Page 61 of Snowfall Over Halesmere House
‘And if it was good? Or better than good?’
‘Good… then I’d end it maybe like this.’ She leaned forward, left a light kiss on his cheek.
‘Nice.’ His hands tightened on hers. ‘And better than good?’
‘Like this?’ She drew Max close, close enough to place her hands on his face, and tilted her head towards his. She saw his eyes darken and heard the quick catch in his breathing as she kissed him, letting her lips linger against his mouth. ‘Will that do?’
‘What do you want me to say, Ella?’ His voice was a muttered groan as his hands slid up her arms to grip her shoulders. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever ended a first date with something that felt as incredible as you kissing me like that.’
One slow finger inched across her collarbone towards the V of the dress, and it was her turn to gasp as he let it slide beneath the material, his eyes idly watching its progress.
He removed his hand, a smile regretful. ‘I’m going, before it’s too late and we rush into something I’d much rather we took our time over.’
Ella’s nod was reluctant and her pulse slowly began to return to normal. Max was right; he couldn’t keep the babysitter waiting until all hours, and if he came back into the house now, she knew they’d both find it impossible for him to leave. ‘So, go.’
‘I’m going, I really am. Still okay to collect the kids tomorrow?’
‘Of course. I’ve promised Prim a run and I’d swear she understands every word.’
‘Yeah? Pity she doesn’t understand the “behave yourself” ones quite so well.’
Chapter Twenty
By seven a.m. on Saturday Ella was beginning to seriously wonder what she’d set in motion. She’d been up for two hours already, and the first creatives were due from eight to finish setting up for the Christmas artisan day, which was going to be open to visitors from ten until four p.m. Snow was forecast and when she’d mentioned to Stan that she was concerned people might struggle to get down the drive in it, he’d told her not to worry.
He’d rolled up early too, in a tractor he’d borrowed from a mate, and Ella hugged him gratefully. He seemed to make it his mission to find solutions to everything she threw at him. They’d already drawn their Secret Santa and she’d got him; she was planning to be as creative as possible with her gift.
Thanks to Pearl’s brilliance on Instagram, they could have given away twice as many tables as they had room for in the barn. Ella already had a list of artists and other creatives who’d emailed asking to view the studios, and she’d been delighted when Marta had claimed one. She was ready to expand her candle-making business and as the studios were close to her farm, it would give her another outlet beyond the community shop and online orders without having to travel too far. Ella had also emailed the college to give feedback on the students who’d helped with the supper and the course director had invited her to a Zoom meeting next week to discuss her guest chef day in January.
The thought of leaving Halesmere was starting to seriously worry Ella. She’d come here with little idea of anything more than a fun and interesting role doing something different while she worked out what her future might look like. But already she had made friends, connected local producers to the house, and was helping Max find his way into the community. She loved the landscape, the sense of adventure waiting every time she went for a run or took her kayak out. The new website was under construction and the house’s email in-box was filling up with booking requests. And then there was Max, and his children. She loved them all, but she knew she could say nothing of that to him, at least not yet. She understood some of what he must be feeling about Victoria and the guilt associated with moving on. She would have to give him time and pray it wouldn’t run away with her.
She had arranged to meet Ana, a yoga and mindfulness instructor who also created beautiful jewellery from recycled silver, after the holidays with a view to setting up a weekend retreat to test the water for interest and what activities they might offer future guests in between classes. It would need catering this first time and Ella was already thinking she’d ask the students to work with her again. Noelle, painting in France, was in regular touch, calling the children on FaceTime every afternoon and promising them a holiday in her tiny seaside cottage in the spring.
Lily and Arlo had just broken up from school and were getting ever more excited about Christmas. Ella had managed to dissuade Lily from suggesting to Stan that it would be a kindness from her calendar to ask him to make her a hutch for the guinea pigs Santa was supposed to be bringing. Ella explained that Stan had quite a lot to do, and a better kindness might be for Lily to bake for him instead, with Ella’s help. Lily had decided on cupcakes, and yesterday after school she, Arlo and Ella had delivered them to his workshop. A delighted Stan had been almost speechless with glee. He’d invited them in, cleared space on the battered old armchair in the corner, and showed them all the clever tools he used to make his little animal carvings. The new barn doors looked amazing now they were hung, and Pete’s apprentice had painted them sage green to match the woodwork around the studios.
Ella had ordered all the refreshments for today through the community shop; they’d be serving mulled wine and a non-alcoholic Christmas punch alongside the food. Sandy’s ceramics studio was open and the one next door for refreshments was being manned by two volunteers from the shop and a student from the catering college looking for extra Christmas cash. Stan had asked Ella if she trusted him to provide a surprise and she’d told him she absolutely did and to go on ahead. Now she halted her dash to the barn, her arms full of empty gift bags, when she saw a group of carol singers in Victorian dress warming up around a violinist.
‘Stan! They sound amazing, thank you.’ Ella had thought of offering entertainment but had run out of time to set anything up. ‘How did you manage to find them so late on? No, don’t tell me, you have contacts in all the right places.’
‘Aye, young Ella, I do.’ He winked. ‘Right, better get me hi-vis on, there’s people arrivin’ already.’
‘Thanks to Pearl.’ Ella gave him a grin as she carried on to the barn with her bags. ‘She’s been brilliant on social media; I think we’re going to be busy.’
Within a couple of hours the car park was full and a mate of Stan’s, in charge of it, was operating a one-in, one-out system. The refreshments were going down a storm and Ella was very glad of the extra help as she made another bowl of Christmas punch. Sales were encouraging and she made sure to keep the artists supplied with food and drink. The carol singers drew crowds of admirers whether they were performing inside the barn or standing around the Christmas tree in the courtyard. Stan was giving her sideways looks and making sly comments about what she was planning to do to top this for their next open day and how did she expect him to do his job if she wasn’t there to organise him as Max was nowhere near as good at it as she was?
Ella laughed it off, telling Stan she had enough plans for work to see him through until next Christmas and he’d better keep out of her way if he didn’t want a list as long as his favourite chisel. But his remarks were very close to her own thoughts about leaving and she hadn’t missed how Max had got stuck in, emptying bins, nipping down to the shop for more supplies and making himself useful. He’d asked Ashley’s babysitter to keep an eye on Lily and Arlo and take them back to the cottage if they got bored. Arlo got fed up before Lily did, and disappeared back to his beloved tractors, while Lily stuck close to Ella and learned how to take payments on the new card machine and helped with gift wrapping.
At three the crowds finally began to thin. The sky was grey, laden with the snow Stan had told her would fall in the next twenty-four hours. Ella hoped it would hold off until Sunday evening at least; her parents were visiting tomorrow and as it was the only time she’d see them over the holidays she didn’t want the weather keeping them away. The open day had been a big hit, and she now had more artists interested in studios than they had space for. The carol singers and violinist finished with a session around the Christmas tree, with everyone joining in to sing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. Ella almost didn’t want it to end, even though her feet were starting to ache.
‘So this was why you ordered a dozen Christmas puddings on our account from the shop.’ Max was at her side, watching Lily handing out parcels to everyone who had helped. ‘That’s a really nice idea.’
‘Thanks. I just wanted something to let them know we appreciate all they’ve done.’
‘Another successful event, Ella Grant.’ He was smiling and she felt his hand reach for hers. ‘Thank you, it’s been fantastic. I heard Pete say he was going home for a lie-down after you reminded him about the flat being finished for the end of January so we can accept guests in the house.’
‘He did look a bit perturbed.’ Ella loved the amusement in Max’s voice, how his gaze lingered on hers, the warm touch his fingers. ‘But the studios aren’t that far off being done now, which is good – Marta wants to move in straight after New Year. I’ve arranged to email all the artists for feedback on the open day and see how we might improve for next time.’
‘Next time? When were you thinking of doing that?’
