Incidents like this had been repeated throughout her life and she’d learned to manage her expectations, at least as far as the business went. At times though, she still couldn’t stop her mind wandering to the day her true love would walk into her life, every moment like a romcom movie waiting to happen. Which reminded her, she still needed to tell Cat about Harry.
‘What do you think, Cat?’ Nell asked nervously. Even though she didn’t have children herself and being an only child, she had no nieces or nephews to fuss over, she still loved kids’ carol concerts. There was something about the madness and chaos of the homemade costumes that made it really feel like Christmas. And Christmas carols were always magical and made her cry.
‘I think it’s a great idea,’ Cat replied. ‘And it’s a really lovely thing to do, which, given the time of year, is perfect. Well done you.’
Nell glowed at the compliment.
Heavy footsteps descended the stairs and Harry poked his head around the door. He was wearing a different sweater, thinner and tighter this time, and dark denim jeans. Nell noticed for the first time how his hair was a light reddish-brown, like the willow branches Tom had brought, but streaked with California blond. He wasn’t from California, she’d just had a little fantasy about that involving him, half-naked in an undone wetsuit. The address he’d given her when she took the booking was New York. A city she’d longed to visit but had never got around to despite many drunkenly planned shopping trips with Cat. ‘Hey, Nell.’
‘Hi, Harry. Everything okay?’ Seeing him again, his hair slightly dishevelled, sent a bolt of electricity into her heart waking it up. She hadn’t failed to notice Cat’s bewildered glance at this new and exciting unmentioned guest.
‘Relax, everything’s fine. The room is absolutely divine, and I just wanted to say you were right about the bed. As soon as I’d had a shower …’ Nell swallowed to stop herself from seeing him all toned and soapy. She could already feel herself blushing. ‘I just couldn’t keep my eyes open and it was the best nap I’ve ever had.’
‘See, I told you. I’m glad you’re feeling better.’
Cat’s gaze flitted between the two of them.
‘Well, I’m still pretty jetlagged so I’m just off to see my family for dinner then I’ll be back for a good night’s sleep. Evening, ladies.’
‘Good night, Harry.’
‘Good night,’ Cat called enthusiastically and when he’d disappeared with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts, she batted Nell’s arm and burst out in a hearty giggle. ‘When were you going to tell me about him then?’
‘Harry? He’s just a guest. He’s staying for three weeks to see some family.’
‘And all the flirting?’
‘We weren’t flirting. At least I wasn’t.’ Nell brushed a long tickly hair behind her ear.
‘Oh no, no flirting with the tall, gorgeous American,’ Cat teased. ‘Blimey, we don’t get many of those around here, do we?’
‘No, we don’t,’ Nell replied, playing with the edge of the Christmas cushion she’d tucked under her arm.
‘I’d make the most of it while you can.’
The words ‘while you can’ left a horrid feeling in Nell’s chest but as Cat carried on, she ignored it. As much as she wanted to believe in love at first sight, she wasn’t sure Harry did. Cat took her mind off things with tales of Brenda’s latest exploits which included a strange new kind of face cream made from seahorse poo. They were just laughing about this when Niall, the wedding caterer, came in.
Niall Peters made the most incredibly delicious fancy food and Nell couldn’t decide which aspect of the wedding she was most excited about; that this was going to be the first of many weddings held at Holly Lodge; that it was her best friend’s wedding and therefore a joyous day when two of her very best friends became one; or getting to stuff her face with food made by an incredibly talented man. Niall walked in with a happy ease and arms laden with little white boxes that were sure to hold delicious food.
‘Hey, ladies,’ Niall said. ‘You look very comfortable there.’
They were incredibly comfortable by the fire with Cat two gins down and nearing the end of the third. So far it had been more like a girls’ night in than waiting for a meeting. The smell coming from the white boxes was like icing on the cake – the fanciest takeaway ever. Nell couldn’t wait to dive in.
‘I’m not late, am I?’
‘Not at all,’ Nell said, standing up. ‘What can we get you to drink?’
‘A coffee would be great, thanks.’
Nell already knew how he had it and went off to get him one. When she came back, Cat and Niall were looking decidedly cosy next to each other on the sofa. The meeting began and Nell watched Cat taste the food samples with mounting worry.
It wasn’t that she was pretending because she didn’t like them, or conversely, going over the top in her enthusiasm for the tiny cheesy vol-au-vents. It was more that the way she was behaving could only be described as flirtatious. Definitely, definitely flirtatious. And Cat hadn’t flirted with anyone since she and Kieran had got together. To see her do it now was more than a little disconcerting.
‘Niall,’ Cat began, gently touching his arm, her hand
