The house would be lit by candles and firelight, with the tables set with a full Christmas Eve banquet to show how it would have looked in its heyday. Lottie had booked a troupe of Edwardian acrobats and a fire-eater, a brass band and local carol singers. There would be traditional stalls selling roast chestnuts and mulled wine, a traditional fairground organ and carousel.
After the meeting broke up, Lottie was surprised when Jay came up to her on the terrace outside the café instead of heading straight back to the forest centre.
‘Hope I didn’t keep you up too late?’ he said.
‘Not at all. I enjoyed myself.’ She smiled encouragingly.
Had it been a date? she wondered. She supposed it must have been, but what would happen next? They saw each other nearly every day but they were both so busy – would there be chance for another one?
‘Good …’ he said, hesitating again. ‘Would you still like your own tree for the Bothy? I checked it was OK with Shayla this morning before the meeting.’
‘A tree? Oh, yes, please, although I gave mine to Steph so I can’t really have two free of charge. I’ll pay for it.’
‘No, there’s no need. It’s taken care of. I offered to pay for the tree for your family, but Shayla wouldn’t hear of it. So, it’s on the house – literally.’
‘That’s lovely,’ she said, touched by his gesture. ‘If you’re sure. That was very kind of you.’
‘You’re welcome,’ he said. ‘Oh, and if it isn’t too late, I’d definitely like to accept that invitation to the staff ball.’
Lottie resisted punching the air. ‘OK. That’s great. I’ll add you to the list.’
‘I’m not too late, am I?’
‘Mmm … just in the nick of time.’ It was another little white lie. She’d actually sent the final numbers only half an hour before but she could send another email adding him. The caterers would forgive her this one time. ‘I’ll send you the menu straightaway but I’ll need it back immediately, if that’s all right?’
‘That’s fine. I’m sorry I messed you around.’
‘It’s OK.’ Her phone buzzed in her hand. From force of habit, she glanced at it and her mood sank. It was another text from Connor.
Did u get my message?
C x
‘I’d um – better get back to work,’ Jay said. ‘You must be very busy.’
Before she had time to say that she wasn’t too busy to talk to him, he was off, striding towards the forest.
Mindful of the slim possibility that Keegan might read Connor’s text, she was very careful with her reply.
Message received. Why not phone re the matter we discussed.
Her thumb hovered over the send button. There, that ought to be cryptic enough for Connor to explain away if Keegan did see it. Even as that thought went through her head, Lottie realised once again that she was being sucked in further to a tissue of deception and subterfuge.
Another thought struck her. One that brought a shiver of excitement, followed by guilt and unease. Was Connor playing with her emotions on purpose? Perhaps having Keegan besotted with him wasn’t enough and he also didn’t want to let go of Lottie herself. Lottie hesitated a moment longer before pressing send. She couldn’t really believe Connor still had feelings for her … but she couldn’t resist finding out either.
Chapter Sixteen
‘Come on, mate. Let’s do this.’ Jay let Trevor out of his car and jogged up the path to the front door of his parents’ neat cottage in Ambleside. He and Trevor sheltered in the porch from the lashing rain while the bell rang out in the hall. He could do this.
It was Tuesday and his day off, and he’d decided he should put it to good use and visit his parents.
And here he was.
He’d sat outside the house for a while, working up the courage to go in. There was no sign of Ben visiting, and why would there be when Ben was at work? Even so, he wanted to be sure. Trevor had sat patiently in the footwell, resting his head on the seat, gazing at Jay, as if to say: ‘Well, are you going to let me out or not?’
Trevor’s tail thumped against the porch at the sound of voices inside the house. Jay’s pulse speeded up too.
His mum answered, the ‘o’ on her face and smile showing her amazement and pleasure. It must have been a month since he’d seen them and yet they were only half an hour from Firholme.
‘Jay, what a lovely surprise. And Trevor too. We’re honoured. We didn’t expect you. We know how busy you are at this time of year.’
‘Hi, Mum.’ He kissed her cheek as Trevor shot up the hall, snuffling in delight.
His dad appeared from the kitchen, wearing a flowery apron, a teacloth in his hand. The scent of fruit and baking wafted down the hall, making Jay’s mouth water. It was the scent of family Christmases … and after all, it was now December.
‘Hello, son,’ his dad said, wiping suds from his hands with the tea towel. ‘To what do we owe this honour?’
‘I thought I’d drop by while I could. We’ve been rushed off our feet with the Christmas tree sales.’ He thought of Lottie’s face when he’d mentioned the tree. It had lifted him to do something nice for her, however small – he didn’t think he’d be here now, if it wasn’t for her.
‘I bet you are,’ his mum said, stroking Trevor.
His dad tutted. ‘Always strikes me as ironic that those involved in spreading the festive spirit are too knackered to enjoy it themselves.’
‘Everyone wants a tree, Dad.’
‘I always get the artificial one out.’
‘Oh, bah humbug, Phil!’ his mum said. ‘We could get a real one from Firholme this year.’
‘I’m entitled to a free one,’
