Page 66 of Christmas at the Little Bookshop by the Sea

Florrie slid the backpack off her shoulders and set it on the small kitchen countertop. She reached inside and pulled out a tub. Turning to him, she said, ‘I’ve made us a picnic, a Christmas one. I thought it’d be fun.’

Ed’s smile widened. ‘A Christmas picnic? I can honestly say I’ve never had one of those before!’

‘I’d originally planned for us to just have it in the car looking out to sea – I’d told the girls about it. Anyroad, Stells had mentioned it to her mum, who said we could have the use of this place, make more of an occasion of it. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s loads better than sitting in our little banger.’ She laughed, thrilled it had gone down so well. She’d had a moment’s doubt the night before, suddenly thinking it was a daft idea. But she’d reminded herself of the Christmas picnic her parents had surprised her with when she was a young girl and they’d driven to the moors and picnicked in the car as snow had fallen around them. It was one of her favourite Christmas memories.

‘It’s amazing. And very generous of Stella’s mum.’ Ed released Gerty from her lead and the Labrador trotted off, sniffing busily around the room. Ed headed over to Florrie, slipping his arms around her waist. ‘And so thoughtful of you, Florrie. I really don’t expect you to go to all this effort for me.’

She turned to him, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘It’s no effort at all, it’s fun. I’ve loved thinking of things for The Happy Christmas Memories Project.’ She pressed a kiss to his lips, still chilly from their short walk to the chalet.

‘Well, I want you to know, I appreciate everything you’re doing. I feel thoroughly spoilt.’ He squeezed her tight. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ he asked, releasing her from his embrace.

‘You could chuck this cloth over the table so I can set the food out, then you could maybe light the stove. I don’t know what you reckon, but I thought it might be nice to keep the door open and set the chairs next to it. That way we can eat while looking out at the view. But if you think it’d be too cold, I’m happy to eat at the table.’

‘I love the idea of looking out to sea, and we’ll still be sheltered from the breeze.’

‘Oh, and we need to pull a cracker each first, that’s very important.’

‘There are Christmas crackers, too?’

‘Of course!’

‘You’ve thought of everything.’

‘I’ll have you know, no Christmas picnic is complete without Christmas crackers,’ she said with a faux serious face.

‘Can’t argue with that.’ He grinned as he took the end of the cracker she was holding out to him, pulling it with a snap.

‘And the rule is you keep your Christmas hat on till we’re back home.’

‘Happy to oblige.’ Chuckling, Ed fixed his paper crown on his head.

‘Suits you.’ Florrie grinned at the ridiculously cheerful smile he was wearing.

With the picnic devoured – amongst other foodie treats, it consisted of turkey and stuffing sandwiches in fluffy white bread buns with a generous smear of cranberry sauce, pigs-in-blankets, mince pies and gooey mini chocolate Yule logs, washed down with a flask of tea – they sat back in their chairs, looking out at the dark-grey sea. White horses were breaking as waves charged to the shore, crashing noisily. Seagulls screeched overhead. One particularly vocal herring gull stood on the railings and cawed for all it was worth.

Florrie blew on her mug of tea, her thoughts meandering to the other night at The Cellar with Jean and Jack. They’d been in raptures at hearing the young couple had accepted their offer. ‘It’s a whole new chapter for The Happy Hartes Bookshop,’ Jackhad said as they’d clinked their glasses of fizz. ‘Pun very much intended.’

Ed and Florrie had been inordinately relieved to find that Jack was understanding regarding Peter Harte’s request to retain Mr and Mrs H’s anonymity in their role in his adoption. ‘I appreciate it’s a highly sensitive topic and I’m very mindful of folks’ feelings. Please reassure your parents I won’t tell a soul.’

In turn, Florrie and Ed had agreed never to reveal to them the reason behind Mr and Mrs H’s estrangement from their son, knowing how it would devastate Jean. She’d no doubt blame herself, which they didn’t want. It wasn’t fair to inflict such pain on a warm, kind-hearted person like Jean. She’d been through enough already.

‘There’s another reason I went to London that I haven’t told you about.’ Ed’s words sliced through Florrie’s thoughts, jarring with the happiness that only moments ago had her in its clutches.

Uh-oh.‘There is?’Please make the reason be something good.Her pulse started pumping hard around her body.

FORTY-ONE

Ed got to his feet and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out something indiscernible. ‘I’d intended to save this for tomorrow, but I think now would be the perfect time.’

‘Save what? Ed, why are you talking in riddles?’ Florrie’s mind was swirling again.

‘I needed to get it fixed as soon as possible. I’d been looking for it for ages, thought I was never going to find it – it’s what I’d been searching for in the attic. Anyroad, when I found it, I saw it had split. I’ve a friend who said he could fix it for me quickly, while everywhere else I’d asked said they couldn’t do it in time. Only trouble was, he was in London and only there till Wednesday – he was flying out to spend Christmas with his girlfriend in Bruges. It all added to the urgency for me to get to London.’

‘Oh right, I see – I think.’ Florrie didn’t see at all. She hadn’t a clue where he was going with all of this gabbling. In fact, she’d go as far as to say she’d never seen him looking so antsy. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Never been better.’ He flashed one of his smiles, raked his fingers through his hair and started shuffling from foot to foot, rubbing his hand nervously across his mouth.

Could’ve fooled me.She studied his face intently, growing more confused by the second. He took a long pause and swallowed audibly before throwing her an uncertain smile.What the heck happened to him down in London that has made him behave so oddly?

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