Page 48 of It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square
‘Yeah, I know you did. I was kidding. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone else born on Christmas Eve before, let alone in the exact same year. Clearly this was meant to be.’
I wonder what he means bythis.
‘I can’t believe Estelle is one hundred, though.’ I quickly change the subject.
‘Now shereallydoesn’t look it, does she? I thought she was probably in her late eighties, early nineties at a push.’
‘It’s odd … ’ I say, as something suddenly occurs to me. ‘I arrived here in Mistletoe Square on the eighteenth of December. That would have been Estelle’s one hundredth birthday, wouldn’t it?
Ben nods. ‘It would appear so. Why is that odd?’
‘Because there were no signs of it. There were no birthday cards on the mantelpiece, no gifts; you’d have thought they would have been celebrating that day, not interviewing for a job?’
Ben shrugs. ‘I didn’t see anything when I was in here either. All Estelle was concerned about was getting her Christmas tree in place. Perhaps they celebrated after we’d both gone.’
‘Perhaps, but why then weren’t there any cards the next day when I moved in?’
‘Maybe she didn’t want a fuss? Not everyone likes celebrations. Look at us with Christmas.’
‘I suppose … ’
‘Look, if it’s worrying you that much, why don’t we plan a joint celebration for the three of us when it’s our birthday in a few days,’ Ben suggests. ‘I’m assuming Angela doesn’t have a Christmas birthday too?’
‘I don’t think so. But then who knows? Everything has been so strange since I came here, I’ve almost stopped being surprised by things now. Does that make sense?’
‘Totally. After what I’ve seen over the past two nights, and you’ve seen over the past three, I’ve decided just to go with the flow from now on.’
‘But it is quite fun, though, don’t you think?’
‘Too right it is. I’m already enjoying the run-up to this Christmas much more than I thought I would.’ Ben’s steady gaze meets mine, and I feel my stomach do the tiniest of somersaults, which I will reprimand it for later. But it’s getting harder to fight the effect Ben has on me. And I’m beginning to wonder whether it might be easier, and more fun, simply to go with the flow like he seems to be …
‘Me too,’ I say quickly, glancing into the fire while I sip on my cocoa.
‘I thought I was quite happy with the prospect of spending Christmas alone this year,’ Ben says. ‘Now, suddenly, not only am I immersed in daily tales of this house’s colourful past, I’ve temporarily moved in with three kind, and extremely interesting women. One of whom I’m secretly enjoying spending so much time with.’
‘Estelle?’ I tease, my stomach flip-flopping again as I talk.
Ben shakes his head. ‘Na-ah … Angela.’
We both laugh. But when Ben looks at me again, his dark eyes hold mine and this time I don’t look away – I don’t want to.
‘Seriously, answering that advert and moving into the house next door is proving to be one of the best snap decisions I’ve made in a very long time.’
‘I feel exactly the same.’
‘About answering your advert?’ Ben asks in a low voice. ‘Or perhaps about other things as well?’
‘I think only time will tell,’ I reply, our gazes still locked. ‘As Estelle is showing us every evening, time can tell us many, many things, if we give it a chance.’
Fourteen
Bloomsbury,London
22 December 2018
It’s strange seeing Ben at breakfast the next morning.
I’m used to either eating alone in the mornings or with Angela for company. Estelle never eats breakfast with us, preferring to take it in bed.
