“See you soon!” Honey waved at her friends as she left the pub with Dane.

Outside, the sky was clear and stars twinkled like tiny diamonds set in ebony silk. The air was cool and fresh and after the bustle of The Red Fox, the peace and quiet was a relief.

“I’ll walk you home, shall I?” Dane asked.

“Okay.” She’d hoped he would anyway, or that he’d invite her to his cottage, but she had tried not to lead him; she wanted him to decide for himself.

They walked side by side and Dane talked about what a great time he’d had and how excited he was about the coming term. When they reached Honey’s street, he walked her up her path and waited while she unlocked the front door.

The heat rushed out as she swung the door open; it was cosy and inviting inside.

“Are you coming in?” she asked, trying not to meet his eyes in case he felt pressurised in any way.

“Uh… I have to be honest, Honey, I’m completely beat. It’s been a tough week.”

She swallowed her disappointment.

“Of course it has. You need to rest this weekend.”

“I wish! I have so much to do now… preparing for the new term and all that, plus…” He sighed. “Honey, I have to go away over Easter. I was hoping to spend some time with you but I’ve been offered an opportunity… There’s a pioneering school in Wales that has developed new teaching and learning strategies and the head teacher asked me to go on the residential course they’re running.”

“On your own?”

“No, with some of the other staff.”

“For two whole weeks?”

He nodded.

“Some of my colleagues can’t go for the full course as they have families, but as I… uh… don’t have any commitments as such, and seeing as how I’ve just got the job, I didn’t like to say no. Besides, it’s a fantastic opportunity to check out what other schools are doing and to share good practice.”

Honey held his gaze, and seeing the excitement there, she knew that she couldn’t ruin it for him.

“It sounds amazing, Dane, and you should go for it.”

“We could spend some time together this week if you like?”

“Aren’t you working?”

“Well, yes, but in the evenings.”

“Right… yes, okay. Now go and get some rest.”

She leant forwards and kissed him on the cheek before turning and heading inside.

“Good night, Dane. Good luck getting your work done over the weekend. I’ll see you at some point in the week.”

He stared at her for a few moments in silence, and Honey wondered what he was thinking. Had she blown it by pulling away from him before? Even though Dane would be staying in the village now, it seemed that just weren’t destined to spend more time together. Hard as it might be, perhaps she needed to put this behind her and move on. Dane was going to be very busy over the next few months and perhaps there was no room in his life for Honey or for love.

Keeping busy over the next week kept Honey from going over what had gone wrong between her and Dane. She’d definitely developed feelings for him but gone through a variety of ups and downs as she’d tried to understand how to deal with those feelings. Yes, she physically desired Dane and she enjoyed his company, but she knew she’d held back because of old fears that she’d never really dealt with. Add to that Dane’s workload, and his desire to secure a teaching position in Heatherlea, and things between them had just seemed to fizzle out. It was possible that her own lack of certainty about what she could offer to a relationship had dampened Dane’s desire for her but it could also be that he hadn’t actually liked her enough to fight for her in the first place.

Whatever it was, she had to get on with her life and spending long days in her studio painting and making unicorns, mermaids and pretty pots had helped her. She’d played her music loud, drunk plenty of herbal tea and focused on her art in its various forms. When her muscles had ached and her stomach grumbled, she’d gone inside and spent time on yoga and in the bath, as well as eating plenty of chocolate, and tried to ignore the messages that made her mobile buzz.

Tuesday at the café had been a quiet affair with just her, Allie and Camilla, and they’d spent most of the evening discussing possibilities for the Easter Sunday party at The Cosy Cottage Café. When Honey had allowed herself to read Dane’s messages, they’d been polite enquiries about how her week was going and nothing more, so she’d sent one reply, telling him she was deep into an art project and would speak to him soon.

On the Saturday morning, when she knew he was leaving for Wales, she considered popping round to his cottage but then thought it would be better if she didn’t. He would be busy getting ready and she didn’t want to get in the way, so she donned her old dungarees and flip-flops and headed down to her studio, where she turned her music up loud and carried on with her work in progress.

Two hours later, she was singing along to eighties hits when a loud knock at the studio door made her jump.

She turned the volume on the music down and shouted, “Come in!”

Dane’s large frame filled the doorway. His indigo jeans and light grey shirt emphasised his broad shoulders and muscular arms. He was clean-shaven and his dark hair was shorter than usual. “Sorry if I startled you but I tried ringing and I kept getting your voicemail. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

“Oh…” Honey was suddenly conscious of the state of her dungarees with their paint splatters and torn knees, and her unwashed hair that she’d pushed behind her ears. “Uh… excuse the state of me. I wasn’t expecting company.”

“You look amazing.” He smiled cautiously but his eyes twinkled.

“Ha ha! Yes, I bet I smell amazing too.” She clamped her arms to her sides, not wanting him to catch a whiff of her sweat. The studio got warm through the day and Honey hadn’t showered that morning, intending on having a long hot bath when she’d finished.

“Even the paint on your cheek suits you.” He stepped closer and brushed the spot with his thumb. Her nerve endings fired at his proximity and his touch, but she kept her arms pressed to her sides, afraid now that she would throw herself into his embrace if he touched her again.

“Well, have a good time. I hope it’s a great course.”

She held out a hand awkwardly and Dane stared down at it.

“You want to shake hands?” He frowned.

She nodded, so he took her hand and shook it woodenly, as if they were nothing more than acquaintances.

“Look…” He met her eyes and something burned in his. “I know that we had something between us and I also know that I might have blown a bit hot and cold towards you, and for that I’m really sorry. I’ve had… it’s no excuse, but I’ve had a lot on my mind. Add to that the fact that I wasn’t always sure what it was that you wanted from me, and it’s been a bit of a rocky time emotionally. However… I like you… I more than like you, and I’d like to think that you have feelings for me that stem beyond shaking hands.” When Honey didn’t respond, he continued, “Do you?”

“I do.” Her voice was croaky, her mouth and throat suddenly dry.

“Okay. That’s good. It’s a starting point.” He offered a shy smile. “I have to go now but when I return, I think we need to talk. Properly. No holds barred, about what it is we want. If we left things like this and never spoke about it then I’d have regrets.”

“So would I.”

He opened his arms and Honey stepped into them, pressing her face against his hard chest. He smelt so good, like ginger and citrus, and underneath it was the scent of man that made Honey’s heart pound against her ribs.

“I’ll keep in touch but I should be back two weeks today. Have a think about how you feel and what you want, Honey. We’ve both been to blame for not being open about our feelings. Relationships aren’t straightforward and people come with baggage, but I’m hoping we can work through ours… together.”

“Dane, I—”

“No… please, don’t tell me now. It’ll be too much of a rush and make it harder to leave than it already is. Let’s talk when I get back. I have to go or I’ll miss the bus and make the head teacher mad if I’m late.” He grimaced.

“That wouldn’t be a good start.”

“No.” He raised her chin and pressed his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss but one that made Honey’s heart lift because she felt a connection in his touch, as if a kiss could convey what words couldn’t.

“Before I go…”

“Yes?”

“I love the work you’ve been doing here.” He gestured at the rows of unicorns and mermaids set out on the shelving units and workbench in various stages of production. “It looks like you’re working on a large order.”

She smiled. ‘Something like that.”

“Good for you. You’re very talented and it’s wonderful to see that the public will be able to appreciate your work.”

“Thanks. It’s quite a recent development but also very exciting.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You were busy and I was busy and it never seemed to be the right time.”

He shook his head. “I should always have made time for you. I am here for you, Honey.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“Speak to you soon.”

He walked to the door and Honey raised a hand in farewell. She hated to see him go, but would cling to the fact that he’d be back. Two weeks would feel like a lifetime, but she had her work, her chickens, her friends and the Easter party to help with, so she’d be busy, as would Dane. Then he’d return to Heatherlea and they would talk. The thought made her anxious, as opening up like that was a huge risk, but if she didn’t, she would likely lose Dane forever.

So she would tell him everything; it was a risk she was willing to take.