The Best Little Christmas Shop

by Maxine Morrey

  ‘Cute hat,’ I echoed unthinkingly as I took in the fleecy beanie he’d now rammed down to try and protect his ears from the vicious wind that was swirling around and nipping away at us.

  I couldn’t see them thanks to the hat, but from the expression on his face, I was pretty sure his eyebrows just shot up. The laugh that followed confirmed it. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, gave a squeeze, and hustled me towards the porch of the house.

  ***

  Cal had been right not to delay seeing the unloved classic car. It was apparent that with some skilled TLC, he’d more than recoup his money on it at auction and should make a very healthy profit. The bulk of the rain had held off as we’d loaded it onto the empty trailer I’d been towing behind us. We then made sure it was well covered with a tarpaulin.

  But now, as we sat in the cosy window nook of a pub, the nearby fire warming us through, the temperature had fallen and the earlier threat of rain had turned into very real snow. Large flakes tumbled in the wind, bumping against the wibbly, leaded glass of the window, and settling into a pile in the corners of each small pane. We’d ordered food and now sat with our drinks at the table, stomachs growling. It was hard not to notice Cal’s eyes regularly flicking to the car outside. He’d let me choose where we wanted to sit but had seemed pleased – and perhaps relieved – when I’d chosen this table.

  ‘It’s all right. It’s still there,’ I said, as his eyes drifted again.

  He gave a half-smile, as if he were a little embarrassed at being caught. ‘I’m sorry. It’s incredibly rude of me to keep looking out of the window when you’re sat in front of me. Especially as you’ve given up your free time to help me!’ My arm was resting on the table and Cal covered my wrist with a large, warm hand. ‘I am grateful. I hope you know that.’

  I flapped my other hand. ‘Don’t even worry about it. I totally understand. There’s a lot of money sitting under that tarp. I’d probably be the same. And besides, you don’t have to apologise to me. It’s not like we’re on a date or anything!’

  His fingers contracted with just the slightest pressure on my wrist and I felt a tingle in places I’d known to be tingle free for quite some time. I took a sip of my drink and gave my own glance out of the window, glad of the warmth of the fire to excuse any flush in my face. His hand moved from my wrist to his drink.

  ‘No. But that’s not the point. I’m enjoying your company and yet I’m blowing it by staring off out the window. It’s pretty rude.’

  I shrugged. ‘You’re still paying more attention than some actual dates I’ve been on so don’t be too hard on yourself.’

  ‘Then they were idiots.’

  I smiled. ‘No, not really. I just don’t think I was exactly what they were expecting.’

  He tilted his head. ‘What were they expecting then?’

  I stirred my drink and stabbed the lemon slice with the straw a few times. ‘Not a tomboy.’

  ‘You don’t always dress like a tomboy.’

  ‘I know. Sometimes I dress up as an elf.’ I grimaced. ‘But … well, they were dates set up via Giselle, and I think these blokes thought that as I was her friend, I’d be similar.’

  ‘It’d be boring if everyone were the same.’

  ‘That is true.’

  ‘And I still think they were idiots.’

  I chuckled and took a pull on my straw. Cal smiled and took a sip of his drink. Replacing it on the table, his long fingers then stretched out to snag a spare cardboard coaster. Turning it around on its edge, he let it slide between his fingers before turning it onto the next edge and repeating the motion.

  ‘I meant what I said. I really do appreciate you coming today. It was very kind of you.’

  I nodded, confused at the expression in his eyes. If I didn’t know better, I’d have said it was surprise. Also, if I had known better, I’d have kept quiet at this point.

  ‘You seem surprised.’ Clearly, I really didn’t know better.

  Cal kept his focus on the beer mat. ‘Not entirely. I …’ He flicked a glance up and then went back to the beer mat. ‘Like I said at the shop the first time I met you, it’s just different here. It’s taken some getting used to.’

  ‘People in the village just want to help. We don’t mean to be nosy or butt in. And most people will back off if you refuse nicely.’

  I’d had my own experience of this when I’d returned home for a few weeks after my last relationship had ended badly, painfully, and very publicly. It wasn’t always easy and, of course, although they were being nosy, for the most part, people did actually care. In today’s world, that wasn’t always an easy concept for people to grasp. Especially outsiders, so I could see how Cal might struggle with this aspect of village life.

  ‘It’s nice that people want to help, and although I really made the move down here for George, I think it’s been good for both of us.’

  ‘All that fresh air!’

  He laughed. ‘Something like that. So, you were born in the village, Xander said, right?’

  I met his gaze and held it for a moment. He’d deftly moved the subject away from himself and he knew I’d caught it. I smiled and let it go. It was up to Cal what he did and didn’t share with me. And like I’d said, it wasn’t a date. We weren’t there to discover how much we did or didn’t have in common. It didn’t even matter. So, why did the knowledge that he’d just shut me out bother me?

  I pushed away the feeling and kept the smile. ‘Born and bred, as they say.’

  ‘A lot of people seem to have stayed, from what I see, even if they work in London. It’s nice that it’s kept that community feeling. Very few of the places I looked at had that feel.’

  ‘So what made you choose our little village?’

  Cal spread his hands on the table. Large and strong, the right one had a scar running across the back of it, silvery and faded as though it had been there a long time. ‘It just felt right,’ he replied eventually. Looking up from his hands, Cal pulled his mouth to the side – an action I’d seen George doing when he was thinking. When George did it, it was so cute it made me want to squeeze him. When Cal did it, I wanted to do a whole lot more than squeeze him. I rubbed a hand over my face and cleared my throat unnecessarily.

  ‘You think that’s daft?’ he asked.

  ‘No. No, I don’t,’ I replied, meeting his eyes in reassurance. ‘I think sometimes the universe has a way of telling us what we need to do.’

  The corner of that delicious mouth quirked. ‘The universe told me to do it? Is that what you’re saying?’

  ‘Maybe. Or whoever, or whatever you believe in.’

  ‘OK.’ Cal was nodding.

  ‘If I even begin to think that you’re mocking me, I’m leaving you here. You know that, don’t you?’

  He laughed. ‘I’m fully recovered now. I can drive myself.’

  I dangled the keys to the side of me, making sure they were just out of reach. ‘Not without these.’

  Cal rubbed a hand across the darkening stubble on his jaw. ‘So the rumours about you being smart as well as pretty weren’t unfounded then?’ He laughed.

  ‘I think that depends on the lighting but yeah, we can go with that.’

  Cal shook his head and I was prevented from having to deal with any comeback by the arrival of the waitress.

  ‘Two lasagnes?’ the waitress asked us.

  ‘Yep, that’s us. Thanks.’

  ‘OK, now be careful. The plates are hot.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  The food smelled delicious and my stomach let out a growl in anticipation. Thankfully I didn’t think anyone else had heard it.

  ‘Ooh, sounds like you need to get that down you!’ The waitress chuckled.

  I gave a half-embarrassed smile and busied myself unfolding my napkin and laying it on my lap.

  ‘Sorry it’s taken so long to get some food. We probably should have stopped for lunch before we saw the car,’ Cal said.

  ‘Don’t be silly,’ I replied, digging i
nto the lasagne, my mouth watering as I loaded up my fork. ‘If we had, it would have put us behind and we’d have been loading the car up in this now.’ I nodded sideways to the window. Outside the snow was falling steadily. The roads still looked clear and moving but in places that didn’t have traffic, or hadn’t been gritted, the snow was settling quite nicely.

  ‘That’s true.’

  ‘It just means I appreciate this even more now.’

  ‘Well, just so you know, I’m paying.’

  I waved my now empty fork at him, unable to argue with a mouthful of delicious, and very hot, lasagne.

  He waved his own back at me. ‘No arguments. You’ve done more than enough today. It’s the least I can do.’

  I swallowed. ‘I was happy to!’

  ‘And I’m happy to pay so it’s all good.’ He took a big forkful and grinned, before his eyes widened and he put his hand over his mouth. ‘Oh shit … hot!’

  Chapter Nine

  Having demolished the lasagne and two Rocky Road sundaes, Cal ordered us coffees. I could see him keeping an eye on the state of the nearby road and he’d checked his phone for traffic and weather reports. He wasn’t in a hurry to rush off so I trusted him in the knowledge that he wouldn’t put himself or me, or – come to think of it – his new purchase, in danger. I was satisfied that the weather wasn’t a problem.

  We sat over our coffee, the accompanying mints having disappeared within seconds of their arrival. I’d had a large glass of wine, so I was now feeling a little more brave, and possibly less inhibited than usual.

  ‘The comment you made earlier … about having someone care whether you were lying in a ditch or not …’

  Cal kept his eyes on his coffee cup, the long lashes shading his expression. ‘Hmm?’

  ‘Was it really that bad? Your childhood, I mean?’

  He took another sip before replacing the cup in the saucer, and still without looking at me, stretched his long fingers out to reach for the balled-up foil wrappers from our after dinner mints.

  ‘I’m assuming you’ve heard from somewhere that I had a bit of a rough childhood. My best guess would be Xander and Giselle?’

  ‘Yes. They sort of mentioned something like that, but literally that was all they said. All they seemed to know, actually,’ I said, honestly. A thought suddenly flew into my mind. ‘They weren’t gossiping about you! It’s only because they care.’ This was true and the last thing I wanted to do was drop my best friends in something, especially as one of them worked for this man!

  ‘I know. Don’t worry. I’m not about to fire anyone, if that’s what the sudden look of panic on your face is about.’ His own expression was one of amusement. I relaxed a little at his reassurance.

  ‘Admittedly, that’s taken some getting used to though, I can tell you.’

  ‘What? People caring about you?’

  He set the foil ball aside. ‘Yes. And I suppose, letting them care.’

  ‘Sometimes there’s no stopping them. Especially not in our little corner of the world.’

  A smile lit his face and he laughed. ‘That’s true.’ He ran his hand through his hair and glanced out of the window again for a moment.

  ‘I’m pretty sure there’s far more interesting things to talk about than me. Like you, for instance.’ He flashed a grin and I knew that most women would have been flattered, which was clearly what he was intending. Cal Martin obviously had a few moves up his sleeve for use when he required them. The compliment, combined with that heart-stopping smile was a sure-fire ego boost for any woman. But me being me immediately just homed in on the fact that he’d just shut down my attempt to delve into his history. Again.

  ‘How are you finding being back in the village after living away from it for years?’

  I nodded. ‘It’s good. Nice. I hadn’t realised quite how much I missed it actually.’

  ‘So does that mean you’re thinking of staying?’

  I shrugged. ‘I don’t know. It depends how things go really. I thought I’d totally burned my bridges in that field but I actually got a reply back from one of the teams yesterday. They’ve offered me a position. I have a meeting with them just after Christmas but basically if I want it, the position is mine.’

  ‘Right. Wow. That’s great!’ Cal looked at me and tilted his head, ‘It is great, isn’t it?’

  ‘Of course. Yes. I mean. It’s what I want. What I’ve been trying for since I lost my last job.’

  ‘So, you’ve accepted?’

  ‘Not quite.’

  He said nothing but raised a dark brow.

  ‘I will. I mean, obviously.’

  ‘Forgive me for saying, but you don’t seem as thrilled as I thought you would be about it all.’

  I let out a sigh and blew my fringe out of my eyes. ‘I know. I am. I will be. It’s just that …’

  ‘Go on.’ Cal’s voice was soft as he touched my hand, prompting me.

  I gave him a half-embarrassed smile. ‘I hardly know you and I’m blabbering away.’

  ‘Surely that’s how people get to know each other better, isn’t it? By blabbering away?’

  I looked back at him and met a grin that I imagined had got a lot of women to say a lot of things.

  ‘Yes. I guess. If you have the knack of scintillating conversation and the ability to flutter your eyelashes.’

  He laughed. ‘You’re plenty scintillating and fluttering eyelashes has always been vastly over-rated, in my opinion.’

  I couldn’t help the smile. ‘You really are a charmer, aren’t you?’

  ‘Only when it’s worth the effort.’

  I rolled my eyes and laughed. ‘What a line!’

  He joined me in the laughter. ‘It really wasn’t, but I have to admit, it did rather sound like one.’

  ‘Just a bit.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So?’

  ‘Why are you having doubts about taking the job?’

  ‘I’m not. I mean, not really.’

  Cal gave me that look again.

  ‘OK. I guess, over the past year I’ve just got used to being able to come home for things. I really did love my job but the downside was being away a lot, which meant missing out on stuff over the years. Family stuff, you know?’

  He gave me a look and I immediately felt bad. He saw it and covered my hands with one of his, shaking his head, the softest of smiles on that dangerously tempting mouth.

  ‘Anyway. I will take it. Of course. I mean, it’s not ideal as it’s a couple of rungs down the ladder from where I was, but it’d get me back into the industry and it’s what I do. What I’m good at.’

  ‘That doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be, or aren’t already, good at something else.’

  ‘No. I know.’ I picked up the coaster he’d been fiddling with earlier and twiddled it in my fingers. ‘I’ll be fine. Once I’m back in among it all, I’ll know it’s where I’m supposed to be again. It’s just because I’ve been away from it for a while.’

  He nodded. ‘Maybe.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  Cal didn’t elaborate, his gaze sliding to the weather outside the window momentarily. ‘But you’re enjoying being back in the village?’ he asked, looking back at me.

  My smile gave him the answer.

  ‘It’s quite a special place, isn’t it?’

  ‘It is. And I can’t wait for the Christmas Festival! Were you there for it last year?’ I put the coaster down.

  ‘We were but poor old George had caught a stinking cold and by the time the festival came around we were both in bed, dosed up to the eyeballs with medicine.’

  ‘Oh no! What a shame! You have to go this year. George will absolutely love it! The whole village turns out, and there are stalls and fairground rides and a parade with Father Christmas. There was a choir last year and I think Mum said they’re coming again this time. They don’t just do carols either. They did some pretty amazing covers last year. Actually,’ I said, my coffee cup halfway to my mouth and one finge
r pointing at Cal from it, ‘they did a take on “All The Single Ladies” at one point but got all the single women and men to come out in front of them. There was definitely a bit of chemistry in the air that night! You missed out.’

  ‘Actually that sounds kind of terrifying. I’m almost glad I was in bed now I’ve heard that bit.’

  ‘To be fair, I think a few of those involved ended up there too.’ I gave a giggle, stopped abruptly, and put my cup down, shaking my head. ‘I really shouldn’t have had that wine on an empty stomach.’

  Cal was grinning. ‘It’s fine. It’s … entertaining.’

  ‘I don’t want to be entertaining!’

  He shrugged. ‘Too bad. So were you one of the Single Ladies shaking their booty in this magical scene?’

  I gave an eyebrow raise. ‘No. I mean, yes. But no.’

  Cal did a slow blink. ‘OK. I’ll admit to not understanding that answer even vaguely.’

  I rubbed my eyes and took another swallow of coffee. ‘Yes, I was technically a single lady but no I wasn’t up there dancing. I have no desire to shake my booty, or in fact anything, in front of the general public. At least definitely not while sober.’

  He pulled a face. ‘Well, that gives us some leeway.’

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Don’t hold your breath.’

  ‘No mulled wine for you that night then?’

  ‘No. It was flying visit. I hate to miss the event but there was some stuff going on at work that meant I couldn’t take the whole weekend. I set off back that night after everything was finished. Or at least most of it.’

  ‘Must have been a late night.’

  ‘More an early morning, but it was worth it to get to spend the evening with my family and friends.’

  ‘I’m sure they loved having you there too.’

  I nodded. ‘They know I love what I do … did … do … I don’t know. They know I loved what I was doing but spending over half the year out of the country and the rest of it several hours’ drive away hasn’t always been easy on any of us. I know my mum hates it when there’s a celebration or something and I can’t make it. Which was quite often to be fair. Made me feel kind of bad.’

  ‘She does?’ Cal was frowning.