Page 53 of One Snowy Day
‘Oh, thank God. If I had to have another conversation about solar panels, I’d have bought earmuffs.’
That made her chuckle, so she decided to say something that would really make his day. He wanted drama, so…
‘But I’ve had a long chat with Helena, and I’ve decided one-night stands are the way to go.’
That evoked such a cackle that if he’d had a drink, he’d have spluttered it across the room.
‘What? I mean, I’m thrilled for you, but I think I need a bit more information.’
‘Well, I’ve been with Flynn for my entire adult life, so I’ve decided I need to?—’
‘If you say “spread my wings”, I’ll die,’ he warned her, wiping away tears of laughter.
‘Get out of my comfort zone,’ Georgie countered haughtily, before giggles consumed her too. These were exactly the kinds of conversations that made her love her brother more than words. ‘I need to date. To socialise. To venture out of the village every nowand then and, yes, maybe explore all that sweaty, bendy stuff with an attractive member of the male species.’
The words were barely out of her mouth, when she had to move to the side because a new arrival was coming in the café door.
Georgie turned, ready to extend a greeting to another villager, but was surprised to see a stranger there. A guy. Tall. Broad. Long blond hair swept back off his face. If he had an Australian accent, she’d bet a fiver he was related to the Hemsworths.
‘Hi,’ was all she could manage at short notice.
‘Hi. Sorry to gatecrash, but do you know where I’ll find Alyssa?’
Not Australian. Scottish. Glasgow. Sexy voice.
Georgie scanned the room, but couldn’t see Alyssa, which gave her the answer. ‘Erm, yes. If you go right up to the back of the café, past where that lot are doing the Macarena, she’s probably through the door behind the counter.’
‘Okay, thanks.’
As he went off to follow her instructions, she realised that both she and Grant were watching him go.
‘Sis, if you’re looking for an attractive member of the male species for that sweaty bendy stuff, you might want to start there.’
27
ALYSSA
‘Ginny, can you give the thirty-second warning for the birthday cake? Georgie asked me to bring it out at nine o’clock and it’s almost time.’
Alyssa was firing the candles into the hairdryer-shaped cake, unsure whether sixty-five of them were going to fit, and, worse, if the heat would set off the smoke alarms. She’d seen that happen in a video on social media and it had been a pathological fear ever since. What did it say about her life that her sprinkler system being activated, soaking a room full of revellers and the interior of her gorgeous winter wonderland café wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to her today?
No, the most recent contender for the worst thing to happen to her today had kicked off just a short while ago, when Kayleigh had come into the kitchen with a tall, red-haired, striking woman in a stunning black velvet trouser suit.
‘Alyssa, this is my Aunt Helena. She’s Aunt Cathy’s daughter.’
Alyssa had to dig deep for a smile and a cheery greeting. It was nice that Kayleigh wanted to introduce her family, but rightthen, she had a whole lot of other things taking up her time and her mind.
Alyssa had halted the candle insertion and held out her hand. ‘Lovely to meet you, Helena.’
Okay, time to get back to work. Things to do. People to serve. Candles to light.
‘Aunt Helena is a lawyer. A pretty brilliant one, actually.’
Alyssa had frozen, suddenly unaware of a single other thing she had to do.
Had she heard that right? ‘A lawyer?’
Helena had answered that, her voice modulated and posh. ‘Yes. Actually, I’m a criminal solicitor. Kayleigh explained that you’re having a problem with your lease, and I’m afraid I’m not well-versed in property law, but I can certainly give you my thoughts. Kayleigh said you received a letter? Can I see it?’
