Page 114 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

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The afternoon of the album launch party was a lovely autumnal day.

Lily looked out of the barn, where a heavy dew glistened on the cobwebs strung across the nearby bushes. The leaves in the trees were beginning to turn gold and red, making the whole of the countryside a fiery display of colour.

‘It’s cold out there, though,’ said Sam, with a shiver. ‘We’ll need to get that bonfire and fire pit going early to keep warm.’

Annie rubbed her tummy as she sat down on a bale of straw. ‘Thankfully, the baby seems to be doing that all by him- or herself.’

‘Five days and counting,’ said Sam, giving her a kiss.

‘It’s too early for all that heterosexual stuff,’ said Alex, coming around the corner with a large box.

‘What’s that?’ asked Sam.

‘Cowboy hats,’ Alex told him. ‘And don’t ask how or where I got them from.’

‘As long as no cowboys were harmed in the process,’ drawled Will, who was banging some more nails into the stage nearby.

Alex cackled as he put down the box. ‘I wish!’ He looked around the barn and nodded approvingly. ‘This looks great.’

Lily followed his gaze and agreed with him.

Will and Jack had finished renovating the barn, but that was just the empty shell. Bunting in soft pastel colours had been strung across the beams, along with twinkling fairy lights. Balloons, also in pastel colours, had been tied to the beams.

Seating had arrived courtesy of a local farmer, who had loaned them some hay bales, on top of which Lily had ensured that there were a few rugs and checked cloths.

As it was a dry evening ahead, half had been placed around the barn and the other half outside. In addition, there were numerous wooden tables of varying sizes, all decorated with jam jars filled with tea lights, more fairy lights and checked tablecloths.

‘Very pretty,’ said Alex, giving Lily a nudge. ‘Well done.’

‘The decorations are all down to Skye. I just told her how many of each type.’

‘But the signposts were your idea, weren’t they?’ asked Alex.

Lily nodded. ‘But Skye decorated them.’

With such vast grounds, Lily had thought that various signs would be needed to direct the journalists and other partygoers who had been invited. Jack had discovered some old planks of wood, which he had nailed onto posts. Skye had then written neatly on each one which direction everyone was to head in.

Nearby, there were a couple of long tables onto which the cocktails would be served. The apple juice had been decanted into a vast number of jugs and vessels, in front of which were all the spirits and soft-drink mixers that would be required. Lily had asked Skye to write up some suggested cocktail menus for the apple drinks.

A barbeque was all ready to be lit and Lauren had spent most of the afternoon in the kitchen, baking fresh rolls and cutting up salad. Jacket potatoes were being warmed in the oven and would be wrapped up in tinfoil later and brought out to be served.

Lily checked her watch. There was about an hour and a half to go before everyone was due to arrive. Everything seemed to be ready, except one person was missing.

‘Where’s Jack?’ she asked, looking around.

‘He said something about more apples,’ said Will. ‘Went across to the shed, I think.’

Lily wondered whether he needed a hand and so headed across the back grounds towards the orchard. Sam was right about it being cooler, she thought, pulling her denim jacket around her a little tighter. She was wearing jeans and a V-neck jumper, and was hoping that would keep her warm enough later as the evening wore on.

She pushed open the gate to the orchard and went through. Bare of all their apples, the leaves on the trees were beginning to drop now. Looking around, she still couldn’t believe that they’d managed to pick so many apples in one day. Thanks to the harvest moon, she reminded herself.

She had almost reached the shed when the door suddenly opened and Jack appeared, holding a barrel.

‘Hey,’ she said. ‘I thought you might need a hand.’

‘Thanks, but I’ve got this,’ he told her.