“You are not to blame for this. Your delivery was a bit shit, but Joe made his own mess. The best thing we can do now is head back and help your mum and Star with the festival.”
Patrick’s shoulders sagged, but he agreed.
“Let’s get back to the van before we blow away. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get a brush through my hair after this wind.”
“Want me to shave your head?”
“You may have to.”
With heads bowed, they made their way back toward the van. Waves smashed against the sea wall, sending explosions of spindrift into the air like a shaken champagne bottle.
They were almost to the van when a prolonged beep broke through the din of the storm, making them both jump. Simone put her hand to her eyes to shield them and squinted at the articulated lorry that was pulling up next to them. The passenger-side door opened, and a man with a hood pulled low over his face jumped down and approached them, pulling his hood back as he did so. Joe had dark half-moons beneath his eyes.
“Simone? Patrick? What are you doing here?”
“We’ve come to get you!” she called over the noise of the storm. “Why don’t you answer your phone?”
“I forgot my charger, my phone died. Did Maggie send you?” For a moment his bloodshot eyes brightened.
“No,” she said, and Patrick shook his head.
The light in his face blinked back out and was replaced with grim resignation. “Does she know you’re here?”
“Well, no.”
“Listen, I appreciate you coming all the way over here, but I think you’ve had a wasted journey. Maggie made it clear that she wanted me gone, and I don’t blame her. I’m not going to force my presence on your mum if it’s unwelcome, Patrick. You get that, don’t you?”
“I’ll explain it all to her,” Patrick said with feeling. “I know what you tried to do for us; I overheard Gilbert in the pub this morning.”
Joe raised his eyebrows. “Why was my uncle in Rowan Thorp?”
“He said he wanted to talk to you.”
Joe shrugged. He had the look of a man for whom life holds no more surprises.
“Come back with us,” Simone implored. “It’s ridiculous for you and Maggie to be apart—anyone with eyes in their head can see how much you love each other.” She cast a sideways glance at Patrick.
The driver of the lorry leaned over and shouted, “If you wanna lift to the Channel Tunnel, we’re gonna need to make a move, mate. You coming or staying with them?”
Indecision fleeted across Joe’s face. Suddenly Patrick was climbing the steps to the cab. He grabbed Joe’s duffel bag from the footwell and heaved it out.
“He’s staying with us,” Patrick told the driver.
The driver leaned over again. “Joe?” he asked. “You good? I don’t wanna be witnessing a kidnap and have to tell the old Bill that I did nothing to help you.”
Joe laughed uncertainly. “Ah, no, it’s all good, thanks, mate. Not quite sure what this is, but pretty sure it’s not a kidnap.”
Simone stepped forward, pulling her hair out of her face. “It’s really more of an ambush than a kidnap,” she tried to reassure the driver.
He raised his eyebrows. “Well, if you’re sure, Joe. I’ve got to get off. Hopefully I’ll get to Belgium before midnight.”
“I’m sure. Thanks for letting me hitch a ride, Nat, it was good to meet you. All the best. Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas.”
The driver gave a salute, and Joe slammed the passenger door shut. The lorry pulled back out onto the road and left them windswept and shivering on the pavement.
“Want to tell me what this is all about?” Joe asked, taking his duffel bag from Patrick.
“Mind if we discuss it in the van? My nipples are in danger of snapping off.” Simone was trying to hold her hair down with one hand and keep her coat closed with the other. Joe made an “after you” motion, and Simone set off to the van with Patrick and Joe following behind.
There were a few moments of relief and exclamation as they closed the doors on the weather and settled themselves into the three seats in the front of the van, Joe in the middle.
She started the engine and put the heater on high to clear the windscreen. No one had said anything yet, and it was beginning to feel awkward. She wished Patrick would say his piece and get it over with. Eventually Joe broke the stalemate.
“Okay, you’ve stopped me leaving for France. Now what?”
She heard Patrick gulp. “I’m sorry about the way I dropped you in it,” he began. “It was a dick move.”
Joe took a moment to absorb Patrick’s words. “Apology accepted. And I’m sorry that I didn’t tell anyone about my involvement with Gilbert and Marks. I don’t think we did ourselves any favors by keeping secrets. I’m sorry you had to find out about the eviction like that. Your mum never wanted that. She only ever wanted to protect you and Verity.”
“I know. And thanks. So, are we good?”
Joe let out a long sigh. “This doesn’t change anything. Your mum asked me to leave. She blocked my number. I don’t think she wants to see me.”
“I know that she does want to see you.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“No. I just know.”
Joe took another deep breath. “Let’s say I come back with you and your mum accepts my apology. Where does that leave us? You block me at every turn, Patrick. I don’t want to be your enemy. I would never, could never try to fill your father’s shoes. I only ever wanted us to be mates.”
“I know. I realize it doesn’t seem like it, but I want that too.”
“If push comes to shove, your mum will always choose you. I fell in love with her knowing that I would always come second best to you and Verity. I can handle that. The question is, can you handle having me around?”
“Yeah. I can. I want you to come back.”
“Are we done?” asked Simone. “I don’t want to hurry anyone’s emotional journey, but I left Star in charge of the catering, and I am fearful of what that means for all of us.”
Joe looked at Patrick. “This is your last chance to get rid of me,” he said.
Patrick screwed his face up but then cracked it into a smile. “Nah, we’re good. Let’s go.”
“Unless your mum kicks me to the curb as soon as we arrive.”
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we? For now, we need to get back to Rowan Thorp before Star decides it’s a good idea to put cannabis in the trifle,” Simone said.
The van roared to life. The weather outside was frightful, but inside, spirits were high despite the uncertainty waiting for them back in Rowan Thorp.
49
The early morning deliveries were still stacked up by the back door where they’d been left, and Maggie decided to take them in and stash them in the cold store, giving herself a minute to get her head in the game before she went to find her sisters.
She had just pulled the door shut when Duncan appeared behind her.
“Bloody hell, Duncan, I almost peed my pants!”
A closer look at his expression showed that he was distinctly shaken.