Chapter 33
Lauren had awoken on Christmas morning feeling far happier about being alone than she ever thought she would be.
Although the house was quiet without Myriam, it gave Lauren plenty of time to mull over the kiss that she and Marc had shared last night.
It was the last thing that she had been expecting, but she would have been lying to herself if she said she hadn’t been hoping for it.
They’d got on so well in the pub, and even though she’d nearly knocked him out on the doorstep, that kiss on the sofa had more than made up for it.
She knew she shouldn’t get too far ahead of herself; Marc wasn’t exactly a simple proposition.
Not only was he widowed, but he also had Liam and Luca to consider.
Going slowly had to be the name of the game.
And she was fine with that. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have her own complications, although Myriam would have been horrified to be labelled as such.
Whatever the next few weeks brought, she knew she had to take it one step at a time.
All the same, she could feel the silly grin that was plastered all over her face as she remembered that kiss again and again.
Marc had been so tentative, his lips so soft, and the way he’d pulled back from her afterwards, letting her set the pace, was exactly what she’d needed.
When he’d jokingly asked her permission before leaning in, it had been so reassuring and left her completely clear about what he’d wanted to do.
The fact that she’d wanted it too made it all the better when it had happened.
Their lines of communication were becoming easier to navigate every time they talked, and Lauren was glad.
In a way, she was also glad it was Christmas Day; Marc would be spending it with his family, and she had lots of time to relax, watch what she wanted on the television and think about what might happen next. She didn’t have to worry about whether he would call her, at least for today.
A chorus from her mobile broke into this pleasurable reverie. It was Myriam.
‘Hello, darling,’ her mother trilled as she answered. ‘Merry Christmas.’
‘And to you,’ Lauren replied. ‘How’s it all going?’
They exchanged pleasantries for a little while: Myriam, as Lauren had predicted, had fallen in love with the Norwegian landscape, and had adored teaching the guests on the riverboat.
She’d even managed to sell a few of the paintings she’d produced and had a couple of potential commissions ready for when she got back to her studio in a week’s time.
‘And how’s Gary?’ Lauren asked, as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
‘Wonderful.’ Myriam’s voice softened with affection. ‘Honestly, darling, I don’t know why we waited all those years.’
Lauren’s heart gave a little flip. ‘You sound like you’re in love, Mum!’
Myriam’s pause on the line spoke volumes. She eventually gave a happy-sounding sigh. ‘You know what, darling, I think you might be right.’
‘And you’re feeling okay?’
‘Never better. I know you worry, but I can honestly say that this trip has really suited me.’
Lauren smiled, although her mother wouldn’t see her. ‘I’m so glad, Mum.’
They chatted for a while longer. Lauren considered telling her mother about last night with Marc but thought better of it.
It was early days, and she didn’t want to jinx things.
Besides, a traitorous part of herself still whispered, he might have only kissed her because he was mildly concussed.
She tried to shush that thought. She wanted to enjoy the memory for a little longer before her brain ruined it.
‘Well, I’ll call you again in a day or two, darling,’ Myriam said. ‘But ring me if you need me.’
‘I will. Love you, Mum.’ As she ended the call, Lauren was smiling again.
Despite her doubts about her mother’s trip, it all sounded as though it was going brilliantly, and it had been just the confidence boost her mother needed.
As she looked at herself in the hall mirror, she wondered if kissing Marc had done the same for her.
She looked different; a little bit more ‘glowy’, she supposed.
She batted away that thought as swiftly as it occurred to her: she shouldn’t need a kiss from a fella to make her feel that way about herself.
All the same, it hadn’t exactly been a terrible experience: surely, she was free to admit that!
After a leisurely morning and afternoon, involving some festive pastries and two of a series of movies from her Christmas watchlist, Lauren decided she needed some fresh air before settling down on the sofa for the evening movie marathon.
Grabbing her coat, she headed out into the bright winter sunlight, pulling on her gloves against the nip in the air from a prevailing northerly wind.
A quick wander around the lake would wake her up and ensure that she’d really earned the fridge full of snacks she had lined up to accompany her Christmas viewing.
She didn’t intend to go anywhere near the lake house, though. That might be awkward, especially if Marc had family over. But a short stroll would be very welcome.
As she wended her way to the lake, Lauren became aware that she wasn’t the only one who’d had the idea: she recognised several customers and their families.
Once she began the familiar route around it, she had to dodge out of the way of quite a few children, wobbling around on obviously new bikes, and the odd scooter.
It was nothing like her evening stroll of a few weeks back.
Smiling as she passed familiar faces, she felt a pang: she and Myriam usually took a walk around the lake on Christmas Day. It felt a bit odd to be doing it alone.
Change could be a good thing, though, and Lauren was filled with a pleasurable anticipation about when she might see Marc again. She’d been so stuck in her own routines over the years, it felt exciting to be experiencing new things. New people.
The sun, low in the sky already, kept flashing in her eyes, and she held up a hand to shield herself from the glare as she continued to walk.
The sparkling crystalline surface of the lake was ripped occasionally by the odd duck or mute swan, sailing sedately past. Soon it would be spring, and they’d be raising little families of their own here.
Nature, though sleeping now under the greyish brown earth that surrounded the lake, would soon awaken.
Everything moved on, and the circularity of the seasons was always reassuring.
No matter how busy she got at the café, it felt good to get out here, to connect with the landscape around her and reset.
And much as she felt guilty admitting it, the respite she felt, knowing that Myriam was happy and being kept an eye on by someone who wasn’t her, was helping her to make the most of being by herself.
She’d been so caught up in the scenery, Lauren hadn’t realised that she was almost up to the lake house.
Not wanting to linger, she picked up her pace.
The sun had slid behind the trees on the other side of the shore and cast the house into slight shadow.
The relief from the brightness was welcome.
She passed the gate at the end of the small path that led to the front door and was about to cross over to take the shortcut back through the woodland pathway, which led onto the main street, when she heard a female voice calling her name.
Turning back in the direction of the house, she smiled to see Bella waving from the front garden.
‘Hey, lovely, how’s your Christmas?’ Bella was smiling.
‘Great, thanks.’ Lauren wandered back to the gate. ‘How’s yours?’
Bella was carrying a huge basket of used wrapping paper, which she began to deposit in the recycling box at the foot of the path.
‘I think Noah’s nephews have eaten their body weight in sugar, so I’m quite glad Noah and I aren’t the ones who’ll have to put them to bed, but apart from that, it’s been great. ’
As if on cue, Luca and Liam came barrelling out of the front door in hot pursuit of Bella, skidding to a halt when they saw her chatting to Lauren.
‘Aunty Bella, you’re supposed to be playing Twister with us!’ Liam’s face, mouth smeared with chocolate, grinned up at Bella. ‘Uncle Noah said you could stand in for him.’
‘Did he now?’ Bella rolled her eyes at Lauren. ‘I’ll have to have a word with Uncle Noah.’
Luca, who hadn’t said anything, glanced at Lauren. ‘Happy Christmas, Lolo-ren!’
‘Her name’s Lauren.’ His brother threw Luca a withering look. ‘You should get it right.’
Lauren smiled down at Luca. ‘I’ve been called a few things in my time, but that’s a first. I like it.’
‘The birthday cakes you made were brilliant,’ Bella said. ‘Kudos. I wouldn’t know where to start!’
Lauren felt warm with pleasure at the compliment. ‘It was actually good fun – I didn’t realise how much I enjoyed making little fondant figures until I tried.’
‘Perhaps I’ll ask you to do one for Noah – it’s his birthday in February and I’m sure he’d love a bespoke cake.
’ Bella beamed at Lauren. ‘That’s if you’ve got time, what with running the café as well.
I know what it’s like to have to juggle everything.
I’m knackered after the gig in the pub last night, and I had to get up early to go and see to the cats at Purrfect Paws.
Mollie’s finally taken a few days off, to go and stay with her sister, so I said I’d do the morning shift if Eloise, the new girl, can look in on them in the evenings. ’
‘You sounded brilliant last night,’ Lauren replied.
‘Thanks.’ Bella glanced from Lauren back to the house again, then added, ‘I saw you and Marc having a drink. He seemed really chatty. Did you get on well?’
Lauren blushed. ‘It was nice to talk to him – he’s a lovely guy.’