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It was ridiculous that he should feel nervous about this. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to find the right words, or the way to start the conversation. Not that Lily seemed to notice his discomfort; she was too busy glancing back at her shop every few moments from their table outside the main Mill building, in case anyone wanted to buy anything. Alex gazed at the menu, not taking in any of the words. He needed her full attention, and the only way he knew to get it was to talk about her stupid fiancé.
‘Does Edward like you working here?’ he asked, and Lily spun back round to face him, as predicted.
‘Is that what you brought me here to ask?’ The sharpness in her tone felt familiar, somehow.
‘No.’ But suddenly he wanted to know the answer. What was her life like with this man? Alex might not have met him, but he knew already he was wrong for Lily. She needed someone like her, someone sharp and bright and honest. Someone who would let her be herself.
Lily’s gaze dropped down to the menu, held tightly in white-knuckled hands. ‘He’s been very supportive,’ she said, but the words were dull, empty.
‘Supportive how?’
‘He says…’ She sucked in a breath, as if steeling herself for something unpleasant. ‘He likes that I’ve found a way to make my hobby pay for itself.’
‘He… Hang on. What? This is your career, right?’
She gave a sad little laugh and lowered her head so her hair fell into her eyes. ‘He’s right. I mean, I don’t earn anywhere near as much as him, but then, I’m only just getting started…’
A hot rage started in Alex’s belly, rising up through his chest. Who the hell was this man to try to keep Lily Thomas from being every golden thing she’d always been meant to be? To patronize her and make her feel less, when Alex knew straight off she was worth a dozen Edwards?
‘And you call that being supportive?’ Alex asked, trying to keep his voice even.
‘I know, I know,’ Lily said, looking up with a quick smile. ‘But he doesn’t mean it that way.’
‘I don’t really see what other way there is to mean it,’ Alex said, the words coming out clipped.
‘He just… It’s more art than work to him.’ She shrugged. ‘He understands the business side of it, and he helps with the books and that sort of thing. But he doesn’t really understand that fiddling with bits of metal and stone can be a real job.’
‘Of course it is,’ Alex said immediately. It was as real as photography, anyway. He hid a wince. Wasn’t he the same? Not telling anyone about his dream in case they thought it was stupid? In case they thought a numbers man couldn’t have a creative side? In case they all told him he was an idiot for wanting to try?
Well, at least he had one person, right here, he could trust to be on his side. So now he just had to tell her. It had to be better than talking about her idiot fiancé, anyway.
‘In fact, that’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.’
Lily’s brow crinkled up. ‘My shop?’
‘To start with, yeah. How did you get set up here?’
Leaning back in his chair, Alex listened as Lily embarked on a lengthy story, with several subplots, about how she came to be ensconced at the Mill. She paused only briefly to order the Welsh rarebit when a waitress interrupted them. Alex followed suit, more interested in Lily than the menu.
He’d been wondering since yesterday where the Lily he remembered had gone, but listening to her talk about the renovations the Mill had undergone, the committee structure, how they decided who to let in to the collective… He saw her again. Her cheeks flushed, her hands constantly moving… He could see the passion in her face, the brightness of her eyes, even with every flash of that incongruous ring as she illustrated a point with a gesture. She looked alive, for the first time since they’d met again.
‘So you were part of this from the start?’ he asked as the waitress brought their drinks. ‘This is, well, all your doing?’
Lily shook her head, looking down at the glass in her hands. ‘A very small part of it. But the whole idea of the collective was that we all got to have some input into how it was set up. We pay rent, like we would anywhere, but we also help to run the place.’
‘It’s a great set-up.’ Alex sipped his drink while he found the courage for what he wanted to say next. Hearing Lily talk so enthusiastically about the Mill had made up his mind. What was the point in waiting when such a great opportunity had opened up before him? ‘Which is why I was hoping you could tell me a bit more about the studio space that’s opened up for rent.’
A frown creased across Lily’s forehead. ‘The studio? Why? I mean, if you’re looking for office space, this really isn’t the right place.’
‘I’m not,’ Alex said, but Lily kept talking over him.
‘Although a few of the guys here would probably be interested in speaking to you – a lot of them used Mr Phillips as their accountant and he’s been trying to help us out since he retired, but he really does need to slow down now. The doctor says –’
‘Lily.’ Reaching across the table, Alex rested his hand on hers, his thumb brushing across the smooth skin of her palm before he even realized he was doing it. ‘I’m looking for a studio. Not an office.’
‘A studio?’ she echoed, bafflement shining across her face. ‘But why?’
If she laughed, Alex would give up the whole idea, right now. But he had to tell somebody, sometime. So… ‘I’m setting up as a photographer. Not an accountant.’
‘Oh.’ Her eyes widened, but she didn’t laugh. ‘That’s… that’s wonderful, Alex.’
The tightness in Alex’s lungs began to loosen, and he could breathe again. ‘It’s kind of a secret project for now, if you don’t mind. I mean, I talked it through with my dad, before he died. We planned it all out together, But… I want to get properly set up before I start telling people.’
‘And you need a studio. Of course.’ Glancing behind her, Lily caught the attention of their waitress and asked, with a smile, ‘Jess, is Max in today?’
The girl nodded. ‘He’s in his office. Want me to call him down?’
‘Don’t worry. We’ll go up and see him when we’re finished.’
‘Max?’ Alex asked when the waitress walked away.
‘Mr Hughes,’ Lily clarified, and Alex nodded, recognizing the name from her story.
‘He owns the place, right? He’ll want to check me out, I suppose.’
‘Yeah.’ Lily looked hesitant for a moment. ‘He’ll probably want to see some of your work. I don’t know how far along you are with your plans…’
Not far enough, Alex realized. He was jumping in head first, moving too fast. He should slow down… But as he looked around the Mill, saw what it had become, and as he stared into Lily’s eyes, full of belief in him… He couldn’t risk missing this chance.
‘I’m still in the early stages,’ he said honestly. ‘But I’ve got my equipment and student portfolios back at the cottage. I need to set up some shoots for more professional shots, and I’ll need to kit out a studio properly…’ He had lists, back home on his laptop, lists and plans and schedules. Why hadn’t he brought them with him? Because he hadn’t known this opportunity would present itself. Still, he should have been prepared.
Lily clapped her hands together. ‘I know! You can photograph my new ring collection for my promo material and catalogue!’ Alex glanced up at her, surprised out of his self-recriminations. ‘If you wanted to, of course,’ she said, enthusiasm dimming.
‘No, no, I want to,’ he hurried to reassure her. ‘That would be great. Perfect, actually. And maybe a few of the other artists here would be interested in letting me photograph their stock. Help build a proper portfolio for me, and give them some shots to use on their websites and such.’
‘I think they would.’ That beautiful smile spread across Lily’s face again, and it caught at something in Alex’s chest. This was the life he’d left London for. Working at something he loved, with like-minded people. And a beautiful woman at his side.
Except, Lily wasn’t his. And he still had to convince Max Hughes that he was a good bet for the collective.
‘Okay,’ he said, pulling out enough cash to cover their lunch and a decent tip. ‘Let’s go see if we can get your pal Max on board with the plan.’
* * * *
Pausing at the door to Max’s office, Lily glanced back at Alex. His expression remained blank, unconcerned, but she could see a tension to his shoulders, his jaw, that made Lily think this was a bigger deal to him than he wanted to let on. Who’d have thought it? Alex Harper, a photographer. And he’d given up that big career in the City that Cora’s parents were always boasting about just to pursue his dream.
Lily had to admire that sort of determination.
But then, Alex had always been good at proving people wrong. After a teenage phase of getting into trouble every Saturday night, being on first name terms with every policeman in Felinfach, and becoming a byword for every father’s worst nightmare when it came to dating their daughters, Alex had somehow managed to straighten up and fly right. While others – okay, she – still struggled every day with the reminders of the trouble they’d caused as children, Alex had escaped to London, made a fortune and his name, and been welcomed back by the town like the prodigal son.
Not that she wasn’t happy for him, of course. A bit jealous, maybe. But now he had to try and convince Max, and that was a whole different ballgame.
‘Ready?’ she asked, and Alex nodded. ‘Okay then.’
Max called them in almost before she’d knocked. Jess had probably phoned up to warn him, and you couldn’t walk up the creaking staircase at the centre of the old Mill building without Max hearing you coming. The look he gave her over his steepled fingers as he sat behind his desk like a Bond super villain confirmed what she’d already suspected. Jess had told him they were coming, filled him in on who Alex was, and now Max was going to use this opportunity to tease and embarrass Lily for his own amusement. Great.
‘Max? This is Alex Harper.’ Stepping into the office, she moved to one side to let Alex pass her and reach out a hand for Max to shake. Max hesitated just a moment too long before taking it. Lily bit her lip. This might be a hard sell.
‘I’ve heard about you,’ Max said, his gaze fixed to Alex’s face. Lily watched him too; Alex met Max’s eyes without hesitation, and his posture was loose and easy. ‘Prodigal son returns to hometown, right?’
Alex smiled. ‘Something like that. A lot’s changed since I was gone. This place, for instance. I’m impressed with how you’ve managed to save so much of the old place.’
The tension in Lily’s shoulders started to relax a little. That was the right thing to say. The Mill was Max’s baby, and with Max, a little flattery went a long way.
‘Lily had a lot to do with that,’ Max said, and Lily’s attention jumped back to him. It wasn’t a lie; she’d met Max almost his first day in town, when she’d been selling her jewellery at the market in the town square. He’d bought her a coffee and listened to her opinions about the town and the opportunities for almost an hour before he’d told her what he was planning. And once she’d heard his idea, there was no way she’d let him do it without her. The money was all Max’s, but a lot of the ideas, the dreams and the hard graft that made it happen were hers.
‘I’m not surprised.’ The smile Alex gave her was soft, caring, and surprised her even more than Max’s praise. ‘She’s always had great dreams.’
‘So you two go way back then?’ Max’s eyes glinted in an alarming way, and Lily realized she really should take some control of this conversation before they started dissecting her history.
‘Alex is Cora’s cousin,’ she said, leaning her hip against Max’s desk. ‘He’s a photographer, and he’s looking at renting our empty unit.’
‘A photographer? I thought he was an accountant.’
‘That too,’ Alex said, shrugging. ‘The photography’s a newer direction for me.’
‘You got a portfolio? Don’t know what Lily’s told you, but we’re a proper collective here. We vote on newcomers. They’ll want to see your stuff.’
‘Of course. I’m still building up my portfolio at the moment. Lily suggested that maybe a few of your artists would let me take some shots of their stock. For free, of course.’
That hadn’t been her suggestion; it had been his. But Alex had obviously noticed Max’s fondness for her, and was playing up to it. Clever man.
‘Maybe.’ Max glanced up at her and she knew he wasn’t fooled at all. Motioning towards the chair on the other side of the desk, he said, ‘Have a seat, Alex.’
Max’s office was tiny; it barely had room for the desk and two chairs already there, so Lily perched on the windowsill to watch the exchange.
‘So, you want to be a photographer?’
Alex nodded. ‘That’s the plan.’
‘I heard you were making good money in the City. Great money, even.’
‘Good enough, yes.’ Alex’s shoulders were looking stiffer, now, Lily realized, biting her lip.
‘So what happened?’ Max asked, eyebrows raised.
‘I decided it was time for a change in direction.’ The words came out clipped. Alex never had liked explaining himself to people. It was one of the things that had got him into so much trouble as a kid. But if he wanted to be part of the collective… Well, she was afraid he’d have to learn. There was nothing the collective liked to do more than talk about stuff.
‘Kind of a drastic change.’ Max leant back in his chair, eyes still fixed on Alex. ‘In my experience, that sort of change is usually preceded by some sort of disaster making it necessary.’
‘Not in my case. My father died. Makes a man re-evaluate things.’ Alex’s hands were clenched against his thighs as he spoke, and Lily realized she really needed to intervene if she didn’t want him to lose it with Max and blow his chance of a place at the Mill.
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Max said, but he didn’t look abashed. In fact, he looked like he thought he’d been proven right.
Was he? Was Alex just taking action to distract himself from his father’s death? Or even because he thought it was what his dad would have wanted? Would he give up and move back to London in a few months, once the grief started to fade?
Cora was worried he would, Lily knew. But then, Cora hadn’t heard him talking about his dream on becoming a photographer. Lily had.
‘Alex has been taking photography courses for the last couple of years,’ she said, pushing herself off the windowsill and closer to the desk. Maybe if she flung herself across the desk between them…
‘Is that so?’ Max said, eyeing Alex again. ‘So, you’ve been planning this move for a while?’ Since before your dad died went unspoken, but Lily knew she’d got her point across.
Alex nodded, and Lily let out a breath as his shoulders began to relax. ‘I knew I wanted to make a change, but it wasn’t until I found photography that I knew what I wanted that change to be.’
‘So you’re here looking for a whole new life?’
Alex’s smile was self-deprecating. Lily didn’t believe it. ‘I’m thirty now. I’m ready to move out of the City, ready to settle down.’
Max’s eyes flicked to Lily for one alarming moment. She tried to take a step back before realizing she was already up against the window frame. There was nowhere else to go.
‘Sounds like you’re looking for a wife, son,’ Max said.
‘Maybe.’ Alex grinned. ‘But I’ve got a new career to build up first.’
‘Well, we’ll have to see what we can do about that.’ Max turned to Lily. ‘You think he’d be a good fit?’
‘I do.’ Lily flashed a smile at Alex. ‘Besides, he’s fun to have around.’
Pushing his chair back from the desk, Max got to his feet. ‘Get a portfolio together this week, and I’ll take it to the next co-op meeting, on Thursday.’
Alex stood and stretched a hand out across the desk. ‘I’ll have it to you before Monday.’
‘As you like. I’ll see you then.’ Max gave him another assessing look. Definitely time to get out of there.
Grabbing Alex’s arm, Lily shuffled him towards the door, calling her goodbyes over her shoulder to Max and only relaxing when the office door swung shut behind them.
Max was going to want to have another conversation very soon. One she was looking forward to even less than the last one.
* * * *
‘So, that went well, right?’ Alex asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped out into the courtyard, a safe distance from Max. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure exactly what Max had made of his career change, but it was obvious that Max trusted Lily. With her on his side, Alex reckoned he had an excellent chance of making this work.
‘I think so. Yes. Probably.’ A small frown line cut into Lily’s forehead. ‘Yes. I think so.’
Alex laughed. ‘Don’t worry. If your influence isn’t enough, hopefully my portfolio will win everyone over. Especially since it’ll feature their own stuff – including your beautiful jewellery.’
Lily blushed as if he’d called her beautiful, rather than her work. Interesting. That was the sort of fact he’d have tucked away to do something about later, back in London. But not in Felinfach.
‘I’m sure your photography skills will win them over,’ Lily said.
