Page 64 of The Cornish Christmas Book Clu
They were soon convulsed with laughter at the various pig-related ideas that had been batted around so far.
Pixie’s mouth turned down. ‘I’ve missed this so much. I don’t mean I resent you getting this amazing chance. If I’d simply lost you to that, I wouldn’t be so bloody miserable.’ A tear leaked out and trickled down her cheek. ‘But not seeing you. Not talking to you.’ She touched her chest. ‘It hurts my heart. You were right to leave... and you were right about Christos.’
Tamara reached across and gave Pixie’s small hands a quick squeeze.
‘I sent him packing a few days ago. The estate agency where he worked doesn’t want him back, so he got a last-minute flight out to Santorini yesterday. I don’t envy him having to explain things to his family, but it’s his own fault. He deserves whatever grief they give him.’ The sound of her deep, gulping breaths filled the kitchen. ‘I watched him like a hawk after you left and for maybe a week, he couldn’t have been more attentive and hard-working. Then he reverted to his usual lazy, charming self.’ Bitterness flooded out of her. ‘One of the new Trelawney Court women caught his eye. A wealthy, bleached-blonde divorcée. But she sized him up in a hurry, so he didn’t get far. He started going out after closing time and rolling back in the early hours of the morning. If I asked where he’d been, he blew me off and said he deserved some fun after slogging away here all the time.’
Tamara metaphorically super-glued her mouth shut.
‘A young woman came in yesterday looking for him. I mean really young — barely over eighteen is my guess. You should’ve seen his face when I fetched him, and she started blabbing on to me about how they’d met in a sleazy nightclub in Newquay and were madly in love. I suppose it would’ve put a damper on their romantic trysts if he’d mentioned living with his fiancée.’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘So now I’m single again, broke and soon to be jobless.’ The fake bright smile and pulled-back shoulders couldn’t hide Pixie’s distress. ‘I’m sure Christos won’t willingly give back the money I loaned him for the deposit on the house and our plane tickets, and I’ve no interest in shelling out more money to sue him. I don’t need your hunky boyfriend and his mates hunting Christos down to knock some sense into him either.’ A flash of the old confident, take-no-prisoners Pixie re-emerged.
‘Of course not!’
‘I’m surprised you dragged yourself out of Gage’s bed this early on his day off.’
‘I spent last night at mine. You’ll never guess in a million years where he’s gone, and who he’s meeting up with later. I’ve got some gossip you won’t believe.’ She wagged her finger in Pixie’s face. ‘Not to be shared, though. Not yet.’ She didn’t want to push her luck. The whole story poured out and her friend’s reaction was priceless.
‘Tori G? Bloody hell. I mean she’s—’
‘Gorgeous. Yep, I know. It’s a bugger, isn’t it? Luckily for me, he decided a while ago that high-maintenance, demanding women weren’t his thing.’ Tamara stabbed the last forkful of cake and popped it in her mouth. ‘I don’t usually praise my own baking, but that’s amazing.’
‘Told you so.’
‘Anyway, what’syournext move? Have you approached the pub to see if you can cancel your resignation?’
Pixie shook her head. ‘That was my first reaction too, but you aren’t the only one ready for a change. I also need to spread my wings and not just to get away from everyone’s sympathy.’ She planted her hands on the table. ‘I’m going back to Wales. I’ve got a cousin who lives in Cardiff and she’s asked me to stay with her for a while. I can pick up some odd bar work or whatever while I get my plans in order.’ She glanced anxiously up through her long, dark lashes. ‘I’ve always regretted leaving school at sixteen with only a couple of GCSEs. I know I’ll have to start at the bottom again and a university degree might be unattainable, but I’ll never know unless I try.’ The worry lines deepened again. ‘Do you think I’m crazy?’
‘Absolutely not. Go for it.’ She threw her arms around Pixie. ‘We’re more alike than we ever knew. Both of us needed kicking out of our comfortable ruts. I needed that shove to get my café and I’m sure you wouldn’t have picked hitching yourself to an unfaithful pillock.’ Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Sorry. That was super tactless. The plans you made would’ve been awesome if—’
‘Christos hadn’t turned out to be an unfaithful pillock? It’s okay. I can take it. At least I can now.’
‘Morning.’ Rocky breezed in and shrugged off the old khaki army greatcoat he lived in over the winter. ‘It’s great to see you again, Tamara. Please tell me you two have sorted out whatever turned you into a pair of idiots and you’re coming back to work?’
‘Yes, and no.’ She beamed. ‘We’re besties again, which is awesome, but I’m all set to open a café in the bookshop and couldn’t be happier. I’m thrilled your job is safe, though.’
‘Me too.’
‘Any chance you’ll pop back in after we’re done serving and have lunch with me like old times?’ Pixie asked.
‘Every chance.’
Tomorrow she’d thank Gage properly for making her see sense. Right now she had Christmas cakes to deliver or her girlfriends would start to wonder if she’d forgotten their gifts. A bright idea struck. Tamara pulled out her phone and sent out a group message inviting everyone over to her house later for tea and mince pies.
She strode off up the road humming ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.
* * *
‘Push me over to the window, young man, so I can see you better.’ Louise Hatton remained an imposing presence and although her body was pitifully frail these days, her pebble-like dark eyes were fixed on him with the same astuteness he remembered.
‘Of course, Grandmama.’ It was a relief to manoeuvre her wheelchair away from the blazing log fire. ‘Would you like me to fetch you a shawl?’
‘Don’t you start fussing around me too,’ she snapped. ‘I sent Victoria away because I need the truth, and no one else will give it to me.’ A faint smile crept over her face.
His heart sank. This wasn’t part of the deal.
