Page 78 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘Bathroom’s through there,’ Cal said, pointing to a room further up towards the extension on the house that appeared to house the bedrooms. I headed inand, locking the door, stripped off my overalls. Next came the jeans and T-shirt and finally I yanked off the thermal vest and leggings I’d had on under both of them. Cal’s workshop was heated but it was still a workshop, a bit like a posh barn, and I’d needed the layers.
I knew this invitation tonight wasn’t anything romantic. It was an attempt at repairing bridges, and preventing any extracollateral damage in the shape of our families. Finding a way to be together easily again, now we knew that being together as perhaps we might have once hoped wasn’t an option.
I cast my eye over the discarded underclothing and smiled. Had I thought there was still the chance of something between us, probably the simplest, and most effective option would have been to go back out there in my thermals.They were enough to kill even the most ardent passion stone dead. I had a quick splash around and pulled my T-shirt and jeans back on, bundling the rest of the items into a ball, which I then took back and left in a small heap by the front door, ready to pick up on my way out.
Following the trail of a delicious aroma, I was led into the kitchen where George was already sat at the table, tuckinginto a buttery crumpet, and Cal was stood in front of the hob, stirring a pan.
‘That smells so good,’ I said, wandering over and peering past him.
‘Martha’s an excellent cook. I keep telling her she isn’t here to cook for me, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.’
‘Are you complaining?’
‘God, no. It’s lovely food without exception. But she’s George’s childminder, not my personal chef. I don’twant it seeming like I’m taking advantage of her.’
I laid a hand on his arm briefly. ‘She doesn’t think that. She cares about you, and I think she enjoys cooking. When she told me she’d made the stew herself, there was pride in her voice. I think she enjoys sharing that talent with you, as well as George.’
‘Maybe you’re right.’
‘I am right.’
He switched the hob ring off and turned to lookat me. ‘You seem very sure.’
‘I know. Which lately is something quite unusual, so make the most of it and just enjoy Martha’s stew.’
‘If you pass me over those bowls, we both can.’
I handed him the bowls and we took them, now full of steaming stew to the table. George had finished his crumpet and was glugging a glass of milk. Putting it down empty on the table, he grinned at me and automaticallyI pulled a tissue out of my pocket and gave his buttery chin and milky smile a wipe.
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ And then I remembered George wasn’t one of my nieces or nephews and I was still on slightly wobbly ground with his father. I looked up tentatively, wondering if I’d overstepped, whether Cal had been about to tidy up his son when I barged in and did it before him, but he was happilytucking into his stew and just pointed with his spoon at the bowl, making an appreciative face.
A short time later, we’d both finished our bowls and all three of us were sat on the floor, poring over the decorations I’d brought with me. George was playing with a stuffed toy reindeer, trotting him around us both as we pulled the last few items out of the boxes.
‘You really ought to be in bed,young man,’ Cal said.
George stopped in his playing momentarily. ‘Ohhh, but Lexi’s here.’ He gave his father a look that completely melted me but obviously Cal was made of sterner stuff.
‘Five more minutes.’
George considered his dad, working out whether he could wangle longer I imagine, but experience obviously told him to take what he could get.
‘OK. Can we put some decorations up beforeI go to bed?’
‘We can.’
‘And then can Lexi read me a story?’
Cal didn’t look at me, and I could see the glimmer of concern on his face. ‘We’ll see. Lexi’s had a busy day and is probably tired.’ He stood, pulling me up with one hand and George with the other. ‘Maybe another time.’
I kept my eyes off Cal and pretended to concentrate on considering where the decorations might look best in theroom. I knew he was keeping a distance between me and his son. Being civil, and even friends again, I hoped, was acceptable but there was a line I wouldn’t be allowed to cross. And I understood. Agreed, even. We both knew it wasn’t likely I was going to turn down the job I’d been offered, even though I knew it was going to take all the reserve I had to leave the village again and walk into a newjob, with everyone there knowing I’d screwed up and effectively been demoted. But I would just have to deal with that.
In my eyes, I hadn’t screwed up. That was the one thing I was sure of. I was needed and I came. That wasn’t screwing up so far as I was concerned. Sometimes your heart told you what to do and you had to follow, whatever the consequences. It wasn’t often I did that but in thatinstance, there’d been no question. I stole a glance at Cal and tried to tell myself that following my heart this time would absolutely be the wrong thing to do. I just wished it would start listening.
‘Right.’ Cal looked at the piles now in front of us. ‘I literally have no idea where to even start with all this.’ He looked down at me. Stood in my socks, he was well over a foot taller and Georgeand I both craned our necks back to meet his bewildered eyes.
‘Well then you’re very lucky I’m here, because I know exactly what to do.’ I grabbed one of the piles and held out my hand to George. ‘Come on, you, how about being my little elf helper for those five minutes before your bedtime?’
