Escape To Christmas at Corner Cottage

by Sarah Hope

  ‘Yes, I should think so.’

  ‘Really? I know it’s really short notice and it’s only another few weeks until the wedding but obviously, I’d pay you for it.’

  ‘Honestly, it’s fine. I’ll be happy to.’ Chrissy smiled, the more work she did, the better it would be for her business when she got around to setting it up.

  ‘Whose dress is that? I thought your old dressmaker got them all altered before she went?’ Gina curled her legs up under her on the sofa and took a biscuit from a plate Natalie had placed on the footstool.

  ‘It’s Laura, since she split from Phil she’s been spending all her spare time at the gym. I’ve not seen her for a few months now, since the last fitting for the bridesmaid dresses, but from what she’s said she’s lost a lot of weight and the dress isn’t fitting anymore.’

  ‘I didn’t think she had any weight to lose anyway.’

  ‘No, she didn’t really, but since Phil left her, she seems to have something to prove.’

  ‘I wish the same could be said of me.’ Laughing, Chrissy pinched her belly. ‘Ever since me and my ex split, I’ve been cramming the comfort food down.’

  ‘I’m the same, I mean, I was before I met Graham.’ Natalie slid onto the floor, shaking a toy above Poppy’s head.

  ‘I bet Luke’s happy that she’s single again.’ Gina laughed and rubbed her bump.

  Natalie glanced at Chrissy and back down to Poppy. ‘I don’t think he’s interested anymore. It was a long time ago now.’

  Chrissy took a biscuit, what did Laura have to do with Luke? She shook her head, they probably knew each other, especially if she was one of Natalie’s old school friends or someone she had known for a long time, Luke would have met her.

  ‘I guess it was, but the way he was after she’d dumped him. Do you not think he’ll want her back now she’s split from Phil?’

  Of course, Laura, Chrissy was sure she’d recognised the name. Laura was Luke’s ex, the one he’d moved to London and lived with. They’d been together for, what, five, six years, she couldn’t remember now, but it had been a serious relationship and then she’d left him for her ex, possibly this Phil bloke.

  ‘No, he’s over her.’ Natalie looked at the floor.

  Taking a bite from her biscuit, Chrissy caught the crumbs in the palm of her hand. Natalie thought Luke still liked her, that was obvious. But he didn’t, did he? She knew that he wanted to be with her, not Laura or anyone else. When she had rung him last night, he had said he wanted them to be serious. To give things a real go. She smiled, he’d been so understanding when she’d explained how she’d wanted to keep their relationship to themselves for six months, until they were sure there was a future for them. He’d even suggested they keep meeting up when he had Adam and Kane so the girls could get to know him without there being any pressure.

  Natalie must have it wrong. Maybe Luke hadn’t told her about him and Chrissy. After all, she had said she wanted to keep it between them so the twins didn’t hear about it on the grapevine. She’d expected him to tell his sister though. And the way she kept glancing at Chrissy when she spoke about Laura suggested she knew. She shrugged, there was no point reading into signs that probably didn’t exist. Luke had told her he wanted to be in a relationship with her, that was enough.

  ‘But she the one that after she dumped him he went a bit weird, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Weird? What do you mean?’ Chrissy jerked her head towards Gina, cricking her neck.

  ‘Oh, you probably don’t know.’ Gina leant forward, getting ready to spill the gossip. ‘Luke, Natalie’s brother, met this girl Laura, fell in love and moved to London with her. He gave up his job, his house here. Everything. So, of course, when she dumped him a few years later, he came back and stayed with you, didn’t he Natalie? And he became a bit of a recluse for a while. He was really cut up about her.’

  ‘A recluse is a bit of an exaggeration.’ Natalie looked across at Chrissy again and seemed to stop before taking a deep breath and carrying on. ‘He was young and had given up everything he’d known so he could move to the City and start a new life with her and, well, when her ex, Phil, moved near them, Laura must have fallen for him again and broke up with Luke.’

  ‘Yes, and then he came to stay with you and became a recluse. You wouldn’t know it now, he’s, like, one of the most outgoing, confident people you’ll meet, but she really knocked him off his feet for a while, didn’t she Nat?’

  ‘He was really upset, yes. But he was young and a lot has happened since then. He’s completely over her now.’

  ‘I don’t know. Does he know she’s one of your bridesmaids?’

  ‘Of course, he does. He knows we’re still really good friends and he’s fine with it. He’s been there when a group of us have been out before, so it’s not as though he’s not seen her for years. He has.’

  ‘But, does he know she’s single again?’ Gina took a final sip of her tea before placing her mug on the coffee table.

  ‘Yes, I told him.’

  ‘But he’s not seen her since she’s been single, has he?’

  ‘No, but that doesn’t mean anything.’ Glancing back at Chrissy, Natalie bit her bottom lip.

  ‘I wouldn’t be so sure. Luke is Graham’s Best Man and his ex is one of your bridesmaids. And she’s fit, not that she wasn’t when they were together, but now she’s even fitter.’ Gina clasped her hands in front of her. ‘It might be your wedding, but I bet you and Graham won’t be the only lovebirds there.’

  ‘Gina!’ Natalie stood up. ‘Who wants another cuppa?’

  Chrissy cleared her throat. ‘I’m going to have to get going, thanks anyway though. There’s a couple of bits I need to do before I pick the girls up.’

  ‘Ok, I’ll see you out. Gina, can you just keep an eye on Poppy for me, please?’

  ‘Sure.’ Gina knelt down next to the playmat, taking over Natalie’s job of waving toys above Poppy’s head, her small hands desperately trying to grasp them.

  ‘DON’T TAKE ANY NOTICE of Gina. She always gets excited if there’s any potential gossip coming her way.’ Natalie patted Chrissy’s arm as she opened the front door. ‘Luke and Laura were over years ago and they’re both completely different people now. It’s best to just take anything Gina says with a pinch of salt.’

  ‘Ok. Well, thanks for the tea and biscuits.’

  ‘No, thank you for finishing my dress for me. It’s so beautiful, I don’t know what I would have done without you coming to the rescue.’

  ‘You’re welcome. I’ve enjoyed it, to be honest. It’s got my creative juices flowing again.’

  ‘Luke said that you’re hoping to start up your own business as a dressmaker?’

  ‘Yes.’ Looking down, Chrissy hoped the heat filling her cheeks wouldn’t show. ‘I’m hoping to.’

  ‘I think that’s a great idea. Especially being as the only local-ish dressmaker we had has gone over to Spain now, they’ll be a good market for it.’

  ‘Hopefully.’

  ‘Hey, I’ve just thought, are you going to set up a business page on social media? If so, you’re more than welcome to include before and after pictures of my wedding dress, and Laura’s bridesmaid dress. I’ve got a photo of what mine was like on me before you worked your magic and I can get Gina to take some of me now if I pop it on again, if you like?’

  ‘That’s a great idea. Are you sure you don’t mind?’

  ‘Of course not. I’ll send you the photos later.’

  ‘Ok thanks.’ Smiling, she stepped outside, immediately plunging her hands into her pockets against the bitter cold. She’d have to remember to pick up her gloves from off the radiator before she did the school run.

  ‘Bye.’ Natalie waved before shutting the door.

  At the bottom of the driveway, Chrissy paused, she wanted to go and see Luke and ask him how he felt about Laura, but that would just make her look needy. Plus, according to Natalie, he knew Laura was a bridesmaid so he was aware he would be seeing her a
gain soon, and he still wanted to be with Chrissy. He’d made that obvious in the conversation last night. He didn’t have to, he could have said he wasn’t sure, hedged his bets until he’d seen Laura again.

  Chrissy shook her head and turned towards Corner Cottage. She was being silly, she knew she was. Not all men were still secretly in love with their exes. Exes were exes for a reason. She needed to get over the trust issues Andrew had left her with, and quickly, before they spoilt things with Luke.

  She knew she was reading too much into this, so why did she still have that uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach?

  Chapter 15

  ‘Bye, girls. Have a lovely day.’ Much to their disgust, Chrissy kissed Evie and Sophia on the tops of their heads and watched them walk into school.

  ‘Hey, Chrissy.’

  Twisting around, Chrissy smiled. ‘Luke. What are you doing here?’

  ‘Dropping off Adam and Kane. Nat’s panicking over her housework.’

  ‘Oh, why? Her house is normally really tidy anyway.’

  ‘She’s got one of her bridesmaids coming. Although I’ve told her, friends who can’t see past a cobweb or two, not that she has any, aren’t real friends anyway.’

  ‘Of course.’ He was referring to Laura. Why didn’t he just say her name? Did he not realise that she knew his ex was coming down to have her bridesmaid dress fitted today?

  ‘It’s you altering her dress, isn’t it?’ Grinning, he slapped his forehead as if only just realising.

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Right.’ Luke nodded. ‘Did you want to catch a quick coffee before you go?’

  ‘Why not?’

  Walking towards Luke’s house, they were careful not to walk too closely until they were away from the playground. Once around the corner, Luke linked arms with her.

  ‘It’s so difficult not to kiss you when I see.’ Leaning across, he whispered in her ear.

  ‘Same here. Thank you for being so understanding though.’

  ‘It’s ok. I think you’re doing the right thing. I’d like to think I’d be just as protective if I had my own kids.’

  ‘Do you want children of your own then?’ Chrissy twisted a loose piece of hair around her fingers and looked down, feeling a hot blush speeding towards her cheeks. Why had she even uttered those words? ‘Sorry, you don’t have to answer that. I didn’t mean with me, I just meant in general.’

  ‘It’s ok.’ Laughing, Luke was apparently immune to such personal questions. ‘I would, yes. Just not right now.’

  ‘Well, obviously.’ Chrissy laughed, trying to make light of the conversation.

  ‘I have thought a lot about it recently. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older or spending more time with Adam and Kane, I don’t know. But I do know that I’d like to be a dad one day. I just want to get a few more property renovations under my belt so I can be taken seriously in this business. But in a couple of years, maybe.’

  ‘Sorry for the personal question, it just kind of tumbled out after you said about being just as protective over your own kids. I didn’t mean anything by it.’

  ‘You mean you don’t want my children? I’m deeply offended.’ Holding the palm of his hand against his heart, he laughed at her.

  ‘No, I... You’re teasing me now.’ Taking her glove off, Chrissy threw it at him.

  Pulling her into his front garden, he held her in his arms and looked down at her. ‘I would love to have your children one day, or more precisely, I would love you to have my children one day.’

  ‘Yes, that might be easier than you being the first man to bear a child. Unless, of course, it’s your life’s ambition to be a scientific breakthrough?’

  ‘Nah, I’ll leave all that childbirth and pain stuff to you. It would be wrong to take it away from women.’

  ‘You’d be too scared, you mean.’ Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes until their lips touched.

  ‘IT’S SUCH A SHAME YOU’VE got to go to Natalie’s. Why don’t you tell her you’re too busy entertaining her brother to sort her bridesmaid’s dress out?’ Leaning down to Chrissy as she sat at the breakfast bar, he kissed the back of her neck.

  ‘Believe me, I’d love to but it’s the only day Laura’s down.’

  ‘Of course, it is.’ Straightening up, Luke walked towards the kettle. ‘Have you got time for that coffee before you go?’

  ‘Yes, that’d be nice.’ Had she imagined it or had he just distanced himself as soon as she’d mentioned Laura’s name?

  ‘Here you go, freshly ground coffee, straight out of the jar.’ Grinning, Luke passed her a dark blue mug and slipped onto a stool next to her.

  ‘Thank you. As long as it’s strong, that’s all I care about.’ Smiling, she pulled the steaming mug towards her.

  ‘Aren’t you sleeping? Too busy thinking about me?’

  ‘That must be it.’ Chrissy laughed. ‘I’ve been sleeping just fine, I think it must be the country air wearing me out.’

  SMOOTHING HER HAIR down and plastering a smile on her face, Chrissy knocked on the door. She hadn’t noticed the bright blue two-seater sports car parked outside before, it must be Laura’s.

  ‘Hi, Chrissy. Come on in.’ Opening the front door, Natalie jiggled Poppy on her hip.

  ‘Hi. Hello, Poppy.’ Stepping inside, Chrissy stroked Poppy’s cheek and laughed as she immediately tried to clutch her tiny fingers around Chrissy’s. ‘You’ve got a strong grip, haven’t you, Poppy?’

  ‘She has, believe me. Only this morning she got hold of a clump of my hair in her death grip. She almost scalped me!’

  ‘Ouch!’

  ‘Here, come on through,

  ‘Ok.’ Although Gina’s presence always made Chrissy feel a little uneasy and ungainly next to her delicate features and tailored clothes, she was glad she was here today.

  ‘Laura, this is Chrissy.’ Laying Poppy on her playmat, Natalie indicated to Laura and back to Chrissy.

  ‘Chrissy! I’m so glad you could make it today. I have been seriously going out of my mind with worry over this dress. I really don’t want to let Nat and Graham down by following her down the aisle looking like an oversized strawberry.’ Laura stood up from the dining table and turned to face Chrissy, her long glossy blonde hair flicking around with her before dribbling down her back in perfect curls. Her slender, but muscly, figure was shown off under a simple tight-fitting white t-shirt and navy jeans, her lightly bronzed skin shining healthily under Natalie’s light.

  ‘Nice to meet you.’ Chrissy took Laura’s hand, grimacing as she compared her own nails to Laura’s pale pink manicured ones.

  ‘Nat showed me her wedding gown, the transformation is magical. I’m hoping you’ll be able to do something as inspiring to mine. At the moment I do look awful, it just hangs off me.’

  ‘I’ll do my best.’ Chrissy bit her tongue, it must be awful, as Laura put it, to have a dress ‘hang off’ her. As she watched Laura glide out of the room, she pulled on the waistband of her own ill-fitting jeans trying to loosen them a little. She seemed to be putting weight on rather than losing it. She’d hoped she’d lose some weight naturally now that she was using her car less and walking more. She was obviously doing something wrong.

  ‘Here you go.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Taking the mug from Natalie, she took a sip and let the hot liquid swirl around her mouth. Laura was gorgeous, there was no other way to describe her, she seemed perfect. She was beautiful and seemed kind too, which was often a rare combination.

  ‘I’m coming in. Please don’t laugh at me.’ Laura called from the other side of the door before walking in.

  Chrissy swallowed hard, the deep red of the dress complemented Laura’s pale features, the satin fabric highlighting her curves and svelte body.

  ‘Wow. Laura, you look stunning.’ Natalie looked at Gina and whispered loudly out of the side of her mouth. ‘Remind me why I chose Laura to be a bridesmaid, she’s going to upstage me.’

  ‘Don’
t, Nat. I know you’re only trying to make me feel better. But look, I look dreadful. It’s just hanging in all the wrong places and look...’ Pinching about an inch of loose fabric from around her waist, Laura’s cheeks reddened, her eyes glistening with tears.

  ‘Laura, don’t cry. You do look gorgeous, because you are, but Chrissy will work her magic on the bits you don’t like about your dress, won’t you, Chrissy?’

  ‘I will indeed.’ Placing her mug on the table, she took out her pincushion from her handbag. ‘I can see the fabric needs bringing in a bit around the waist.’ She began gently holding the loose fabric on both sides of the dress and pinning it. ‘How does that feel?’

  ‘So much better already.’ Smiling, the redness from Laura’s cheeks vanished as she smoothed the dress against her hips with the palms of her hands.

  ‘Ok, let’s see what else we need to do.’ Stepping back, Chrissy surveyed her. The bodice, a sweetheart neckline to match Natalie’s, drooped down a little to the right for some reason. Whether the previous dressmaker had only taken it in on the left or whether there was another reason, Chrissy wasn’t sure. ‘The way the bodice lays seems a little uneven to me.’

  ‘That’s what I said to Natalie’s previous dressmaker but she blamed my eyes.’ Laura shrugged the bodice a little higher.

  ‘It’s nothing I can’t fix. It may take a little longer than the waist though because it’s a little more fiddly so make sure you’re comfortable.’ Chrissy began pinning the bodice.

  ‘So, Nat, what have I missed? I feel as though I haven’t seen you guys for ages. Last time we met up, little Poppy had only just been born.’

  ‘Not much really, you know how it is. Graham’s busy with work, I’m busy with trying to keep on top of this place.’