Christmas with her Boss

‘Then why don’t we?’ she demanded. ‘Don’t they know our turkey’s waiting?’

Dinner came next. Kerrie arrived with her three children and it was hard to know who whooped louder, the children or Letty. Far too much food was consumed. The pudding flamed magnificently. Crackers were pulled. Silly jokes were read. Meg checked her watch for about the hundredth time and finally said, ‘It’s time to go.’

‘It is,’ William said. ‘You’ll drive me to the station?’

‘I’ll drive you,’ Letty said with alacrity and grinned. ‘Meg can do the washing-up.’

‘Let Meg take him, Grandma,’ Scott said with rare insight. ‘She’ll want to say goodbye.’

‘I want to say goodbye,’ Letty retorted.

Scott said, ‘Grandma,’ in a meaningful voice and Letty gave a theatrical sigh and started clearing the table. But she wasn’t exactly martyred. Kerrie and Scott were helping clear. Kerrie would stay on for milking-they’d organised that at some time over pudding. It’d only take Meg twenty minutes to take William to the station. Ten minutes there, ten minutes back and life would go on without him.

As it should.

He’d already packed his bag. He rose from the still laden table and felt… empty.

‘Thank you,’ he said simply and Letty looked at him as if he was a sandwich short of a picnic.

‘Thank us? After what you’ve done for us?’

‘I’ll send you pictures of my car,’ Scott said shyly. ‘As it takes shape.’

‘I’d like that.’

There was nothing else to say. Meg was already at the door, keys in her hand.

Ready to move on?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

WHY didn’t he speak? The tension seemed unbearable. Thankfully, the station was only ten minutes’ drive, otherwise she’d explode. Or something. She flicked on the radio and there were the inevitable Christmas carols. William flicked them straight off.

‘What’s wrong with my carols?’ she demanded, trying to sound offended.

‘I’m crossing the time line tonight. I’m facing another twenty-four hours of Christmas. Enough is enough.’

‘Two Christmases in a row. How appalling.’ So much for offended. She knew she sounded miserable.

‘My Christmas isn’t like your Christmas,’ he told her. ‘Two of my normal Christmases would be appalling.’

‘Will you see your parents?’

‘No.’

‘You should. Even the media says they’re lonely. Call them.’

‘You’re telling me how to run my life?’

‘I forgot,’ she said, suddenly contrite. ‘I’m still employed. I shouldn’t tell you anything.’

‘But when you’re not employed?’

‘When I’m not employed I won’t be anywhere near you,’ she whispered. There was more silence and then, thankfully, they arrived. She pulled up beside the platform-it really was in the middle of nowhere. But this was where she had to leave him.

‘Here you are,’ she managed, feeling ill. ‘The train will be here in six minutes.’

He looked around him in doubt. ‘How do I know you’re right with your timetable?’

‘Trust me.’

‘Trust you to leave me standing on a platform in the middle of nowhere, waiting for a train, when I only have your word for it that it’ll come?’

She sighed. ‘Okay, I’ll wait. Sir. Do you want me to carry your bag onto the station?’

‘No,’ he said. ‘Meg…’

‘We need to be on the station. If the driver can’t see us from a way ahead he won’t stop.’ She headed onto the platform, leaving him to follow.

He followed.

More silence. They stood side by side in the middle of nowhere and he tried to think of something to say. So many things, but none of them suitable. None of them possible.

‘Reconsider your job,’ he said at last and she shook her head.

‘I can’t.’

‘Because I kissed you?’

‘I believe I resigned before that.’

‘Because I wanted to kiss you, then? And because when I did kiss you, it was wonderful?’

‘William, I can’t cope with an affair,’ she said simply. ‘And I can’t cope with loving my boss.’

‘Loving…’ The word made him feel as if he’d been punched.

‘I don’t, of course,’ she said hastily. ‘It’s just that I might. Given time and enough…heat.’ There was a faint speck on the horizon, a distant rumble and they both knew the train was on its way. ‘So…so it’s been fabulous. I’ve had the best time working for you and I can’t begin to thank you for what you’ve done for my family this Christmas.’

‘There’s no need to thank me.’ Did he take her hands or did she take his? He didn’t know. All he did know was that suddenly they were linked. The train was growing closer and she was just… here.

He was holding Meg. Not Miss Jardine. He was definitely holding Meg. And he knew what he most wanted to say.

‘Come with me,’ he said urgently, and her eyes widened.

‘What?’

‘To New York. You could have a second Christmas too.’

‘I’ve had Christmas.’ The train was closer now. The driver had seen them and was starting to slow.

‘I want you to come.’

‘And leave Letty and Scott? Ring them up and say sorry, I won’t be home for tea, can you get someone to cover the milking?’ She sounded a little hysterical. Panicked. Her hands tugged back, but he didn’t let her go. ‘What are you saying? Christmas in New York… That’s crazy.’

He knew it was. ‘Crazy or not, I mean it.’

She met his gaze square on, and the flare of panic settled. ‘No,’ she said, sounding sure. ‘My place is here. As yours is in Manhattan. Or Hong Kong. Or London. Wherever your business takes you. And here’s your train. Say hello to Sheeba for me.’

‘Sheeba?’

‘Your part-time dog,’ she chided and he stared down at her and thought-part-time dog, part-time life; he so didn’t want to leave this woman.

But the alternative?

She couldn’t go with him. There wasn’t an alternative.

‘Goodbye, William,’ she said gently and pushed his hands a little, pushing him to let her go. Only the train hadn’t quite stopped yet and his hold on her tightened.

‘Goodbye, Meg.’ There was a blast from the train’s horn, as if the driver was saying get on fast; the train surely didn’t want to waste time sitting at this windswept, sunburned country railway siding. No one would want to waste time here. Least of all him.

He had to leave.

But how could he leave when he was holding Meg?

He must.

He looked down into her eyes for one last time, and then, because there was no way he couldn’t, he pulled her tight against him. He cupped her chin, he tilted her face-and then he kissed her.

It was a fast kiss, fast by necessity as the train had now stopped. But still the kiss was strong and searching, and it ached to be more. For one precious moment she yielded against him, her mouth opened under his and she