Chapter 10
CLARA
‘I’m sorry, I’ve got to leave,’ Liam said as his face turned ashen.
The kids in the front row of the audience swivelled back to gaze at him as he leapt from the small stage area Eleanor had prepared, before heading towards the back of the café – in the opposite direction to where they’d been briefed to go.
‘Hang on,’ Clara called out, pulling a face at Eleanor as she followed Liam, quickly turning so she could wave and blow enthusiastic kisses at the crowd who were all staring at them, clearly surprised by the unexpected turn of events.
‘I think the reindeer might have landed in the wrong place,’ she called out fumbling for an explanation as she rushed behind the counter.
‘We’re going to see if we can find them now. ’
A couple of the children gasped and then Eleanor took control and put on some Christmas music, before waving at Clara, encouraging her to follow her festive husband. ‘See you later, Mr and Mrs Christmas!’ she sang. The words were quickly echoed by the audience who began to chatter excitedly.
Clara considered stopping so she could grab their coats and run upstairs to collect Figgy from Hazel’s flat, but decided against it.
There was clearly something very wrong with Liam and she wanted to catch up to make sure he was okay.
She didn’t know the area around Hollythorpe well, so if she delayed, he might get too far ahead.
Clara didn’t catch up with Liam until he was already outside and a couple of shops away striding along the pavement – in the opposite direction to the intersection that would link them to the main high street – which meant she turned left out of the back of the café.
‘Hang on, what’s going on?’ she shouted, speeding up even though the ground was slippery. ‘I thought we were supposed to go out the front door. Ezra was going to take more photos. What happened?’ she asked.
That was what Eleanor had told her when they’d arrived. Granted they’d been late, so she hadn’t had the chance to liaise with Liam about it first – perhaps something had made him change his mind?
‘I’m sorry,’ he croaked, still walking at an absurd pace and glancing over his shoulder every now and then as if he were checking he wasn’t being followed by anyone other than her.
Snow began to swirl around them, glittering under the lantern street lights.
‘I just—’ He pulled a face. ‘I had to get out of there.’
‘That’s okay. I understand,’ Clara said, even though she had no idea what was going on.
She was trotting now, trying to keep up, but Liam was tall – over six feet and that made it difficult for her far shorter legs to match his pace.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asked because she wasn’t sure what else to do.
She didn’t know this man. But she could see he was in pain and understood how that felt. Wanted to somehow put it right.
Besides, he’d been so lovely and charming with the children when he’d been playing Mr Christmas – incredibly patient, like he knew exactly what he was doing.
She’d liked Liam before – but today she’d found herself reluctantly liking him even more.
She worked in Hudson’s recruitment firm – kids, fun, magic, simply didn’t touch her day-to-day life.
She’d been charmed by it, charmed by him and it had left her aching for more.
‘Can we talk about something else?’ he asked without looking at her. ‘I know I probably owe you an explanation, but I don’t want to talk about it right now. Did you hear from your fiancé?’
The abrupt change in subject had her faltering momentarily and she had to run a little to catch up.
‘Hudson?’ she checked as her stomach got a familiar cold feeling, like someone had filled it with ice cubes and she had to wait for them to melt.
It was the same sensation she’d been battling with for most of the week.
Because she hadn’t heard from him at all. Not one single word.
‘Um.’ She wasn’t sure how much to share, so decided to just tell the truth. ‘He hasn’t messaged, no.’
He was like that, though. When Hudson got mad, he often wouldn’t speak for days. Which was why Clara usually capitulated within a few hours. She’d grown up with her father’s sour moods and knew saying sorry simply made life easier all around.
When she’d first met her fiancé, he’d never reminded her of her dad – he’d been kind and he hadn’t been critical at all – but over the past year similarities had begun to emerge. She’d put it down to stress – but now she wasn’t so sure.
She waited for Liam’s reaction, and the breath slowed in her throat as if freezing by degrees.
He stopped and spun around, his forehead creasing. He was still wearing his jolly Santa hat and it was an interesting contrast, seeing the irritation seep into his expression before he made it disappear. ‘What… nothing…?’ he asked, frowning.
‘Nope. Not a word.’ She shrugged. ‘I was expecting that, I guess. He’s angry with me.’
His mouth moved, but it took him a moment to form words. ‘Because you caught him kissing someone else?’ he asked slowly.
‘No, because I didn’t believe his explanation.
’ Clara watched his face, realising she hadn’t really explained anything.
‘Hudson told me Abigail – that’s the woman’s name – that Abigail was kissing him but—’ She shut her eyes for a beat, seeing the moment play out in front of her again like the closing scene of a movie.
The kiss had been achingly romantic and it had broken her heart and she hadn’t got it wrong. Hudson had kissed Abigail – not the other way around. She sighed. ‘I know he’s not telling the truth. I know he’s lying, but he expects me to just give in and say I believe him because—’
Again, she had to stop because the words that were forming in her throat felt wrong.
Suddenly everything about her felt wrong.
What had she been doing these last few years?
Why had it taken her so long to see it – and why hadn’t she realised until she’d jumped on a plane and come to Hollythorpe?
It was like her brain cells had begun to thaw out here.
‘Because?’ he repeated, taking a step closer. Liam was giving her his full attention, which was so genuinely sweet, so thoughtful – especially considering something had clearly upset him – that Clara almost felt guilty for talking about herself.
Not everything’s about you, Clara. Her mother’s voice boomed in her mind and she had to work hard to shove it away. She had to talk, had to explain because it might help her to figure out what she needed to do next.
‘Because I usually would – say I believed him I mean.’ The words gushed out. ‘But I can’t.’ She scrubbed a hand through her hair. It felt damp. She looked up – the snowflakes had grown thicker while they were talking. ‘Look, we can’t stay here,’ she said, shivering.
‘You’re right.’ Liam glanced around as if noticing the snow for the first time. ‘Not unless we want to end up looking like snowmen.’ The joke was weak, but it made Clara smile – especially since as he delivered the words, Liam’s lips curved too, making everything inside her body melt.
‘I’ve got keys to Eleanor’s place – we could go there?
’ she suggested. ‘She probably won’t be back for a while.
’ There would be lots of clearing up to do at the café – tidying Clara had been intending to help with.
‘We could text her and ask her to bring our coats when she returns – maybe she could bring Figgy too?’
‘Figgy!’ Liam’s eyes suddenly widened and his face paled again.
His attention shot back up the pavement.
‘I can’t believe I forgot my dog.’ He tapped his palms on the pockets of the suit.
‘My car keys and the dog lead are in my coat.’ He turned and Clara wondered if he was going to retrace his steps.
She could see the intention in his eyes, but then he stopped and shook his head.
‘I can’t go back there,’ he said roughly.
Clara nodded. She was going to get to the bottom of why.
But she wasn’t going to do it here. She’d take Liam to Eleanor’s and feed him a glass of something – then she’d get him to confess all and see if she could help.
She might have no idea what to do about her own heartache, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do something about his.
Eleanor’s flat was warm and Clara gratefully led Liam up the stairs and into the kitchen, brushing her palms against her dress, trying to dislodge the flurry of snowflakes she’d brought with her.
She saw something scamper across the kitchen floor and almost shrieked; she would have if Liam hadn’t knelt down and scooped up Bugs, who’d somehow managed to sneak in.
‘I’ve no idea where he comes from,’ she said, glancing around.
‘Unless he’s managed to work out how to navigate the chimney in the front room.
’ She was only half joking. She went to grab a bottle of wine from the fridge, trying not to watch as Liam hugged the rabbit to his chest. He still looked pale, and he was shivering.
‘Want a glass of this?’ She held up the bottle. ‘It’s all there is I’m afraid, unless you want coffee or tea?’
‘No caffeine for me, just a small wine please. I have to drive later,’ he croaked, putting the rabbit on the ground and leaning back against the counter so he could watch her gather the glasses and pour some out.
She handed him the drink, and studied his large hand which seemed to envelope the stem, drawing attention to how delicate it was and how incredibly masculine he was too.
Her stomach fluttered and she took a step away.
‘Do you want to tell me why you ran?’ she asked, taking a sip of her drink and trying not to shudder. ‘I know you barely know me,’ she added quickly. ‘But sometimes it’s easier to share things with a stranger.’ At least that had been her experience with him.