‘So is the Dream List on hold?’ Sam asked, one corner of his mouth creasing up.
‘It’s not. My dear best friend has helped me realise that if this is going to work, I need to find a way to balance being a standin parent with my own plans.’
‘So what’s next?’ Sam leant forwards, interested.
‘The biggest and scariest thing on the list.’
‘Bigger and scarier than camping alone in the forest?’ Sam looked impressed.
‘Yes.’ I took another swig of beer. ‘A party.’
‘Ah, I see.’ He nodded, eyes dancing. ‘I’m guessing you’ve never organised a party before?’
I shook my head. ‘I’ve hardly been to a party before. I don’t even know where to start.’
‘Start with what you imagined when you wrote the list. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?’
‘I’m not sure vodka jelly, a McFly CD and Harry Potter-themed fancy dress has really stood the test of time.’
‘Throw in some bacon Frazzles and I’m in.’
I eyed Sam over the top of my drink. ‘Who said you were invited?’
He gave me a pointed look in return, but his eyes were still sparkling. ‘At the risk of hurting your feelings, I’m not sure you’re in a position to be choosy.’
I screwed up my face. ‘You’re right. It’ll be ages before I know enough people to have a decent gathering. Which means the Dream List will just keep dragging on.’
Meaning that the No-Man Mandate would keep dragging on, too, of course.
‘That’s not true – I was making a stupid joke so you felt compelled to let me come.’ He adjusted position in the chair, face serious now. ‘Let’s make a list. You’ve got Leanne, and Joan. Me. What’s your best friend’s name?’
‘Steph, and she’ll bring her husband, Drew, and at least one of her brothers.’
Before we knew it, we’d scraped together enough names to definitely constitute a party. It wouldn’t be an epic bash, but there would be enough to fill the cottage nicely.
‘So, what else will you need? Any food or entertainment?’
I pointed my empty bottle at him. ‘Any other plans will be decided and arranged by me, alone, in accordance with the Dream List remit.’
‘Fair enough. If you did need any help, though, given everything else that’s going on…’
‘If I did need any help organising a small gathering, then I’m a failure at being in the big wide world on my own.’
Sam went completely still. He locked eyes with me across the table. ‘Look at you, Ollie. Look at all that you’re doing. Building an amazing charity. Taking in stray dogs and training them up into very good boys. Looking after a child while she goes through the toughest time. Going for fancy meals and to the theatre on your own. You are kicking the big wide world’s butt.’ The corner of his mouth tweaked up, and it was so gorgeous it was all I could do not to topple forwards into his lap. ‘The last time I organised a gathering, a random dog stole the chicken.’
We both started laughing, at precisely the moment the sun came out and Nesbit wandered over for a pet and in that moment, I could almost believe that what Sam said was true.
Joan and Pia arrived back a short while later.
‘Sam!’ Pia smirked. ‘How lovely to find you here.’
‘How was Mum?’ I asked Joan, but she had other things on her mind.
‘Who’s this man?’ she asked, face creased with suspicion. ‘Is he your boyfriend?’
‘Ooh, I hope so!’ Pia chirped.
‘No!’ I said immediately afterwards, loud enough to make Joan jump. ‘Sam made us these chairs.’
‘That doesn’t mean he’s not your boyfriend.’
‘Well, no, I suppose not. But me saying “no” does mean that.’
‘Then why have you gone all red and why is he smiling like a creepy clown?’ Joan fixed her steely gaze on Sam. ‘Do you want to be Ollie’s boyfriend? Is that why you made her the chairs?’
‘Joan!’ I couldn’t bear to look at him. ‘Sam is just a friend, so please drop it.’
‘Why don’t we let Sam answer the question?’ Pia said.
‘But I just want to know why he’s here and why he made you chairs. You don’t know what men are like, Ollie. They want to move in so they buy you things and act all nice and then once they’re there they start shouting and taking your money and making you cry.’
‘Oh, Joan, no!’ I got out of my chair and went to crouch next to her, holding her hands and looking her right in the eyes so she could see that I meant it. ‘Sam doesn’t want a girlfriend and I don’t want a boyfriend; we both like living on our own. Apart from you and Nesbit, of course. It makes us a perfect match to be friends.’ I ignored my heart’s squeak of protest. ‘I would never have a man come and stay while you’re here, unless you know and trust him. I’m not going to be fooled by someone like Archer, I promise.’
‘So he gave you the chairs as a friend?’ Joan wasn’t convinced.
‘Yes. Can you remember when Nesbit stole the chicken? That was Sam’s house. He showed me some chairs he made that were super-comfy, and offered to make me some.’
‘In return for what?’
‘Um…’
‘A fantastic meal and some beers,’ Sam chipped in. ‘But really, I love making the chairs; I don’t need anything in return. Oh – and Ollie is inviting me to her party.’
‘Is he a carpenter?’ Joan asked, still ignoring Sam.
‘He’s a ranger.’
Joan’s eyes went round as circles as she flipped to face him. ‘A Ranger? Like Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings?’
Sam’s grin was impossible to resist. ‘Almost. A forest ranger. I fight things like pollution and overgrown paths and fires, not orcs or goblins.’
Joan pulled her hands free and folded her arms. ‘Okay. You can be his friend. No kissing, though!’
‘Understood. No kissing.’ Sam nodded gravely.
‘Definitely no kissing,’ I agreed.
‘So, if you’re a ranger, will you help me find my grandparents?’ Joan asked, once Pia had left a few minutes later.
Sam glanced at me, as if checking whether it was okay to follow this line of conversation. I gave a small nod.
‘Are they lost in the forest?’
‘No!’ Joan squealed, laughing. ‘I don’t know where they are. Mum tries to pretend they don’t exist. But now she’s ill, I think she might need them.’
Sam looked thoughtful. ‘That’s not really something a forest ranger could do, but in my job before that I was a lawyer and sometimes had to find people, so yes, I will help, if Ollie says it’s okay.’
‘It is okay, as long as we start another day. You’ve had an exhausting week, Joan, and it’s already well past dinner time. Let’s arrange another time to speak to Sam about it, and tomorrow we can get all the information you have so far ready for him.’
‘I can come back tomorrow,’ Sam offered.
‘Really?’ I asked, surprised. ‘You don’t have to. We can wait a few days.’
‘It’s fine, I’d like to.’
‘Yes please!’ Joan looked thrilled.
We arranged for Sam to come in between lunchtime and the hospital visit, and he left us to a late dinner and early night. Not that either of us slept much, I suspected, given how much we were anticipating tomorrow’s detective session. I only hoped that neither of us would end up broken-hearted.
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