Chapter 23
MAIRI
Daylight glittered through the curtains in Mairi’s bedroom and she lay for a moment as she woke staring at the pretty rays of light dancing across the ceiling.
She swept an arm over the empty space beside her in the bed, wishing Jed was lying there too.
But with Quinn staying at Holly Berry Lodge, being with him was risky – it would be far too easy to get caught out in their lie.
She sighed. Would Jed be sleeping beside her next Christmas; would anything have changed?
As much as she was filled with hope, there was a knot in the pit of her stomach telling her he was going to run again.
Her mobile pinged and she picked it up from the bedside table.
Happy Christmas from your favourite agent. Have you done any writing this morning because the best gift you could give me is a finished manuscript. Failing that I’ll settle for a large G&T. Kenna xx
Mairi barked out a laugh even as the knot grew tighter.
Kenna was joking of course – they’d agreed a moratorium on discussions about the book deadline until the day after tomorrow, but it was a timely reminder that she had less than a week to get it done.
She still had no idea of how she’d create her perfect happy ending and wasn’t confident she even could.
It seemed her creative mind was just as stuck as her real life.
She sighed and swung her legs out of the bed.
It was time to get up and face the day, time to help get everything ready for the lodge’s Christmas meal.
She’d think about her book after the Winter Wonder Ski Championships were over tomorrow – hopefully by then she’d have the happy ending with Jed she was craving and everything else would follow on.
Effie was pottering in the large kitchen when Mairi got downstairs. The older woman was wearing a bright red jumper with a picture of Father Christmas on the front, and a set of antlers sporting wobbly snowmen. She looked happy and excited.
‘A very merry Yule, hennie!’ Effie exclaimed when she saw Mairi, dropping the spoon she was using to stir a pot on the stove before bounding over to give her a hug.
Mairi pressed her nose into Effie’s jumper and breathed in peppermint mocha.
‘I’ll get you a festive drink!’ the older woman declared, immediately spinning around and heading back to the cooker.
As she did, Mairi glanced around the kitchen.
Someone had hung sparkly snowman lights on the ceiling overnight and placed pretty reindeer and present-shaped ornaments on all the available surfaces.
It looked and smelled perfect. Just like it had every time she’d stayed in the past.
She pulled out a chair from under the breakfast bar and sat, immediately spotting something shaped like a whisky bottle wrapped in sparkly paper. ‘A present for you?’ she asked when Effie returned with a steaming mug.
‘Ach, that’s for Jed,’ she said. ‘It’s from that wee chef who works in the hotel – she dropped it off last night. What’s her name again?’ Effie squinted as she tried to recall.
‘Bonnie,’ Mairi filled in, frowning. Jed’s fake girlfriend had brought him a gift, but she, his wife, hadn’t got him a thing. She’d been so caught up in her quest to get a divorce, then working at the lodge – and trying to fix what was broken between them that she hadn’t even thought about it.
Her mouth twisted – even if she had got Jed a present, she wouldn’t have been able to give it to him. Not with Quinn and Effie here. She sighed heavily. Nothing had really changed since she’d arrived. She was still in limbo.
The older woman rested her elbows on the breakfast bar and gave Mairi a long look, her eyes filled with sympathy. ‘Jed has no feelings for the lass. As nice as she is – it’s only ever been you for him.’ Her gaze was intense.
Mairi flinched. Did the older woman know something? She swallowed as her cheeks flamed and opened her mouth to explain, but Effie mimed zipping her lips.
‘Let me say this, lass.’ She pulled in a breath as if preparing.
‘Jed was hurt when his da walked away from him after my sister died.’ She winced.
‘He may be my brother-in-law, but Boyd Murray was never good enough for either of them. When he left, when he abandoned his wee lad, he damaged him and I’ve never been able to fix what got broke. ’
The older woman swallowed, her eyes glittering.
‘It’s why the boy finds it so difficult to accept love from others.
’ She shrugged. ‘Even me. He doubts their motives and looks for ways to prove he’s not good enough.
’ She paused. ‘I think he’s just trying to protect himself – but it hurts. ’ She blinked slowly looking unhappy.
‘But—’ Mairi’s head spun as she digested the information she was being gifted. An insight into the man she loved – a way for her to understand what made him tick. A reminder perhaps that she had to be patient?
‘The right woman,’ Effie continued, ‘the one that’s meant for him—’ She paused and gave Mairi another meaningful look.
‘Might have to push the man. It might be best if she wasn’t so patient or nice – it might be better if she demanded what she wanted rather than waiting for it to come to her.
It’s the way his father’s always behaved – push and demand.
It’s what Jed understands. But that woman would have to be brave because she’d be risking everything. ’
Effie waited, letting the words sink between them as Mairi’s head began to whirl even faster. What did that mean she should do exactly?
‘What—’ Mairi started to ask and almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the thunder of footsteps coming from the hall. She let out a long sigh. Being at Holly Berry Lodge meant that alone time – time to think and reflect – was scarce.
‘Happy Christmas!’ Quinn boomed, bursting into the kitchen with Kenna who wore a stunning red dress that lovingly followed her curves.
‘I’ve come to see if you need help getting things ready for today?’ her friend asked Effie, giving Mairi a quick kiss on the cheek.
‘I was going to ask the same,’ Quinn said sharply, looking at his nemesis with surprise.
‘Then you should have said it first, shouldn’t you?’ Kenna’s eyes sparkled. ‘I met this one on the stairs,’ she confided in Mairi. ‘Making a wrong turn towards your bedroom. For someone who’s supposed to find people on mountains, he gets lost remarkably easily.’
‘I’m allowed to check on my sister,’ Quinn said, looking embarrassed.
‘She seems fine to me,’ Kenna said airily.
‘Perhaps there’s a message in there for you somewhere?
’ She scanned his outfit. He’d obviously dressed quickly because his shirt was untucked.
‘Like maybe you should spend a little more time worrying about yourself?’ Her expression oozed sweetness, but there was meaning underneath.
‘You know I’ve got a lot of experience of working on the mountains.’ Quinn’s gaze flicked to the window to where large snowflakes were dancing in the wind. ‘It’s far easier to lose someone in a snowstorm than you might think. I know where all the bodies are buried.’
Kenna chuckled. ‘I love it when people make empty threats.’ Her smile was wicked. ‘Because it means I’ve really got under their skin.’
Her brother frowned. ‘That is not—’
‘If you both want to help, could you check the dining room is all set for Christmas breakfast please?’ Effie suggested loudly, smothering whatever Quinn was about to say next.
‘Unless you’d like to continue this entertaining back and forth?
’ She raised an eyebrow, telling them exactly what she thought about that. ‘Because arguing is not very festive.’
‘Consider it done, I’m bored of this conversation anyway,’ Kenna said easily, immediately striding from the room, stopping momentarily at the exit and turning to Quinn.
‘You should stay put. There’s no telling what will happen to your sister if you leave her on her own.
’ Her eyes widened as she looked around.
‘There are so many glittery objects in here and sharp knives.’ She shuddered, then chuckled as she left.
Quinn stared at the empty space where she’d been for a moment, his expression so intense he could have smashed bricks in the creases on his forehead. Then he pulled a face. ‘That woman is doing my head in,’ he said before taking off after her.
When they were alone, Effie winked at Mairi. ‘Now that’s a lass who’s not afraid to say what she thinks,’ she said with a grin. ‘You might want to take a leaf out of her book.’
‘Are you ready for the big reveal?’ Douglas boomed as he stood at the entrance of Holly Berry Lodge after breakfast wearing a festive silver snowsuit covered in sparkles with his heavy tool belt swung low on his hips.
Mairi noticed he’d added blue tinsel in between the various implements – in a nod to Christmas no doubt – and tried not to smile.
He really was quite wonderful. Perfect for Effie, who seemed to light up every time he was in the room.
In all the time Mairi had known the older woman, she’d never had a beau.
She’d devoted her life to caring for others.
It was heartwarming to see her interested in someone now.
‘We’re ready.’ Effie clapped. She wore a light pink snowsuit and had loaned Kenna one of her winter coats because the one she’d arrived in wasn’t suitable for the snow.
Quinn stood behind her agent. He kept glaring at the back of her head and then looking away, his expression part annoyed and part puzzled.
It was obvious to Mairi that he didn’t know what to make of her.
But at least it was keeping his mind off of worrying about her.
‘I’m ready too!’ Scott declared. He’d insisted on joining them for Douglas’s surprise and had dragged his da along too. Only Greer had declined to join them and neither Margo nor the elusive honeymooners had appeared at breakfast, so they were missing too.
‘You probably ought to do it soon,’ Jed said from where he was standing behind Quinn. He’d appeared at breakfast and had given Mairi a chaste peck on the cheek because they were in company, and they’d had no chance to be alone since. ‘It’s getting cold,’ he added.
‘Aye and I’ve got a turkey to baste,’ Effie said. ‘And roast potatoes to prepare.’
‘After three then!’ Scott shouted. ‘I’m ravenous.’
‘You’ve only just had breakfast,’ his da sighed.
‘Aye, lad, you’d better count me in,’ Douglas agreed, snapping his fingers. ‘I’m getting peckish too.’
‘One, two—’
‘Three!’ Douglas yelled merrily and flicked a switch on a panel he’d secured to the front of the building.
As he did an array of lights flickered on – an astonishing display of gold, green, red and white bulbs.
They sparkled, their colours brilliant, making the whole facade of the lodge twinkle like a grotto.
‘That’s remarkable – I’ll bet you could see the lodge from the moon!’ Scott hopped from foot to foot as everyone else gasped and cooed in agreement.
‘That’s not everything, lad,’ Douglas said proudly and he flicked another switch on the panel.
As he did, a miniature Santa’s sleigh appeared from around the side of the building tugging five mini red carriages – Douglas had somehow suspended them all on a tiny rail in between the lights so it looked like it was flying.
It slowly travelled under the hovering track until it was just above the entrance to the lodge.
‘It’s absolutely brilliant, Douggie!’ Effie declared, her voice filled with wonder and Mairi heard Jed let out a surprised cough. ‘People in the village are going to love this. Even Greer is going to be impressed, how couldn’t she?’
‘It’s a triumph! Effie, you should consider getting the local press to do a feature on it,’ Adam said loudly. ‘I can’t help falling in choo-choo…’ He broke into song in the style of Elvis again and Scott groaned.
‘Ach, I’m so pleased it worked, I was really nervous something was going to go wro—’ Douglas began just as a massive white spark erupted from the panel accompanied by an ear-splitting bang and a loud hiss.
Mairi watched, her heart in her throat, as the sleigh jerked to a stop and then crashed to the snow-covered ground along with the carriages. Then the illuminations went off too, followed by all the lights inside the lodge…