Page 107 of The Merry Christmas Project

‘Still, nothing we can do about it.’ He held out his hand. ‘Fancy a drink at the pub ? You look like you need thawing out.’

I took his hand but didn’t budge when he started walking. ‘There might be something you can do about it.’

He grinned at me. ‘Thawing you out ? Yes I suppose …’

‘No, you idiot !’ I laughed. ‘About saving their Christmas, Harley and Freya.’

He looked confused. ‘Help me out here. I’m lost.’

I tugged him towards me by his lapels and tutted. ‘Go,’ I said, planting a kiss on his lips. ‘Book a flight and go. I bet you can still reach them on Christmas Day if you try.’

His eyes widened and he laughed. ‘It’s a lovely thought but I can’t just fly to Vancouver.’

I challenged him with my stare. ‘Why not ?’

‘Because … because I’ve got plans to go in February. And we’ve got plans tomorrow, remember ? And I’m a man who sticks to a plan, always have been.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘And my life is chaotic and messy and always has been. However much I try and stick to a spreadsheet. We are who we are and that’s fine, but both of us need to listen to the other now and again to hear a different perspective.’

His eyes twinkled. ‘OK, I’m listening.’

‘Good,’ I said, breathing a sigh of relief. ‘What’s the most important thing here : seeing Harley and Freya at Christmas or sticking to a spurious plan like a stubborn goat ?’

‘A goat ?’ he said, insulted, but his lips were curved in a smile.

‘Some of the best things in life happen when you go off-plan.’

‘I’m not sure about that.’ He looked unconvinced.

‘It’s true !’ I declared. ‘I planned and planned today to the nth degree, but then we had a power cut and we ended up singing carols by candlelight and it was amazing.’ I waved my arm across the marketplace to prove it. Many of the candles were still lit – as they should have been ; I’d designed them to burn for four hours. ‘And look at us. You didn’t plan to flood my cottage but I’m glad you did because it brought you into my life and my life is a hundred times better for it.’

Cole cupped my face between his hands. ‘Say that again.’

I shook my head laughing. ‘No, not until you change your plan.’

He looked at me thoughtfully. ‘Are you serious ? Do you really think I should go to Canada, now, tonight ?’

‘Yes !’ I cried, elated that he seemed to be warming to the idea.

‘But what about us ? Our plans ?’

Admittedly that was the downside of my idea ; I was going to miss him. But this was more important. There’d be plenty of time for us to be together. Cole needed to see his kids ; he’d feel so much better after having checked up on Harley himself. I pasted on a smile.

‘We were fitting a kitchen,’ I reminded him. ‘Nothing bad is going to happen if we delay that.’

‘And you’ll be OK on your own ?’

‘I won’t be on my own, I have plenty of offers.’

He scratched his head and thought about it. ‘But I couldn’t just turn up out of the blue without warning Lydia, could I ?’

It was on the tip of my tongue to say yes, but then I caught myself. There was a time and a place to be spontaneous and turning up unannounced on your ex-wife’s doorstep on Christmas Day on the other side of the world might not be it.

‘Call her,’ I said firmly. ‘Now. While I search for flights to Vancouver.’

His face split into a grin and he gave a bark of laughter. ‘I might actually be able to see my kids for Christmas.’

‘Call her !’ I laughed, shaking him by the front of his jacket. ‘Now !’