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‘What?’ He shook his head.
‘A Christmas tree. And that’s something we can sort out for you.’
Chapter 12
Flora
Flora didn’t see Victor or Leif on the Sunday because she woke with a headache so took some painkillers and went back to bed. On the Monday she was working in London but during her lunch break she went to Oxford Street and bought some Christmas tree decorations. While she was having lunch, she sent Leif a text to see if he wanted to go and get a tree for Victor that evening. He replied almost immediately saying that it was a great idea and he’d look forward to it. He said he’d pick her up in his van because it would be easier to get the tree in there.
For the rest of the afternoon at work, Flora was distracted. She wished she wasn’t but thoughts of seeing Leif later kept popping into her head so in the end, she made herself a coffee and sat in the break room to try to shake herself out of it.
On the train ride home though, her thoughts strayed to the handsome Norwegian man as if they couldn’t stay away from him for more than an hour or two. He seemed so kind and caring and she wanted to believe that it wasn’t true, that he couldn’t genuinely be that nice because if he was, then how could she stop herself from liking him? And she’d sworn never to fall for a man again after what had happened. Love brought pain and sadness, it made you vulnerable and she didn’t want to be vulnerable. Shewanted to be strong and cold and aloof and never, ever risk being hurt again. A voice at the back of her mind told her that she was being silly, that not all men were the same and that Leif was not Hunter, he was not even a tiny bit like her ex. She found herself swaying between wanting to believe that voice and its tempting suggestions, and listening to the other part of her that was terrified of being hurt. Hunter had taught her a valuable lesson about how one person could take another’s heart and tear it in two. But that had been not just her boyfriend but her best friend too because Mimi had played her part in Flora’s heartbreak. Anger curled in the pit of her stomach so she took some slow deep breaths not wanting it to sour her evening. After all, going to get a Christmas tree should be a pleasant activity and it was for Victor, something nice that they would do for him. She patted the bag of tree decorations that she’d bought and smiled. She hoped he would like them. She already cared about Victor and wanted to make him happy because he’d had his heart broken when he lost his beloved wife and she didn’t want him to struggle alone any longer.
When the train pulled into the station in Wisteria Hollow, she disembarked and headed for home, keen to change into something warm and comfortable then to have a cuppa while she waited for Leif to pick her up.
An hour later, she was dressed in her sheepskin boots, skinny jeans and baggy wool jumper with her down jacket and beret. She slid her hands into her worn, black leather gloves that were buttery soft and opened the front door. Leif had just pulled up in his van and she spotted Magnus in the passenger seat gazing out of the window at her.
She grabbed the bag of tree decorations, locked her door then practically skipped along the path and over to the van. After so many evenings spent alone, there was something enjoyable about having plans with friends.
She opened the door of the van and Magnus gave her cheek a lick then jumped into the back. When she climbed inside, she placed the bag on the seat and Leif said, ‘You’ve brought gifts?’
‘What?’
He pointed at the bag.
‘Oh yes… for Victor. Decorations for the tree.’
‘Very thoughtful of you,’ he said. ‘I’ve got some fairy lights for it in the back of the van.’
‘So all we need now is a tree,’ she replied.
Leif drove them away from the village and out to the Christmas tree farm. On the way there, they talked about their days and Leif told her that he’d spoken to Victor earlier and the elderly gent had asked if he could cook them both dinner. Leif had tried to tell Victor he’d pick something up but Victor had been adamant that he’d take care of it.
‘He said something about an app he’s added to his phone that delivers food,’ Leif said now.
‘You think he’s ordering in?’ Flora asked, the thought of Victor using his phone to order food making her smile. His smartphone was a relatively new model, one he’d told them that Mavis had bought for him and she’d had a matching one so they could stay in contact at all times. It was so sweet that they’d had those phones, people of their generation who’d seen so many changes over the years and who might not even have had a house landline in their youth. If she ever reached her eighties, she wondered how different things would be then.
When Leif parked the car, they got out and Leif clipped Magnus’s lead to his collar. The dog looked as excited to be there as Flora felt and she rubbed his soft head. He wagged his bushy tail and looked up at her. ‘It’s like he’s smiling,’ she said.
‘I know, right? He does look like he’s smiling a lot of the time. Magnus is just about the happiest dog I’ve ever seen.’ Leif turnedto her and her breath caught in her throat at the intensity of his bright, blue gaze.
‘It’s probably because he’s got such a happy owner,’ she said.
‘I try.’ Leif laughed. ‘I have plenty to smile about. I feel very lucky.’
Flora gazed at his handsome face, at the sparkle in his eyes and wanted to let go of all the hurt and pain from her past so she could feel as happy as Leif did. Was it possible to be able to move on and look forward to the future then? To put all negativity in her past and just be in the moment? Whenever she was with Leif, she was starting to believe that it could be possible. Leif had that effect upon her and so did Magnus. They both carried the light of positivity around with them like it was the only way to exist.
‘Right then, let’s go and find a tree!’ Leif said and they headed towards the archway adorned with twinkling lights that led to the Christmas trees.
The air was icy, the sky black as a velvet canvas and tiny stars shone above them like diamonds had been sprinkled over the sky. It was a perfect evening and Flora felt a shimmer of joy at being out in it with Leif and Magnus. Just a week ago she wouldn’t have imagined she’d be doing this, but life could change with the flip of a coin and so, she guessed, it really was worth making the most of every day. Especially the good days.
‘You seem thoughtful this evening,’ Leif said when they stood in front of a row of beautiful, dark green trees.
‘Do I?’ She shrugged.
‘Is everything OK? Did something happen at work?’
‘Everything’s fine. It’s just nice to be doing this. I’ve been a bit… low lately and I had no idea I’d be tree shopping… with a kind and handsome Norwegian.’
