Page 18 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘Whatever it was in your past, I’m really sorry you hadto go through it.’
And me blabbing was pure wine.
‘Thanks.’ He smiled, not seeming to mind. ‘Long time ago now.’
‘That doesn’t always mean a lot.’
He drew a breath in and let it out slowly. ‘No. True. But life’s good now. I have George, and my business, and moving to this village has definitely been good for me.’
‘Really?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘I’m sorry if I kicked off some painful memories.’
‘Itold you. Forget it. It’s all good now.’
I put my hand on the catch of the door, then hesitated, my brain telling me to leg it and my mouth, as usual, ignoring the sensible advice and doing its own thing.
‘When you came in at Xander and Giselle’s, you didn’t happen to overhear …’
‘Yep.’
I risked a look up. He was grinning. Damn.
‘I didn’t mean … it’s just that what you heard …’ Cal movedhis head a smidgeon to the side, encouraging me to continue with my explanation, the smile still firmly in place. ‘What you heard was out of context. It’s really not what it sounded like.’
‘OK,’ he replied, with a tone that implied he didn’t a believe a word of it.
‘I should go. Thanks for the lift.’
‘My pleasure. I’ll see you around.’
‘Ummhmm,’ I said, noncommittally, waved, and took thefew steps to where the metal stairs ran up to my little dwelling.
What I hadn’t taken into consideration as I ran up the staircase was that the sleet, now coming into contact with the cold metal, was freezing over. As I neared the top, one leg went one way and the other went in the opposite direction. I was so glad George wasn’t there because the expletives were out and proud before I even thoughtabout it as I wrapped my arms around the banister and hung there for a moment, a foot dangling in mid-air either side of the steps.
‘Lexi!’ Cal’s concerned call came as I heard the car door slam. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Parfait!’ Oh God, now not only did I look an idiot, I sounded like one. What on Earth had possessed me to channel Giselle right at that moment, especially since I could guaranteethis was not a situation my elegant friend would ever find herself in?
‘Stay there. I’m coming up.’
‘No! Don’t! I’m not going to be responsible for you breaking your neck,’ I said, flinging my feet around in mid-air, trying to get a purchase on the step. Unfortunately, every time I tried, it slid straight back out.
‘And I’m not going to be responsible for leaving you like that.’ The stairsreverberated through my arms as Cal’s bulk stepped onto them.
‘Jesus,’ I heard him mutter.
‘What’s the matter?’ I tried twisting around to see him.
‘Nothing. It’s just slippy. Don’t look back at me. Just hold on.’
I flung my feet again and managed to get one on the step, at least lessening the strain on my arms momentarily before it slid and joined the other. On the plus side, I was no longera starfish.
‘Here. Hold on to me.’ Cal’s voice was now right behind me.
‘Umm … that would mean I have to let go.’ I glanced down at the bare branches of the bushes beneath me. ‘So I think I’m going to go with a no. I’m fine. I’ll just wait here until it thaws.’
