Page 54 of The Christmas Catch
“FromDirty Dancing?” Ali felt Morgan get off the bike. When she turned, Morgan was beside her.
“Of course! We watched that film about 200 times when we were kids. It’s the one that our mums and us all loved.” Ali’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out. A message from her sister with Helen’s number and the name of the B&B, along with a Patrick Swayze gif. Ali rolled her eyes. A little late in the day.
With Morgan’s help, she pulled the bike off the road and they wheeled it onto her cousin’s driveway.
“You never told me your cousin lived in a picture-perfect village in a picture-perfect house.”
Ali looked at the place with fresh eyes. The house was made of old local stone, but they’d done it up so it shone, both inside and out. The doors looked freshly painted, the black-framed windows gleamed, and the front gardens were worthy of gracing any gardening show.
Itwaspretty cool. When she’d rocked up here last November, she’d been fresh out of a fling she’d hesitated to even name as such. Ali and Cath had met, had a lot of sex, and then when Cath had come out with a group of Ali’s friends in Glasgow one night, she’d dumped her the following day, telling her their lives were on different paths. Ali had been stunned, and when she’d got a message from Helen to come visit the following weekend, she’d grabbed it with both hands. However, being newly dumped, she’d been too wrapped up in herself and hadn’t truly appreciated how well Helen had done for herself. Now she saw it through Morgan’s eyes, she did.
Ali was just about to reply when the front door of the main house opened, and her cousin stepped out of it, carrying a black bin bag. She glanced up and stopped when she saw them approaching. Helen’s fair hair was tied up in a tight ponytail, and she wore a pair of faded jeans ripped at the knee, along with a T-shirt the colour of hot sauce. It must be warm in the house, because it wasn’t out here. Plus, Ali remembered from their childhood that Helen didn’t feel the cold.
Ali whipped off her ear muffs and waved.
“Hey Helen, it’s me!” The most unhelpful comment of the year by far.
Helen did a double-take. “Ali?”
Ali nodded.
Helen dropped the bin bag where she stood and walked over to her. Then she took Ali in her arms. “What the hell are you doing on my drive?” She eased Ali back to arm’s length. “Not that it’s not great to see you. But you’re about the last person I expected to turn up two days before Christmas looking like an icicle.” She glanced at the tandem behind them. “Tell me you didn’t just pedal all the way here from Glasgow?” Helen’s face was rightly confused as she glanced from Ali, to Morgan, then back.
Ali laughed, then a heady mix of relief and warmth rushed through her. They were going to be okay. They wouldn’t freeze in a bus shelter, be found as blocks of ice on Christmas morning and be the talk of the local news. After all the setbacks of the past two days, arriving here to somebody familiar was the best feeling she’d had in the past 48 hours.
Okay, second best.
“We didn’t, although it kinda feels that way. We set off from Glasgow yesterday morning, and this is as far as we’ve got. So far, we’ve broken a train and a plane, and our hire car is currently conked out in the car park of the Christmas Court at Muirhead Castle. I was half expecting the bike chain to fall off, but no, we made it here. A Christmas miracle!”
Helen rubbed her hands together. “You’ll have to tell me all about it over a coffee. Jamie might help. He’s good with cars, but he’s not due back until this evening, so it might have to wait until the morning.”
“I thought I was good with cars, but apparently not.” She pointed to where Morgan had propped the bike onto its stand. “Hence, we have a bike, loaned from the Christmas Court. We have to get it back to them by midday tomorrow. If we don’t, the man has my credit card. From the look on his face, he might book himself and his whole family a trip to Lapland if we’re a minute late.”
“I think he’s counting on it,” Morgan added with a grin.
Ali gave Morgan a smile, then turned to Helen. “This is Morgan. We’re trying and failing to travel together.”
Helen stepped forward and extended a hand. “Helen, pleased to meet you.” Then she gave a little shiver. “But enough chat in a bloody snow storm!” She looked skywards. “Come in and get out of the cold. Jamie can put the bike in the back of his van when he gets in.”
“You’ve no idea how happy those words make me,” Ali told her.
Helen led them into their part of the house, which was far less festooned with Christmas than the outside. However, the kitchen was still a welcome hug. Ali fell into it, letting out a contented sigh. With its midnight-blue cupboards and copper handles, teamed with orange tiles on the wall and two giant skylights, it was a modern ode to stylish cuisine.
“Sorry for not calling ahead, but I got a new phone since we last spoke and I didn’t have your number. I’ve been messaging mum and Nicole all day, but they only just got back to me.”
Helen waved a hand. “Don’t be silly, we’re family.” She sucked on her top lip. “Although you look a little like the rat inMuppet Christmas Carolafter he falls into that ice barrel.” She walked forward and swept a strand of Ali’s hair from her face. “Do you want a coffee first, or a shower?”
It was a good question. Ali glanced at Morgan, her coat already off, but she couldn’t ask her to make this decision. She wanted both at once. Preferably with Morgan. But that would be a little rude. Today had been eternal, and it wasn’t even 4pm, according to the clock on Helen’s bright orange kitchen wall. This morning, they’d woken up in Snowton. But now, at least, they were somewhere familiar.
“A coffee first, but then a shower would be very welcome.” She glanced at Morgan. “Do you want to go for a shower first?”
Morgan blinked, then nodded. “I would love to.” She looked at Helen. “This might be cheeky, but do you have a washer/dryer? We’ve been in these clothes for a couple of days now, and I feel like getting them clean would cheer me up, too.”
Helen nodded. “We have both. I’ll pop a wash on when you both give me your clothes.”
“That would be brilliant.” Ali stared at the bottom of her jeans, covered in mud and grime. “Cycling on country roads is unforgiving.”
“I’m impressed you made it in one piece.” Helen walked to the other door in the kitchen. “Follow me, Morgan, and I’ll show you the guest room. I just made it up for Christmas last night—Jamie’s parents are coming to stay—so the sheets are fresh. You’re in luck.”
