Page 29 of The Merry Christmas Project

‘Cole,’ she said quietly, ‘this will be our only Christmas in Canada and the kids are excited about it.’

‘I see,’ he said, swallowing his disappointment. ‘So tell me about it then.’

‘It’s my boss who organised it.’ She glanced warily at him, as if not sure of his reaction. ‘There’ll be another couple of staff and their kids, all people from outside the area like us. He’s rented a big house and offered us one of the rooms. Freya and Harley have already made friends with Steve’s kids.’

‘Steve ?’ he asked casually.

‘My boss, and if you were wondering, there’s nothing going on between us.’

‘I guess I could fly to you ?’ he suggested. ‘I haven’t got any other plans.’

‘I’m sorry but that wouldn’t work,’ said Lydia firmly. She looked away and then back at him. ‘The offer is for me and the kids, one room. I couldn’t … I wouldn’t …’

‘I’m gutted not to be seeing them,’ Cole admitted. ‘I used to love our Christmases together, the four of us.’

Being woken up early by two excited children, creeping downstairs to see if Santa had been … special times. Noisy, messy, a house full of warmth and laughter and love. None of the presents under the tree could compete with being at home for Christmas, he’d had everything he could wish for.

They looked at each other for a long moment and he wondered if she was remembering the same thing.

‘Cole,’ Lydia softened her tone. ‘Let’s not fight about this. The kids have some time off school in February. Why don’t you fly over then ? I’ll get you a family room in the hotel and they can stay with you. They’d love that and I know you’ll love it too.’

‘Let me speak to them,’ he said, not quite willing to give in yet. ‘Let me ask them if they’d prefer to come home for Christmas and see me and Granddad and Auntie Hester and Uncle Paul.’

Lydia looked at him for a long moment and gave him a sad smile. ‘Oh, Cole.’

He knew he couldn’t do that to them. He wouldn’t make them choose. A luxury mountain lodge in the snow versus listening to Granddad Fred snore all the way through whatever film they ended up watching after Christmas lunch. No, he’d be the bigger person here. There’d be years of British Christmases for his kids, but only one Canadian one.

‘OK, fine,’ said Cole, ‘February it is, but please can we firm up the dates this week, so I know it’s definitely happening ?’

‘MUM !’ Harley yelled from behind a closed door. ‘I need my phone back.’

‘Sure. Thanks, Cole.’ Lydia sighed and smiled at him. ‘I’d better go. Let’s speak soon.’

After she ended the call, he shoved his phone back in his pocket and let out a long tense breath. Well, that had put the dampener on his weekend. He’d been so looking forward to getting his kids back at Christmas. Christmas was all about doing stuff for them and with them. It was going to be pretty dire spending it alone. No tracking Santa’s journey across the globe with Freya, no watching them opening their presents ; Christmas afternoon wouldn’t be spent poring over instruction manuals and hunting for the correct batteries, or watching cheesy films …

He headed back downstairs and prepared to lock up and leave. He’d just have to keep busy over the festive season, he thought, and maybe then he wouldn’t notice just how miserable he was.

Yes, that was a plan. This year, Christmas was cancelled.

Chapter 9

Merry

6 NOVEMBER

‘You’ve gone pale,’ said Nell.

‘That’s because I’m terrified,’ I muttered, running a hand through my hair. ‘What was I thinking ? I’m rubbish at public speaking.’

It was the night of the follow-up community meeting and we were in the Buttermarket wating for Nigel to arrive. I’d spent a lot of time working on my idea over the last week, modifying it and adding details to it and, for someone who hadn’t wanted to get involved, I was quite pleased with what I’d come up with.

Despite my preparations, I was a bag of nerves. Outside the wind howled and rain lashed against the windows. I hoped that the awful weather would mean that fewer people would turn up for the meeting. The smaller the audience the better as far as I was concerned. So far there were about ten of us, including Tasha and Daniel sitting together in the front row on the other side of the room from Nell and me.

I watched them chatting easily to each other. Tasha put her hand over her mouth and laughed. I wondered what Daniel had said. Perhaps he’d just told her that he was forty in December and reminded her about that kiss under the mistletoe. I did a mental check to make sure mistletoe didn’t feature anywhere in my idea. It didn’t.

‘I can feel your leg trembling.’ Nell delved into her bag and produced a biscuit. ‘Eat this for energy.’

I bit into it, hoping it wouldn’t make me feel even more sick. ‘Distract me,’ I said. ‘Talk to me about something nice.’