Page 45 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

‘Well, I might find a dashing consort for Marjorie, at least.’ She was grinning mischievously as she plated up thick slices of golden, zesty clementine cake.

‘Crikey, it’s not only holiday insurance I’ve got to worry about for you, Nonna. I think you pair might well need a chaperone to keep you out of mischief.’ Lucy couldn’t help but grin.

‘Well, like I say, the offer’s there. You can’t always be working, Lucia.’

‘Thanks, but not this time. I really do have too much on.’

They wandered back through to the snug sitting room, where winter sunlight flooded in through the window.

‘So, how are things with you, pet?’

‘Okay. Busy, busy, with lots of Christmas bookings just now.’

‘Oh, I’m so glad your new venture is doing well. You deserve that. Papa would be so proud.’

‘Thank you.’ Memories of Papa flooded back. Her pizza-making big-hearted hero.

‘And how’s your young man?’

‘Ahm … fine.’

Her grandmother arched an eyebrow. ‘What’s up, pet? You sound a little troubled?’ Nonna could spot a heavy heart from a mile off.

‘Ah, it’s complicated,’ Lucy said with a deep sigh.

‘Try me. You don’t get to my age in life without living a little …’ Nonna gave a smile of encouragement.

Lucy took a sip of strong coffee before beginning. ‘Well, firstly Liam turned up out of the blue last night … at an event in my village.’

‘Liam?’ Nonna frowned.

‘And Nonna, it couldn’t have been by chance, he lives miles away … he was on his own … he wanted to see me, to talk. He was trying to apologise, to smooth things over. He seemed … different.’

‘Well, I hope you haven’t forgotten how badly he treated you.’

‘No, of course not.’ Lucy had had more than two years of disillusionment and then hurt and heartbreak to cope with.

‘Let him say his “sorry”s, but don’t go getting yourself reeled in again, pet … He was always a bit wily, that one.’ Nonna had never much warmed to the lad.

‘I know, and I’m not that daft. But I didn’t realise how much it would affect me, seeing him again like that. I think I’d been hiding a lot, burying old hurts. I just feel really unsettled right now. Maybe we do just need to have it out properly. Talk things over, then we can let everything lie and move on.’

‘Perhaps, Lucia, but be careful. Look out for yourself in all this.’

Lucy nodded, before taking another slow breath. There was something else bearing heavy on her heart. ‘And then, there’s Jack …’

‘Jack, the charming cocktail man, yes? Well, I hope he has been treating you right? Don’t go jumping from the frying pan into the fire.’

‘Hah, I won’t. And yes, he has been.’ Lucy’s heart stirred with feelings for Jack. Feelings that were intrinsically deep, but felt slightly dangerous too. ‘He didn’t exactly take it well when I slipped off to talk with Liam last night. But how could I not? I didn’t want to have some heart to heart, raking over old ground, in front of Jack. It was too personal. Anyway, Jack then whizzed off without even saying goodbye.’

‘Hmm, it sounds like you two need to talk. And well, if he saw you go off chatting with this old flame, maybe there’s a flash of jealousy going on …’

‘Maybe …’

‘Think about it, how would you feel if he slipped off to chat with an ex-girlfriend in front of you? Wouldn’t be easy, would it?’ Nonna turned it around, helping Lucy see another side. Perhaps the old lady did have some fondness for Jack, after all, she mused.

And for Lucy, whoa, just the thought of Jack with someone else made her feel horridly queasy.

‘No … I suppose it wouldn’t. But he ought to be able to trust me, Nonna. We need to be able to trust each other. Surely, I can talk to my ex without him flipping out?’