Page 34 of Snowfall Over Halesmere House
Max scooped out a bit of penne from the pan and tasted it. ‘Not quite there, chef. You go ahead with Lily; I don’t think even I can burn this.’
‘Yes! Come on, Ella.’ Lily needed no further encouragement and Ella had little choice other than to line up. Lily insisted on doing the routine twice and although Ella had got it pretty quickly the first time round, her movements felt awkward and less natural with Max watching, leaning on the Aga with folded arms.
‘What do you think, Daddy?’ Lily went to her iPad to turn down the music.
‘Brilliant, Lily, I think you’ll smash it at the nativity. You were fantastic.’ He gave the pasta a prod.
‘But what about Ella? Wasn’t she good too?’
Ella was hovering at one end of the island, watching Arlo. He’d finished his bit of homework and was using a tractor to load bales into a trailer. She pushed a couple of bales towards him, and he dropped one and tried again.
‘Well, let’s just say she’s a great chef, Lily, hey? That pizza the other night was amazing. Dance moves, not so much.’
‘Thanks a lot.’ Ella heard Lily’s gasp of laughter and saw her give Max an astonished look. ‘I bet your dad’s moves are rubbish, Lily.’
‘They are not. I do a mean salsa and my waltz is pretty good too.’
Was he flirting with her? His lowered voice and suddenly lazy smile certainly felt that way. Ella felt a warmth stealing through her, couldn’t resist her retort. ‘Then be my guest, Mr Strictly, give it your best. Let’s see what you’ve got. I’ll watch the pasta.’
It was ready when she checked, and she turned it off. Lily found the track on the playlist again and Arlo even put down his tractor to watch. Max had seen them perform the routine twice already and apparently didn’t need another reminder of the choreography. Ella’s laughter was a mix of happy and sad as she watched him and Lily, and he was as good as he’d said.
When the routine ended, with Max and Lily on their knees, arms in the air and fingers twinkling like stars, Ella could only applaud and hope he hadn’t noticed the emotion she was trying to hold back. It had been a long time since she’d had such simple fun and she couldn’t let any of them think it was going to last. She’d signed up to a couple of agencies as a backup before arriving at Halesmere and one had already got in touch with the possibility of an interview, which she’d put off for now.
‘So, Lily, who’s the winner?’ Max stood and lifted Lily back onto her feet. ‘Your dad, who bought you a puppy and has a hotline to Santa and his elves, or Ella, who’s only got pizza to recommend her?’
‘You’re shameless, using Prim to get Lily to choose you,’ Ella protested. ‘That’s definitely below the belt.’
‘I don’t know, Daddy.’ Lily was considering it seriously, despite Max’s attempt to sway her. ‘You were both really good, but I think you were more in time.’
‘So I’ve won then?’ He tickled her, and she giggled, trying not very hard to escape. ‘It’s a ten from you?’
‘Nine,’ Lily squealed. ‘I’m giving Ella a nine too.’
‘What?’ Max was outraged as Ella busied herself draining the pasta and tossed it with the vegetables. ‘You just said I was better.’
‘Yes, but Ella tried really hard, and you’ve seen it before.’ Lily flung her arms in the air. ‘Dance-off! Then I’ll choose a winner.’
‘No, Lily, really.’ Ella was half-horrified, half-ready to accept the challenge of dancing with Max. ‘Your tea’s ready.’
‘I think Ella’s just conceded.’ He gave Lily a wink. ‘So that means I win.’
It had been a long time since Ella had fought her way to the front in a competition and she felt all her instincts kicking right back in. Ridiculous, for something so insignificant, but she wasn’t about to give up. ‘I do not concede.’ She slid the pasta bowls into the warming oven. ‘We’ve got two minutes tops before the food dries up.’ She fixed a look on Max, let him read the challenge, her decision. ‘Let’s go.’
When Lily started the music Ella gave it everything, knowing he was trying his best to beat her, and when they ended on their knees, fingers twinkling like stars again, she was laughing as much as he was. Lily declared that Ella was the winner as he had apparently missed a move at a crucial moment, and he accepted defeat with good grace, giving Ella a high-five to acknowledge her success. He set the table while she brought the food across.
‘You’re not eating with us?’ He pushed Arlo’s chair closer to the table as Lily sat down. Ella had brought over three pasta bowls, but she saw now that Max had set four places.
‘No, I only did enough for the three of you.’ She was backing away. ‘I thought you’d prefer not having to cook something for yourself once you’d got home.’
‘What about you?’ He tucked a napkin over Arlo’s school polo shirt, smoothed his hair with a gentle hand. ‘When are you going to eat?’
‘Later.’
‘Right. Because that makes sense, does it? Cooking for us and not including you? You’d really rather eat alone?’
That was Max’s trump card, and she knew he understood she couldn’t say yes and be truthful as well. ‘Please, Ella, sit down. I’ll bring another bowl.’
‘There isn’t that much. Really, it’s fine, you guys have it.’
