Page 113 of The Village of Lost and Found

His shoulders sagged. ‘Unfortunately what you saw wasn’t the whole picture,’ said Tom. ‘She kissed me. Not the other way around.’

Lucy crossed her arms in front of her. ‘You weren’t exactly pushing her away.’

‘Except that’s exactly what I did. Because I don’t love her.’

Lucy stared at him, wondering whether she could believe Tom’s words. Could she trust him? She didn’t know any more.

‘You’re trying to decide whether you can trust me,’ said Tom.

‘You don’t know me,’ said Lucy, in a sullen tone.

Tom smiled softly at her. ‘Yeah, I do. You know how I know? Because I would rather be with you than anyone else for any minute of every day. I hate it when you’re out of the office because I’m selfish and want you close to me. Even when you’re looking at me like I’m a crazy person like you are right now.’

She stood still, trying to take in his words.

‘When you told me just now that you didn’t need saving, you were right,’ he carried on. ‘The truth is that I’m the one that needed saving. And that’s exactly what you did. And I love you for that. In fact, I love you for many more reasons too.’ He stopped, suddenly looking unsure of himself. ‘Then again you’re actually silent for the first time ever, so there’s either a bull standing behind me or you think that I’m totally crazy. Which I am, by the way. But it’s you that’s making me this way. And I’ve never felt like this about anyone.’ He paused before adding, ‘You’re the one. My soulmate. And I can’t stop thinking about you.’

She caught her breath. ‘You can’t?’

‘Believe me, I’ve tried.’

‘You love me?’ she asked, wondering if she’d misheard as she stared at him in wonder. ‘Are you telling me this because you think we might get trampled to death out there?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m telling you all this because I love you and I can’t stand being close to you any more and not having you in my arms.’ He stopped and the only sound was of him breathing heavily as he tried to gather himself.

Lucy stared at him for a long time before she finally found her voice. ‘Tom,’ she said.

‘Yeah?’ He stared at her, unsure as to what her reaction was going to be.

‘Please kiss me.’

He sighed with relief and reached out to pull her close to him. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’

They both stepped forward at the same time and reached out to the other. Their lips met and Lucy knew that there was no one else for her. Never would be. It was a kiss of love and hope. The first kiss of many. She finally pulled back a little and smiled softly at him, stroking his face in wonder.

He looked down at her. ‘So I’m aware that you’ve barely said anything on the subject except asking me to kiss you, which was totally the right thing, by the way.’ He looked a little unsure of himself once more. ‘But am I to take it that you like me too?’

‘Of course I like you! I love you, you idiot!’ she told him, laughing. ‘I’m completely and utterly crazy about you. Why do you think I spent the whole night crying because I thought I’d lost you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.’

‘Thank God,’ he murmured, drawing her close. She could feel the thump of his heart through his wet T-shirt.

‘You are my best friend and the best person I’ve ever met,’ she told him. ‘I never want to be apart from you again.’

He smiled in relief as well before glancing down to where Keith had settled down next to them both. ‘Thank goodness for that,’ he said. ‘We can’t give Keith another broken home.’

‘You’re hopeless, you know that?’ She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer. ‘I’ve been falling for you ever since that first meeting when you asked if I was going to take my top off.’

His blue eyes softened as he smiled down at her. ‘For the record, I’m still hoping that might happen at some point,’ he said, with a glint in his eye.

‘For the record, so am I,’ she said, drawing his head closer so she could kiss him again.

Keith looked up at them for a moment, then, deciding that his future was secured, settled down once more to continue looking for crumbs from the sausage roll.

63

It was the best, most happiest Monday that Lucy had ever known.

Once the cows and bull had been rounded up, Lucy and Keith had gone back to Tom’s cottage to dry off and let the storm pass.