‘Nell, I’m so sorry you thought …’ He gave a helpless shrug. ‘You’re great, but you’re just not my type.’
Would this feeling ever go away? Nell wondered. The awkwardness was seeping into her blood and bones. She wanted to run inside and hide under her duvet with Mr Scrooge but as a grown-up she wasn’t allowed to do that sort of thing. Now she looked like some manic woman who just assumed all men fancied her and wanted to jump into her bed. ‘It’s fine.’
‘I mean, you’re lovely and sweet and kind but—’
‘Still fine,’ she said as her mind took her back to the Thanksgiving dinner she’d prepared for him. Another wave of humiliation hit her like the waves hitting the beach and panicked by its ferocity she added, ‘I just get a bit caught up in my own world sometimes.’
Why had she said that? Now she sounded even more of a psychopath. Going around making things up in her head. He’d call the police if she said anything else like that.
‘Yeah. I realised that pretty much as soon as I met you. But if I did come on to you, I think your friend Tom would have something to say about it.’
‘So, you noticed too?’
Harry nodded. ‘I think you’re about the only person who hadn’t, but it wasn’t my place to say anything. Even if I had, I’m not sure you’d have believed me. I’m sorry if he got the wrong idea tonight, I was only trying to save you from that other guy. But Nell,’ he took her hands gently in his, ‘you are definitely the best hostess a guy could ever ask for.’
‘After the night I’ve had, I’ll definitely take that compliment.’ She laughed at the ridiculousness of the evening and scratched her forehead, still prickling with the indignity of it all.
‘There is something special about you. A spark. A passion. I saw it when you talked about your hotel. Don’t ever let that go out, okay?’
‘Okay,’ she agreed but it felt very much like any spark was about to be blown out by the breeze building around Holly Lodge.
‘Come on, best hostess in the world, you should go and finish this party.’
He let her go first, and they stepped back inside through the high, black metal gate that led the way to her gorgeous little hotel, but she couldn’t help glancing behind her just in case Tom had come back. Her heart sank when no one appeared through the darkness and the chances of him doing so now were slim to none. Despite the pain in her feet and the ache in her heart she trudged back inside and prayed the rest of the night would pass drama-free. Thankfully, there were only a couple of hours to go.
Chapter 21
The ringing of Nell’s phone woke her up early Sunday morning. Knowing that she’d be up till the small hours cleaning and putting the lounge and dining room back together, she’d arranged the luxury of a lie-in with Mrs Meggett. The decorations had been left in place – she wasn’t Wonder Woman and couldn’t clear it all single-handedly – and besides, it added to the Christmassy feel. By the time she’d fallen into bed at about three in the morning she’d been tired through to her bones, yet sleep hadn’t come easily. The look on Tom’s face when Harry had danced with her haunted her every time she closed her eyes. If only she’d been able to tell him how she felt.
In the cold light of day, she doubted she’d find the courage again and from last night’s exchange there was every possibility he’d changed his mind, or maybe Kieran had got the wrong end of the stick. With a sigh, she scrambled around for her phone. The only good thing about winter was that the darkness lasted longer in the mornings so she hadn’t been disturbed by sunshine or the seagulls cawing, but now, a pale light crept in through her curtains and the smell of bacon wafted in from the kitchen, waking her up a little more quickly.
Frowning at her phone in confusion, and with a pang of worry she saw it was Cat. Swiping to answer, Nell edged up onto her elbow and Mr Scrooge, who was curled at her feet, woke and stretched.
‘Nell?’ Cat sobbed. All she could hear was sniffing, crying, and breath gulped hysterically.
‘Cat? What is it?’ Dread settled in her stomach. Please don’t let it be what she feared most. Please don’t let her and Kieran have split up and the wedding be off. More sobbing followed her question and then out of nowhere there was a gigantic wail. Nell moved the phone back from her ear for a second as the shrill sound reverberated off her half-asleep eardrum. ‘Cat, honey, calm down. You need to tell me what’s wrong. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s happening.’
‘Can you meet me in town?’
Nell swept her legs round and out of bed. ‘Sure. When?’
‘Ten minutes?’
Ten minutes! She didn’t even have clean pants on, but if her friend needed her, then she would be there, even if she went in pyjamas or without pants. ‘Okay. Where?’
‘Can we meet at Raina’s? I’m nearly there now.’
Thank
