Before I could muster a fake reply along the lines of ‘That’s fine! No probs!’ another message pinged through:
Get your sparkle on later though, we’ll pick you up 7.30 xxx
I had no idea how to reply to that. It made no sense. Did they know it was my birthday, and if so, how? And if they did, then why had they cancelled lunch at the last minute?
I clocked your DOB when we registered Damson Farm as a business xxx
Oh. Okay. So what about lunch? I had no answer to that until Daniel found me mooching around the garden with a pad and pencil later on that morning. He’d had an early conference call, so had already been holed up with Hope in the study when I got up that morning, and I hadn’t seen him since.
‘Hey.’ He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and planting a kiss on the side of my neck that sent tingles shooting right up to the top of my scalp. ‘Making plans?’
I shrugged. ‘Pretending to, at least. I can’t really concentrate.’
He rested his head gently on top of mine. ‘You should probably take the rest of the day off, then.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. Come and have a stroll in the orchard. The damson trees are starting to blossom. Let’s take a look.’
‘Okay…’ I hadn’t told Daniel that it was my birthday, either. I’d meant to, at some point. I knew that when he eventually found out he’d feel awful that he’d missed it, but I wasn’t sure how to bring it up without sounding like I was angling for a present, or a meal out or something, so I’d taken the path of least resistance and said nothing.
‘Where’s Hope?’
‘At Mum’s. I’m picking her up later.’ Daniel kept one arm around my waist as he propelled me around and started walking towards the orchard.
‘Oh?’ I couldn’t help a smile creeping over my face as we crossed the garden and through the gate. The sun was shining in a vivid blue sky, the air was mild and fresh and the orchard was thrumming with the springtime revival. Butterflies danced with the bees, pheasants clucked among the undergrowth and the floor was a carpet of bluebells and yellow primroses. Daniel led me through the shade of the trees to a far corner I’d not ventured into before.
‘What’s this?’ I said gesturing at a bright blue wooden arbour I’d only just spotted.
Daniel’s whole face was beaming. ‘Happy birthday.’
‘What?’
He led me around to see that the arbour overlooked the meadow as it ran down to the river below. Beneath the roof were two benches angled at ninety degrees around a circular table, all painted in the same azure blue. The benches were covered in pink and yellow cushions, and on the table was a picnic basket.
I love you.
I bit my lip to prevent the words spilling out, but I’m sure they must have beamed from my eyes, the watery blinks spelling it out loud and clear in some sort of lovesick morse code.
‘This is for you.’
‘You mean the picnic?’
‘I mean the whole thing.’ He laughed then, and I couldn’t help laughing with him as the sheer joy bubbled up and out along with a tear.
‘You built me an arbour?’
‘I paid a guy in the village to build it. But yes, it’s for you. I hope the tears and laughter mean you like it?’
‘Are you joking? Iloveit! This is the best gift anyone has ever given me. Even better than when Mum and Dad gave me a Powermop.’
‘There’s also this.’ He reached into the basket and handed me a rectangular package. Removing the wrapping, I found a framed photograph of Charlie and me, from the first time she’d come to work at the Tufted Duck. We were both wearing aprons and brandishing wooden spoons in a Charlie’s Angels pose. Charlie had a streak of flour in her hair. Beneath the dramatic expressions, we were clearly about to burst into laughter.
‘Where the dream began,’ Daniel said, slipping his arm around my shoulders.
‘Okay, so I changed my mind.’ I turned my head to bury my face in his neck. ‘This is the best gift.’
We stood there for a long moment, and as my memories settled, only one thought replaced them:I love you!
