by Melissa Hill
“Really? Then why were you in LA then? I read that you were spotted around town with him!” The accusation came out of the blue, completely unexpected.
“What are you implying, Ita? That I am cheating on Charlie, that I am getting back together with Scarlett’s birth father—the man who abandoned his own daughter?”
“I wouldn’t put it past a slut like you.” She pointed her finger square in Ruth’s chest emphasising the words, “like you.”
“You know what, Ita?” Ruth said, grabbing her finger. “What I was doing is none of your business.” She continued angrily. “For your information, I did see Troy while I was in LA, but it was completely unplanned. I had no idea that he was going to be there. Our time together was limited to reading at the casting agency’s office and then at dinner that night with the director.”
“So you admit it!” Ita declared triumphantly. “You’re moving back there. You’re leaving Charlie to care for your daughter while you galavant around Hollywood.”
“Ita,” Ruth said, disgust coming over her face. “You are so ignorant, it’s not even funny. I turned down the damn role! I want nothing to do with it. When I saw who my co-star was, I knew I was not going to take the part. Plus, I would never, ever want to leave my daughter and husband behind. They are my family—something I value, but you obviously don’t. And this is my home, too. I live here Ita—here, in Lakeview. If you have an issue with that, then that’s your problem. I love your son, every bit of him and I always have. I love him because he fills my life with love and happiness, because he is a good father for Scarlett, and because he’s going to be a great dad for the children we will have together. I love him because he has always supported and loved me. I cannot trade him in for a career or a chance with someone who let me down enough already! Charlie is the whole reason for all of it. Everything else is just window-dressing. I love your son. The only thing that blows my mind is how such a sweet, caring, wonderful man came from such a hateful, spiteful parent.”
With that, Ruth marched off, her words echoing in her own ears. As she made her way back into the dining room, someone touched her arm and led her towards the corner of the room.
“Charlie! You scared me. Where have you been?”
“Listening to you.” He pulled her to him tightly, leaning his body into hers. “I am so sorry for how I acted. When you left and I didn’t hear from you that night, I let my mother get into my head. I let her convince me that you had this all planned, and that you were leaving me.”
“Honey, I would never leave you. Ever. You and Scarlett are my life forever and always.”
“But what about your career? What if Lakeview isn’t good enough for you again?”
She sighed. Now seemed the best time to tell him the news that she had been keeping to herself. “I have some news about that, actually. I wanted to wait to tell you after the party… But I decided that I need to do something to give back to this community. So, I took some of my savings and took over one of Paul’s properties. You know, the old pub off the square?”
“A pub?” Charlie looked at her, unsure if he should be mortified or if he should let her continue.
“No. I thought that maybe I could turn it into a stage school. It has all the right bones for it, and looks like it would be fairly easy to transform. I wanted to tell you. I really did, but I wasn’t sure how to.” She waited for a response, but he remained speechless, his face free from any expression or emotion.
“I am going to turn it into a stage school and maybe a theatre. It would be free to participate and the shows would raise money for different causes. To keep costs down, we can even host events there during the off season like small wedding ceremonies or town event meetings or something. It could really be something special. Are you mad? You should be. I should have told you.”
“You are amazing,” he smiled down at her, completely flabbergasted at this woman and her crazy notions. “Of course I will support you. This idea sounds amazing. But let’s talk about it tomorrow. Tonight is your night.”
He took her hand and led her back into the crowd, just in time to watch Ita walk out the door in a huff. Her attempt at slamming the door was completely masked by the roar of the crowd as Ruth took the mic once again.
“This song, I dedicate to my husband, the man of my life forever and always.” Ruth turned to Nicky and began to sing one of her favourite Christmas ballads ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’
And as she sang the lyric, about all troubles being out of sight, she looked directly at Charlie who had picked up Scarlett from the group of children and begun to dance.
26
T he carriage bounced up and down and rattled to and fro. But while the ride around the lake was rocky, Ella didn’t mind.
She was too preoccupied with watching the houses and businesses of the community pass her by. The snow was falling softly as it covered the trees with a light dusting in front of them.
After several minutes of silence, she moved her hand out from under Santa and turned to face him. She tugged at his beard a bit and pulled off his hat. She knew all along that Joseph would make the perfect Santa Claus.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Is it how I manage to fit all those presents in my sled?” he chuckled.
“No. I want to ask you why.”
“Why what?”
“Why did you give Heidi the rest of the money? It’s just too much. I don’t know if I can accept it, Joseph.”
“Well, I refuse to take it back, so there is no use in telling me you don’t want my contribution.” He smiled at her.
“Please, let’s just make this a loan. I will pay you back, every penny with interest.”
“And I wont accept a cent.”
“Be serious, Joseph. I know this is a lot of money we are talking about. There is no way you just had it lying around to give to a friend like me and my lowly little café.”
He stared at her long and hard, unsure of how to proceed. Sighing, he said, “You are not my friend.”
“What?”
“Ella, I love you. I have loved you for nearly two decades now, but I have never had the courage to say it, never found the right moment to tell you. I’m not trying to use this money, this gift, to buy your affection and you don’t have to say it back to me if you do not mean it. You’re under no obligation. But that money is money I have been saving to start a family of my own. It just never happened for me, but now, I know what I want. I want you. I want to be part of your family. And I want to help keep this café alive and going.”
She looked at him, studied his face, and searched for an answer. Every bit of her was screaming to say something, but she could only smile and hold his hand. Eventually, she leaned down and nuzzled into the wide expanse of his shoulders. His coat still smelling of pine trees and Christmas.
“If I am going to accept this money, I want you to make me a promise.”
“Yeah, and what is that?”
“You will be a partner. And,” she held up a hand to silence the protest she knew was coming, “I will not take no for an answer. We will be partners in the business—you and me.”
“It doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice, does it?” he chuckled, kissing the top of her forehead as they snuggled closer together. They passed the rest of the ride in silence, but it was also full with hope and promise that for these two people past the prime of their lives, each day from hereon would be more meaningful with the other in it.
“Here we are, Ella,” Eric McGrath said as he pulled the carriage to a halt in front of the back door. Already a second group had lined up with Heidi giving out instructions and taking tickets. As they approached, Joseph quickly repositioned his beard and fixed his red hat on top of his head.
Ella led the way as the couple entered the party once more. When Ruth spotted the two, she quickly finished her song and ushered Ella to the stage.
Ella lowered the microphone and spoke, “Now is my favourite time o
f the evening. For all the boys and girls out there, Santa is here to visit! We will be taking pictures and he’ll be listening to all of your wish lists. Parents, you can enjoy the famous Heartbreak Café Christmas mulled wine while your children are waiting.” She winked. “And it looks like it’s going to be a long queue!”
The crowd burst into applause and shouts of glee as everyone moved to either the Santa line or the food and drinks queue. Ruth began to sing some more.
While everyone was preoccupied, Ella snuck back out to her little office. She again searched her desk for the brown envelope of pictures. While most of them she had put on display, she had kept one to herself—the black and white photo of herself and her husband on the night of their first kiss.
She looked at their faces, so young and full of optimism of the life they had ahead of them. Gregory especially looked as if he could Lakeview and easily the world. It was that smile. She grinned at the thought of him. Running her fingers over the thick paper, she put her lips to the photograph and placed it back in the envelope. She knew in her heart that he would be delighted for her.
It was then that she heard the music start the first few notes of an old familiar song that she remember fondly dancing to with her Gregory. She headed outside, past the well-wishers and in search of Joseph. Unfortunately, she could not find him anywhere. All of the children had finished their turns sitting on Santa’s lap and were preoccupied with the lollipops he had given them. The parents were still hovering over the mulled wine. The rest of the crowd danced in the centre of the room.
That is when she spotted him—Santa suit and all. Walking back to her office, she grabbed her coat and met him in the front. “Joseph Evans,” she chided. “What are you doing out here? Come back inside.”
Joseph turned to face her, shovel in hand. “If you want me to be a co-owner of this café,” he called, “you have to let me keep you safe. First order of business is keeping the paths clear and free of snow and frost. I wouldn’t want anyone fall—”
Before he could say another word, Ella walked towards him, grabbed the white trim collar, and pulled him in for a long, slow kiss.
Such an embrace was the first in a very long time for both of them, but she knew that they would learn and love together.
It was a kiss filled with promise and meaning, a sign of love that had been growing for forever.
And as the snow fell gently around them and festive music played in the background, it was, Ella thought to herself, the first of many, many more to come.
FROM THE AUTHOR:
Thank you for reading Christmas at The Heartbreak Cafe. I very much hope you enjoyed the story.
I love hearing from readers, so if you’d like to contact me to say hello, send feedback or report any inconsistencies or typographical errors (besides the usual UK/US English grammatical discrepancies!) please drop me a line at www.melissahill.info I’d love to hear from you.
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READ on for a short excerpt of my latest novel, MULBERRY BAY.
MULBERRY BAY
Escape to a hotel by the beach …
Mulberry Hotel, perched on a clifftop above a sweeping bay, was once the heart and soul of pretty Irish seaside town Mulberry Bay.
Run by the Harte family for years, the place itself is almost as beloved as cheery landlady Anna.
The hotel was also once home to thirty-something sisters Eleanor and Penny, and while youngest sister Penny still lives close by, it's been some time since Elle has visited. But following a family tragedy, Elle is forced to return from her busy London life and reassess her past.
When it becomes apparent that the hotel is in dire straits, Elle and Penny are unprepared for the reaction of their father, Ned, He steadfastly refuses to give up the family legacy, revealing that he's given up something equally precious once before.
Startled by their father's surprising revelation, the sisters unite, with the local community behind them, in their efforts to save the hotel - and, in the process, heal the fractures in the Harte family.
SUMMER 1989
Penny, hurry up, you’re going to miss it!’ Elle Harte called out excitedly as she sprinted barefoot down the beach, her auburn hair swirling around her face in the breeze. Golden sand and ochre pebbles snaked alongside the deep blue of the Irish sea, little shaving foam breakers dimpling the surface.
Her ten-year-old sister; her junior by two years, strained to keep up. Penny’s shorter legs weren’t as fast and she was getting winded; Elle had always been much more athletic. Cool sand squished between her toes and she pumped her arms furiously, pushing herself to go faster. She didn’t want to miss the ship before it headed down the coast.
‘Elle stop, please,’ Penny called out.
But Elle pushed on for another fifty yards until she stopped abruptly on the strand, one arm extended out towards the horizon, the other shading her eyes. ‘Look at that, it’s just like the pirate ship in The Goonies,’ she called back, referring to the swashbuckling adventure movie that they both loved.
A moment later, Penny finally caught up with her. She pushed her wispy fair hair out of her eyes and clasped a hand on her hip, working to knead a stitch out of her side from the exertion. ‘Did we really have to run like that? I think I stepped on a jellyfish or something,’ she complained, but Elle didn’t answer. She was entranced by the sight unfolding in front of her.
Penny followed her sister’s gaze towards the open water where an 18th century English Tall Ship, complete with three tall masts and billowing sails, was leisurely making its way south off the Wexford coast. The ship, a true original that had been saved, preserved and recently unveiled to the Irish public, had made a temporary home for itself in the water at their hometown Mulberry Bay, just down the beach from where Elle and Penny’s family ran the local hotel.
Perched high on a hill above a sweeping bay, and overlooking the pretty little seaside town with a huge sugarloaf mountain as backdrop, the Bay Hotel’s coastal location and seafront bedrooms were a perfect haven for tourists. For generations the popular hotel had housed visitors from all over the world, as well as weathered some of worst storms the South East coast had seen. Some of Elle’s favourite memories growing up there were of dramatic lightning strikes at sea, while she, her family and entranced guests watched from the windows. She knew that the tourists took memories like that home with them, to be taken out and relived when life got too overwhelming.The hotel was located just a short walk up the coast road from the centre of Mulberry Bay.
There was just one main street in the little coastal town, which led directly to the sandy beach. The street was cobbled with red sandstone and no cars were allowed to drive through, the space being reserved for walking and simply enjoying the pretty little shops and eateries. The lamp posts were old wrought iron style, brightly coloured flower pots hanging from them, in keeping with the town’s tourist heritage status.
Elle knew all the shops in the main street: artisan bakeries boasting homemade bread, charming organic produce shops, little boutiques and craft stores with candles and jewellery made to order: tourist mementoes of time spent at the picturesque seaside town.
The local businesspeople were intensely proud of their produce and the homegrown/handcrafted nature of their wares. Elle loved walking on Main Street in the height of summer; eating ice-cream from Scoops, smells of baking from The Grain Store Bakery, fresh fruit from SunBurst Organics and ground coffee from Pebbles Café mingling in the bright air as tourists wandered down to the beach with buckets and spades and brightly coloured towels and inflatables.
In the winter, it was much quieter and considerably greyer in the absence of bright blue skies and the kaleidoscope of beach accoutrem
ents, and populated mostly by locals. The only thing she didn’t like about Mulberry Bay was its size and the fact that you tended to meet just about everybody you had ever known.
The entire community had been buzzing about the tall ship for the past few days. Elle had already seen the vessel twice, and had used the fact that her sister had yet to see it, as an excuse to get out of their hotel duties early and head down to the beach to watch it leave.
It was coming to the end of the heavy tourist season, and the Bay Hotel had held one of its famed ballroom dancing nights the evening before. Elle and Penny had been in the thick of the organising for days leading up to it. There was always so much to do at the hotel, but even more for any event in the ballroom; polishing the dance floor to a high shine, dusting the enormous glass chandelier, ironing the crisp white table linen, and arranging fresh flowers from the garden in the alcoves, and at reception. As well as a host of other boringly mundane tasks like replacing burnt-down candles in the candelabra, polishing the glassware, and tidying any rogue family-related paraphernalia away from the entrance or common areas.
Still, despite the annoying chores their mother, Anna set them, Elle had to admit that there was a great buzz and energy about the hotel in the lead up to such an event, and indeed at the event itself. Her mother was in her element with all the preparations, though Elle couldn’t understand the fuss about the drinks or the food when ultimately people were coming to dance, and generally tried to hide out in the gardens with her dad, whom she knew felt the same way. But inevitably Anna roped them all into participating, like it or not. And despite herself, Elle did enjoy the excitement and the fact that the bigger events always seemed to put a twinkle in her ever-busy mother’s eye and an extra bounce in her step.
