‘Good looks and a bit of spirit,’ Zak carried on anyway. ‘I get the feeling you’re going to be more of a challenge than Poppy, Freya.’
‘I think you’ll find we’re both unconquerable, Zak,’ I snapped.
‘Oh well,’ he shrugged, ‘you can’t blame a fella for trying.’
Chloe looked at me and shook her head. The risk of running into Zak was the only thing I didn’t like about living in Nightingale Square and I hoped Luke was going to take up Finn’s offer to finish off any outstanding jobs.
‘Well thanks for that, Freya,’ Finn said tartly, once Zak was out of earshot.
‘What?’ I frowned.
‘She only spoke up for you,’ Chloe pointed out.
I wondered if Finn had mentioned her to Zak too.
‘Exactly,’ he rumbled, ‘and I’ll never hear the bloody last of it, will I?’
‘So, I should have just stood by and let him talk to you like that, should I?’
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘that’s exactly what you should have done.’
He strode away without another word and I was left red-faced and wondering if our relationship was ever going to be plain sailing.
* * *
I was looking forward to joining everyone at Prosperous Place to discuss our Winterfest plans, but I didn’t make it over very early because I had a call from my mother to contend with first, followed by a very quick soul-soother with Peter.
‘Freya!’ Mum said by way of greeting, ‘I’ve found you at last.’
‘I did message Dad last week,’ I reminded her, ‘so you knew I was okay.’
‘Oh, I don’t mean that,’ she said with a tinkly laugh and I imagined her waving her hands about.
‘What do you mean then?’
‘I mean I’ve found out where you actually are. It’s that Prosperous Place in Norwich, isn’t it? Owned by that luscious Luke Lonsdale.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I spotted you in the background of one of the photographs advertising this Winterfest thing he’s so keen on and then you were named in the article too. Can you believe it made the national press? I take it you’re managing the garden?’
‘Yes,’ I confirmed, inwardly cursing the efficiency of the photographer and his zoom lens, ‘yes, I am.’
‘I don’t know why you didn’t just tell us that’s where you were going,’ she said, sounding a little sulky.
‘Because, like I’ve already explained, I wanted to get settled first.’
It was ridiculous that I didn’t feel comfortable telling either her or Dad my whereabouts, but the turn the conversation then took more than justified my reason for not saying anything.
‘Well, whatever,’ she said, dismissing my explanation without further comment. ‘It says here that you’re working with him on this new Winter Garden project?’
‘That’s right.’
‘You’ll have to let us know if you need any professional input,’ she offered.
‘I am the professional input,’ I said indignantly.
‘Well, of course, you are,’ she laughed, ‘but you know what I mean.’
Unfortunately, I knew exactly what she meant. First Jackson had made out that I wasn’t up to the job his aunt had employed me to do and now my own mother was implying the very same thing. Either that, or she wanted to make sure she wasn’t missing out on a business opportunity.
‘Thank you for the offer,’ I said, biting my lip, ‘but I’m managing just fine, more than fine actually. You’ll be able to see for yourself when the garden is officially opened in a few weeks’ time.’
I knew there was no point pretending there wasn’t going to be an official opening because Luke was bound to have mentioned it in the interview.
‘Not before then?’ she wheedled.
‘Absolutely not,’ I said firmly. ‘Luke’s very protective of his privacy.’
‘Um,’ she said, ‘I had heard that about him.’
I was surprised by that, because I hadn’t. I’d only said it to keep her and Dad at arm’s length for a bit longer.
‘In that case,’ she said, ‘I suppose we’ll have to wait for December twentieth. Now, Freya, let me give you an update on what’s happening at Broad-Meadows. You won’t believe—’
‘No,’ I said, cutting her firmly off. I wasn’t at all interested in hearing what Jackson was up to. ‘Sorry, Mum, but I have to go. I have a work meeting to get to.’
‘On a Sunday?’
‘We never stop here,’ I said briskly. ‘Let’s catch up again in a few weeks.’
I ended the call before she could say anything else and rang Peter for a quick video chat. I didn’t really have time, but I didn’t want to turn up at Prosperous Place carrying an