Page 48 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘I said are you OK? You drifted miles away for a minute there.’
Not exactly miles …
‘Oh. No. Yes. I’m fine. Just tired. Long day.’ I walked to the steps that led up to the little flat. Steps that now had a generous coating of grit on them thanksto Dad now being overcautious following my skating escapade the other week. As I turned back to say goodbye to Cal, I caught the concern in his look.
‘But good. It was a good day too. I did honestly have a great time. Thanks for letting me come and get involved. I really enjoyed it.’
‘I know you know your stuff. I value your input. It was purely a selfish move on my part, taking advantage ofyour knowledge. It’s good to get a second opinion on things sometimes. And –’ he took a step nearer ‘– if I’m honest, I wanted to spend every moment I could with you.’
‘Cal …’
‘Lexi, I know you’re wary. I’m not sure why exactly at the moment but I want to find out. I want to find out everything about you. It’s been such a long time since I met someone I’ve felt like that about.’
I felt myselfblush and looked down at my feet, unsure of what to say. I could banter with the best of them and swear like a sailor on shore leave if I needed to but this? This was definitely out of my comfort zone.
Cal hooked a finger under my chin and gently lifted it back so that I was once more looking into those maddeningly hypnotic eyes.
‘Are you blushing?’
I pulled a face. ‘Of course not,’ I said,as my hands went up to my cheeks. ‘It’s the cold.’
‘Fibber.’
Looking at him, he knew he’d caught me out. I lowered my gaze.
‘I’m sorry. I’m just not very good at all this sort of stuff.’
‘And you think I am?’
I looked back up at him. ‘You seem to be. Yeah.’
‘I’m pretty out of practice.’
‘I think you’re doing fine.’
‘Says the woman whose last boyfriend could whizz her to Monte Carlo forlunch in a jet if it took his fancy?’ He was teasing, I knew, but the comment hit a nerve.
‘I wasn’t with Marco for his money,’ I replied, turning away and taking a step towards the garage. It was by no means the first time I’d had that accusation levelled at me, but somehow, coming from Cal, it hurt more. I gave a quick head shake of frustration, the action sending miniature snow flurries frommy hat onto my shoulders. ‘It’s late and it’s snowing and I’m cold. You should get home to –’
Cal’s hands were gently cupping my face, and suddenly I didn’t feel quite so cold any more.
‘I’m sorry. I never meant to imply that you were. I haven’t known you for very long but I know you’re not made that way.’ He dipped his head, making me catch his eye. ‘Like I said, I’m way out of practice atthis.’
‘What is this?’ I asked, the confusion I felt telling in my voice.
‘Honestly? I don’t know yet. I really like you. I mean …’ He ran a hand across the back of his neck and gave the briefest of smiles. ‘Ireallylike you. That’s something new for me, and right now, I’m not quite sure what to do with it. I don’t know how you feel, and I don’t think asking you would help as I don’t thinkyou’re quite sure of the answer to that question yet either. You may be leaving again and I have a five-year-old son to consider in anything I do these days. George is already nuts about you, and the last thing I want is for him to get hurt.’
I felt tears sting my eyes unexpectedly. ‘You think I would hurt him?’
‘No! Not intentionally.’ Cal reached over and ran his fingers across the end ofmy plait, the snowflakes that had settled on it dissipating under his fingers. ‘I just meant that if we …’ He stopped, scratched his forehead, and looked away. ‘George understands as much as he can at his age about why he doesn’t have a mum who lives with us, or that he even sees. The last time I went to dinner with someone, George’s first question was whether she was going to be his new mummy.’
‘Oh. Wow.’
‘Yeah. And that was a business dinner so you can imagine how complicated something that wasn’t might be.’
I nodded and lifted my head, meeting his eyes. ‘Cal, I’m not looking for anything from you. From anyone. I don’t do well with relationships and I’m certainly not going to get involved with someone whose child could get the wrong idea and be upset. So let’s just leave it at that,shall we?’
‘Are you saying you don’t want to see me at all?’ Cal frowned at me.
