Page 119 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

Lily watched the car disappear down the driveway, trying to take everything in that had happened. Willow Tree Hall was safe. Cranley was safe. And it was all down to Jack.

He had saved the village.

She stared out into the darkness. And he had saved her as well. How could she not have realised until that moment? He had saved her from an exploding shed. He had saved her home village. But, most of all, he had saved her from herself all those weeks ago.

Jack had pointed out that she had been too afraid to live her life.

And what had happened the previous night when he had told her that he loved her?

She had been afraid again.

But she did love him! She had always loved him.

Even the much hoped-for engagement hadn’t happened with Mark because she didn’t really love him. He wasn’t Jack. It had always been Jack.

She knew that she had hurt him so badly. And yet she had still not taken the last step in trusting him. In telling him how she truly felt.

Because she did love him. She loved him so much that she ached from it.

At that moment, she knew she had to tell him. She had to be brave.

Where had wild Lily gone? What would the old Lily have done in her shoes?

She glanced across at the small table in the entrance hall. Having drunk a couple of his own cocktails the previous evening, Jack had left his motorbike behind and caught a taxi home. The glint of the bike keys glistened under the light of the chandelier above.

Lily smiled to herself.

If she was going to start being brave, now was the time. Surely it couldn’t do any harm to be a little wild one more time?

So she picked up the motorbike keys and rushed outside.

48

Lily stood and stared down at the motorbike in front of her.

‘OMG,’ she muttered, mimicking Lauren’s favourite catchphrase.

She looked around her and realised that the moon was out, shining overhead like a beacon.

She had to be brave. She had to get on the scary bike, otherwise she was going to lose the real love of her life forever.

What if he was planning to go off around Europe again, like before? What if he left and never came back? She couldn’t bear it. She had to go and tell him how she felt.

She went over and swung her leg over the huge seat. It seemed enormous without Jack there to support her and guide her through everything. Her trembling hands fiddled with the key until it finally slid into the slot and she started the engine with a roar.

She had a bit of trouble kicking the stand away but after a couple of attempts she finally made it. Then, balancing the bike, which was pulsing underneath her, she took a deep breath.

‘Right hand is throttle,’ she told herself and began to rotate it towards her. The bike shuddered into life and she began to move across the driveway.

Squealing in panic, she tried to concentrate on keeping herself straight so that she wouldn’t fall off.

‘Come on,’ she told herself. ‘You can do this.’

The bike had picked up enough speed for it to squeal at her to change gears. She managed to change gear just the once and the bike protested and jolted so much that she decided she could do the whole journey in second gear.

Once out of the long driveway, she turned the bike onto the wide avenue and set off for his home.

Despite her nerves, inside she felt a little thrill of excitement. That taking a risk had been the right thing to do.