective.

‘Okay,’ he said, pulling out enough cash to cover their lunch and a decent tip. ‘Let’s go see if we can get your pal Max on board with the plan.’

* * * *

Pausing at the door to Max’s office, Lily glanced back at Alex. His expression remained blank, unconcerned, but she could see a tension to his shoulders, his jaw, that made Lily think this was a bigger deal to him than he wanted to let on. Who’d have thought it? Alex Harper, a photographer. And he’d given up that big career in the City that Cora’s parents were always boasting about just to pursue his dream.

Lily had to admire that sort of determination.

But then, Alex had always been good at proving people wrong. After a teenage phase of getting into trouble every Saturday night, being on first name terms with every policeman in Felinfach, and becoming a byword for every father’s worst nightmare when it came to dating their daughters, Alex had somehow managed to straighten up and fly right. While others – okay, she – still struggled every day with the reminders of the trouble they’d caused as children, Alex had escaped to London, made a fortune and his name, and been welcomed back by the town like the prodigal son.

Not that she wasn’t happy for him, of course. A bit jealous, maybe. But now he had to try and convince Max, and that was a whole different ballgame.

‘Ready?’ she asked, and Alex nodded. ‘Okay then.’

Max called them in almost before she’d knocked. Jess had probably phoned up to warn him, and you couldn’t walk up the creaking staircase at the centre of the old Mill building without Max hearing you coming. The look he gave her over his steepled fingers as he sat behind his desk like a Bond super villain confirmed what she’d already suspected. Jess had told him they were coming, filled him in on who Alex was, and now Max was going to use this opportunity to tease and embarrass Lily for his own amusement. Great.

‘Max? This is Alex Harper.’ Stepping into the office, she moved to one side to let Alex pass her and reach out a hand for Max to shake. Max hesitated just a moment too long before taking it. Lily bit her lip. This might be a hard sell.

‘I’ve heard about you,’ Max said, his gaze fixed to Alex’s face. Lily watched him too; Alex met Max’s eyes without hesitation, and his posture was loose and easy. ‘Prodigal son returns to hometown, right?’

Alex smiled. ‘Something like that. A lot’s changed since I was gone. This place, for instance. I’m impressed with how you’ve managed to save so much of the old place.’

The tension in Lily’s shoulders started to relax a little. That was the right thing to say. The Mill was Max’s baby, and with Max, a little flattery went a long way.

‘Lily had a lot to do with that,’ Max said, and Lily’s attention jumped back to him. It wasn’t a lie; she’d met Max almost his first day in town, when she’d been selling her jewellery at the market in the town square. He’d bought her a coffee and listened to her opinions about the town and the opportunities for almost an hour before he’d told her what he was planning. And once she’d heard his idea, there was no way she’d let him do it without her. The money was all Max’s, but a lot of the ideas, the dreams and the hard graft that made it happen were hers.

‘I’m not surprised.’ The smile Alex gave her was soft, caring, and surprised her even more than Max’s praise. ‘She’s always had great dreams.’

‘So you two go way back then?’ Max’s eyes glinted in an alarming way, and Lily realized she really should take some control of this conversation before they started dissecting her history.

‘Alex is Cora’s cousin,’ she said, leaning her hip against Max’s desk. ‘He’s a photographer, and he’s looking at renting our empty unit.’

‘A photographer? I thought he was an accountant.’

‘That too,’ Alex said, shrugging. ‘The photography’s a newer direction for me.’

‘You got a portfolio? Don’t know what Lily’s told you, but we’re a proper collective here. We vote on newcomers. They’ll want to see your stuff.’

‘Of course. I’m still building up my portfolio at the moment. Lily suggested that maybe a few of your artists would let me take some shots of their stock. For free, of course.’

That hadn’t been her suggestion; it had been his. But Alex had obviously noticed Max’s fondness for her, and was playing up to it. Clever man.

‘Maybe.’ Max glanced up at her and she knew he wasn’t fooled at all. Motioning towards the chair on the other side of the desk, he said, ‘Have a seat, Alex.’

Max’s office was tiny; it barely had room for the desk and two chairs already there, so Lily perched on the windowsill to watch the exchange.

‘So, you want to be a photographer?’

Alex nodded. ‘That’s the plan.’

‘I heard you were making good money in the City. Great money, even.’

‘Good enough, yes.’ Alex’s shoulders were looking stiffer, now, Lily realized, biting her lip.

‘So what happened?’ Max asked, eyebrows raised.

‘I decided it was time for a change in direction.’ The words came out clipped. Alex never had liked explaining himself to people. It was one of the things that had got him into so much trouble as a kid. But if he wanted to be part of the collective… Well, she was afraid he’d have to learn. There was nothing the collective liked to do more than talk about stuff.

‘Kind of a drastic change.’ Max leant back in his chair, eyes still fixed on Alex. ‘In my experience, that sort of change is usually preceded by some sort of disaster making it necessary.’

‘Not in my case. My father died. Makes a man re-evaluate things.’ Alex’s hands were clenched against his thighs as he spoke, and Lily realized she really needed to intervene if she didn’t want him to lose it with Max and blow his chance of a place at the Mill.

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Max said, but he didn’t look abashed. In fact, he looked like he thought he’d been proven right.

Was he? Was Alex just taking action to distract himself from his father’s death? Or even because he thought it was what his dad would have wanted? Would he give up and move back to London in a few months, once the grief started to fade?

Cora was worried he would, Lily knew. But then, Cora hadn’t heard him talking about his dream on becoming a photographer. Lily had.

‘Alex has been taking photography courses for the last couple of years,’ she said, pushing herself off the windowsill and closer to the desk. Maybe if she flung herself across the desk between them…

‘Is that so?’ Max said, eyeing Alex again. ‘So, you’ve been planning this move for a while?’ Since before your dad died went unspoken, but Lily knew she’d got her point across.

Alex nodded, and Lily let out a breath as his shoulders began to relax. ‘I knew I wanted to make a change, but it wasn’t until I found photography that I knew what I wanted that change to be.’

‘So you’re here looking for a whole new life?’

Alex’s smile was self-deprecating. Lily didn’t believe it. ‘I’m thirty now. I’m ready to move out of the City, ready to settle down.’

Max’s eyes flicked to Lily for one alarming moment. She tried to take a step back before realizing she was already up against the window frame. There was nowhere else to go.

‘Sounds like you’re looking for a wife, son,’ Max said.

‘Maybe.’ Alex grinned. ‘But I’ve got a new career to build up first.’

‘Well, we’ll have to see what we can do about that.’ Max turned to Lily. ‘You think he’d be a good fit?’

‘I do.’ Lily flashed a smile at Alex. ‘Besides, he’s fun to have around.’

Pushing his chair back from the desk, Max got to his feet. ‘Get a portfolio together this week, and I’ll take it to the next co-op meeting, on Thursday.’

Alex stood and stretched a hand out across the desk. ‘I’ll have it to you before Monday.’

‘As you like. I’ll see you then.’ Max gave him another assessing look. Definitely time to get out of there.

Grabbing Alex’s arm, Lily shuffled him towards the door, calling her goodbyes over her shoulder to Max and only relaxing when the office door swung shut behind them.

Max was going to want to have another conversation very soon. One she was looking forward to even less than the last one.

* * * *

‘So, that went well, right?’ Alex asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped out into the courtyard, a safe distance from Max. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure exactly what Max had made of his career change, but it was obvious that Max trusted Lily. With her on his side, Alex reckoned he had an excellent chance of making this work.

‘I think so. Yes. Probably.’ A small frown line cut into Lily’s forehead. ‘Yes. I think so.’

Alex laughed. ‘Don’t worry. If your influence isn’t enough, hopefully my portfolio will win everyone over. Especially since it’ll feature their own stuff – including your beautiful jewellery.’

Lily blushed as if he’d called her beautiful, rather than her work. Interesting. That was the sort of fact he’d have tucked away to do something about later, back in London. But not in Felinfach.

‘I’m sure your photography skills will win them over,’ Lily said.

‘You haven’t seen them yet,’ Alex pointed out.

‘Well, then. You’d better get started, hadn’t you?’ Her eyes were bright with excitement. He supposed she was thinking about the Mill, and how having all the units filled would be good for them all. Whatever the reason, it felt good to have a companion in this, someone to share his ambition.

‘I really better had. I’m going to head home, dig out my equipment from the packing boxes. But I’ll meet you at the shop tomorrow to take some shots?’

Lily nodded. ‘Then I can introduce you to the rest of the guys here. Bet you can charm them into voting you in, anyway. Whatever Max says.’

Alex grinned. ‘Maybe I can.’ Her belief made it easier, somehow. Like, with her cheering him on, he could do anything at all. It was a good feeling. Better, in some ways, than the feeling he used to get from a new romantic conquest. Lily might not be on the market for that kind of fun, but having her as a friend seemed like it might be worth a lot more.

They said goodbye at Tiger Lily, and Alex strolled through the iron gates and back down the hill towards town, whistling.

He was almost in sight of his car when his phone rang, and he fumbled in his pocket to pull it out. Frowning, he saw his brother’s name flashing across the screen and checked the time automatically. Still working hours. Gareth never called him from work.

He pressed the answer button. ‘Hey, what’s up?’

‘Can’t a guy call his baby brother for a chat of an afternoon?’ Gareth’s tone was light, but something in his voice sounded strained.

‘Historically? No.’ Reaching the car, Alex leant against the door, the metal warm from the sun. ‘So, I’ll ask again, what’s up?’

Gareth sighed. ‘So suspicious, so young. Nothing’s up. Just wondered if you fancied meeting up for a drink sometime.’

Also unprecedented. Nights out for them were impromptu things, when one had forgotten the other’s birthday, or when Gareth was sent to London on work. Not the sort of planned outing that would make it onto the calendar that Gareth’s wife, Della, kept hanging by the kitchen sink.

‘Sure,’ Alex said. ‘When were you thinking?’

‘Why? You got a frantically busy social life up there in Felinfach already?’

‘You live four towns over,’ Alex pointed out. ‘You’re hardly in the metropolis yourself.’

‘And I think we should take advantage of us both being stuck out in the sticks by going to the pub. You free tonight?’

That was more like Gareth. Bored at work and remembering that Alex was now close enough to grab a pint. Alex relaxed a little and let himself enjoy the sun, and the fact he was home again.

On the other hand… ‘Can’t do tonight. Sorry, mate. I’ve got some… work on tomorrow. Important job. Need to prep this evening.’ He’d have to get used to describing his photography as work. It still felt like too much of an indulgence, at the moment.

The other end of the line went quiet for a moment. Then Gareth was back, all bluster. ‘Sure, sure. You can take the boy out of the City, but you can’t take the City, and all that. I get it. Maybe another time, yeah?’

‘You sure you’re all right?’ Alex asked again, that uncertain concern pricking once more. ‘I mean, I can try and reschedule, if you need –’

‘No, no. Just a passing thought. We’ll do it another day. Gotta go now, mate. Still at work myself.’

‘Sure. Maybe we can –’ But Gareth had already hung up.

Unlocking the car door, Alex felt his earlier happy ease fading away. Whatever he said, there was something going on with Gareth. And even if he didn’t want to talk about it today, Alex got the feeling it wouldn’t be going away any time soon.

He started the engine and let his head press against the headrest for a moment. No point worrying right now. Whatever was going on would surely blow up on him soon enough.

In the meantime, he had photos to take.

Chapter Four

Lily grabbed the glass of wine from the counter the moment Cora had finished pouring it, and took a long gulp, cold and sweet on her tongue.

‘Long day at work?’ Cora asked, eyebrows raised. Lily really should be thinking about the calories. She had a wedding dress to fit into, after all. If Cora could ever persuade her to go dress hunting with her.

Lily shook her head. ‘Good day, actually.’ Another sip of wine. ‘But I stopped by my mother’s on my way here.’

‘Oh. In that case…’ Never mind the calories. Any interaction with Evelyn Thomas required wine. Cora topped up Lily’s already full glass. ‘Come on through to the lounge. Rhys will be home in a minute, and dinner’s already simmering away in the oven.’

Edward should be there, too. But once again, it was just the three of them for dinner. She didn’t like to ask Lily how she felt about her fiancé working too much, any more. Last time, Lily had just shrugged and said, “Gives me time to catch up on other stuff.”

Things would change once they were married, Cora told herself. And especially once they had kids. Edward and Lily were perfect together. Just like her and Rhys.

‘So, what gems did Evelyn have for us today?’ Cora settled into the sofa across from Lily and placed her glass on a coaster on the coffee table. ‘Another comment on why wearing jeans is unladylike, perhaps? Or a complaint about tinted lip gloss?’

‘Apparently trashy,’ Lily confirmed. ‘In Evelyn’s little world, anyway. But actually, she was in too much of a rush to criticise fully this evening. Barely got in an eye roll at my shoes.’ Lily waved a hand in the direction of her sparkly purple trainers, abandoned by the corner of the coffee table. Cora tried not to wince at them. Lily had mostly outgrown her eclectic style in the last ten years, but every now and then a hint of it came back to haunt them.

Edward, she knew, hated those trainers. He’d asked Cora for help accidentally losing them in a charity shop bag once. But friendship trumped style, so Cora had declined.

‘Where was she rushing off to?’ Cora asked, folding her legs up under her on the sofa.

Lily shrugged. ‘No idea. I only stopped by to pick up some of my old stuff. Mum barely managed a hello before she shoved me back out of the door. Said she didn’t have time tonight.’

‘Weird.’

‘Very,’ Lily agreed.

What on earth could Evelyn be up to that she didn’t want her daughter to find out about? Cora loved a good mystery, and the idea of Evelyn Thomas having a secret was a particularly juicy one.

‘Maybe she had a hot date,’ Cora said, making Lily laugh.

‘Can you imagine?’ She shook her head. ‘I’m more worried that she’s suddenly developed an addiction to an online psychic or something.’

Cora giggled. ‘Maybe she is an online psychic. Something to bring in a little extra cash…’

The mental image of the immaculately dressed Evelyn Thomas wrapping a tie-dye scarf over her perfectly styled hair, and wrapping a skirt with bells over her suit had Lily spluttering wine over Cora’s sofa.

‘Why do you still have stuff at your mum’s anyway?’ Cora asked when Lily had regained some measure of composure.

Lily shrugged. ‘Just do. Edward doesn’t like a lot of clutter around the cottage. And I have –’

‘A lot of clutter,’ Cora finished. ‘I remember. Your room there was an absolute tip.’ Cora had taken to tidying it up a bit when Lily wasn’t looking. She still had no idea how Lily had ever found anything in there.

‘My studio still is, when I’m deep into a new project,’

Cora grinned. ‘Doesn’t surprise me.’

The front door crashed open, as Rhys forgot about the umbrella stand behind the door again. Cora jumped to her feet to welcome him home and instruct him to lay the table.

‘Let me just get changed first,’ he said, and Cora bit down a feeling of irritation. Why couldn’t he stay in his suit for dinner? So much more appropriate when they had guests than jeans and a T-shirt. Even if the guest was only Lily.

‘So, how were your days?’ Rhys asked later, spearing a mouthful of salmon and asparagus.

‘Busy,’ Cora said. ‘I finalised the timings with the car company, proofread the orders of service – eight errors, by the way – and spoke with the seamstress about adding some little satin flowers to the younger bridesmaid’s shoes. Oh, and I’ve spoken with the florist about the table centrepieces, but I’m still not a hundred percent sure about the foliage. I might get her to make up some more samples before I commit.’

‘Is it that important?’ Rhys barely looked up as he spoke. ‘I mean, they’re just flowers.’

‘They’re what our guests will be looking at for the entire meal,’ Cora said. ‘They’re important.’

Rhys gave her a grin. ‘Well, I know I’ll only have eyes for you.’

Cora couldn’t help but smile back. He might not have much interest in the details of their wedding, but at least he could be counted on to say the right thing, now and then.

‘What about you, Lily?’ Rhys turned to their guest, topping up her wine glass again.

Lily shrugged. ‘Same old. Oh, but I did have lunch with Alex.’

‘My Alex?’ Cora frowned. ‘What was he doing up at the Mill?’

Lily’s gaze darted away, the way it always did when she was about to lie. But about what? ‘Just revisiting old haunts, I guess,’ she said. Which would have been a perfectly reasonable reason, if Cora hadn’t known she was lying.

‘How’s he settling in?’ Rhys asked.

Lily grinned. ‘Really well, I think. Seems to have his whole life planned out here.’

Well, if he had, he hadn’t told his own cousin much about it. Although he seemed perfectly happy spilling to her best friend.

‘And how’s Edward?’ Cora asked. Maybe Lily needed the reminder of the most important man in her life.

But Lily just shrugged. ‘Okay, I guess. To be honest, he’s been working so much I haven’t seen much of him, really.’

She was frowning. Frowning and looking away again. Cora felt something cold settle in her chest. ‘Any further along with the wedding planning?’

Lily reached for her wine. ‘Not really. Edward’s talking about the golf club for the reception.’

Well, it wouldn’t be Cora’s choice, but it was a perfectly serviceable venue. ‘I suppose it’s pretty short notice now. For you to get married this summer, I mean.’ Because that was what they’d agreed. That was the plan. The two of them, both marrying the loves of their lives, starting their futures together, this summer.

‘I guess.’

‘You really should get a date confirmed, you know,’ Cora went on. ‘Even for a small wedding, you’re going to need the time to get it all sorted out. Maybe you could look at early autumn.’ That wouldn’t be so bad. She and Rhys would be back from their honeymoon, then, ready to pitch in and help get everything ready. Early autumn could work.

Lily gave her a very small, very tired smile. ‘You’re starting to sound like Edward. Or my mother.’

Lily had just compared her to Evelyn Thomas. Something was very, very wrong here.

But before Cora could find a response, Rhys clapped his hands together, grabbed the wine and said, ‘That’s it. No more wedding talk tonight. Let’s try and remember what we used to talk about before we got engaged.’

As Lily and Rhys started chatting about some new TV programme, Cora prodded at the remains of her salmon and thought about the only other time she and Lily hadn’t done things together, and how wrong that had gone.

She had to get Lily to set a date.

* * * *

Alex didn’t believe in wasting time. He’d promised Max a proper portfolio in less than a week’s time, so he’d better get on with compiling one. Pushing Gareth’s weirdness out of his mind, he headed home to his ramshackle cottage to dig out his equipment and student shots. And, two hours later, felt rather less enthusiastic about the whole endeavour.

No, he told himself, even as he opened a cold beer from his otherwise empty fridge. He’d come home to Felinfach to start a new life, and the photography was a big part of that. So he would bloody well make it work, one way or another.

Slumping back onto his sofa, he flicked through the photos again. Not good enough. Oh, they were fine for student work, and his teacher had loved them, but they weren’t going to cut it in the professional arena. He needed proper shots he could sell as demonstrations of his talent. He’d better hope the inhabitants of the Mill were willing to take him up on his offer of free publicity shots.

He slumped back against the cushions, wondering what had possessed him to buy such a huge sofa. It was practically the only piece of furniture he had bought since he arrived, mostly making do with his parents’ old stuff, and it dominated the lounge. He’d ordered it to be delivered the day he moved in, and it was a million miles away from the smart leather armchairs he’d left behind in his flat in London. Maybe he’d been imagining snuggling up with his prospective bride-to-be, or at least bringing someone home. So far, the only girl he’d spent any time at all with was Lily.

Which brought him back to tomorrow again.

Why was he resisting thinking about it? She was an old family friend, and a business opportunity. And if she’d glowed across the table at lunch, talking about her dreams and everything she and Max had achieved with the Mill, and how much more they wanted to do… Well, it didn’t matter. Because she was engaged to another man, and Alex took that sort of thing seriously. Very seriously.

No, this was a purely professional arrangement, he told himself, draining the last of his beer. And he was still telling himself that the following morning when he entered the wrought iron gates of the Mill. Right up until he walked into Tiger Lily and saw Lily’s eyes as she looked up to greet him. Red-rimmed and heavy-lidded, she obviously hadn’t slept. And, from his limited experience with such things, he was pretty sure she’d been crying.

All thoughts of portfolios and photography went out of his head. Alex dropped his bag by the door, crossed swiftly to the desk, and placed a hand on her shoulder, the most comfort he could manage with the desk between them. ‘What did he do?’

Lily shook her head, blonde strands of hair fluttering in front of her face. ‘He didn’t… It’s not him. It’s me.’

‘If he told you that you should have slapped him.’

That got him a smile, at least. ‘No, really. He wanted to talk about the wedding when I got back from Cora’s last night, and I… didn’t.’

A sense of unease rose in Alex’s chest. ‘Why not?’

‘Because… Oh I don’t know. Because I’m not sure he wants to marry me for the right reasons, I suppose.’

‘The right reasons?’ That wasn’t what he’d expected to hear. He’d expected because I don’t love him. Or because I’m not ready to get married. Not the right reasons. What were the right reasons, anyway?

Lily sighed, her whole body slumping forward a little as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. ‘I don’t know. It just seems… I think he only proposed to me because getting married is what we’re supposed to do now. We’re at the right age, our friends are all getting married. Maybe he even thinks it’ll help him with his job. But it’s not…’

‘Because he loves you,’ Alex finished for her, his heart like lead in his chest. Wasn’t that just what he was doing? Deciding he was ready to settle down, and seeking the perfect person to settle down with him? Hell, he’d even bought a settling-down sofa.

But he’d forgotten about love in there, somewhere.

Leaning heavily against the desk, he lifted his hand to run it across Lily’s pale hair, silky soft under his fingers. ‘Did you tell him what’s worrying you?’

‘I tried.’ His fingers caught in a knot, and she smiled up at him as he untangled first himself, and then her hair. It was a watery smile, but still better than anything he’d seen so far that morning. ‘He didn’t seem to understand.’

Because the man was an idiot. Clearly. How could you forget the importance of loving Lily Thomas?

‘What did he say?’

Lily sighed. ‘He was frustrated, I guess. He just said that if we love each other, and we do, then this is what happens next. Like it’s a compulsory step or something. Something to get through, rather than a celebration of, well, anything.’

She looked so uncomfortable at the idea, Alex didn’t want to push – even though part of him wanted to tell her to run, far and fast and now. If she was so uncertain and unhappy now, how would she feel in a year’s time? Or five years, or ten?

But it wasn’t his place. So all he asked was, ‘How did you leave it?’

‘He had to rush off for work. Said we’d go look at venues next weekend, if I was so set against having it at the golf club.’ Her laugh was bitter. ‘I’m pretty sure the message didn’t get through.’

Resisting the urge to find and punch Edward was, Alex thought, a true sign he’d grown as a person. But it was still bloody tempting.

‘So, I guess you’re not in the mood to take some photos today, then?’ he said, thinking that changing the subject might be the only thing to break Lily out of her funk.

It seemed to work. Scrubbing her hands across her face, Lily scraped her hair back into the bobble she had round her wrist and smiled up at him again, surer this time. ‘No. We should do it. As long as you don’t want to take any photos of me.’ She gave a light laugh, but as she spoke the words, Alex realized that was all he wanted to do. He wanted to capture Lily as she was at this moment – vulnerable, open, not hiding behind bravado or jokes. He wanted to remember her right now, treating him as a friend.

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