Christmas at Bay Tree Cottage Read online

  ‘Don’t forget it’s back to school tomorrow young lady. Think of today as a treat.’

  She smiles up at me, knowing full well I probably should have sent her to school today, but more than happy to enjoy a day off.

  ‘Right,’ Eve mutters, grabbing one of the garment bags. ‘Let’s get started.’

  The full-length mirror in Eve’s master bedroom doesn’t do anything for the first dress. I look like a corporate employee in a little black dress that just doesn’t scream anything at all.

  ‘What do you think?’ I ask her, hesitantly.

  ‘One word comes to mind. Boring. It doesn’t do you any favours, if you want my honest opinion.’

  I slip it off and move on to the next one.

  ‘Are all three dresses black?’ Eve asks, looking me up and down with much the same expression as she had for the first one.

  ‘Yes, but this one fits better, don’t you think? The other one has a lacy panel.’

  ‘Well, number one is a definite no, this is a maybe. Try on number three.’

  My confidence is waning. What on earth am I going to do? I can’t justify spending a small fortune on a new dress that I’ll probably only wear once. Slipping on the last dress, when I turn and look in the mirror I don’t feel quite so disheartened.

  ‘It’s better,’ Eve sounds rather more enthusiastic, at last. ‘But even with the lace panel it still lacks impact. You need a splash of colour, my dear. Hmm, let me think.’

  She begins rifling through drawers, pulling out a few colourful scarves and throwing them down on the bed. Finally she turns, holding up a plain, but vivid, fuchsia-red silk scarf.

  ‘Red? Really?’

  She drapes it around my neck and over my left shoulder. Taking it loosely across the front of the dress, she holds the other end up to my right shoulder.

  ‘If we pin it to each shoulder then it’s like a silk cowl, so it won’t keep slipping off. Just stand back and look at the overall effect. This dress fits you like a glove and the pop of colour turns that little black dress into a statement.’

  I have to admit she’s right. Red just isn’t me under normal circumstances, but this isn’t an everyday event.

  ‘A touch of red lipstick, matching nails and clutch bag, and you’re going to look like a model!’

  A little head pops around the side of the bedroom door and Maya shrieks.

  ‘Mum, you look like a film star!’

  Eve and I both start laughing. Eve digs into a wardrobe and comes back with a matching clutch bag and I have to admit that even though I’m not wearing any make-up and sporting a pair of very un-glam socks, I feel good about myself.

  Eve takes Maya down to put on a DVD as I change and slip the dresses back into the garment bags. Downstairs in the kitchen there’s a pot of tea brewing on the table.

  ‘You really think I won’t look out of place?’

  ‘You look amazing in that outfit. Slip into a pair of five-inch heels and you’ll measure up against the best of them,’ Eve replies with gusto.

  ‘Well, I’m not sure about that. I just don’t want to look totally out of place. You know, a drab, hideaway mum who never gets to see the light of day because she’s like a hermit.’

  ‘You, drab? I think if you ran that past Luke, you might be shocked by the answer.’

  My head whips upwards as I scan her face.

  ‘Luke? What do you mean?’

  She pauses to pour the tea, leaving me hanging. When she does, eventually, break the silence she sounds very casual indeed.

  ‘Oh, nothing in particular, I suppose.’

  ‘You can’t say that without explaining yourself. Luke’s a hard worker, very polite and in need of some cash. Our arrangement works well on both sides. He’s very young, though. I could almost be his mother.’

  Eve begins laughing. ‘For goodness’ sake, don’t go saying that to him, Elana. You’d shatter his illusions.’

  ‘Do you think there’s something going on between us? If that’s the case, you couldn’t be more wrong. I spend all my time worrying about my finances rather than thinking about making small talk. And poor Luke seems to be struggling to handle his own personal life.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘What do you mean, really?’

  ‘You have no idea how attractive you are! It’s such a shame, because if you just made an effort to open your eyes … a little fun could bring you back into the land of the living.’

  ‘It’s almost obscene. I’m thirty-four and he’s probably half my age. I’m shocked at you, Eve. Okay, I realise that’s an exaggeration, but those are the years in which life teaches all of us a lot of lessons. I’ve been there and done it and he hasn’t – yet.’

  ‘Luke asked a few questions about you, not wanting to say the wrong thing about Niall. Now that shows sensitivity. And he’s such a genuine type. Besides, you’re exaggerating. I don’t know how old he is exactly, but you most certainly aren’t twice his age. I never thought of you as someone with prejudices and I think you’re being a little unfair in your assumptions, there. He comes across as having a very mature outlook on life.’

  Now I feel like I’ve been backed into a corner.

  ‘Of course that’s not the case. It wasn’t what I meant, at all. Why a good-looking young guy like Luke would even think about someone like me, well, you have a vivid imagination there, Eve.’

  We stare at each other across the table and her face breaks into a grin.

  ‘So there’s no little undercurrent of physical attraction bubbling away beneath the surface? If you say not, then I suppose I have to believe you. Just be careful there.’

  I’m horrified. What does she mean?

  ‘Why? Is there something I should know? Am I in danger?’

  ‘Not at all. I think the only danger likely to arise here is a little misunderstanding.’

  I grimace. Oh no.

  ‘He’s a really good guy, Elana. His heart has been broken and he’s in a very difficult situation. Why wouldn’t he develop a little crush on the beautiful widow who deserves a little happiness back in her life?’

  I gulp down a lump in my throat that feels the size of a golf ball.

  ‘Niall was my soul mate. It’s still hard to think of starting over again with someone else.’

  Eve sighs, reaching out across the table to touch my hand.

  ‘None of us are saints, Elana, and it’s always a mistake to impose that on anyone – whether they are here, or not.’

  I’m so shocked by her words, that even though I don’t know if I agree with that statement, I let it go. I take a long, deep breath to calm myself down before replying.

  ‘If I’ve given Luke the wrong impression that’s something I’m going to have to sort out. It hadn’t even crossed my mind, to be honest with you.’

  ‘He might be younger than us, but he’s been through more than a lot of guys we know, Elana. Wisdom comes through experience, so don’t go dismissing him as some inexperienced young guy who falls for every pretty face he sees. I might be reading this all wrong, but I thought that as your friend it was best to mention it. He might not even realise he finds you interesting.’

  I really can’t see why Eve is going on and on about this. I wonder if Luke has said anything else to her about me? I would hate to have made him feel uncomfortable.

  ‘I sincerely hope that’s not the case, because I might be about to lose my builder, then.’

  It’s a sobering thought, but there’s no way I’m going to risk Luke thinking I’m in any way interested in him. It wouldn’t be fair, even if it sours our arrangement.

  Diary Log – day 494. 18 days to Christmas. It feels more like a ticking time bomb than a ticking clock. How am I going to get everything done in time? And now I have to consider whether having a young guy around the house so often is going to unsettle Maya.

  Chapter 15

  Elana

  Can it Get Any Worse?

  After every high, there has to be a low. Six hou
rs later and I’m wearing a dust mask, have a woolly scarf wrapped around my hair and am dressed in a disposable boiler suit. I’m brushing up rubble while Luke shovels it into bags and if I was worried about dust beforehand, this is something else.

  ‘Is it worse than you thought it would be?’ He asks, his voice slightly muffled by the face mask.

  ‘Yes. I just hoped it wouldn’t be quite as bad as I feared. Some of these patches are really big.’

  ‘You don’t know what’s going to work loose until you start hacking at it. We’ll leave the hanging dust sheets up until tomorrow to stop it travelling into the sitting room and upstairs. Overnight it will settle and in the morning it will need to be mopped with water and all the surfaces wiped down with a wet cloth. Don’t try to dry dust it, as that will just send it back up into the air. Trust me when I say that by the middle of next week you’ll have a perfect wall, as I’ll skim over the rest to even it up. It will simply be a case of letting the plaster dry out. Then it can be repainted.’

  ‘You’re the expert.’

  He gives me a grin and immediately I feel myself colouring up. This couldn’t be misconstrued as flirting in any way, could it? He is the expert, as I know nothing about building work and this isn’t about trying to flatter his ego.

  Eve pops in to check on progress and immediately offers to have Maya overnight and do the school run in the morning.

  ‘Don’t worry about anything,’ she assures me. ‘You have enough to cope with here. Just pack her school things and drop them over. The girls are putting everything away, ready for bed. If Maya needs you for anything I’ll give you a call to pop round. Is this really going to be tidy by Christmas?’

  Eve and I survey the mess.

  ‘Yep, you can count on it.’ Luke isn’t fazed and I shoot Eve a warning glance not to make any unsuitable comments.

  ‘I’ll leave you two to get on with clearing up, then. Good luck.’ And with that she’s gone.

  ‘How late can I work tonight, Elana? I mean, there won’t be any noise but I’d like to get some render on so that I can top-coat with plaster as soon as it’s dry. I don’t want to put you out, though, if you’ve had enough for one evening.’

  I glance at the clock. It’s nearly seven. I did say I would cook tonight.

  ‘I just want it done, so it’s entirely up to you. I’ll pop something in the oven for about an hour’s time. When this is cleared I have to jump back on the computer for a bit, anyway. So you won’t be disturbing me.’

  ‘Great. And thanks, I’m starving. Don’t feel you have to cater for me, though. I’m going to be around quite a bit and I’m used to fending for myself.’

  There, Eve is wrong. He’s giving me a get-out if I want one. He’s never overstepped the mark and he doesn’t intend to, so I can relax.

  I don’t know what’s up with Eve these days. It’s as if she feels she has to look out for me all the time. I might not be in a happy place, exactly, but I’m surviving. Maya seems perfectly relaxed whenever Luke is here, so I really can’t see a problem.

  ***

  After I pop round to give Maya a goodnight kiss, Luke and I stop briefly to eat, plates on our laps, in the sitting room.

  Luke insists on bringing in a clean dust sheet to throw over the sofa and we sit, side by side, eating in silence. In fact, it’s so quiet that I grab the remote and turn on the TV. The news is on and the weather forecast is predicting some heavy snow later this month.

  ‘Great,’ Luke says between mouthfuls of pasta and meatballs. He sounds dispirited. ‘Ironically, this year we have a lot of outside jobs on and we’re going to have some disappointed customers once the temperature starts dropping.’

  ‘It can’t be helped. I can’t even begin to think about the garden here at the moment. Wouldn’t it be nice to only have one project to cope with?’

  He nods, mouth too full to speak for a moment.

  ‘Great food, by the way – appreciated. You mentioned you were away New Year’s Eve? If I can’t get everything done by Christmas, I can pop in then to finish up.’

  ‘Great, if you can. But please don’t feel you have to be here at every opportunity. Besides, you have Joe to consider.’

  ‘No – change of plan. Anita is taking him away for a few days with a friend. I said I’d swap days and I’m just waiting to find out what suits her.’

  That sounds like a rather one-sided arrangement to me. He shrugs and I say nothing.

  ‘If you can decide on the flooring and we can get it delivered soon, I’m thinking it might be possible to start on the floor in between waiting for the walls to dry.’

  ‘Wow. I wasn’t expecting that! Just the thought that this could look tidy and clean for Christmas is a boost. I’ve not been feeling very festive and this year seems a lot harder, for some reason.’

  Luke’s face reflects pity and I mentally berate myself. He’s not a friend, he’s here doing some work and listening to me droning on isn’t exactly what he signed up for.

  ‘Sorry, that just slipped out.’

  ‘Worried about the piano?’

  We both start laughing at the same time. As we exchange glances his eyes do that twinkly thing again and I realise he’s teasing me.

  ‘Well, we might need to consider getting an extension built first to make room for it. I’m hoping Santa brings a desktop version this year to give us a little time.’

  ‘Ha, nice one! I’ve bought Joe some of those large building blocks. Thought I’d start him off young in the hope that one day he’ll join the family business. Geez – did I really just say that? I must be turning into my dad.’

  I smiled and shook my head.

  ‘Anyway, like I said, don’t feel you have to feed me – I can always grab fish and chips on the way home if you’re busy. But that was great and I appreciate it.’

  ‘Hey, I have to eat, too. It’s the least I can do and it’s no bother at all.’

  Eve is so wrong about Luke. He’s not a guy who is looking for a little romance, or a distraction. Like me, there’s too much going on inside his head to cope with already.

  Have I turned Niall into a saint? We all have our flaws, but he was a good man. Eve was wrong in what she said; I don’t choose to be alone because no one will ever match up to him. I’m not ready yet, and I’m not about to jump into a casual relationship for the sake of easing my loneliness. That wouldn’t be fair on anyone.

  Chapter 16

  Luke

  Home From Home

  I keep forgetting Elana is a customer and relaxing my guard. When she does that too, it’s tempting to slip into a zone that implies some sort of purposeful friendship. What isn’t helping is that we both seem to be in a similar situation in our lives. At a sticking point where it’s hard to see what’s going to happen next. Usually, when you sit down and eat with someone who is little more than a stranger to you, it’s a date. So I’m having trouble finding the right level of conversation.

  Still, by the time next door’s conservatory is finished, come mid-January, everything should be wrapped up at Bay Tree Cottage. It sounds like it will be a while before Elana can afford to think about replacing the windows, or looking at the outside work that needs doing. By then she could be in a whole different place with her life and, no doubt, I’ll have moved on a little, too.

  The mobile starts to vibrate in my back pocket and I yank it out, leaning against the wall. Today I’m clearing up all of the rubble outside Hillside View, which was left over from when the foundations for the conservatory were laid.

  ‘Greg, my man, what’s up?’

  ‘I was about to ask you the same question. Where’ve you been lately?’

  ‘Oh, I’m doing some work on the side that will take me through into January. I need the cash, so it’s evenings and weekends.’

  ‘Ah, I was hoping to catch up with you at the office for a chat. Do you remember Lisa?’

  ‘Lisa?’

  ‘She said she gave you her telephone number but you still have
n’t given her a call.’

  Oh, that Lisa.

  ‘Been too busy working, mate. Have you seen her, or something?’

  I feel guilty about having thrown away her number, but it wasn’t as if I’d asked her for it, or promised to call.

  ‘I’m seeing her friend still, and she mentioned it. Seems Lisa was hoping you’d be in touch. Surely you can afford to take one night off?’

  I roll my eyes and let out a groan.

  ‘You shouldn’t have told her my name, Greg. I threw her number away because there’s no point in meeting up. She isn’t my type. Look, I’m in the middle of something, so I’ll have to catch you later.’

  ‘Shame, she’s seems pretty keen to see you again.’

  ‘Again? We shared a taxi. I think it’s best you break the news. I have to go, but glad to hear it’s working out for you. Thanks for the call and sorry if she had the wrong impression.’

  Damn it! Greg means well but I’m just not interested.

  ‘Girlfriend trouble?’

  Eve appears with a mug of coffee and the sound of her voice makes me jump.

  ‘Me? No. Just a mate who is trying to fix me up and it isn’t happening.’

  Why is it that women always want to know what’s going on?

  ‘Life is short, Luke. You only have to look at Elana’s situation to appreciate that. But it’s also easy to make a mistake and sometimes you end up having to live with that.’

  Eve walks away, leaving me to ponder over her words. Yeah, she’s right, but I don’t think she was talking about just me. Eve’s one lucky lady, so what would she have to regret?

  Maybe I bring out the mothering instinct in women and she’s just trying to be helpful. What I don’t need is another Anita situation. Actually, what I don’t need is another woman in my life full stop, whether or not they are simply trying to be helpful.

  I look at the pile of debris I still have to clear and start shovelling.

  ***

  When I finish for the day and go round to Elana’s, Maya answers the door and the sounds of Slade in full-on Christmas mode filters through into the porch.