Clara's Last Christmas (Clara Andrews Series - Book 9)

by Lacey London

  ‘But we can’t afford them…’

  ‘Listen, if we pull this off, money will be tight for a while. I don’t mean bread and water tight, just no painfully expensive jumpers tight.’ I can’t help but smile and entwine my fingers with his. ‘On the plus side, if this comes together for us, it will change our lives forever.’

  I look into his hopeful eyes and feel my heart pang with longing. ‘Are you still going to the interview tomorrow?’ I ask, not really knowing what I want him to say.

  ‘I cancelled it.’ Stripping off his t-shirt, he grabs his toothbrush and heads to the sink. ‘There’s no point wasting their time when I shall soon be back in my studio, is there?’ Dancing around as he brushes his teeth, I find myself praying that he’s right.

  ‘Are you looking forward to having your mum here?’ I ask, in a bid to change the subject.

  ‘Yeah.’ Reaching for the mouthwash, he splashes his face with water. ‘She called while you were out with Noah. Dixie, Dolly and Dallas are heading to Florida for the holidays.’

  ‘That’s lovely! Is George going too?’ Despite my efforts to stop it, my stomach churns as the name escapes my lips.

  Even though what happened between George and I is ancient history, a tiny part of me still feels uncomfortable at the mention of his name.

  Oliver nods and pops his toothbrush back into the holder. ‘And Aunt Mindy. To be honest, I think my mom is actually a little beat she isn’t joining them.’

  ‘Well, I wouldn’t mind at all if she changes her mind on coming here.’ Pulling the plug, I wipe away the bubbles and stand up. ‘I bet Aunt Mindy would just love to have her there.’

  ‘Nice try…’ Throwing me a fluffy towel, he laughs and slips out into the bedroom.

  Stepping out of the tub, I take one of the jumpers and hold it up against my body. Maybe Oliver’s right. The reality is that we could soon be looking back on this time as the point when our lives changed forever. Who cares if we have to be on a budget for a little while? After all, it’s not what’s under the tree that matters, it’s who’s gathered around it…

  Snowflakes create magic wherever they land…

  Chapter 12

  ‘Do I have to wear the Santa hat?’ Dawn screws up her nose and holds the iconic red hat at the tips of her fingers.

  With it being the season to be jolly, we decided that a Christmas theme would be more fitting than traditional hen-do attire. Looking around our group, I have to admit that we do look pretty ridiculous. Gina, Lianna, Eve and I managed to grab matching elf costumes from the fancy dress shop in town and Dawn secured the final Mrs Claus dress this side of the Thames. To be fair, the candy cane stockings and shockingly low-cut dress make her look more like an extra from a low-budget adult movie.

  ‘Honestly, I told you I didn’t even want a hen-do.’ Reluctantly putting on the felt hat, Dawn picks up her glass and clinks it against the rest of ours.

  ‘I know, but we couldn’t let the occasion pass us by without acknowledging it, could we?’ Eve shoots her a smile and sips her orange juice slowly.

  ‘This is a once in a lifetime occasion.’ I trill, pulling down the hem on my worryingly short elf dress. ‘You won’t get another hen-do!’

  ‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Isn’t it half of all marriages that end in divorce?’ Gina lets out a cackle and drains the contents of her glass.

  ‘Gina!’ I exclaim. ‘Don’t listen to her, Dawn.’

  I am about to tell her that Gina doesn’t know what she’s talking about when Eve stands up. The rest of the group stop chatting as she taps her ring against her glass to get everyone’s attention.

  ‘Now, I don’t want to take the limelight away from Dawn, but we might have something else to celebrate very soon…’ She smiles manically as she looks around the group. ‘Owen has been talking with his financial advisor and he is seriously considering putting in a bid for Suave!’

  Almost choking on my drink, I stare up at her in shock. ‘What does that mean, exactly?’

  ‘It means that he still needs to look at the books and work out if it’s worthwhile investing, but the idea of adding the company to his portfolio is really appealing to him.’ Running a hand over her bump, she takes a seat on the arm of my chair. ‘He does want to chat with you guys though. He mentioned something about percentages, but I wasn’t really listening.’

  Only Eve could be so blasé about her husband investing millions of pounds into a business.

  ‘Can you believe that this could actually be happening?’ Lianna gushes, stamping her feet in excitement.

  ‘I really can’t!’ Dawn crosses her legs and reaches for the fizz. ‘This time last year I was single, jobless and feeling pretty down on my luck. Fast forward twelve months and here I am, engaged and on the cusp of buying into a company.’ She claps her hands to her face and I can see that she is on the verge of tears. ‘I just feel so blessed.’

  The rest of us reach for the box of tissues as a beautician steps into the foyer. Giving our unusual choice of outfits a cautious glance, she smiles sweetly and looks down at her clipboard. ‘Welcome to Serenity Spa. I have you down for the Bride-to-Be package in the Relaxation Suite. Here are your passes. Go straight down the corridor to the last door on the left.’ Handing around a selection of laminated cards, she asks for a signature from each of us. ‘Enjoy your stay.’

  Watching her disappear behind the desk, we grab our belongings and make our way into the customer only corridor. This was such a good idea and not only for Dawn, for all of us. Oliver and Marc losing their jobs hit us hard and even though we could be on the brink of something incredible, the possibility of them ending up jobless and Suave disappearing forever is still weighing heavily on our shoulders.

  A stunning, raven-haired woman pops her head out of the Relaxation Suite and introduces herself as Letitia. Following her into the treatment room, I let out a gasp as I take in the incredible gold Christmas tree. Situated behind six plush treatment beds, the metallic masterpiece is adorned in beautiful silver baubles, each one with a different beauty product hand painted on the surface. Just looking at it relaxes me.

  ‘This is beautiful!’ Dawn exclaims, wandering around the room with eyes like saucers. ‘What treatments are we having?’

  ‘Well, you girls are in for a whole day of surprises.’ Letitia, produces another bottle of bubbles from a discreet champagne fridge behind the tree and pops the cork. ‘If you could change into the robes, I will be back with the other therapists shortly. Feel free to help yourself to the fizz.’

  Not even waiting for her to leave the room, I kick off my elf shoes and make a beeline for the nearest bed.

  ‘We should do this every week!’ Gina declares, stripping off her dress and reaching for a robe, not caring in the least that she’s fully naked.

  ‘It is pretty amazing, isn’t it?’ Lianna twists her hair into a bun and reaches for the bubbles. ‘When we’re all high-flying CEOs we could do this every week!’

  I hold out my glass out for a refill and lean back on the pillows. Owen showing an interest in Suave doesn’t mean that we’re out of the woods just yet. There’s still a million hurdles to jump over to reach the finish line. A familiar feeling of dread hits my stomach and I exhale loudly in a bid to get rid of it. Our future may rest on the decision of one of our friends, but now isn’t the time to be worrying about it. Today is about Dawn and giving her the send-off into married life that she deserves.

  Rolling onto my side, I rest my head in my hand and watch my friends chatting happily. Unadulterated joy beams out of Dawn’s face as the girls fuss over her. I watch Eve create a makeshift veil out of tissue paper and fasten it to her hairclip. Right on cue, Lianna bursts into a rendition of Here Comes the Bride and the others clap along in time to the beat. Not being able to resist joining in, I leave my bubbles and join the procession. Grabbing a handful of rose petals from one of the beds, I toss them over Dawn as she dances in front of the Christmas tree. With a glass of champagne in her
hand, she twirls like a ballerina as the petals fall around her like snowflakes.

  The other aspects of our life might be uncertain, but for Dawn things are finally falling into place…

  * * *

  ‘Absolutely no chance. Sorry, not going to happen.’ Handing the lead over to Oliver, I press the handset up against my ear and scowl. ‘I don’t care if you think it’s a nice idea, the answer is still no.’

  For some inexplicable reason, my mother thinks it would be a fabulous idea if she bought me a tattoo for Christmas. You heard me, a tattoo. Keeping one eye on Noah, who is squealing with glee as he fires down the slide, I narrowly avoid tripping over Pumpkin.

  We have been in the park for over an hour and Noah seems more awake now than he did when we arrived, which is a tad frustrating considering the whole point of this trip was to tire him out. Looking at him now as he chases a little girl around the swings, I have to admit that I don’t have high hopes for him having the early night we had planned.

  ‘Mum, I’m going to save you some time and tell you that it’s never going to happen.’ I frown at Oliver as he laughs into the collar of his coat.

  ‘Not even a small one?’ She pleads, sighing like a moody teenager. ‘Your father said you could have it on your bum, then no one will see it unless you want them to. I bet Oliver would quite like you to get a tattoo on your bum…’

  Despite the fact that no one else can hear her end of the conversation, I feel my skin prickle with embarrassment. No matter how much she tries to convince me that matching tattoos is the ideal Christmas gift, I would rather walk across broken glass than let my mother’s dodgy friend drag ink-filled needles across my skin. Whatever happened to a pair of pyjamas or a nice giftset? What’s next? Merry Christmas! Here’s a black eye.

  ‘Since when is Dad so keen on tattoos?’ I lean down and wipe a leaf from my wellingtons. ‘I’m sure his friends at the bowling club would just love to hear about him having a snowflake tattoo on his backside.’

  ‘It’s funny you say that, because he’s actually decided against.’ She says cockily. ‘We had a rethink and now he’s going for a bow and arrow on his groin. He might add a skull and crossbones too, but that’s not a hundred percent.’

  Not even knowing what to say, I make my excuses and wrap up the call. Popping the handset into Oliver’s back pocket, I try to shake all thoughts of my mum’s bum and dad’s groin out of my mind. Seriously, what is my life?

  Pumpkin stops to smell a post box and I can’t help but laugh as she tries and fails to pick up the world’s biggest branch. She lets out an annoyed growl before giving up and leaving it behind. Considering that it’s so late in the afternoon, the park is still incredibly busy. Numerous children race around the play centre excitedly, screaming happily as they launch themselves into the sandpit. Secretly praying that Noah decides to give the makeshift beach a miss, I entwine my fingers with Oliver’s and take a seat on a nearby bench.

  Pumpkin begs to be set free and I reluctantly unclip her lead and let her race into the woods. Running as fast as her legs will carry her, she bounds between the trees like a tiny puppy. Her tail wags frantically as she dives straight into a pile of slushy sleet. Well, isn’t that just fabulous? A mud-covered Labrador is exactly what you need on a cold Sunday evening.

  ‘How are you?’ Oliver asks suddenly, popping my thought bubble and bringing me back to reality. ‘I feel like you’ve been somewhat vacant lately…’

  ‘Have I?’ Looking up at my husband, I purse my lips and play with Pumpkin’s lead.

  He nods in response and I tear my eyes away from his. I have tried my hardest to keep my concerns over the Suave deal under wraps, but every now and then I get an overwhelming wave of worry that is impossible to hide.

  ‘I’m OK, I guess.’ I rub my eyes and watch Noah attempt to tackle the roundabout. ‘We had a lot of fun at the spa yesterday. Dawn had a fabulous time, despite her protests against the costumes.’

  ‘That’s great.’ He smiles down at me and whistles loudly as Pumpkin tries to chase a squirrel up a tree. ‘But I want to know how you are?’

  My stomach flips as he slips an arm around my shoulders and pulls me towards him. Scared. Nervous. Excited. Anxious. ‘I’m fine.’

  Looking totally unconvinced, he stares at me for a moment as Pumpkin comes running towards us.

  ‘Listen, I want you to promise me that you won’t be worrying about money, jobs or Suave, because I’ve got all of that under control.’ He plants a kiss on my forehead and runs his fingers through my hair. ‘Next year is going to be a fantastic year for us. I just need you to trust me that things will work out. Do you think you can do that?’

  Not wanting to be negative, I smile back at him and rest my head on his chest.

  ‘I promise.’

  Tipping back my head and letting the cold air wash over me, I can only hope that he’s right…

  Snowmen fall from heaven one flake at a time…

  Chapter 13

  ‘What’s with the red lips?’ I ask, not convinced that the slightly crayon-like lipstick is Gina’s best look. ‘I know it’s Christmas, but…’

  ‘It’s horrible, isn’t it?’ Reaching into her handbag, she pulls out a napkin and begins to scrub at her lips. ‘It was a free sample with a magazine. I should have just thrown it away.’

  ‘Free sample?’ I screw up my nose and hand a crisp note over to the cashier. ‘Since when do you use free samples? What happened to your MAC obsession?’

  Tossing the lipstick-stained tissue into the bin, she shrugs her shoulders and slides into a booth.

  ‘Aren’t you getting a drink?’ I ask, taking a sip from my red paper cup. ‘The pumpkin lattes won’t be here forever!’

  Gina licks her lips and turns to look out of the window. ‘I know, but I had a cup of tea at home.’

  Pulling my brow into a frown, I stare at my good friend and try to work out what’s wrong. ‘Since when was a home-brewed cup of tea the same as a delicious Starbucks special?’

  ‘Since Marc lost his job and we can no longer afford luxuries…’ Playing with one of her hoop earrings, she smiles sadly and tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

  Nodding in response, I suddenly feel guilty about my own expensive coffee. ‘Surely you can stretch to a drink though?’

  ‘There’s just over a week until Christmas, Clara. I have three kids that are expecting Santa to bring them a whole load of presents. Not to mention a mortgage that bleeds us dry, car repayments that are due and a credit card that is at its limit...’ Rubbing her temples, she exhales loudly and shakes her head. ‘I’m starting to freak out.’

  ‘Well don’t!’ Motioning to the barista that I will take another latte, I lean over and give her arm a little squeeze. ‘Everything is going to be fine. Just think, it won’t be long before we’re all back at Suave!’

  Gina lets out a scoff and curls up her lip. ‘Between me and you, I am starting to have my doubts about the whole Suave thing…’

  ‘Why?’ I hand the waitress a handful of coins as she slides another red cup onto our table.

  ‘Thank you.’ Gina smiles gratefully and pulls the steaming coffee towards her. ‘The company is in massive debt. That won’t change if Owen decides to buy it.’

  Concern rushes through me as I lean towards her. ‘We already know that…’

  ‘I just feel like we are all pinning our hopes on rescuing Suave, when that is only the first step. I dread to think how long it would take to make the company profitable again.’ Suddenly feeling uneasy, I look down into my drink as Gina continues to talk. ‘What happens if we can’t turn things around? The reality is that we might be investing in something that is doomed to fail. I’m starting to wonder if Suave is really where our future lies…’

  This is not how today was supposed to go. In just thirty minutes we have a lunch date at The Bistro with the entire gang to discuss Operation Save Suave with Owen. As Oliver put it this morning, today is make or break. If Owen decides
against investing, we are going to have to give up on the idea entirely. Today is absolutely critical and we need to be positive.

  ‘Gina, Suave is the answer.’ I stare into her eyes and try to convey just how much I believe in this.

  Realising that it’s time to go, I grab my handbag and slide out of the booth. Gina’s momentarily lapse of confidence has knocked my determination, but I refuse to let it to show. Pushing our way outside, we walk along the busy street in completely silence, neither one of us wanting to address the sudden change in atmosphere. Not wanting the negativity to be brought into the meeting, I clear my throat and fix my face into a smile.

  ‘Did you know that Janie is arriving on Wednesday.’ I link my arm through hers and splutter as my hair blows into my lip gloss.

  ‘I saw it on Facebook!’ Gina’s face lights up as we come to a stop at the crossing. ‘At least that’s something to look forward to, isn’t it?’

  As much as my mother-in-law and I have had a turbulent relationship over the years, Janie and Gina have always got on like a house on fire. Their shared love of tequila, leopard print and hot men meant that they clicked immediately and have been firm friends ever since.

  The traffic comes to a standstill as we quickly make our way across the street. Coming to a stop outside The Bistro, I notice that Lianna and Vernon are already here. Gina catches my eye and we exchange knowing glances as we make our way inside. Raising my hand in acknowledgement, I squeeze through the sea of tables and come to a stop at the back booth.

  ‘Hey!’ I exclaim, shaking off my coat and holding out my arms for a hug. ‘How’s it going?’

  ‘Lianna jumps out of her seat and throws her arms around my neck. ‘I’m great, although I haven’t been able to sleep a wink all night!’

  ‘Me neither!’ I let out a squeal and offer my cold cheek to Vernon for a kiss.