‘That I can believe. So, Nell, the best hostess in the whole of Great Britain, I’m definitely going to be here for Thanksgiving, so where’s the best place to find all my home food comforts? I’m talking, a giant stuffed turkey, good ol’ American gravy, not this strange brown stuff you guys seem to like. I mean it’s delicious but American gravy is kind of different. Then I gotta have sweet potato pie—’
Nell could listen to him speak all day, and as he listed the dishes he had to eat with a childlike glee, Nell’s imagination whisked her off to a house complete with white picket fence on an American prairie. Together they were cooking a Thanksgiving feast. She was even wearing a chequered apron which in normal life she’d burn before wearing and was pulling dishes from the oven. It was one of the scenes she loved most in any Hallmark movie.
‘Nell?’
‘Yes?’ she replied, suddenly brought back to reality.
‘Do you know anywhere I can get food like that?’
‘Umm, not really. Sorry. There aren’t many restaurants in Swallowtail Bay that do all-American stuff.’ Then she had an amazing idea. ‘If you’re not seeing your family that night why don’t I cook for you here? I mean, if you fancy it?’ She felt her cheeks colour under his intent yet quizzical gaze.
‘You’d do that for me?’
‘Yeah.’ Nell tried to pretend it was the type of offer she made all her guests. ‘If you wanted to.’
‘That’d be amazing.’ He sat back and began wagging his finger at her knowingly. ‘See, I knew you’d be the best hostess in the whole of Great Britain as soon as I walked in that door.’ He took a big sip of his tea. ‘I gotta go. I’m being taken to somewhere called Halebury Castle today. Am I gonna love it or hate it?’
‘Definitely love it. It’s beautiful.’
‘Great.’ He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and slung it across his broad shoulders. ‘Have a wonderful day.’
‘You too.’
Just then, Tom’s cheerful voice echoed through the hall as he pushed open the front door and trilled a greeting. She heard the kerfuffle as they passed each other, giving greetings and goodbyes in equal measure.
‘Morning Tom,’ Nell called. ‘I’m in the dining room.’
From the sound of his voice today, he was back to his normal cheerful self and that was reassuring. Tom walked through the open doorway and as he did, Nell giggled. An enormous wreath framed his face and he was pulling silly model faces.
‘Blimey, who’s that for?’
‘You, of course.’ Tom continued turning his head left and right and pouting making Nell laugh even more.
‘Me?’
‘Yeah.’
‘But you don’t normally deliver my wreath until the first weekend of December.’
Tom struck a final pose and laid the wreath on an empty table. ‘I know but you don’t normally put your decorations up this early, so I thought I’d get your wreath done and on the door to cheer you up.’
Nell picked it up, admiring its beauty and the skill it took to make one. It was wonderful. A perfect circle made with fir, pinecones, cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices. At the top there was a red velvet ribbon tied into a bow and at the bottom there hung two small pieces of driftwood that he’d painted silver and in black fancy lettering written ‘Holly Lodge’. ‘Tom, it’s amazing. This is definitely your best one yet.’ Nell felt her heart glow on seeing his reaction to her compliment.
‘There’s one last thing we need though.’ He helped her lay the wreath on the table. ‘Wait here.’
Nell wrapped her hands over her chest, ready for his final touch. He did the same thing every year and it had become their own little tradition. Tom left, pulling his secateurs from his pocket as he went. When he came back Nell bit her lip from the pure joy running through her system and stepped back as he studied the sprigs of holly he’d snipped from the hedges outside. She watched his face as he found the spots he’d kept just for those pieces. That he’d thought of her so intently when making it, warmed her up from inside and her hands dropped from across her chest. Recently, having Tom around was giving her a strange feeling at times, like when they were together her soul was stronger and she was more ready to take on the world. Theirs was truly a timeless friendship. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes scrunched together and he pursed his mouth a little as he concentrated. After a second, he stepped back. ‘Ta da!’
‘It’s amazing. Thank you.’ For some reason she felt more than just a hug was needed and holding on to his shoulder, she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Tom’s eyes shot to hers and the importance of the moment they were sharing reflected in them. Feeling embarrassed because she didn’t normally say thank you like that, she turned her eyes to the wreath and ran her fingertips over the ribbon. ‘This’ll be just the thing to welcome my special Christmas guests.’
‘Your what?’
‘I had this amazing idea. I’m going to offer a deluxe Christmas romance package complete with flowers, chocolates and wine. There’ll be a lower rate for in the week and I’ll charge a bit more for weekends. And as an added extra I’m going to supply a small gift for each guest. I’m going to make each room super Christmassy too. I can’t afford a tree for each one, but I was hoping I could have some garlands like you made for the fireplace. On the tea trays, I’ll leave hot chocolate sachets and a little jar of marshmallows so people can make hot chocolates in their rooms.’
‘That’s a great idea.’ As the awkwardness of the moment was forgotten he carried on. ‘How did you think of that?’
‘Let’s get
