Page 88 of The Merry Christmas Project

‘He insists,’ Hester replied on his behalf.

‘He does.’ Cole gave me a long-suffering look and we all laughed.

He stepped closer and looped the scarf around my neck.

‘Thank you,’ I murmured, feeling my breath catch in my throat. I lifted my hair free of it and he tied the ends in a loose knot.

‘You’re welcome,’ he said gruffly, letting the scarf trail slowly through his fingers.

All at once I was enveloped with his cologne. He smelled so good. I closed my eyes and pressed the soft wool to my face, inhaling those delicious aromas. Definitely sandalwood and vanilla, and certainly citrus, but the lemon I’d used hadn’t hit the mark …

Hester coughed and my eyes flew open and Cole took a step back.

‘I don’t know about you,’ said Hester with a smirk, ‘but I think it’s hotting up already.’

Luckily, at that moment Daniel, Audrey, Nigel and Tasha appeared and the next couple of minutes were filled with introductions and thank-yous. Tasha pulled me to one side and gave me a huge wintry bouquet to present to Hester on behalf of Wetherley.

‘I didn’t think you’d get time to organise one,’ she whispered.

It was such a lovely gesture and I was genuinely touched ; not least because she was easily as busy as I was, if not more so. Hester managed to get us corralled into a group with her at the centre and took some selfies for her Instagram.

‘We’ve got another fifteen minutes until I need you on stage,’ Daniel told Hester.

‘Would you like a drink ?’ Audrey asked. ‘There’s a hot chocolate stall or tea and coffee and …’ She pulled a hip flask out of her pocket with a flourish. ‘I can add a little extra rum to spice it up a bit ?’

Hester laughed. ‘You’re all lovely. But if it’s OK with Merry, I’d really like to see her candle workshop ?’

‘What, now ?’ I said, trying to remember what sort of state I’d left the kitchen in when I’d loaded up the car with candles for the fair this morning. ‘It’s hardly a workshop. It’s more of a table and two electric hotplates.’

‘And after all that effort I made to make it cosy,’ said Cole, mock offended.

‘It is cosy,’ I said hastily. ‘Hester, we don’t have much time, but of course you’re welcome to see it.’

‘We’ve got bags of time,’ said Hester airily. ‘Besides, I’m a co-owner of the old bank and I haven’t been inside for ages. Look, here’s Dad.’ She waved a hand and a dapper-looking gentleman in a navy wool coat and tweed trilby raised a hand in return. ‘Just in time, Dad, we’re going to see Merry’s candle workshop.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Mr Robinson,’ I said, extending a hand.

‘Call me Fred, dear.’ He took my hand between both of his. ‘Merry. A beautiful name for a beautiful young lady and so apt for the town’s Christmas planner.’

‘I’d hardly call myself that,’ I laughed. ‘It’s a team effort and between you and me, I’m rather a novice at planning.’

‘Guys,’ Cole tapped his watch. ‘The clock’s ticking. Dad, stop flirting please. Merry, I apologise, my father had a sherry before lunch and a Baileys afterwards.’

‘No apology necessary. Shall we ?’ I offered Fred my arm and the four of us crossed the marketplace to the old bank.

Lots of pairs of eyes followed us, or at least, they followed Hester. I’ll say something for the Robinson family – they were an attractive bunch. Mr Robinson senior would have been a looker in his day ; he was still quite a charmer, I could see why Astrid was attracted to him.

I did a double take when we reached the door. It was adorned with a beautiful fresh Christmas wreath bursting with fragrant foliage, cinnamon sticks and pine cones and finished off with stripy pheasant tail feathers. And the wreath wasn’t the only new addition to the doorway ; a huge bouquet of mistletoe had appeared too, fixed under the porch.

‘This is gorgeous !’ Hester exclaimed, running her fingertips over the feathers. ‘Where did you get it ?’

‘It just appeared !’ I said incredulously.

‘And I thought you weren’t a big fan of Christmas,’ Hester teased. ‘Doesn’t look that way to me.’

‘Oh, I think it must be gift from the Christmas tree man,’ I said, remembering Nigel’s words the other day about him wanting to give me a present. ‘It brightens up the doorway nicely.’

‘Watch him under that mistletoe, Merry,’ Cole warned, nodding his head to his father. ‘No woman is safe.’