Holly gasped. “You never told me that!”
I shrug. “I didn’t know what it meant; I mean, it scared me.”
“Scared you?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve wanted someone to kiss me so badly and then he didn’t… I figured he’d changed his mind or I was reading things wrong.”
Holly nods knowingly. “So you retreated?” she asks. “Oh, Jess, you should have come to me,” she points out, hugging me.
“Well, you’ve had your own problems,” I mutter.
“So, how did it happen?” she asks eagerly, “how did you finally know he wanted to be with you?”
“He bought me tickets to the panto,” I explain. “But not just for me: for everyone – me, you, the kids, Dad, himself… He wants us to restart the tradition Mum started.”
Holly’s eyes instantly fill with tears – I knew they would, she’s a sucker for this stuff. “Oh, that’s so sweet!”
“I know,” I agree.
“He must really like you if he did that,” she observes. “You like him, too, don’t you?”
“Geez, get straight to the heart of it, why don’t you?” I ask.
“Jess,” she murmurs, holding my gaze.
I nod. “Yeah, I like him; I really like him,” I add for good measure. “I didn’t want to but-” I gasp as Holly throws her arms around me, squeezing the life out of me.
“You’re in love!” she gushes.
Extricating myself from her grasp, I shake my head. “No, don’t say that,” I plead.
“Why not?” she asks. “Seriously, what are you so afraid of?”
“I’m not afraid,” I insist, “it’s just way to early to be throwing the ‘L’ word around.”
“Not if it’s the truth,” Holly states, simply.
Oh, here we go… This always happens: the moment anyone gets into a relationship, Holly starts assuming love is in the air. “Holly, I’ve only known him five minutes!”
“So? It is possible for people to fall in love at first sight, you know,” she points out. “Take Jackie and Vinnie… and your mum and dad.”
“That was different,” I acknowledge.
“How?”
“Look, can we please just take each day at a time?” I beg, not wanting to get into this right now.
Holly nods, thankfully giving up on her crusade. “Of course. So, you really are happy?”
“I am,” I assure her, smiling as I realise that I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.
Chapter 27
It doesn’t surprise me that the news of my new relationship with Glenn spreads like wildfire through the village in the space of only a day; you see, we were spotted by Mrs. Harrington last night as we walked, hand-in-hand, across the village to get fish and chips from the weekly chippie van and, suddenly, everyone knew.
Which means I’ve been fielding questions and insinuations about it all morning.
It also means I’m currently in the middle of a stand off with my furious best friend.
“But why didn’t you tell me?” Sofia demands angrily. “Why am I the last to find out?”
“You’re not the last,” I reason.
Sofia glares at me, her hands on her hips. “You still didn’t tell me, though, did you?”
I sigh. “I’m so sorry about that,” I apologise. “I meant to, I really did but… yesterday I was so busy and then we just about had time to grab dinner before Glenn had to get to work…” I’m rambling now but I can’t seem to stop myself. “We didn’t know we were going to bump into Mrs. Harrington.” Sofia purses her lips, tearing her fiery gaze away from me. “I’m sorry, Sofe; I really am. I mean, obviously, we would have wanted to tell you first,” I continue, hoping I’ve said enough to placate her.
She glances at me. “Really?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I want one of my best friends to know?”
“Hmm,” she concedes, nodding in satisfaction and I can see the fire in her beginning to cool. “So… he’s not gay, then?” she grins.
I laugh. “No, he’s definitely not gay,” I assure her.
She raises an eyebrow. “Well, that sounds very promising.”
I shake my head, knowing what she’s angling for. “I’m not going to tell you anything.”
“What? Why not?” she demands. “You owe me! At least tell me if he’s a good kisser!”
“No way! But, I will say, I’m having fun.”
Sofia smiles and winks at me. “Oh, I bet you are!”
“Jess, phone for you!” Holly calls, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen. “It’s Glenn,” she adds.
“Right, you tell him I’ll be wanting a word with him when I next see him,” she calls after me, loud enough for Glenn to hear.
“Shh!” I hiss, glaring back at her as I take the phone and head into the kitchen. “Hey,” I say, putting the phone to my ear and smiling; just knowing Glenn’s on the other end fills me with butterflies.
“Is that Sofia’s dulcet tones I can hear?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. “Who else? She knows,” I inform him.
Glenn laughs. “Didn’t I say we should have popped into The Dragon last night?” he reminds me.
“Yes, I know but… weren’t you happy we didn’t, in the end?” I say, recalling how we had gone back to his place for dinner before taking Yogi for a moonlit walk he lake.
“Well, you got me there,” he concedes.
“So… what’s up?”
“Okay, so don’t hate me,” he begins hesitantly.
I feel my stomach lurch; he can’t seriously be doing this now, can he? “Are cancelling on us?” It comes as a surprise but I didn’t realise how disappointed I’d feel at the prospect of Glenn crying off from Sunday lunch with my dad.
“No, not cancelling,” he assures me hurriedly. “Just warning you that I’m going to be late so you should probably go on ahead without me and I’ll meet you there.”
I frown. “What’s happened?”
“I just have a few bits of paperwork to finish up here,” he explains. “Can’t be avoided, unfortunately. But, don’t worry, I’ll be straight over to your dad’s as soon as I’ve finished.”
Closing my eyes, I smile in relief; at least he hasn’t cancelled. “Don’t forget to pick up Yogi first,” I remind him.
“Of course; wouldn’t want to forget the guest of honour.”
I laugh. “I think he’d prefer to just have Yogi rather than having to entertain us as well.”
“You’re probably right,” Glenn agrees. “Okay, so I’ll meet you round there?”
“Yeah, you will. Don’t be too long, though,” I plead, “you and Yogi may need to be our buffers.”
He laughs before we say our goodbyes and I turn to find Holly and Sofia watching me from the kitchen door.
“Papa was right,” Sofia beams, “Cupid’s arrow has definitely found you.”
“Don’t you have a pub to get back to?” I demand, glaring at Sofia.
Holding up her hands in surrender, she says, “Okay, okay, I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll see you two later,” she promises before heading out of the tearooms, leaving Holly and I alone.
“Everything okay?” Holly asks. “He hasn’t backed out, has he?”
I shake my head. “No, just running a bit late,” I reply, pushing the disappointment I feel aside. “Well, I better go and start getting things ready and then head over to Dad’s.” I can’t help it; that sentence, and the normality it implies, still seems so surreal.
“Okay, have fun!” Holly calls as I leave the tearooms.
The disappointment is still with me as I approach Dad’s gate. I don’t know why I feel like this; I mean: it isn’t like Glenn’s not coming at all - he’s just coming a little later, that’s all. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. I was just hoping we’d arrive together, like a proper couple.
Oh God, there I go again: getting ahead of myself. We’ve only officially been more than ‘just friends’
for a day and already I’m falling into the habit of calling us a ‘proper couple’. I have to stop that before I really embarrass myself.
Ringing the bell, I’m surprised when Dad opens the door almost immediately.
Looking out into the garden, his face falls in disappointment when he realises I’m alone. “I thought Glenn and Yogi were coming,” he reminds me as he steps aside.
“Well, it’s nice to see you, too,” I mutter sarcastically. Stepping into the house, I’m surprised when he stops me, hesitating only a moment before giving me a hug.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he sighs. “Of course I’m glad to see you.”
I smile, glad to see he’s still making the effort. “Thanks, Dad.”
Releasing me, he closes the door. “He hasn’t cancelled on you, has he?”
Why do people automatically think that - first Holly, now Dad.
“No, he hasn’t,” I snap, heading into the kitchen and depositing the groceries on the counter, Dad following. “And, just so you know, they are coming it’s just that Glenn’s got some paperwork to finish at the station first.”
“Are you okay?” he asks, watching me apprehensively.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Sorry, I’m just a little touchy, I guess; first, Glenn tells me he’s going to be late and, then, you and Holly assume he’s backing out.”
“Jess, it was a terrible attempt at a joke, that’s all,” Dad assures me. “I’m sorry; it seems my sense of humour is a little out of touch with the world around me.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s my fault, Dad; I’m just snappy, at the moment.”
“Am I allowed to ask why?”
I look up at him, marveling at how concerned he is about my feelings. “When Glen phoned, there was a tiny part of me that thought he was going to cancel, too,” I admit; I feel terrible, thinking the worst, but, I guess, old habits die hard.
“He would be a fool if he had,” he declares. “And, he’d have had me to deal with,” he adds, for good measure.
I smile, pleased to know my dad still cares enough to want to protect me. “Thanks, Dad.”
“It’s a father’s job to protect his children,” he says. “Not that I think you need protecting,” he adds quickly.
I grin. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Well, I still remember that speech you gave me when I said women were too emotional to offer an objective opinion in a case where children are involved,” he chuckles.
I smile, my mind instantly recalling the night, when I was seventeen: we had been watching a courtroom drama and Dad had made a throwaway comment… Well, that had lit a spark in me and I had spent the rest of the episode chewing his ear off about why he had no right to think that way. Needless to say, he never said anything like that to me again. “Yeah, poor Mum; she practically ran from the room to escape me.”
He laughs. “That she did; she knew better than to interfere when you were on a tirade.”
“Like father, like daughter, eh?” I ask, smiling fondly.
He smiles at me, meeting my gaze. “Indeed; too alike for our own good, sometimes,” he agrees. “So… shall I make the tea, while you get started on your specialty? Hopefully, by the time Glenn gets here, it won’t be long before lunch is ready.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
And, with that, we fall into an easy silence, both of us focused on our tasks as we work side by side.
Chapter 28
“I must admit: this is the first time I’ve ever done the walk of shame,” I confess as we walk across the village; after leaving Dad’s last night, Glenn and I had been back to mine only long enough to pick up an overnight bag before heading back to his place.
“I wouldn’t, exactly, call it the walk of shame,” Glenn protests. “I mean, I’m not ashamed; are you?”
Slipping my hand into his, I shake my head. “No, definitely not ashamed.”
Glenn smiles, wrapping his arm around me and kissing my head. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
We continue walking in silence, feeling no pressure to make idle conversation; that’s one of the things I find so refreshing about being with Glenn: we can talk, laugh, argue but just as easily find comfort in silence.
“So, I’ll be in around lunchtime,” Glenn promises as we reach the tearooms.
“I’ll look forward to it,” I smile. I turn to him, leaning in to kiss him but pause as something (or, rather, someone) catches my eye. I frown, pulling away from Glenn. “It’s Holly,” I explain, as he follows my gaze. Sitting at one of the tables, her head in her hands, I instantly know something’s happened.
“Is she okay?” Glenn asks, his concern for our friend evident.
“I don’t know, but I’m gonna find out,” I declare, giving Glenn a quick kiss. “But, I’m telling you now, if that man’s done something else-”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s probably best if we talk about this alone.”
Nodding, Glenn holds out my bag. “Gotcha. I’ll see you later, then.”
Taking the bag, I flash him one last smile before pushing the door open and stepping inside, immediately going to Holly’s side. “What’s he done now?”
Holly sighs, looking up at me with red, bloodshot eyes. “Amy rang Mike last night.”
“Oh God,” I mutter, dropping into the chair next to Holly’s. “What happened?”
Holly sniffs, clearly trying to collect her thoughts. “He not only told her that he isn’t coming for Christmas but also happened to mentioned that I already knew.”
I scoff. “I’ve got to hand it to him: he really knows how to twist the knife, doesn’t he?” I’m not surprised when Holly doesn’t reply and reach out to her, placing my hand on her arm. “So, what happened, then?”
“Well, after she yelled at me, she ran up to her room and spent the whole night crying.”
“And Josh?”
As a fresh wave of tears sweeps through Holly, she’s suddenly sobbing uncontrollably. “He didn’t say much, just that he was going to spend the night at Jake’s.”
“So, he just left?” I say in disbelief.
Holly nods. “I rang Jake’s mum and explained what happened and she was happy to keep him for the night.”
“So, what happened this morning?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Holly admits. “He didn’t come home; just went to school.”
I brace myself for my next question. “Are you sure he went to school?”
“Jake’s mum told me she took the boys in this morning,” she says.
“And Amy?” I ask.
“She got the bus, as usual.” She sighs, lifting her head and meeting my gaze. “Jess… my children blame me for Mike not coming for Christmas.”
“No, I’m sure that’s not true,” I protest. “They’re just shocked, at the moment, and feel let down by their useless father.” I can’t help the bitterness in my voice and I don’t want to hide it. “They will get over it, Holly, and we’ll help them, okay? You, me… and Glenn; we’ll make it so that they don’t even realise he isn’t here for Christmas. Got it?”
Holly smiles at the idea. “And just how do we do that?” she asks.
I think for a moment; I may have been quick with my declaration but I now realise I have no idea how to carry it out. “Well, we can start with the panto,” I suggest.
Holly scoffs. “Oh, yes, that will really give Josh something to look forward to.”
I grin. “Have you considered that he might be too busy moaning about it to even think about his dad?” I pause, wondering if I should speak up but I know I can’t avoid it any longer – it’s something I should have said weeks ago. “Holly, I’m so sorry, but I had a feeling Josh was struggling with everything that was going on; he tried talking to me the Saturday before the Light Switch-on.” I rub my forehead, frustrated with myself. “I should have said something-”
“You weren’t to know any of this was going to
happen,” she insists, predictably not wanting me to shoulder any blame. “I’m just glad he felt he could talk to you.”
“Do you want me to try again?” I ask.
“Would you?” she asks hopefully. “The only thing I’m sure of is that he doesn’t want to talk to me, right now.”
“Of course I will,” I promise, pulling her into a hug. “And he will want to talk to you; it will just take some time. He has a lot to get his head around, at the moment, that’s all.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Holly mutters.
“It is,” I assure her, “because he loves you; they both do and they’ll soon realise that all you did was try to protect them.”
“I hope you’re right,” she says, offering me a tiny smile.
I smile back, hoping I’m right, too.
I’m preoccupied with the crossword when Amy walks through the door later that afternoon.
“I guess you heard about what happened,” she states, shuffling over to the counter.
I nod. “Kind of.” I watch her for a second, lost in her own thoughts. “You know she’s trying her best, don’t you? She never wanted to keep it from you; she just didn’t know how to tell you. She didn’t want either of you to get hurt.”
Amy sighs. “I know,” she agrees. “That’s why I want to say sorry.”
“Really?”
We both turn at the unexpected sound of Holly’s voice to find her watching her daughter from the kitchen, tears in her eyes.
Amy nods, sniffing. “Yeah. I’m so sorry about last night, Mum,” she sobs, hurrying towards her. “I was out of order.”
“No, darling, you weren’t,” Holly insists, enveloping her in a hug. “You weren’t out of order, at all. And you have every right to be upset.”
“Yeah, but not with you,” Amy insists, pulling back to meet her mum’s gaze. “I just hate what’s happening so much!”
Holly pulls her into another hug. “I know and, if I had my way, none of this would ever have happened.”
I glance down at the counter, biting my tongue; I know what I’d do if I had my way but, somehow, I don’t think Holly, or Amy, need to hear my opinion, right now.
All I Want For Christmas (A Sweet, Contemporary Romance) (Romance In The Lakes Book 1) Page 15
