Page 8 of The Merry Christmas Project

‘No,’ I said. ‘But let’s face it, being spur of the moment hasn’t worked so far, has it ?’

‘Hmm. If you say so.’ Nell didn’t look convinced. ‘Here, let me put a date entry in your diary.’

I perked up and handed it to her. ‘Girls’ night out ?’

‘Sort of.’ She turned the pages forward ten days. ‘It’s the Christmas Project meeting to discuss what we are going to do to pay tribute to Benny Dunford.’

I hadn’t known Benny well, but he had been Wetherley’s most community-spirited citizen and his death in the summer had saddened everyone. He had been one of those people that brought others together, and it was lovely that he was being remembered. I’d helped out with community events in the past, but I didn’t want to get involved with organising this one.

‘Actually Nell, I wasn’t planning on going,’ I said. ‘You know Christmas is always an odd time for me and this one … well, I’d really been looking forward to spending this one with Daniel. Like a proper family. So I was sort of hoping to forget all about Christmas this year.’

She pressed her lips into a line and folded her arms. ‘You do know that proper families quite often eat and drink too much and end up falling out.’

‘Well, even so, I don’t fancy sitting through a long boring meeting while someone ticks items off a never-ending agenda, so I think I’ll give it a miss.’

Nell smirked. ‘Daniel said you’d say no.’

I stared at her. ‘When did he say that ?’

‘He popped over to the stall to buy some cashews. He’s joined the committee. So has the school’s new head teacher.’

I straightened up instantly. ‘Tasha Sandean ?’

Nell nodded. ‘Apparently she’s really shaking things up at the school. She sounds like someone we ought to meet.’

‘Actually, Daniel knows her.’ I told Nell about Tasha and the promise to kiss him under the mistletoe if he was still single at forty.

‘Wow.’ Nell’s eyes widened. ‘That’s it then. I’m definitely going and so must you. Aren’t you curious to see what she looks like ?’

‘Not really,’ I said airily. ‘But I suppose now that I run a local business, I should get more involved – it might help me develop some new contacts.’

Nell tried to hide her smirk. ‘Absolutely nothing to do with Daniel or Tasha going along and you being nosy as heck.’

‘Nothing at all. I’ve always liked a project.’ I handed her a cardboard box full of kitchen utensils. ‘Now, are you going to help me unpack these wooden spoons, or have you done enough stirring for one day ?’

Chapter 2

Cole

15 OCTOBER

Behind the wheel of his van, Cole’s body was wound like a spring, his arms tense, jaw taut. Seven minutes until the video call would come through. Seven minutes to get home and be in front of his iPad to take it. This call was too important to risk the dodgy signal in the Portakabin on the Wetherley building site. It would be a lovely place to live eventually, surrounded by trees, but right now it was an internet black spot.

He’d arranged his whole afternoon around this, told Josh, his site foreman, that whatever happened, he’d be leaving at three today. He’d set off in plenty of time, or so he’d thought, but his half-hour journey had been fraught with diversions and hold-ups and now he was cutting it dangerously fine. The fear he’d mess this up was real and he was beginning to sweat.

‘Change, change, change,’ he chanted under his breath as he approached yet another set of traffic lights. But they remained resolutely on red, forcing him to brake.

As soon as the way was clear, Cole put his foot on the accelerator and picked up his speed. A quick glance at the clock told him he could still make it. Within a couple of minutes he’d turned into Rectory Lane. Slowing down to navigate the speed bumps made him grit his teeth, but it had to be done ; families lived in the luxury detached houses either side of him and the traffic calming was there for a reason. Finally, he pulled into the driveway of number sixteen, turned off the engine and yanked on the handbrake.

The next second he was out of the van and racing up the metal staircase which led to the self-contained annexe above the garage. His phone flashed with a new text message from Lydia. He didn’t have to open the message from his ex-wife to know what it said. Don’t forget. Be there when Harley calls. He’s dying to talk to you. He couldn’t blame her for checking up on him ; he had form for letting them down in the past. But he’d learned his lesson the hard way and now he was trying to do better, and he hadn’t forgotten – how could he ? Today’s date would be imprinted on his memory for ever. It was the day he’d become a father.

He fumbled with his door key, pushed his way inside, just as the iPad on the coffee table began to ring. He launched himself onto the sofa and touched the screen to accept the WhatsApp video call and his two most precious things appeared in front of him.

‘Hello, Dad !’ they yelled in unison.

Cole grinned, his breath ragged after rushing. ‘Hey, good morning, you two, and Harley, happy birthday, son.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’