#ettc

Amelia struggled to open her eyes the next morning. Even with the black out blind that was ever so thankful to have in her room, it was still too bright. The small knock at her door caused her to scrunch her eyes and lift her hand to her head, rubbing gentle circles into her temples. 

It took absolutely everything in her power to stand up from the bed. Her entire body ached with every tiny step she took to the door. She could hardly keep her head up in place, the pain was coursing through it making her want to climb back into bed and never get back out again. Exhaustion was an understatement. 

As she pulled back the door of her room, she was overcome with a type of annoyance that she wouldn’t ever be able to describe. There was nobody standing waiting to talk to her like she had been expecting, and it wasn’t until she checked that the doorway was clear before closing the door that she saw the tray on the floor. 

She bent down to get it which sent her dizzy and she regretted drinking the wine the night before. She slowly made her way back into the bedroom and winced when the door slammed shut a little harder than she had expected. When she’d managed to put the tray on the desk which sat under the window, she had to close her eyes and grip onto the back of the chair to steady herself. 

Nauseous wasn’t a word that she could describe how she felt. Add to that the way that her head was so heavy she swore that it would physically split open and she had the recipe for the worst hangover she could imagine. 

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes again was the note that sat at the front of the tray, her name written so neatly on the front with a line underneath it and a tiny little heart. It was the lightest note but it felt like a brick in her hand. 

Amelia, 

I thought you might appreciate some bits to help cure the hangover that you’re more than likely sporting. There should be a few bottles of water, a bottle of pink lucozade (at room temperature because that’s the best way to have it), a selection of painkillers so you can choose which ones you’d prefer, some anti-sickness tablets, an eye mask in case you need to take a nap and some forehead patches to help your headache. 

I’ll be downstairs pretty much all day so let me know if you need anything. I’ll leave my number on the other side so you can text me and I will hand deliver it to your room. 

Love, 

Taron x

Amelia smiled to herself and bit her bottom lip as she let out a small chuckle which hurt her head even more. She hadn’t known Taron a full day and he was already the sweetest man she’d ever met. He was so considerate, and generous for that matter. As she read the note one more time, she checked everything on the tray. 

Lo and behold, at the other side of the paper sat a phone number. She grabbed her phone and added Taron to her contacts before sending him a quick text. 

To: Taron :) 

Thank you x

She threw her phone onto the bed and twisted open a bottle of water. One wasn’t enough though. Neither was two. In fact, three bottles of water wasn’t enough to quench her thirst. Just as she’d finished her fourth bottle of water and started on the Lucozade, her phone pinged from the bed. 

From: Taron :) 

You’re welcome. Get some rest, yeah? X 

To: Taron :) 

I will, thank you. I apologise for anything embarrassing I may have said to you last night x

From: Taron :) 

Don’t sweat it x

With his final text, Amelia locked her phone and got herself comfortable in bed again. Her head was still heavy and she still felt like she could have thrown up at any given moment, but she felt a tad better after her drinks. She didn’t stay comfortable for too long. The pain from needing a wee had grown too much and she had no choice but to drag herself out of bed and toward the en-suite. 

She had a wee and moved to wash her hands, finally looking at herself in the mirror for the first time that day. Mascara was smudged under her eyes and the foundation she had been wearing the night before was patchy on her skin. Her hair was messy and she felt horrendous. But, she had no effort to clean herself up so she walked back to the bed, put on the eye mask that Taron had left for her and tried to get some more sleep. 

****** 

Later on in the day, Amelia was still feeling terrible and didn’t want anything to eat, but decided to head out to get some fresh air. She cleaned her face and put her hair in a ponytail, threw on a pair of her joggers and an oversized hoodie and headed out on a walk through the village. It was already dark out, winter well and truly on its way, but the streets were lit brightly with streetlights. Amelia didn’t know where she was walking to, or how long she would be out. All she knew was that she needed to get out of her room or she would go crazy. 

She passed all of the places Kaine had told her about the night before, including the coffee shop which made her sick to her stomach thinking about it. There were a few people walking into the pub, clearly a tad drunk already with the way they stumbled through the door. Amelia could hear the faint sounds of chatter coming from the pub and she hoped that Kaine wasn’t having a shift like he said he’d had the night before. 

Kaine was handsome, she would give him that, but he wasn’t as gorgeous as Taron. Taron’s hair looked incredibly soft, and his eyes were so vividly green that Amelia swore she could look at them for the rest of her life and have no more worries. Sure, Kaine was slightly broader than Taron, but Taron looked so cuddly and muscular at the same time. He looked warm and inviting. 

The few times that she’d been around Taron, Amelia had noticed the way he smelt. The most beautiful scent she’d ever breathed and she didn’t want to smell anyone else ever again. Everything about him clouded her vision and left her lightheaded and gasping for breath. So much so that she’d not been paying attention to where she was walking and happened to bump into someone. 

‘Ouch,’ she mumbled as she straightened up, lifting her eyes from the ground to the person she had stumbled into. 

‘So you ventured out into the wild, did you?’ Taron’s voice melted her insides. It was so smooth yet so rugged that she didn’t know how to describe it. All she knew was that it was perfect. 

‘I still feel like shit,’ she started, pulling the sleeves of her hoodie over her hands, ‘but I needed some air. I hate being cooped up all day. Plus, I thought it would be quiet and I could enjoy some time alone.’ 

Taron lifted his head in acknowledgment, completely understanding where she was coming from. He had, on occasion, taken himself for a walk around the village during the night when he couldn’t sleep. Of course, it wasn’t the same situation that Amelia was in, but he still understood. 

‘Thank you, again, for the tray this morning.’ 

‘Really, it was no problem,’ Taron replied softly. He was aware that Amelia’s head was probably still a little fragile. ‘You’ve kept hydrating today, yeah?’ 

Amelia nodded, a smile evident on her face. Taron was so thoughtful and she had absolutely no idea how someone could treat her so amazingly after everything that the media made her out to be. She was sure that Taron would have seen some of the things said about her, but he did a damned good job at not showing it if he had. 

‘Good. The pink Lucozade was a complete gamble, and it was Autumn who told me about it. Normally I just down a pint but I didn’t want to give you alcohol so the Lucozade-’

‘-is my usual hangover cure. Thank you.’ Her words were soft and she held a small smile despite feeling like a zombie. ‘Do you have the time on you at all? I’m stupid and forgot my phone in my room which means I’m also going to have to attempt to navigate my way back to the bed and breakfast without a map.’ 

Taron pulled his phone out of his coat pocket and pressed the lock button. ‘It’s coming up to nine. I’ll walk you back to the bed and breakfast. It’s on my way back home and I wouldn’t want you to get lost.’ 

Amelia smiled happily and turned around so that she could walk by Taron’s side. The cold chill of the night was starting to take its toll on her and she hugged herself to try and warm herself up. Though the thin material of her hoodie wasn’t enough to do anything for her. Taron could see her starting to shiver from his side and only a couple seconds later, he started to remove his coat. 

He held it out for her, watching as she shook her head. ‘I can’t possibly. You’ll catch your death if you don’t wear that!’ 

‘Amelia, you’re out here wearing nothing but a hoodie. I promise I’ll be okay until we get back to the bed and breakfast. I’ve got my hat and scarf to keep me warm for now anyway.’ 

Amelia took the coat reluctantly, putting her arms through and holding it closed at her front. It drowned her. She resembled an ant covered by a leaf, but at least she was warm. Taron’s scent enveloped her. It was musky and sweet all at the same time. Even being wrapped in it for a few seconds, she felt more safe and protected than she had in a long time. It was like a warm hug. A hug that she had been needing. 

‘Thank you,’ she mumbled as they continued their walk. ‘Thank you for the food recommendation last night. By far the best pub grub I’ve had in a long while.’

‘You’re more than welcome. Mrs Tilson makes some of the best food, honestly.’ 

‘It was heavenly.’ She was taken back to the night before when she ate some of the best food she’d ever had. ‘I’ll definitely be going back. Great service and great people.’ 

Taron nodded. ‘Yeah. I saw you were walking back with Kaine. Sound bloke, huh?’ 

‘Oh definitely!’ Amelia said happily. ‘Shame I didn’t get to exchange numbers with him, to be honest.’ 

‘Yeah.’ Taron’s response was drawn out. He regretted bringing Kaine up. 

Taron and Kaine had been friends during school, but grew apart when Kaine moved to uni and made new friends. Their lifestyles were different and they understood. They remained friendly and would talk if they saw one another, but they weren’t necessarily ‘friends’ anymore. 

‘How are you finding the weather?’ Taron asked awkwardly, hoping that Amelia couldn’t pick up on it- though she more than likely had. 

‘It’s a lot colder than I was expecting. I’m used to winter in LA at this point. I only really come home for Christmas, so this is a lot different.’ 

‘Is LA nice this time of year?’ 

Taron nudged Amelia to the left so that they could take what Amelia had assumed to be a shortcut back to the bed and breakfast. Though really, Taron was walking back the long way. He wanted to spend as much time with Amelia as he could. He wanted to get to know her, the real her. Not the media’s perception of her. 

‘It’s not too bad,’ she answered after a little bit. ‘I would much rather be back home during the festive period though. Nothing quite beats the Chester Christmas market.’ 

Amelia sighed slowly, needing a minute to compose herself. Whenever she thought back to the times when she was at home all the time with her family, she found herself getting teary. Leaving home to pursue her passion had been a hard choice, even though completely worth it. 

‘I’ve never been to the Chester one,’ Taron uttered. ‘I’ll have to go one day.’ 

‘You should,’ Amelia said through a sniffle, putting on a smile as she turned back to Taron. ‘It’s the best when you’re wrapped up and you go with someone else. I’ll let you know if I’m there next year and you’ll have to come with me.’ 

‘It’s a date…plan. It’s a plan.’ 

The bed and breakfast came into view not long after, and Amelia’s heart dropped a tiny bit at the thought of having to say goodbye to Taron. There was something about being in his presence that eased all of her anxiety and stress. She’d only known him for a day but she was drawn to him. 

‘It’s a date.’ 

Taron turned to her with a gentle smile, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as they walked up to the gate at the bottom of the path. Amelia pulled the coat away from her body and handed it back to Taron. Electricity shot through her finger and up her arm when her skin grazed his. 

‘Thank you for the coat.’

‘It was no bother. Lovely seeing you again, love.’ 

There it was again. The name that left her heart soaring and made her knees grow weak. 

‘Likewise. I’ll see you around, Taron.’ 

Taron nodded, letting her walk through the gate and waiting until she got inside the door before turning and walking home himself. The entire walk home, Amelia was on his mind. From the way she talked to the way she moved. Everything about her was magnetic, and he would be damned if he didn’t get to become at least one of her good friends. If only it weren’t for Kaine, maybe he’d had a shot at being with her fully. 

****** 

Amelia’s first few days in Rivercliffe had been spent getting to know the village, and the people who were around her the most. Autumn and Sada were in the coffee shop when Amelia turned up one day so they took her for the ‘grand tour’ of the village, which lasted all of ten minutes so they headed back to the coffee shop for another drink. 

They sat in the far corner of the place, Sada and Amelia taking the sofa and Amelia perching on an arm chair across from them. There were only a few other tables in the shop, most of them being occupied by older couples. At the very back of the room was the counter which only one person staffed. There was a cake fridge and sandwiches sitting to the right of the counter and the back wall had price lists that were brightly lit. 

The girls asked Amelia about her life and the things she had gotten up to, and Amelia asked them about life in Rivercliffe and what it was like at other times of the year. When the subject of men came up, Amelia wished the ground to swallow her up. She hated talking about men and even more so when the majority of her relationships, or rumoured relationships at least, were plastered over every newspaper and magazine known to man. 

‘Spencer just gets on my tits constantly,’ Autumn muttered as she picked her latte up to take a sip. 

‘How so?’ Amelia asked quietly. 

‘He’s obsessed with you, for starters.’ Autumn clapped her hand over her mouth as soon as the words left her, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping that Amelia hadn’t heard what she’d said. When she was brave enough to peel one eye open, Amelia was already staring back at her with her lips pulled into her mouth. ‘Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just blurt that.’ 

‘You’re such an idiot,’ Sada piped up, rolling her eyes and offering Amelia an apologetic smile. 

‘It’s fine. Might sound big-headed of me but I’m used to guys being obsessed with me. And women too. Comes with the job, I guess.’ 

The three fell into a short silence. Amelia stood up to walk to the counter to order another tea. Lord knew she needed it after finding out the man she thought was being welcoming to ease her into the stay could potentially have only been that way because he was a fan. She didn’t have time to dwell on it too much, for Sada came to stand next to her, resting her hand on Amelia’s shoulder while offering her a smile. 

‘I’m sorry. She was so stupid back there. Sometimes she says stuff she doesn’t mean and-’ 

‘It’s alright, honestly. Just caught me off guard is all.’ 

Sada nodded, ordering herself another latte before turning her attention back to the woman next to her. ‘She’s known for that. Doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut. I like to call it foot in mouth syndrome.’ 

‘I know a couple of people like that,’ Amelia chuckled lightly to herself. She stirred two sugars into her tea before taking a sup. ‘You’d think I’d be used to it by now, after doing this for nearly ten years.’ 

‘Ten years?’ Sada asked in surprise. Amelia nodded with a sigh. 

‘Ten whole years. It doesn’t feel like it’s been so long but I think that’s because I really love it.’ 

‘Time really does fly when you’re having fun.’ Sada’s comment was but a quiet whisper, but Amelia nodded with her. 

For as long as she could remember, Amelia had wanted to act, loving the way that she could transform herself into endless different people without ever having to change herself. She felt privileged to have had the opportunity to be a part of so many amazing films that had become so many different people’s favourite. The films that she’d been in varied from those suitable for children to action and thriller films. 

‘It does indeed,’ she responded as they walked back to the table. ‘So, Sada, are there any men in your life?’ 

‘Ummm, there’s a Noelani?’ Sada smiled before grabbing her phone and showing Amelia her wallpaper. 

‘Oh shit, sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed that you were…she’s gorgeous.’ 

‘It’s okay. I don’t exactly scream gay.’ Sada motioned her hands down her body, showing off her flowy dress. She was dressed the most feminine out of the three girls, with Autumn wearing jeans and a band tee, and Amelia in a pair of tapered pin-stripe trousers and black t-shirt tucked into them. 

‘I’m still sorry,’ Amelia spoke honestly. ‘I know it’s not nice when people just assume your sexuality.’ 

‘What about you, Amelia? Is there anyone in your life at the minute?’

Amelia shook her head, potentially a little too quickly. She tried not to be too open about her love life, worried that it would be leaked into the press somehow. But she trusted Autumn and Sada, even if she had known them only a short while. They made her feel welcomed and treated her like a regular human who was just taking a holiday in their village. 

‘No one in my life. Not that I don’t want there to be.’ Amelia stirred her tea absentmindedly, not really needing to stir it at all. 

‘Weren't you seeing Henry Cavill recently?’ Autumn questioned. Amelia expelled a breath. She should have known that the question was coming but she wasn’t prepared to have to answer it. ‘Sorry, that was stupid.’ 

‘Henry Cavill?’ Sada sputtered. ‘Isn’t he almost 40?’ 

Amelia nodded, chuckling to herself. ‘Thought I needed to find myself a man after dating so many boys. Turns out even the ones you think are amazing don’t end up being that way.’ 

‘What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.’ Sada was always careful with what she said and Amelia was thankful. ‘Obviously you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to or feel uncomfortable in any way.’ 

‘No, it’s fine. We’re both in very different stages of our lives and the things we wanted just didn’t add up anymore. He’s so lovely and he holds a large chunk of my heart but we just weren’t meant to be.’ 

‘So very grown up of you,’ Sada responded. 

‘Also means that it has become my mission to get her laid before she leaves,’ Autumn added, earning an eye roll from Sada and a guffaw from Amelia. ‘What? A girl deserves to get some just as much as a guy does. And there are plenty of hot men in the village. You’re just not allowed to sleep with Spencer.’

‘I wouldn’t ever dream of it,’ Amelia said with a laugh. 

‘Wait, so you’ll let me get you laid?’ 

‘I never said yes!’ 

‘You never said no either, so I’ll take it!’ 

****** 

The pub had become Amelia’s go-to for tea, and she’d grown really close to Kaine in the time she’d spent with him. If he wasn’t working, she wouldn’t order food until he got there because she knew that she could trust him to order it correctly. Mrs Tilson had made her numerous meals, going as far as making whatever it was that she so desired each night. At some point, she was told that she wasn’t to pay for her food anymore because it felt wrong taking money from her when she had become such a good friend to everyone. 

Of course, she couldn’t just eat food and not pay for it so she started to leave large tips that would cover the cost of the food. That night, as she waited for Kaine to start his shift, she reluctantly ordered herself a single glass of wine and sat herself in the corner of the pub away from everyone else. Her phone buzzed in her hand and she smiled at the text that had come through. 

From: Haz :) 

How’s the middle of nowhere treating you, Snookums? X 

Amelia laughed at the nickname her best friend had given her and she shook her head and sipped her wine. She made a promise to herself that she would limit herself to two glasses and then she had to drink water instead. 

To: Haz :) 

It’s actually really good…unlike that bloody nickname! You would love it. Super serene and you can walk around without being noticed which makes a lovely change x 

From: Haz :) 

The nickname stays. Unlike you there! I miss you already x 

From: Haz :) 

But I’ll have to go on a getaway there sometime. Do you recommend the place you’re staying? X 

To: Haz :) 

I hate you so much omg. I highly recommend Rivercliffe. Lovely B&B, beautiful food and amazing food too. I wish you were here honestly. Would be nice to have a friend from ‘home’ here with me x 

‘Evening,’ Kaine offered as he walked past her and toward the bar so he could start his shift. 

‘Hi, Kaine. How’s your day been?’ 

‘Long and tedious. I had to cancel my date day with Thalia so that I could help out at the wildlife park. I’ve been there all day in the freezing cold.’ Kaine shrugged his coat from his shoulders and got to work turning his till on. 

From: Haz :) 

I wish I could be too! It’s been too long since you got to feast your eyes on my perfect ass. I bet they’re hungry x 

Amelia burst into giggles, not seeing the way Kaine looked at her when she did. When she looked at him, Kaine looked offended and Amelia felt awful. 

‘I wasn’t laughing at you, I swear. Harry just sent me a stupid text and it made me laugh. I’m so sorry you’d have a shitty day. Is there anything I can do to help?’ 

‘Harry? As in Styles? Eros, the brother of Thanos, Jack in that new Don’t Worry Darling film? That Harry?’ 

Amelia nodded with a breathy chuckle. ‘That’s the one. He’s the biggest nightmare to roam the Earth, I swear to you. But he’s such a good friend. We’re not talking about Harry though. We’re talking about you.’ 

‘There’s not much to talk about. Thalia is pissed off at me for cancelling our day but I couldn’t help it. One of the giraffes got ill so I had to go help out.’ 

‘If she’s pissed, buy her a Milk Tray and take her a 2004 chick flick to watch. You’ll be in her good books then.’ Kaine raised his eyebrows at Amelia, wondering how she knew what would calm Thalia down. ‘We had our fair share of spats when we were younger. The way to her heart is a chick flick and chocolate, trust me.’ 

Kaine nodded, typing the advice into his notes app before blowing into his hands in an attempt to warm them up. He was cold after spending the day outside and couldn’t get warm for the life of him. The black knitted jumper he wore didn’t seem to be doing much to raise his body temperature so Amelia moved her hands forward and grabbed a hold of his. His skin was cold but so incredibly soft against her and she could feel him start to warm up when she rubbed them. 

‘You know, I still find it strange that you and Thalia used to go to school together,’ he commented, appreciating the help to warm up. When Amelia found out about Kaine’s girlfriend, she probed about her more and found out that she was the same Thalia she’d been to school with. 

‘She was the best. She still still is the best friend I’ve ever had. She didn’t let any of my work change the way she felt about me which was lovely.’ 

Amelia pulled her hands away from Kaine’s when she saw Taron walk into the pub. His eyes immediately on the two people at the bar and he felt his heart sink to his chest. First he had to see them talking back to the B&B together when Amelia was drunk and then he saw them holding hands in the middle of the pub. He could feel his chances with her dwindling with each passing day. 

‘Taron, how are you mate?’ Kaine offered when Taron got close to them. 

‘Not too bad, thanks. Is everything okay with the giraffes now?’ 

Kaine nodded and stood up properly. ‘Yeah they’re good now. Fancy a drink?’ 

‘I’ll have a Southern Comfort and Coke, please.’ 

‘Ooh, make me one while you’re at it, please. I’ll have Diet Coke though,’ Amelia chimed in, lifting her glass of wine to her lips and downing the rest of it in one. Taron and Kaine stared at her with open mouths and she glanced between them. ‘Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t know how to down a drink. I went to university, I know how to drink.’ 

‘I’m floored,’ Kaine chuckled while Taron stared at Amelia in awe, ‘but two South Comforts and Coke coming up.’ 

‘Pop them on my tab,’ Amelia said. ‘They’re on me.’ 

Taron finally pulled himself back to reality and shook his head doing a double take. ‘I can’t let you pay. I’ll buy them.’ 

‘Taron, you’ve already given me a box of Yorkshire tea so I won't run out and you gave me the hangover basket. This is the least I can do.’ 

Amelia rested her hand on top of Taron’s which was sitting on top of the bar. His skin was warm and soft under her hand despite him having been outside in the bitter cold. He flicked his eyes from their hands up to her eyes, smiling gently and swiftly licking his bottom lip. He was totally in awe of the girl in front of him. 

Her hair fell just below her shoulders, the end of it a lighter brown than the roots. She wore a simple outfit, a pair of black jeans, a black jumper and her Vans. her jacket hung over the back of her chair along with her small handbag, and Taron found himself unable to not stare at the beautiful woman. 

‘Your drinks, with a little extra alcohol in them.’ Kaine slid the drinks in front of Taron and Amelia before wiping his hands. ‘Thanks for the film and chocolate advice, Amelia.’ 

‘No problem.’ 

With that, Kaine was off to serve other customers, leaving Taron and Amelia on their own to talk. It was slightly awkward, neither of them knowing what to talk about. It was only made worse when they both started talking at the same time. 

‘So, is the bed and breakfast your only job?’ 

‘How are you finding Rivercliffe so far?’ 

Amelia chuckled, motioning with her hand for Taron to talk first. Though Taron being Taron, he motioned for her to talk first. They both chuckled. 

‘You know, you two are never going to have a conversation if you’re like this all the time,’ an elderly man near him said loudly. ‘How about the girl talks first? Her voice is pretty after all.’ 

Taron noticed Amelia grow uncomfortable with the man so he suggested that they move to a booth close to the back where it would be a little quieter. Amelia agreed instantly, grabbing her jacket and bag before following him. As she walked, she paid attention to the bounce of his hair as he walked, and the way his top rose a little to show his hips. 

‘Amelia?’ 

Her head snapped up and she was met with Taron’s stare. ‘Yeah, sorry you were saying?’ 

‘Is this booth alright?’ Amelia nodded without checking the seat, plonking herself down on the tattered brown leather. ‘I’m going to go grab another drink, would you like anything?’ 

‘I’ll come and get one, it’s okay.’ 

Taron lifted his eyebrows in a way that could only say ‘don’t you even think about it’, and Amelia sank back into the seat with an amused grin. She thought for a minute trying to decide what she wanted to drink, not being able to decide between a glass of the house red of the day or another Southern Comfort. 

‘Surprise me,’ she said eventually, watching Taron as he nodded and walked away. 

When he returned, he held two glasses of what she could only assume to be another Southern Comfort. Before the one she drank when Taron first turned up, she’d only ever had one before but she could tell why he’d chosen it. As soon as the alcohol hit her throat, she felt warm from the inside. It took her a few sips to get back into it, but once she was, she knew that she would have a hard time ordering more. 

‘You’re an angel, thank you,’ she said slowly as Taron sat down and slid a glass to her. 

‘It’s no big deal,’ he said before taking a sip of his drink. ‘So, as I was saying before we were interrupted by Terry, how are you finding Rivercliffe so far?’ 

‘It’s like living in a fairytale,’ she said enthusiastically. ‘I went for a walk around the meadow yesterday and all the leaves have fallen from the trees and it was so pretty. I love wading through leaves at this time of year. And just walking around the village itself is everything I never knew I needed.’ 

Taron stayed quiet as she talked, his eyes trained on her the entire time. She was beautiful, a true goddess and he was beyond thankful that he got to be a part of her life. Even if it was just for a short while. He kept eye contact the entire time, wanting her to know that he was really listening to every word she was saying. 

‘How long have you lived here?’ Taron loved her soft Mancunian accent which held a hint of something else. ‘You seem like a proper local.’ 

‘Pretty much my entire life. I moved from Wales when I was four but this is all I can remember so it’s like it’s been home my entire life.’ 

Amelia was just as in love with Taron’s accent as he was hers. He spoke slowly, a lot slower than anyone she’d met before. Every syllable falling so effortlessly from his lips. She truly heard every word that he said to her, and she knew that she would do whatever he asked simply because she was entranced by his voice. Like he was a siren beckoning her. 

‘How long have you worked at the bed and breakfast?’ She didn’t want to probe into Taron’s life but she wanted to get to know him, and to find a topic of conversation for them both to delve into. 

Taron took another sip of his drink, taking a little too much and almost choking on the alcohol. ‘Since I was 16. I started working every Saturday to earn a bit of money for myself and I used to just clean the tables in the dining room. But as I got older, the owners decided to give me a more permanent position. Most of the time I’m doing paperwork in the back office or working on the front desk.’ 

‘So if you’ve been working there since you were 16, how long is that exactly?’ 

‘Oh shit,’ Taron chuckled. ‘Almost 15 years.’ 

He could see Amelia doing the calculations in her head. ‘30,’ she whispered to herself. 

‘30,’ Taron reiterated. ‘How about you? How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?’ 

‘I don’t mind,’ she grinned. ‘I’m a few months off of 30.’ 

A silence enveloped them. But it wasn’t a comfortable silence in the slightest. Neither of them knew what to say, too scared to make a fool of themselves. Even though they knew that they were friends. Neither of them knew the other’s relationship status, and they were too petrified to ask in case it wasn’t the answer they wanted to hear. 

Taron opted to finish his drink completely when Amelia’s phone buzzed on the table in front of her. 

From: Haz :) 

Die you die on me? ;) x

Amelia read the text message he’d sent before once more, chuckling the same as she had the first time. Taron watched her in silence, seeing the way her eyes lit up as the soft laugh left her. She was truly mesmerising. 

To: Haz :) 

Lmao, fuck off Haz. I don’t bloody know how I put up with you sometimes x 

From: Haz :) 

You married me and I didn’t see you complaining! X 

To: Haz :) 

Haha, yeah don’t remind me. How’s promo going? X 

From: Haz :) 

Good! Not the same without my little mini sidekick though. Let’s audition together soon!! X 

Taron coughed quietly, the last bit of his drink having burned his throat more than it had before. Amelia dropped her phone to the table again, moving her attention back to the man in front of her. 

‘Sorry, it’s rude of me to have been on my phone.’ 

‘Don’t sweat it, we all get texts.’ Taron sounded genuine, his smile matching his words. ‘Listen, I should probably be headed home. It’s getting late and I’ve got a shift at the wildlife park tomorrow.’

Amelia nodded, scared that he was only leaving because she’d been too busy texting Harry to pay attention to the man in front of her. ‘You work at the wildlife park too?’ 

‘Yeah, that’s my main job. I work with the rhinos.’ 

‘That sounds…fun? I’ll let you get off, anyway. It was nice talking to you, Taron.’ 

‘You too, love.’ 

There it was again. The pet name that had her heart fluttering in her chest. 

Taron stood up with a smile, grabbing his coat from next to himself and putting it on. With one final nod and a small wave, he was heading off, leaving Amelia on her own…again. 

******

Recent history repeated itself the following morning. Amelia woke up feeling a little worse for wear after her evening of drinking with Taron at the pub. Thankfully it was nothing a couple of painkillers from the stash Taron had given her wouldn’t fix. She wrapped herself warm ready to head out for the day and headed downstairs for breakfast. 

One of the things that everybody raved about when she’d asked for ideas of places to go during the day, was the wildlife park. Though at first she had turned her nose up at the idea of walking around in silence when it was cold out, finding out that Taron worked there was the push she needed to plan a day out. 

The thought of bumping into him erupted a frenzy of butterflies in her stomach that she hadn’t had for a long while. There was something about him that she couldn’t put her finger on but she was drawn to his charismatic presence. 

She had a pep in her step as she hopped off the last stair and into the foyer of the bed and breakfast where Connor sat at the desk. He sighed at the computer and let his head roll back on his neck. 

‘Good morning, Connor,’ she smiled. 

‘Morning, Amelia. You don’t happen to know how to fix a computer from the Jurassic period, do you?’ 

She shook her head with a laugh. ‘I’m afraid not. Sorry. At the first sign of it slowing down I would probably give up and just buy a new one. But I know that’s just my privilege. Seriously, how old is that thing?’ 

‘Too old,’ Connor sighed. ‘Breakfast is still on. There might not be any pancakes left though. Spencer always steals them when he doesn’t think anybody can see.’ 

‘I’m more than happy with toast,’ Amelia smiled. ‘I’ll see you later.’ 

‘See you later.’ 

****** 

The walk to the wildlife park was glorious. Rather than relying on her phone for directions, Amelia asked one of the locals and the way they sent her was beyond anything she had ever seen before. She walked over a tiny little bridge in the outskirts of the village and passed so many gorgeous brick houses. If she thought her walk through the meadow a few days before was like being in a fairytale, then she had no clue how to word the beauty of the walk to the wildlife park. 

Field after field surrounded her, some with sheep and cows inhabiting them, and some completely empty. The odd couple were filled with winter flowers. She stopped multiple times just to enjoy the view and take in the beauty of the nature around her, untouched by city pollutants. 

Walking down the narrow country lanes with only her own company made her realise why she’d taken the break in the first place. Long gone was the usual bustle of her usual, interview packed life. She was free to be whoever she pleased to be in the Cotswolds, and she was free to do whatever she wanted without the guilt of ignoring her responsibilities. 

It was perfect. 

It was pleasantly warm that day so her denim jacket and a scarf over a black hoodie was all she’d needed to keep herself cosy. There was still a chill to the air and she could feel her nose starting to tingle lightly but it wasn’t hard to deal with. Even her feet weren’t feeling the chill, which was novel. 

Her phone buzzed in her pocket but she ignored it for a little while, taking the time she had to herself to truly bask in the beauty of the countryside. When it buzzed again, she sighed loudly and pulled it from her pocket. 

From: Mama 🤍

Hi baby girl. Missing you lots xx

From: Mama 🤍

How are you finding it? Is everyone being nice to you? I hope so xx 

Amelia smiled at her mum’s protectiveness. For as long as she could remember, her mum had asked if people were being nice to her. Sometimes it felt like her mum knew the vibe of someone before Amelia, even if they weren’t together. If truth be told, Amelia would be absolutely lost if it weren’t for her mum, her love and her support. 

To: Mama 

I miss you too, mama! It’s good though. Everyone is being nice and I’ve made a few friends. I’m just plain, old Amelia here xx

From: Mama 

That’s amazing, bubba. Any cute guys? Xx 

To: Mama 

Mum!! No, there aren’t any cute guys! Xx 

Lies. 

There were lots of cute guys in Rivercliffe. But only one of them caught her eye. Not that she would openly admit that to her mum. It wouldn’t be worth the explosion of text messages and Facetimes she would get. If there was one thing her mum loved gossiping about more than what the neighbour had been buying in Sainsbury’s when she swore she was on a diet, it was talking about her daughter’s love life. 

From: Mama 

Don’t think I can’t see through your lies, Ami. you’ll have to tell me what he’s like soon xx

To: Mama 

Mum, there literally isn’t anyone. I swear to you 

From: Mama 

Whatever you say. Have a good day, I love you xx

To: Mama 

I love you too xx 

Amelia shoved her phone back into her pocket and turned the corner onto Christopher Lane where Rivercliffe Wildlife Park sat proudly. The road leading up to the gates was completely clear and lined with trees. The ground was covered in a sea of warm coloured leaves that crunched under feet with each step. 

It was idyllic and she stopped to snap a quick photo so that she could keep the memory forever. When she started walking again, her feet moved too fast for her body and she almost tripped a couple of times. 

The house at the wildlife park, that doubled as a restaurant, was breathtaking. The light brick walls were covered in ivy and the window panes were decorated beautifully with flowers. It was as though someone had lifted the building out of a magazine and placed it there just for Amelia to fall in love with. 

When she had researched secluded parts of England to stay for an extended period of time, she struggled to find somewhere that looked interesting. Even when she first saw links for the Cotswolds, she didn’t necessarily love the idea of being there. But the longer she was there, the more she fell in love with the place, and all of the tiny details. 

A young gentleman a little younger than Amelia stepped out of the manor with his hands stuffed into his pocket and his eyes facing the floor. His lack of awareness of his surroundings became clear when he bumped into Amelia and she stumbled backwards. 

‘I’m so sorry,’ a gravelly voice rushed out. ‘I should have been looking where I was going but I wasn’t and-’ 

‘Hey,’ Amelia interjected, ‘it’s okay. It happens to the best of us.’ 

‘I’m really sorry, I’m Elijah.’ 

He held his hand out for Amelia to shake and she obliged with a smile. ‘I’m Amelia.’ 

Elijah’s demeanour changed instantly when he heard her name. He stood up a little taller and pushed his shoulders back which puffed out his chest. And the corners of his mouth lifted into a small smirk. 

‘Truly, truly sorry. I know this might sound forward but would you…maybe want to go for a drink with me?’ 

Anxious butterflies erupted deep in Amelia’s stomach at Elijah’s question. She took a minute step back and put on her best fake smile. 

‘That’s very kind of you to offer but um…I’m seeing someone who I’m really interested in and so I’m okay, thank you.’ 

Elijah didn’t need to know that she hadn’t been seeing anybody since she broke up with Henry. For all he knew, she could have been in a long-term relationship as she was good at keeping her private life to herself. 

‘I never said that I wanted to go on a date with you,’ he replied quickly. Too quickly for Amelia’s liking. ‘I just suggested taking a very talented, way too beautiful for her own good, girl out for a drink at the pub to welcome her to the village.’ 

‘And that was very kind of you to offer but I would rather not.’ 

Amelia grew more anxious the longer she stood with the stranger. There was something off about him but she couldn’t figure out what it was. Until he took a step closer to her, to which she instinctively took two steps back to create some space. 

‘And I said-’ 

‘Look, mate, I don’t think it matters what you said. Amelia has said that she doesn’t want to go for a drink with you more than once so I think you’d better leave her alone.’ 

Kaine stood next to Amelia and looked at her to make sure she was okay before he turned back to Elijah. He stood there with a stern look on his face and watched as Elijah noticeably grew uncomfortable. He never responded though. He just shoved his hands in his pockets and walked down the road towards the village. 

‘Thank you, Kaine,’ Amelia breathed when she knew that he wasn’t coming back. 

‘It’s no problem. Are you okay? He didn’t try to hurt you or anything did he?’ 

She shook her head with a small smile. ‘Not physically. Emotionally I feel a little weary but I’m sure I’ll be okay once I walk around some.’

‘I really wish that I could stay and talk but if I don’t get inside now, I’m going to be late for work. I feel so bad though.’ 

‘Don’t,’ Amelia rushed out. ‘Get yourself into work and look after the animals. I promise I’m good. And I’ll tell you everything that happened the next time I see you at the pub. Because I’m going to need a drink.’ 

Kaine nodded with a chuckle before he grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly. He walked into the manor and Amelia watched as he walked through the door before she followed him inside. 

The second she opened the door she froze. 

In the very centre of the ceiling sat a grand chandelier that was covered in clear crystals. The light bounced from them and casted perfect, dancing shapes onto the walls around it. At the very back of the foyer sat a floor to ceiling window that looked out onto the animal enclosures and the members of staff who were looking after them that day. 

Her attention soon shifted when she spotted the person she had hoped to see. Taron stood in the middle of one of the enclosures and even though he had his back to her, she knew that it was him with his green coat and black beanie. 

Her feet moved before she could process what she was doing. She walked through the foyer and to the entrance of the gardens where she followed the light sandy path toward the man who captured her attention. 

With each stop close to him, she could see more of him. His usual khaki coat covered his upper body and he wore a pair of red wellington boots. The beanie he wore looked too thin to keep him warm, and it contrasted with her white bobble hat. In his left hand he held a bright orange bucket from which he kept throwing bits of food across the floor to the two rhinos that were eating. 

The two animals made Taron look tiny. Like an ant on a log. He was taller than Amelia so she could only imagine how small she would look if she were to stand that close to them. Not that she ever would. 

As soon as Taron looked up from what he was doing and he locked eyes on Amelia, he threw his hand into the air with the biggest smile he could muster as he waved. 

‘Amelia!’ He called happily. 

She waved back before making her way to the fence that separated her from him and the two large mammals. When she got to the fence, Taron walked towards her, continuing to throw food on the floor. 

‘How are you doing?’ He asked softly as he put the bucket on the floor and moved to a blue bag. 

‘I’m good, thank you. I thought I could do with a change of pace today so decided to head over here.’ 

‘I know that one all too well,’ Taron responded as he pulled two carrots from the bag by his feet. ‘Have you looked around yet?’ 

Amelia shook her head. ‘I’ve only just gotten here. Saw you through the window and thought I could come and say hi before I look around.’ 

Taron nodded, turning around quickly to wave the carrots in the air. Amelia’s eyes grew wide as the rhinos started to bound towards her and Taron. She cowered behind Taron and grabbed the tops of his arms to pull her in front of him properly. She could hear him chuckle lightly and swatted him. 

‘If you save me, I’d marry you if you wanted,’ she whisper-yelled, hiding behind him more. 

The rhinos stopped dead in front of Taron and used their horns to nudge at his hands so that he would give them the carrots. 

‘Here you do, Sally,’ he whispered as he gave away the first carrot. 

Amelia side-stepped from behind him with her lips drawn into her mouth as she took a deep breath. Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink at the thought of hiding behind Taron but she also believed she had every reason to freak out when two large animals with horns were running towards her. 

She could tell that Taron was trying to repress another chuckle with the way his face turned a little red. Even more so with the bitter chill of the air nipping at his skin. 

‘Laugh all you want,’ she smiled, ‘but you were contemplating marrying me for a second, weren’t you?’ 

She winked at him as Taron’s smile dropped. 

‘Do you want to give Pippa a carrot?’ He asked, clearly wanting to change the subject. 

Amelia shook her head so fast that she started to get light headed and had to close her eyes for a second to readjust herself. When Taron tried to hand her the carrot, she took two steps back. She wanted to create as much distance between her and the rhinos as she physically could.

Taron couldn’t help but chuckle, no matter how hard he tried to. Though he could see the true terror behind Amelia’s eyes as she stared at him with ragged breaths. 

‘Taron…’

‘There’s no way that they can hurt you,’ Taron offered quietly. ‘They are gentle giants.’ 

‘You say that but on,’ Amelia started as she held a finger in the air as if to punctuate her point, ‘they can spray over 16 feet behind them. Two, they were three literal tonnes and I don’t wish to be near one when it comes bounding over to me. And three, they communicate through their shit. Now I don’t know about you, but those don’t sound like the most amazing things in the world to me.’ 

Taron chuckled at Amelia and gave the rhinos another carrot each. ‘Okay but…one, they spray to mark their territory. Sally and Pippa are both females and have no reason to do that. Two, they might weigh a lot but these two really are gentle giants if they aren’t aggravated, which they aren’t. These two love a fuss and attention. And three, it’s the easiest way for them to communicate because they have such a good sense of smell. Before you leave Rivercliffe I’m going to get you to feed a carrot to Pippa at least. You’re going to love them.’ 

‘Ha! You wish.’ 

‘These two are soft as snow, honestly.’ 

‘Taron, I’m unsure as to whether you know this or not, but snow is very, very sharp and painful. It isn’t soft in the bloody slightest. That being said, I would much rather it snow and I be stuck here than feed these two. No offence, ladies, you are very gorgeous angels I’m sure, but I’m good with keeping my distance.’ 

Taron wasn’t sure whether he had ever been so endeared by someone before in his life. The way that Amelia took another step back while moving her hands in a way to show just how much she wanted to move away from them made him smile to himself. 

‘I’ll let you tell me about them though,’ she said through a smile, finally happy with the space between her and Sally and Pippa. 

‘So this,’ Taron said as he gave the larger of the rhinos another carrot,’ is Sally. She’s Pippa’s mum. She’s been here since she was three. Lisa, who owns the park, rescued her from near poaching and she’s been here since.’ 

‘Oh wow. What a sweet angel.’ 

Taron looked at Amelia as though she had three heads. ‘You’re calling her a sweet angel when you’re standing metres away from her and you refuse to feed her?’ He asked through a confused chuckle. 

‘I’m going to refer back to my list.’ 

‘Okay, okay, nevermind,’ he laughed. He gave the second rhino a carrot. ‘This is Pippa, Sally’s baby. She’s a little under two. I actually helped Sally when she was in labour. That was an amazing experience.’ 

The way that Taron spoke about the rhinos, with his infamous smile plastered on his face, had Amelia’s heart rate increasing slightly. She never knew that she could admit someone the way she admired Taron. If she were brave enough to admit it, she would say that she wasn’t looking forward to not seeing him when she left. 

While Taron handed out the rest of the carrots, he and Amelia continued to talk about the park and what Taron enjoyed about working there. He found it just as fascinating that she was interested in knowing more about it as she found learning about it. She was full of questions and constantly apologised for her onslaught of them. Though Taron told her that it was fine and that he enjoyed answering them. 

Once all of the carrots were gone, Taron gave Sally and Pippa one last pet before he stepped out of the enclosure. He immediately walked over to Amelia and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her in for a side hug. 

‘Fancy checking out the other enclosures?’ 

Amelia smiled widely and nodded her head. ‘It’d be nice to have a tour guide. I don’t have any plans for the rest of the day anyway so it doesn’t matter if I’m longer than I thought I would be or anything.’ 

‘What are your plans for dinner tonight?’ 

‘I’m probably going to go to the pub again,’ she sighed. She was slowly starting to get fed up of going to the pub for tea every night but she didn’t know what else she could do. The longer she was in the village, the more she realised that she should have tried to book an airbnb somewhere instead. 

‘I mean you could always, if you wanted to, come to mine for dinner sometime? I wouldn’t mind.’ 

Taron sounded like he was asking a question while also trying to make a statement. As though he didn’t know whether or not he was asking. Of course, he would have loved to have her over for dinner and to cook her a nice meal, but he also wouldn’t want her to feel uncomfortable in the slightest. 

Amelia turned to him in disbelief. Her hat fell off her head and fell onto the floor by Taron’s feet and he bent down quickly to grab it. He picked a few twigs that had attached themselves to it off and threw them back onto the floor before passing it back to Amelia. 

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘But I wouldn’t ever want to put you out.’ 

‘Don’t be silly, I’d love to have you over! Come over tonight, if you’d like. I was planning on making a carbonara.’ He put on a fake, over the top Italian accent which made them both fall into laughter. 

‘That’s one of my favourites,’ Amelia said once she’d stopped laughing. 

‘Well I would love it if you would join me. I always make too much anyway.’

‘I’d love to, thank you. Would you like me to bring anything over? A bottle of wine or a dessert?’ 

Taron shook his head. ‘No, no. It’s fine, honestly.’ 

‘Amelia?’ 

Taron recognised Kaine’s voice coming from near the giraffe enclosure and he rolled his eyes. 

Kaine jogged over to them and wrapped his arms around Amelia to hug her. Taron stepped back and watched the exchange. He noticed the way that Amelia hugged Kaine back a little tighter, bunching his top in her fists at the bottom of his back.

Taron wasn’t regularly a jealous person and he prided himself on not being jealous. But when it came to Amelia it was as though he wasn’t himself. Everytime he managed to get her on his own, just the two of them, someone managed to steal her attention from him. It was as though everyone and everything was out to get him and keep her away from him. 

‘How are you feeling after earlier?’ Kaine asked sincerely when he pulled away from the hug. 

‘I feel better now, thank you. Taron managed to distract me from the whole situation by almost getting me killed by rhinos,’ she chuckled, nudging Taron’s shoulder. She missed the way his face dropped with concern at Kaine’s question. 

‘Sally and Pippa? They’re gentle giants.’ 

‘That’s what I said,’ Taron added. 

‘Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better. I’ll see you later, Amelia. Taron.’ 

The remnants of fallen autumn leaves that were scattered along the path leading to Taron’s home crunched under Amelia’s feet as she closed the wooden gate behind her. Taron had pointed his cottage out when he walked her back to the village after they’d walked around the wildlife park so that she would know where to go later than evening. He had offered to pick her up but she insisted that she would be okay. 

And she had been. 

She wore the same bobble hat as she had during the day and had decided to put her earphones in for the walk. The soft melody of David Bowie and Bing Crosby filler her head as she walked, and she found herself humming along. Her walk was pretty quiet minus the few people who waved and asked how she was doing. 

The longer she had been in Rivercliffe, the less frequently she was asked for photos or autographed. It had really started to feel like the much needed break that it was. Amelia couldn’t have been more thankful. She was starting to know people by name and she felt as home in the village. 

The coffee shop knew her regular order, no matter who was working; Jules at the newsagents knew her typical purchases when she nipped in on her way back from the pub; everyone at the pub knew her regular drink; and everyone at the bed and breakfast knew that on a morning, she would sit in the corner of the dining room with a cup of tea, her book and her toast and jam. She was becoming one of the locals. 

The metal of Taron’s doorbell was colder under her fingertips, and when she finally pressed it fully, she could hear Taron’s muffled profanities from inside. She shifted her weight between her feet as she waited for him to open the door. While she walked, she hadn’t noticed the cold so much, but as soon as she stopped it hit her like a wave. The icy, bitter chill to the air froze through her clothes and attacked her bones. It nipped harshly at her nose and she was grateful that her hat covered her ears. 

Just as Taron pulled the green door open, she removed her AirPods and shoved them into her pocket without putting them in their case. 

‘You’re going to regret that when you need them later and they’re dead,’ Taron laughed jokingly as he stepped back so that Amelia could walk into the cottage. 

A furry bundle came bounding into the kitchen as Taron shut the door and slid to Amelia who smiled. It jumped up at her and tried to jump into her arms as she bent down to greet it. 

‘Pickle, get down!’ Taron scalded. ‘I’m so sorry. I never asked if you were allergic to dogs. Or good with them in general.’ Taron sounded exasperated, as though he’d made a huge mistake and was risking Amelia walking out of his house. 

‘I’m not. Allergic to them, that is. I love them so he’s fine. I never knew you had a dog.’ She continued to fuss at the animal, using both her hands to rub up and down his sides rapidly, but she looked at Taron with a radiant smile. ‘He’s beautiful.’ 

Taron’s cottage was small, though Amelia guessed he didn’t need a big house if it was just him living there. As soon as she stepped through the threshold and into the cottage, she was standing in the small kitchen. There was a fridge to her right, and in front of her was a half wall of cupboards and worksurfaces. The floor was made up of large, stone tiles though there was a rug under the small dining table in the far left corner of the room. It was a very typical cottage kitchen and Amelia immediately felt relaxed being in the space. 

‘You really will regret not putting your earphones away properly,’ Taron chuckled. 

‘I know, I do it all the time and each time I promise myself that I won’t do it,’ Amelia replied, taking her AirPods and their case from her pocket to put them away properly. ‘I was awful when I had wired earphones. They were always tangled.’ 

She pushed her from her feet and placed them next to the door on the mat where Taron’s shoes from earlier in the day were. 

‘Pop your coat and scarf on the hooks next to the door.’ 

When Amelia had removed the rest of her outer layers she looked at Taron who wore jeans and a t-shirt. ‘If you’d have told me that you were wearing jeans, I wouldn’t have turned up looking this casual,’ she breathed in amusement, gesturing to her outfit. When Taron had told her to dress comfortably, she had taken that seriously and opted for a pair of thick joggers and an oversized t-shirt tucked into them at the front. 

‘I haven’t long since gotten home from work,’ he replied. I got called back because Pippa isn’t feeling too great. We think she ate something funny when she shouldn’t have.’ 

‘Oh I’m so sorry. Is she doing okay now?’ Amelia asked as she bent down to fuss Pickle a little more. 

Taron nodded, making sure the latch on the door was locked fully before he walked to the kettled and switched it on. ‘Yeah she’s doing better now. The on-call vet is there now making sure that she’s okay and I’ll get updated in the morning. But hopefully it’s all passed now. Do you fancy a cup of tea? I can make one and then go get changed.’

‘Why don’t I make it for you? You’ve been on your feet all day and it’s the last I can do.’ 

Taron let out a long breath and nodded with a thankful smile. ‘Only if you don’t mind. That would be great.’ 

‘I wouldn’t have offered if I minded,’ Amelia countered. ‘All you need to do is tell me where you keep your mugs and spoon. Oh, and how you take your tea. That would also help.’ 

Taron opened the cupboard above the kettled that housed an abundance of mugs of varying sizes and styles, and pulled the drawer underneath the kettle open. 

‘There you go,’ he chuckled. ‘Tea and sugar are in the caddies and milk is in the fridge, obviously. I have a splash of milk and two sugars, please.’ 

Amelia nodded and shooed him out of the kitchen so that he could get changed. She perused the mugs as she waited for the water to boil. Some mugs were dainty, others big and bulky. Some were tall and some were short. Taron had mugs to match any occasion, any season, and any cuppa requirement. 

She spent a silly amount of time deciding on two mugs but ultimately chose the shorter white mug with a gold ‘T’ for Taron and a slightly taller, skinnier mug with a gold Christmas tree on it for herself. 

The whole tea making process was going well until she couldn’t see a bin anywhere in the kitchen to put the used teabags into. She started to panic a little as she walked in circles. 

‘Taron?’ She shouted into the house. 

‘Yeah?’ 

‘Where’s your bin?’ 

‘Cupboard under the sink, love.’ 

‘Thank you!’ 

Once the used tea bags were disposed of, and everything she’d used had been put away, Amelia lifted her cup to her lips to take a large sip. If there was one thing she loved in life, it was the very first sip of a cup of tea. It always reminded her of a quote from Jack Kerouac that she’d read years before. 

The first sip is joy, the second is gladness, the third is serenity, the fourth is madness, the fifth is ecstasy. 

No matter where she was or what she was doing at the time, Amelia would appreciate the first five sips of her tea. With each sip, she let herself more and more into that state of ecstasy where nothing else around her mattered. When standing in the middle of Taron’s kitchen with the mug wrapped in her hands close to her face, she let her eyes fall closed as she sipped the drink. 

‘Enjoying yourself there?’ 

Amelia jolted at Taron’s voice coming out of nowhere. She almost spilled her tea. Almost. There was no way that she would allow herself to spill her drink. It was much too good to waste by spilling it. 

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.’ 

Amelia handed Taron his drink and watched as his eyes closed in joy as he took the first sip. She let her eyes shift from his face down to his feet, taking in his appearance. His hair was fluffy on top of his head and he’d changed into a white t-shirt and black joggers, a very similar outfit to her own. He looked more comfortable than she’d seen him before and she liked it. 

Seeing him in just a t-shirt meant that Amelia was able to see his toned bicep more clearly. The curve of his muscle was prominent and she could see it start to strain against the material of his top. Especially as he lifted his drink to his lips. 

‘It’s fine. Thank you, again. For offering to have me ‘round for dinner.’ ‘You are more than welcome. I’d pretty much managed to prep everything I needed before I got called back into work so it won’t take too long to cook. You can go and get comfortable in the living room if you’d like?’ 

Amelia nodded slowly. ‘Or I could always keep you company while you cook, if you’d like?’ 

The corners of Taron’s lips turned up into a small smile as he nodded, putting his cup on the side and striding to the fridge. ‘I would love that. Thank you.’ 

****** 

Taron’s living room was just as lovely as the kitchen. The walls were a gentle off-white colour with the bottom half being wooden panels of the same colour. There were two small sofas in the room, both of them with scatter cushions on them and a cosy blanket draped over the back. 

A wooden fireplace sat underneath the TV which rested on the wall, and the fire was already lit, heating the room wonderfully. The same beams that were also on the kitchen ceiling were in the living room and were a darker shade of wood to the window sills and doors, contrasting perfectly. 

The living room was a lot cosier than Amelia could have ever pictured. As she walked into the room fully, she could feel the soft carpet under her feet and it was as though she had a slight bounce to her step. She was followed closely by Taron who carried two bowls of apple pie and custard for dessert. 

‘The films are in that corner,’ he mentioned when Amelia got to the coffee table in the middle of the room. 

Lo and behold, there was a bookcase in the far corner of the room near the stairs that held a multitude of DVDs. She slowly made her way to them and when she stopped, she let the very tip of her finger glide over them. Taron’s collection included almost all genres of film. He had comedies, romantic comedies, sci-fi, a couple of horror films and dramas. 

There were two films that caught Amelia’s eyes. Mainly because she had been in them as a young actress and they reminded her of happy times. It took less than a second for her to grab them, along with Love Actually which was what she actually wanted to watch. 

‘You know,’ she said gently as she sat on the sofa next to Taron, holding Me Before You up so that he could see it, ‘this was one of my first movies.’ 

‘No way!’ 

Taron was shocked. When he first saw the film he could have sworn that Amelia had been acting for years before. Sure, she was young when she was in the film but she looked to be so confident and in her element. Not to mention the fact that she played the part so perfectly that he had fallen in love with her as an actress. 

‘Yeah way,’ she replied with a large grin. ‘I was so scared. It was my first audition ever and it was rather scary being on set for the first time. Would you mind if I put my feet up on the sofa?’ 

She had taken her bowl of dessert from Taron and when he shook his head with a giant smile, she lifted her feet from the ground and folded her legs. Pickle snuggled up next to her and rested his head on her knee, looking up at her innocently. Amelia petted him quickly before biting the first piece of dessert. 

Her eyes closed in pure bliss as the sweet dessert filled her senses. 

‘Thank you,’ she mumbled. 

Her words were soft and Taron could feel butterflies start to flutter in his stomach as he watched her with the same grin she had given him. 

‘Honestly though,’ he said after he finished his mouthful of food. ‘I would never have guessed that it was your first film.’ 

‘Thank you,’ Amelia chuckled. ‘That makes me feel better because I used to analyse every single move I made in it. Like literally every single move.’ 

‘What do you mean?’ 

‘Put it on and I’ll show you.’ Taron stood from his spot and moved to the DVD player that sat under his TV. ‘Wait, you’re actually going to put it on?’ 

Taron nodded. ‘I would never tell you this normally, and I will forever blame the fact that I am exhausted after work, but when the film first came out, it was one of my favourites.’ 

Amelia’s cheeks heated rapidly. She was unable to fathom the way that Taron made her feel. Even with the smallest of gestures or the simplest of words, he was able to raise her heart rate and leave her speechless. Whenever she was around him, she had to make sure that she was paying close attention because she could so easily fall into a trance from his voice alone. 

‘Really?’ 

She was stumped. Beyond stumped. 

‘Yeah,’ Taron nodded as put the disk into the DVD player. ‘It still makes me cry even now so be warned. 

It was Taron’s turn to feel his cheeks heat up. He couldn’t believe that he would ever out himself like he did with Amelia. And to the person who was actually in the film. The person who made him cry. Amelia found it endearing though. The way that Taron smiled at her gingerly when he turned around fully. 

He moved back to his seat silently and sat down. He started the film and took a deep breath. When he looked to his right, Amelia was taking a deep breath of her own and he let out a silent laugh. She looked heavenly with the light from the fire casting an orange glow over her face. 

For the first time since they met, Taron had her full attention. He was still nervous though. He was nervous that she was there out of pity because he’d sounded so desperate when he invited her over. Nervous that the feelings he had for her weren’t even a tiny thought in her head. 

‘Okay so this bit here,’ Amelia said as she pointed to the screen, pulling Taron out of his trance. Her character was talking to elderly women in a café at the time. ‘This was our first day shooting and I hadn’t met anyone else by that point. It was fucking terrifying. And all I was doing was talking to women.’ 

‘You wouldn’t be able to tell how nervous you were,’ Taron reassured her, taking a bit of his food before it got cold.  

‘Thank you. I hated that costume. It was itchy and made me feel so self conscious all day. I could have cried with happiness when I got back to my trailer and put my joggers and a hoodie on.’ 

‘You looked really pretty,’ Taron whispered. 

‘Hardly. I was a mess. Look at me there!’ She pointed to the screen again where her character was wearing bright coloured tights. ‘That is not the picture of beauty.’ 

‘You’re always a picture of beauty.’ 

‘Stop flattering me,’ Amelia giggled. Taron made her feel some kind of way but she didn’t know if he was being genuine with his comments or simply trying to make her feel better. 

‘I’m telling you the truth. You’re always beautiful.’ 

Amelia was at a loss for words. Taron was being so lovely and she struggled to believe a word that left him. 

‘Anyway,’ he added quickly. ‘Would you like a hot chocolate?’ 

****** 

Me Before You turned into Star Wars which eventually turned into Love Actually. The clock on the wall above the doorway read one in the morning and Taron was half asleep on the sofa. His voice had grown deeper and slower as he tried to chat with Amelia who still had her legs crossed under her and Pickle sprawled over her. 

‘It’s late. I should probably head home.’ Amelia leaned to the side to stretch but accidentally bumped her head on Taron’s shoulder. I’m so sorry. No wonder I get called a clutz all the time.’ 

‘Don’t worry about it. It happens to the best of us.’ Taron’s repetition of some of the first words Amelia spoke to him three weeks before made her smile. He’d done it a few times since they first become acquaintances but each time he did it, she found herself smiling for longer. ‘And as far as heading back, it really is late and I would hate for you to walk in the dark and the freezing cold. So you could always just crash here tonight, if you’d like?’ Taron offered. 

He was scared to offer. He didn’t want Amelia to feel obliged to stay simply because he’d asked her. But it was cold and he was worried that she would freeze on her way back. There would be no part of him that would resent her if she decided to head back though. 

‘I have nothing here,’ she spoke delicately. ‘I don’t have a toothbrush or pyjamas. And I wouldn’t want to put you out.’ 

‘You wouldn’t be putting me out,’ Taron insisted. 

He quickly retracted back into the sofa at the thought that he could have been coming on too strong. After getting to know Amelia, he came to realise that whenever she said she didn’t want to put him out, she really did want to do the thing that he was offering. 

‘I have spare toothbrushes in the cupboard under the sink in the bathroom, and you could borrow one of my t-shirts and a pair of shorts or joggers to sleep in/ And I have a spare phone charger if you’d need that too.’ 

Amelia nodded slowly. ‘Only if it’s okay then. Thank you.’ 

‘It’s no bother. I’ll grab blankets and set the sofa up for myself and you can have my bed.’ 

‘No, you have your bed. I’m the one intruding and staying here the night!’ It was Amelia’s turn to insist. Taron worked and needed a comfortable bed to sleep on so that he could be well rested. Amelia herself could nap later on in the day if she needed to but Taron wouldn’t be able to. ‘Please.’ 

Her words were soft and full of sleepiness. Taron found it hard to register what she was saying because all he could focus on was the velvety sound of her voice as her eyelids worked against her and strained to stay open. 

‘I insist that you take the bed,’ he said strongly. ‘I’ve slept on the sofa quite a few times before and it’s actually really comfortable.’ 

‘Yeah, so I’ll sleep on it.’ 

Stubborn. The only word Taron could think of to describe Amelia in that moment. Despite her clearly being shattered and her voice weak from drowsiness, she still refused to stand down. When Amelia wanted something, she would do anything in her will to do it. Though she would never push someone too far if she knew that they couldn’t take it. 

‘You can have the bed. If I had a cottage with two rooms it wouldn’t be so bad but there’s only one room upstairs other than the bathroom.’ 

‘Taron, it’s fine. I promise you. I’ll be fine on the sofa.’ 

Taron had to laugh at their little back and forth. 

‘I’ll take the bed,’ he responded finally with a gentle sigh laced with a smile. 

‘Thank you.’ 

‘Are you good to get ready now?’ He asked. Amelia simply nodded. ‘Come on then.’ 

Taron stood up first and held his hand out for Amelia to take. Her hand was warm in his, and softer than he could have ever imagined. The skin of her palm was delicate as his fingers lightly trailed across it. It was like a fire burning in the tip of his fingers, Amelia’s skin the oxygen needed to make it burn brighter. And hotter. 

She smiled at him shyly as she stood up, Pickl shifting awkwardly. They didn’t let go of one another’s hand when she stood. They remained connected as they ascended the stairs and walked into the bedroom that sat to the right of the stairs. 

Taron pushed the door closed slightly before standing completely still, his hand still in Amelia’s. 

Just like the rest of Taron’s house, his bedroom was light and airy with wooden beams on the ceiling and a dark wooden four poster bed on the far left wall. In the corner closest to the singular window there was a wardrobe bursting at the seams. 

The bed was dressed in the loveliest tartan bedding and it had a few more cushions than Amelia’s bed at the bed and breakfast. One cushion that really grabbed Amelia’s attention was a small, cream coloured one with a fringed edge. It was simple and pretty against the bedding, and overlapped the fluffy blanket that sat on the bed slightly. 

Taron let go of Amelia’s hand as he started to walk towards the wardrobe. Amelia felt empty. It was as though holding Taron’s hand was all she ever really needed. She felt safe with her hand in his and without it, she felt uneasy. It was strange to her, how she could have been in relationships that lasted years and feel normal when their hands were no longer connected but she’d known Taron for three weeks and she felt something indescribable when she wasn’t around him. 

It was like she yearned to be around him and have his full attention. But whenever that happened, there was always something there to ruin it. There was always an underlying feeling of guilt when her attention wasn’t on him and she didn’t want to bring it up in case he felt differently. 

‘Joggers or shorts?’ Taron asked when he pulled one of his drawers open. 

‘Shorts please,’ she replied quickly. A little too quickly for her liking. As much as she would have loved to wear a pair of his joggers and be completely and utterly enveloped in him, she couldn’t sleep in long bottoms.’ 

‘Shorts it is,’ Taron smiled. ‘I’ve got this pair with a good drawstring. So hopefully you can get them to fit how you like them.’ 

Amelia giggled softly, and proceeded to throw her hand over her mouth when she’d heard herself. Taron looked at her with a small grin as he walked back to her and put the grey shorts and black top in her hands. 

She thanked him quietly and followed him to the bathroom so that she could get changed. 

‘There’s spare toothbrushes under the sink. Pick whichever one you want and pop it in the holder when you’re done. It can stay here in case you need to use it again another time.’ 

‘Thank you, I’ll be quick.’ 

Taron was already waiting to use the bathroom when Amelia had finished and she side stepped so that he could walk past her. He looked her up and down swiftly, trying to his amused grin when he saw just how much his clothing buried her figure. Even though she had tied the drawstrings as tightly as she could, she still had to roll the waistband to prevent them from falling down. 

‘Sorry if I took too long,’ she said with a shy smile as Taron squeezed past her into the bathroom. 

‘No, you didn’t,’ he smiled. ‘Are you sure that you’re happy on the sofa? I would feel so much better if you just took the bed. It truly is no big deal.’ 

‘I’m being serious when I say that I don’t mind the sofa. There have been so many times at home when I’ve chosen to sleep on the sofa rather than get into bed so I’m fine.’ 

Taron breathed a small laugh and nodded. ‘Only if you’re completely sure then.’ 

‘I’m sure,’ she said firmly. 

******

3:26am. 

The exact time that Amelia woke up from what had been a lovely sleep on Taron’s insanely comfortable sofa. As soon as she peeled her eyes open a tiny bit, it was as though the cold from outside had enveloped her. She shivered dramatically as she picked up her phone, groaning quietly when she saw that she’d only been asleep for a couple of hours. 

Not wanting to be rude and turn Taron’s heating up herself, she pulled the blanket further up her body and tucked her legs up to try and retain a little heat. Though it didn’t do much good. 

She tossed and turned for fifteen more minutes in an attempt to get back to sleep but it never caught up with her. 

In the end, she let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. She made sure to keep the fluffy blanket she had stolen from the other sofa around her shoulders with the unwavering cold that filled the living room. 

She tiptoed up the wooden stairs and tried her hardest to not let them creak under her and wake Taron up. Once she made it to the top she took a shaky breath. Taron’s soft snores sounded through the bedroom door and Amelia suddenly felt bad for needing to wake him up. 

‘Taron?’ Her knocks were miniscule but she didn’t want to knock too loudly and scare him awake. ‘Taron?’ 

A few seconds later, the door pulled back and a very sleepy Taron came into view. Amelia felt even worse for waking him up when she saw just how exhausted he looked. 

‘Is everything okay?’ He rubbed at his eyes with his fists and yawned around his words. 

If Taron’s voice during the day didn’t send Amelia into overdrive, it sure as hell did when he was sleepy. It was deeper than normal, and held an extra rasp that had her stomach clenching. The usual velvety tone was still there but the sleep that coursed through him changed it lightly. 

‘I’m so sorry to have to wake you. It’s just that, umm, I’m a little chilly and didn’t want to just turn your heating on. Plus I have no clue how it works.’ 

She stood awkwardly in his doorway, hoisting up the shorts he let her wear further up her waist and rolling them again to try and get them to stay in place. It took a little while for Taron to respond but Amelia assumed it was just him trying to process what she had said. 

In his sleepy state, he hadn’t thought to put a pair of shorts on when he climbed out of his bed, so his black Calvin’s were the only piece of clothing he wore. From moving around in bed and walking to the door, the waistband had shifted lower on his hips and were only just covering his crotch. 

His stomach was toned but not super muscular, and his arms were far broader than she had thought. He was almost always hidden under a jumper or a long sleeved t-shirt to shield himself from the cold air when working outside so she hadn’t been able to see just how broad he was. 

Her eyes drifted to his legs but before she could get too far, she clocked what she was doing and looked back up, coughing lightly. 

Taron still hadn’t responded but he stared at Amelia who wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders and hopped between her feet softly. She tried not to stare back but it was impossible with how amazing he looked in front of her. The light from the moon hit the high points of his cheeks and she could just about make out his eyelashes fluttering against the top of them. 

He still didn’t answer. He simply walked back into his bedroom and towards his bed. 

‘What are you-’ Amelia trailed off, confused. Beyond confused. 

‘Come and get in,’ he said as though she should have known what he was doing. He pulled the covers open so that there was a space for Amelia to climb in. ‘I don’t want you to get cold downstairs and I can’t be bothered going down to turn the heating on right now.’ 

‘Are you sure? I can always turn it on if you don’t want to go downstairs. It’s no big de-’

‘Are you going to get into the bed or not?’ He replied cheekily, closing his left eye into a short wink. 

****** 

When the sun first started to shine through the thin curtains in Taron’s bedroom, the light hit him in the face and woke him up. Though unlike usual, he was unable to roll onto his side and grab his phone from his bedside table. Unlike usual, there was a beautiful girl in his bed with him. 

Her hair had started to fall out of the bun she had put it in before bed and was cascading down her cheeks and over the pillow she lay on. Her top half was still drowned in one of his t-shirts. A t-shirt that would begin to smell like her if she wore it for long enough. 

Amelia was still fast asleep when he woke up, her eyelashes fluttering perfectly against her cheekbones. Rather than potentially wake her up by moving, Taron opted to stay where he was with her in his embrace. He smiled down at her before he noticed that he could feel the soft skin of her legs against his. 

It hadn’t been until then that he remembered what happened the night before. When the light knocking and soft voice of Amelia woke up from his slumber. He had groggily walked to the door and didn’t put bottoms on. He was embarrassed that he’d opened the door to her like that. 

Amelia clearly didn’t mind though. She laid on her front with her right hand slung over his torso and her leg over his thighs. Her head was tucked between her pillow and Taron’s arm, and he could feel her soft breaths against his skin. She was warm against him, a stark contrast from the cold that he was usually met with when he woke up. 

Even though it felt strange having her in his bed, waking up to Amelia felt good. He didn’t know how else to describe it. It just felt good. And he wanted to enjoy it. 

Amelia sniffled and yawned just as Taron started to draw patterns on her shoulder absentmindedly. She didn’t wake up like he thought she might have. She pressed herself further into him and hugged him a little tighter. 

Taron snuggled himself further into the mattress slowly and decided that he would try to get a little bit more sleep before waking up for the day. He leaned his head against the top of Amelia’s and enjoyed the smell of her conditioner. 

He was so relaxed that it took him no time at all to succumb to sleep once more. 

****** 

Amelia could feel the heat radiating from Taron when she woke a little while later. She peered up at him and let her eyes wander over his face. 

His eyelids had a gentle sheen to them, and his eyelashes fluttered delicately against the tops of his cheeks. His lips were parted slightly, and he breathed deeply, a few snores escaping him ever so often. 

Amelia could have watched him sleep all day if she could–with his arms wrapped tightly around her body holding her to him. 

The stairs in Taron’s cottage creaked at the centre so she only allowed herself to walk on the outside of them. She only almost fell once, but she swore her life flashed before her eyes when it happened. 

The living room was the same as she had left it early in the morning; her phone was still on the coffee table and the blankets were still piled on the sofa. Before she headed to the kitchen to make some breakfast and a much needed cup of tea, she folded the blankets and put them on the end of the sofa before checking her phone in case she’d missed anything important. 

As usual, she’d only missed a couple of texts from a group chat she didn’t pay much attention to. The Co-Star notification at the top of her notification centre caught her attention. Think about your future today. 

She quickly replied to some texts before she finally sauntered into the kitchen to find something to cook for breakfast. Taron had told her before he headed to bed that she could make herself at home and make herself food if she wanted to. 

In one of the cupboards she’d found some flour, and she knew that he had sugar and eggs as she’d seen them the day before. She knew exactly what she was going to make, she just hoped that Taron liked them too. 

The sound of pans clattering in the kitchen woke Taron up from his peaceful slumber. He moved his arms to pull Amelia closer to him in his sleepy state before realising that she wasn’t with him and the sounds of the pans downstairs was her. 

He fisted at his eyes as he yawned before he stretched and let himself fall further into the bed. 

‘Oh shit!’ Amelia exclaimed, capturing Taron’s attention. 

He got out of bed and walked to grab some clothes from the pile on the floor. He pulled his joggers up his legs and tied them loosely at his waist before he grabbed his phone and walked out of the room and down the stairs, clicking the heating on as he walked past it. 

In the commotion of getting a frying pan out of the cupboard near the oven, Amelia hadn’t heard Taron headed downstairs. 

‘Morning,’ he whispered groggily as he entered the kitchen, rubbing at his chest as he did. 

Amelia turned to him with a soft smile. ‘Good morning. I thought I’d make pancakes for breakfast but then things started falling. Sorry if I woke you. I’ll finish your cuppa now.’ 

‘I’ll finish those, don’t worry about it. Pancakes sound lovely, by the way.’ 

He cradled his drink in his hands as he watched Amelia finish the pancakes. He found it fascinating to watch her move around his kitchen so effortlessly, in his top, as she cooked. 

The longer he stood and watched her, the more he wished that he could have that every morning. He wanted to wake up to her pretty face every day and have her potter around the house in his clothes. He wanted to hold her in bed every night and cook with her every evening. He could see a perfect little life with Pickle in the cottage, or anywhere else they wanted to live. 

‘Do you happen to have any chocolate spread? Maybe strawberries too?’ Amelia asked as she put the final pancakes onto the stack. 

Taron nodded before he pushed himself off the side and towards the fridge and the cupboard next to it. 

He really could imagine a life where it was just the two of them forever. 

******

‘What about Elijah?’ Autumn asked as the man being spoken about was standing not too far away from the table where they all sat gabbing. ‘He’s a brainbox! Went to Oxford and everything.’ 

Sada rolled her eyes dramatically at Autumn’s choice of guy for Amelia, whereas Amelia took a deep breath when she saw who Autumn was talking about. She should have recognised him by his name but she didn’t fully know who it was until she saw his face. 

It had only been a couple of days since she’d first seen Elijah and the memories were still raw. She felt silly really, because it wasn’t like anything happened for her to feel so weird about him. He was just pushy and she didn’t like it. When she was with Taron for dinner, she explained what had happened and he was devastated for her. He kept apologising for the man’s behaviour constantly, even when Amelia told him not to be sorry because it wasn’t him that had done anything. 

‘He’s not really my type,’ Amelia replied gently. 

She didn’t feel like she could tell Autumn and Sada why she didn’t want to sleep with him. For one, they’d consumed quite a bit of alcohol in the three hours that they’d been sat in the pub which meant that there was a high chance they would say something. And secondly, if she told them, there would be a multitude of questions and she wasn’t mentally prepared to answer them that evening. 

‘Babe, we’re not looking for your future husband, even though that would be pretty damn good if we found him. We’re simply looking for someone you can hook up with for a single night.’ 

Autumn sipped her pint of Stella as she scanned the bar once more for another potential guy for Amelia. 

‘I don’t see why you’re so set on getting her laid, Autumn. What if she doesn’t want to sleep with anyone?’ 

Autumn looked at Amelia with an expectant look to receive nothing but a miniscule shrug. 

‘See!’ Autumn shrieked. ‘She wants to get laid!’ 

‘No need to tell the entire fucking pub,’ Amelia mumbled as she hid behind her glass. Ever since she and Taron first had a Southern Comfort and coke together, it had been her go to drink at the pub. ‘And I never said I wanted to get laid.’ 

There was really only one man who Amelia could see herself sleeping with, but there was no way that it would ever happen. Especially with them not spending too much time together. If Taron wasn’t working, Amelia had plans. If Amelia was free, Taron had plans. They text one another a lot but there was nothing more than that. 

‘You literally just-’

‘-face it, Autumn,’ Sada interjected, ‘your plan to get her laid is failing miserably because you don’t know her type.’ 

‘Well if you’re so certain that you know her type, you name a few guys for her then.’ 

Amelia chuckled as Sada cracked her knuckles in playful competitiveness at Autumn’s challenge. 

As Sada looked around the busy room trying to find at least one guy that might tickle Amelia’s fancy, Amelia finished her drink and almost slammed her empty glass on the table. She was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol that was coursing through her. Everything seemed to be moving slower than it had when she first got to the pub for what had quickly become girls’ night. 

It was as though she could really feel things properly, every tiny touch being intensified against her body. Even the material of her cardigan against her arms was intense. She was sure that if Taron were to be there that the excited feeling deep in her gut when she saw him would be even more intense. 

Voices were almost in slow motion too. But not too slow that she couldn’t understand what was being said to her. It just took her a little longer to process what people were saying and answer. She knew that she would wake up the following day with an incredibly terrible hangover but she was enjoying herself so much that she didn’t really care. 

‘Easy,’ Sada started as she locked eyes on a table of lads she knew were around their age. ‘Eoin, Jacob, Duncan, James and…Taron.’ 

‘Taron,’ Amelia repeated wistfully. 

The corners of her lips lifted into a smile as her stomach swarmed with butterflies. No other guy mattered when his name was mentioned, and she wasn’t sure they ever would again. 

‘Taron? As in Taron Prince?’ Autumn asked. Sada hummed. 

Taron looked like a prince, but that definitely wasn’t his surname. 

‘Taron…Prince?’ Amelia asked. 

Sada nodded. ‘Which other Taron would I be on abou- oh.’ 

‘I don’t want to hook up with any Taron Prince,’ Amelia grimaced. ‘Would rather hook up with myself. Wait, that didn’t come out right. I don’t even know what I mean, but I don’t want to hook up with Taron.’ 

Sada burst into fits of laughter while Autumn shook her head before getting up to go back to the bar. The girls usually spent their time in the coffee shop but after an extremely stressful week, Amelia suggested the pub for a change of scenery. It helped that on a Sunday night there were always rugby players in and so there was plenty of eye candy. Not that any of the three women wanted one of them. 

Why they had been together that day, they had spoken about everything. They talked about the argument Autumn and Spencer had the previous night that almost ended their relationship. They talked about Sada and Noelani’s weekend getaway to York for the Christmas markets, and they talked about Amelia’s plans for Christmas when she got home. 

The drinks had been flowing freely and none of them could walk in a straight line. They could barely think straight so when a tall, blonde, happy go lucky kind of girl around their age walked into the pub and made a beeline for Sada, Amelia wasn’t quite sure why she felt a pang of jealousy. 

‘Rosie!’ Autumn cheered as she got back to the table, placing three drinks on the table before wrapping her arms around the woman. ‘It’s been so long, what are you doing back here?’

‘I came to see my grandparents and take them back to my house for Christmas. How’ve you been?’ 

‘I’ve not been bad, thank you. I can’t believe you’re here.’ 

Amelia sat awkwardly throughout Autumn’s exchange with the girl before she lifted her new drink to her lips and downed over half of it. It made a loud noise as she put it back on the table and Autumn turned around quickly to see Amelia sitting awkwardly but with a sweet smile on her face. 

‘Oh shit, yeah. Rosie, this is Amelia. Amelia, this is Rosie.’ 

Rosie’s sickly sweet smile had Amelia rolling her eyes internally. Amelia stood up to join in the conversation but she felt strange about Rosie. 

Rosie looked like the kind of girl who would smile and say one thing to your face but give a dirty look and say something completely different behind your back. She looked like the kind of person Amelia couldn’t get along with. Though she still accepted the embrace from Rosie as she forced a smile onto her face. 

When Rosie pulled away, Autumn and Sada were both back in their seats so Amelia sat back down and watched as Rosie pulled up a seat next to her. 

‘I can’t believe I’m getting to meet the Amelia Bray. You’re a pretty big name with the guys in the village,’ Rosie said. 

‘I’ve heard,’ Amelia replied quickly. As much as she appreciate that Rosie was clearly a friend of Autumn and Sada, she couldn’t wait for the leggy blonde to disappear. Being in her presence made her feel uneasy. 

‘How long are you here for?’ Sada questioned, trying to change the subject. She knew that Amelia hated talking about herself. 

‘I’m only here until the morning. Came to grab my grandad now and then we’re setting off stupidly early so that we can be at mine by lunch time. Speaking of, I should probably get him before he gets another pint.’ 

Autumn nodded, standing up as Rosie did to hug her one last time. 

‘It was lovely to meet you, Amelia,’ Rosie spoke gently through her insane smile as she nodded to Amelia who gave her a smile in return. 

‘You too.’ 

When Rosie had left the pub and Autumn and Sada were both back at the table, Amelia downed the second half of her drink. 

‘Rosie used to have a thing with Taron,’ Autumn spoke nonchalantly.

Amelia could feel her cheeks heat up as she tried to remain smiley, even though all she wanted to do was scream in rage. The alcohol was affecting her more and more with each passing minute. 

‘It was rumoured that they had a thing, Autumn. You know that nobody but those two know the truth of what happened.’ 

‘Oh come off it, Sada. She used to go to his house on an evening and not leave until the day after…wearing the same clothes as she was the night before. You can’t tell me nothing was going on between them! She was even there last night. James from the coffee shop saw her leave earlier. Apparently she was wearing Taron’s joggers too.’ 

Amelia’s stomach sank at Autumn’s words. She sat back and took herself away from the conversation between her two friends. She couldn’t listen to them talking about Taron and another girl. 

Only the morning before, Amelia had envisioned a life with Taron; waking up each day to make breakfast and a cuppa for them to enjoy. 24 hours later and Amelia could feel her world crashing around her. If Taron and Rosie were seeing each other, and had been for a while, then not only was Taron a liar, but Amelia was definitely not his type. 

She wasn’t as tall as Rosie, and her hair wasn’t blonde. If Taron was into leggy blondes, then there was no point in Amelia fighting for his attention because he clearly wouldn’t want her. 

Why would he when he had Rosie? 

She was so caught up in her own little world of fighting her emotions and trying not to cry that she hadn’t noticed Taron walking into the pub and to the bar. He walked to the guy behind it, Matt, before turning around and leaning against the wooden structure. It didn’t take long for his eyes to land on Amelia, and he had to fight the urge to smile at her brightly. 

He lifted his right hand in a silent greeting but dropped it when Amelia didn’t reciprocate the gesture. Normally she would be more than willing to say hello to him but that day she blanked him. He thought that maybe she hadn’t seen him so he waved again, but still he got nothing in return. 

She had seen him when he turned around but she was so caught up in her emotions that she couldn’t bring herself to wave back. It hurt her to know that Taron would never like a girl like her. How could he? She wasn’t leggy, she wasn’t blonde, and she didn’t have the brightest smile in the world. 

‘Amelia?’ Autumn put her hand on Amelia’s shoulder to get her attention. ‘You okay?’ 

‘Yeah. I think I’m going to go back to the bed and breakfast. I don’t feel too great all of a sudden.’ 

‘Do you want us to walk you back?’ Sada offered, worry evident on her face. 

Amelia shook her head, insisting that she would be okay and that she would text them when she got back so they knew that she was safe. They reluctantly agreed to let her go and made sure that she was bundled back up before hugging her and bidding her farewell. 

As soon as Taron saw her leave the pub, he threw a £10 note on the bar under his glass and followed her out quickly. The bitter cold of the outside nipped at his cheeks, and he worried that Amelia’s hands would be getting cold as they were never covered when she went out. 

‘Amelia?’ 

He jogged to catch up with the woman who had blatantly ignored him for the first time they had met. When she turned around to face him, she had tears in her eyes and her tongue was pressed to the inside of her cheek. She was trying her best not to cry. 

‘What’s the matter, love?’ 

‘Don’t.’ Amelia’s words were stern as she took as deep a breath as she could and wet her lips. ‘Don’t.’ 

‘Don’t? Don’t what?’ 

‘Call me love.’ Taron’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched her. ‘Were you ever planning on telling me, Taron?’ 

Taron stood in the middle of the street completely dumbfounded. The last time he’d spoken to Amelia, she was so warm and welcoming. But that night there was a chill to her and it wasn’t because of the weather outside. 

‘Amelia, you’re going to have to give me more than that.’ 

‘Were you ever planning on telling me that you’re seeing someone? For weeks now you’ve been flirting with me and wanting to get to know me and spend more time with me but you’re seeing someone. Were you ever going to tell me?’ 

‘What?’ Taron didn’t know what to say. He was scared to say anything. ‘I’m not seeing anyone.’ 

‘Oh don’t bullshit me, Taron! I don’t blame you because she’s fucking stunning and I’ll never be that!’ Amelia was slurring slightly and her head had started to spin. The more irate and annoyed she got, the harder she found it to speak. 

‘Never be what? Stunning? That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard. You’re so bloody beautiful, Amelia. Can we please go somewhere to talk properly? Or can we talk tomorrow when you’re sober and can communicate properly?’ 

Taron took a step closer to Amelia but she moved herself back, holding her hand up to tell him not to get any closer. 

‘Don’t you dare come near me. Do you hear me? I don’t want to be near you right now, you fucking liar.’ 

‘Amelia, please. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ 

‘Rosie,’ Amelia seethed, watching all of the colour drain from Taron’s face. ‘Now he gets it.’ 

;Love, she-’ 

‘Is your girlfriend,’ Amelia interrupted. ‘I get it Taron.’ 

‘No! She’s-’ 

‘Taron, save it. I don’t want to hear your excuses.’ she was starting to get emotional, her bottom lip trembling and eyes growing heavy with tears. ‘Was I just keeping her place warm? In bed? Is that all I was to you? Someone to play with until she came back?’ 

‘Oh my god, no!’ 

Taron tried to step closer to her again so that he could try to get her to listen to him but she moved back once more, almost tripping over a stone in the road. 

‘I mean it, don’t come near me.’ 

‘Rosie is a friend, Lo-Amelia. She’s a friend. That’s all she is.’ 

‘A friend that you also happen to sleep with? Do you know how fucking stupid I feel right now, Taron? For weeks I’ve thought that for some stupid reason you might actually like me the way that I like you. But all I was, was a fucking idiot. How could you ever like me when I’m not tall, I don’t have bleach blonde hair with perfect roots, and I haven’t got a smile brighter than the fucking sun?’ 

Tears had started to fall by that point and Taron’s heart physically broke.

Standing a few paces in front of him was the girl who had stolen such a huge chunk of his heart. 

Standing a few paces in front of him was the girl that he wanted to spend every waking minute with. 

He adored her. 

He adored her so much that he’d have walked through fire for her. 

But he couldn’t tell her. 

He wanted to tell her. 

He wanted to say the words he was too afraid to say and then scoop her up and hold her forever. Amelia was the first person he thought of when he woke up and the last person he thought of before he fell asleep. She meant more to him than he cared to admit. 

‘I’m not seeing her.’ 

‘Tell me whatever you want, Taron. I don’t fucking believe you.’ 

Amelia wiped at her eyes angrily before turning so that she wasn’t facing him head on, too sad to look at him. 

‘You know,’ she sniffled, ‘I thought that after years of being used I might be used to this feeling. But this,’ she motioned between the two of them, ‘this feels a thousand times worse. I never thought that somebody like you would ever use me but look how that turned out.’ 

Taron was stuck in his spot as he watched Amelia walk down the street and out of view. He could see her wipe at her eyes and the soft sounds of her sniffles. Tears had started to fall from his eyes at the thought of Amelia not trusting him anymore. But he couldn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say to make it better. 

Even when people had started to walk out of the pub to see what the commotion was, she couldn’t move. All he could do was sink to the ground in a heap and let out a strangled sob. Autumn and Sada ran to his side and asked what was wrong. 

‘She thinks I was using her.’ 

‘Who?’

‘What?’ Autumn and Sada asked at the same time. 

‘Ame-’ He hiccuped. ‘Amelia. She thinks I’m seeing Rosie and using her so I’m not on my own. I’m not using her. I told Rosie last night that I didn’t want to see her. But she didn’t listen. Now look what’s fucking happened. When I find out who told her that I was seeing Rosie I’m going to kill them, I swear to God.’ 

The tears that trailed down his cheeks were hot and salty. 

He hated himself. 

Amelia hated him too and that felt the worst.