The Canal Boat Café Christmas: Port Out (The Canal Boat Café Christmas, Book 1)

by Cressida McLaughlin

  ‘When you put it like that, it sounds like a black comedy.’

  Summer jumped – she hadn’t heard Mason come up beside her, she’d been too intent on her anger and the water below. She flung her arms around him, then leaned back to appraise him. Some of the colour had returned to his cheeks.

  ‘Mason, are you OK? I had no idea.’

  His hands were warm on her lower back. ‘I know that,’ he whispered. ‘I’m all right. I just didn’t expect to see her here.’

  ‘Me either. What do you want to do?’ Summer trailed her finger down his face, trying to smooth out the chink in his jawline, to soothe him in any way she could.

  He didn’t reply immediately, and she almost made the decision for him, imagined leading him back to Madeleine, turning her round and starting the long, slow journey back to Willowbeck.

  ‘I’m going to face her,’ he said. ‘I can’t be given this opportunity and walk away from it – not further than here, anyway. I’ve wanted the chance to make it right and now, here it is.’

  ‘You should have been given time, you should have known she’d be here.’

  ‘I know now, and I’ve given myself five minutes to get used to the idea.’ He tried a lopsided smile that Summer could tell was an effort, and kissed the end of her nose. ‘But what about you? Are – will you be OK with me talking to her? Will you come with me?’

  ‘Of course,’ Summer said. I’ll go anywhere with you, for the rest of my life. I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.

  He took her hand and they crossed the road, dodging a taxi that came hurtling unexpectedly out of a side road, its yellow light glowing. Mason hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open, towards a part of his history that Summer didn’t think he was ready to deal with, and a woman that she had never thought she’d meet.

  Tania.

  She knew they had cared about each other, and had often wondered whether, had Mason been a little further forward, starting to emerge from his grief when he’d met her, they would have made things work. It was, perhaps, only a matter of timing that Mason was with her now, instead of Tania. And having seen her for herself, she could understand why they had been together, why Mason had been attracted to her. She pictured the glamorous woman, her silky hair and her expressive brown eyes, the way she had walked, unflinchingly, over to Mason, as if it had been only days since they’d seen each other rather than years.

  Suddenly her marriage proposal seemed like an unattainable fantasy, something she’d conjured up in a dream. She was worried that Mason wasn’t prepared to see Tania again, to deal with the hurt he’d caused when he walked out on her, but she wasn’t ready either.

  This was the one thing, the one person, who had the potential to prevent her from marrying the man she loved. What if, once the shock faded, Mason was reminded of all the reasons he had cared about Tania, could see her more clearly than when they’d first met, and realized that he still had feelings for her?

  Summer and Mason were making a life for themselves, putting old troubles and complications behind them – Lisa, her mother, painful memories they’d helped each other deal with. She had been hoping to put the cherry on the top of their relationship this New Year’s Eve, but now the past was hurtling back towards them, threatening to tear their happiness apart. What had Tania said? I’ve never forgotten him.

  Summer gripped Mason’s hand tightly, took a deep breath, and followed him inside.

  About the Author

  Cressy was born in South East London surrounded by books and with a cat named after Lawrence of Arabia. She studied English at the University of East Anglia and now lives in Norwich with her husband David. When she isn’t writing, Cressy spends her spare time reading, returning to London or exploring the beautiful Norfolk coastline.

  If you’d like to find out more about Cressy, visit her on Twitter and on Facebook. She’d love to hear from you!

  /CressidaMc‌LaughlinAuthor

  @CressMcLaughlin

  https://cressidamclaughlin.com

  STARBOARD HOME

  THE CANAL BOAT CAFÉ

  THE ONCE IN A BLUE MOON GUESTHOUSE

  A CHRISTMAS TAIL

  Also by Cressida McLaughlin

  The Canal Boat Café series

  All Aboard

  Casting Off

  Cabin Fever

  Land Ahoy!

  The One in a Blue Moon Guesthouse

  Open For Business

  Fully Booked

  Do Not Disturb

  Wish You Were Here

  Primrose Terrace series

  Wellies & Westies

  Sunshine & Spaniels

  Raincoats & Retrievers

  Tinsel & Terriers

  A Christmas Tail – The Complete Primrose Terrace Story

  About the Publisher

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  HarperCollins Canada

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  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

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  United States

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Table of Contents

  Part One: Port Out

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  About the Author

  Keep Reading …

  Also by Cressida McLaughlin

  About the Publisher