Chapter 33
The following week felt magical and with perfect timing the weather took an even chillier turn.
Autumn was ushered out as the preparations for the Nightingale Square festive switch on got underway.
I was especially thankful for the change in the weather because it kept me cool when being with Erik left me feeling searing hot.
It was a total joy to be able to gaze into his blue eyes and then act on the feelings my staring aroused, and I was hard-pushed to believe we’d held back for so long.
However, the change to the parameters of our relationship had led to more than physical intimacy. We spent hours talking, immersed in lengthy soul baring conversations which led to genuinely revelatory moments.
We had both arrived in Norwich because of unwanted change which had been thrust upon us.
Neither of us had chosen the abrupt endings we had endured but the love and kindness we’d found in the city, from family, found family and friends, had meant we’d worked through them, and in the end, found our way to each other, too.
When I had moved to the square at the end of the summer I’d had no idea what I was going to find.
Falling for someone and finding a Big Love hadn’t been on my radar but now both were very much front and centre.
As were mine and Erik’s new jobs. Next year was going to be so exciting and living with Rafe would enable me to keep my work–life balance in check.
And if I started to fail at that, I knew my father would be there to gently remind me to pull back a little.
I had sent Alisha an email telling her about Erik and my new job, as well as describing the Grow-Well, and I knew it was the most thrilling I’d ever written.
I told her that if she ever visited the UK, then she must come and see us and she extended the invitation to us if we fancied booking a holiday to Canada.
Now I was going to have proper breaks from work, that might one day become a possibility.
I’d also let Mum know what had happened, but in true Flighty Faye style, I hadn’t yet had a reply. Madeline and Tobias however had been thrilled.
‘Are you ready, Skylar?’ Rafe called from the hall. ‘I don’t want to be the last to get ours up!’
‘Coming!’ I shouted back. ‘Do you think I’ll need a hat?’
We were both wrapped up for the task ahead. In theory, it shouldn’t take us long, but we’d be standing about a bit, and the wind was in the north and making its presence felt.
‘It was kind of Heather and Glen to leave us these, wasn’t it?’ I said as I followed my father into the front garden.
He was carrying a lidded plastic crate of outdoor Christmas lights which had been left behind by the family who had owned the house before us.
‘It was,’ he agreed. ‘Classic Nightingale Square community spirit. I hope they’ve found it wherever they’ve moved to.’
‘Or taken it with them and spread it about,’ I suggested. ‘Now come on, let’s get this done.’
As this was our first attempt at outdoor illuminations, working out how best to arrange the lights for maximum effect draped over and about the hedge took us a little while.
We had turned them on and off a couple of times to try and see how they looked and I was becoming increasingly excited for the party on the green Saturday evening when every house would be lit up in the same way.
‘How are you getting on?’ Lisa asked, carrying over two mugs of hot chocolate. ‘It’s not easy to see how they look in the daylight, is it?’
She handed the mugs to Rafe and me, and we gratefully wrapped our cold hands round them.
‘Thank you, Lisa,’ I smiled. ‘You couldn’t have timed this better and you’re right about the lights, but I think we’re almost there now.’
‘I noticed you’d been out here a while, and I thought you might need warming up.’
It was embarrassing to think that the day I’d moved in I had been worried that she might be an overbearing nosy nuisance when now I saw her for what she genuinely was, a kind-hearted and generous friend.
‘Aren’t you supposed to be writing?’ Rafe quizzed her.
‘All right bossy boots,’ she pretended to huff. ‘Just because you’ve typed “the end” weeks ahead of your submission date.’
‘You haven’t!’ I gasped. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Oops,’ Lisa grimaced. ‘Was it supposed to be a secret?’
‘No,’ Rafe smiled. ‘Not really. I was going to mention it, but not until I’ve also finished writing the book I’m supposed to be working on.’
‘But I thought this one was…’ Lisa began and stopped.
‘Don’t tell me, Rafe,’ I said and rolled my eyes because I had an idea as to what was going on even if she didn’t, ‘you’ve been writing the shiny new idea you mentioned back in September, haven’t you?’
‘I have,’ he confirmed.
‘And the book you’re supposed to be writing is still languishing in a desktop folder half-written.’
‘That’s pretty much it,’ he nodded, sounding unconcerned. ‘But,’ he quickly carried on before I could take him to task, ‘now I’ve got the other one out of my system, I know exactly how the pending one is going to continue and I’m all set to get on with it.’
‘Well, I wish you luck with that,’ Lisa said, sounding awestruck. ‘I’ve no idea how you’ve managed to get another book under your belt with one waiting, but I’ll be happy to hear all about it. Doubling my output would be very helpful.’
‘This is strictly a one-off,’ Rafe laughed.
‘And given that you have a full house to manage as well as books to write, I have nothing but respect for you. And don’t worry Skylar,’ he smiled at me, ‘I’ll be finished sometime between now and the new year and my agent and publisher will be none the wiser. ’
‘But what about Christmas?’ I demanded, sounding closer to three than thirty. ‘It’s our first one together. You can’t be writing the whole time.’
‘Says the woman who has already bagged the best present to play with!’ Lisa guffawed. ‘I’m sure Erik will keep you amused while your dad’s hard at work.’
I blushed at that, but she was right.
‘Fair point,’ I grinned and drained my mug. ‘Now,’ I said and handed it back to her, ‘let’s get these lights finished and go and see if Luke needs a hand with the tree.’
When I opened the bedroom curtains on Saturday morning, I felt as excited as if it was Christmas day.
Lisa had been right about me bagging the best present, and once I’d finished admiring the almost naked oak in the neighbour’s garden, I turned around to appreciate Erik, the gift at the top of my wish list, who was almost naked too and fast asleep in my bed.
It was a shame to wake him, but with the switch on party happening that afternoon and lasting, so Rafe and I had been told, well into the evening, it was time we had breakfast and got ready to help with the finishing touches.
As well as the massive Christmas tree on the green and lights around the square being turned on, there was also going to be music and all sorts of vendors.
The variety of food that was going to be available had made my mouth water when Luke took us through the list and the memory of it made my tummy rumble now.
‘Hey, sleepyhead,’ I whispered to Erik as I climbed back into bed. ‘It’s time to get up.’
Erik stretched out and as I planted soft kisses along the length of his body starting at his throat and stopping around his navel, he groaned in pleasure. I felt his muscles react as I made my slow way back up again, shifting to sit astride him.
‘If it’s time to get up,’ he said as he rested his warm hands on my thighs, ‘why are you torturing me with kisses that can come to nothing?’
I smiled at that.
‘I just thought it might be nice to give you something to look forward to once the party has finished tonight.’
‘Do I really have to wait?’
‘Breakfast!’ my father’s voice shouted up the stairs.
‘You do if you want breakfast,’ I grinned and nimbly climbed off. ‘Hugh promised he’d make kedgeree this morning.’
It was the first time both Hugh and Erik had stayed over, and I liked the thought of the four of us starting the day together.
‘In that case,’ Erik said as he slowly sat up and reached for his pyjama bottoms, ‘we’ll put this on hold.’
As I watched him pull a T-shirt over his head I wished I’d woken him sooner.
‘Hugh,’ Erik, who was now wide awake, applauded, when we arrived in the kitchen, ‘this smells amazing.’
‘It does,’ I agreed. ‘You need to stay over much more often.’
‘That can be arranged,’ Rafe said, setting the table.
Both cats were winding their way around Hugh’s legs, so they obviously knew there was something new on the menu, too.
‘I hope you enjoy it,’ Hugh said as he began to fill the plates. ‘I won’t give you too much in case you don’t like it.’
‘I already know I’m going to love it,’ Erik insisted. ‘Load me up, please.’
With bellies full of the delicious dish, Erik and I walked over to Prosperous Place and found Luke checking over the list of vendors.
When he’d mentioned at the beginning of the week that it was always stressful with vehicles parked everywhere during the set up, I had suggested he could contact everyone and allocate them arrival slots.
That way their cars and vans could be moved to Prosperous Place ahead of the next wave turning up.
‘Which is exactly why we’re so happy to have you on board!’ Kate had gratifyingly said when I proposed the idea.
‘How’s it all looking?’ I asked Luke.
‘Far less demanding than usual thanks to you.’
‘I’m delighted to hear it. And the weather is hopefully going to be kind, which would be a blessing.’
I couldn’t imagine a switch on in the rain would be quite so much fun.
‘Cloudy but dry according to the forecast,’ Erik said and showed us his phone.
‘Perfect,’ I smiled.
‘The earlier the light goes the better it will be for today,’ Luke said. ‘The actual switch on is scheduled for six so visitors bringing little ones won’t have to be out too late.’
‘How many people are you expecting?’ I asked.
Given the number of food stalls coming, I guessed more than lived around the square.