Chapter 39
The Christmas tree lights twinkled in the soft light of the Boathouse Café.
It was evening time and the café was closed to customers due to a very important event five days before Christmas.
‘Happy Friendmas!’ Beth said, along with Lily, Hannah and Ella as they chinked their champagne glasses together.
Hannah had recently bought some comfortable second-hand leather sofas which she had placed in the corner of the café for people to enjoy a casual coffee. This evening, however, it was where the four best friends were curled up to celebrate Christmas a couple of days early.
In the background, Hannah had put on Christmas music and the large coffee table between the two sofas was groaning with food.
‘You didn’t need to cook for us,’ said Lily. ‘We could have gone out.’
‘I love cooking for you all,’ Hannah told her. ‘Anyway, it’s just picky bits.’
‘My favourite,’ murmured Beth, reaching forward to dip a breadstick in a bowl of melted camembert.
‘Why is my champagne red?’ asked Ella, staring at the red liquid in her glass.
‘Because it’s a special Christmas cocktail,’ replied Hannah. ‘Frankie told me to add pomegranate syrup to make it more festive.’
‘It’s delicious,’ Lily told her, before taking another sip.
‘I can’t believe we won’t all be together for Christmas,’ said Beth, making a face.
‘Who am I to turn down a free holiday in the Alps?’ asked Ella, with a wide smile.
A chance date a fortnight ago had quickly turned into something more significant before her brand-new boyfriend Benedict had surprised her with a last-minute trip to the Italian Alps for Christmas.
‘It sounds so romantic,’ said Hannah. ‘Wish we had snow here.’
‘Next month apparently,’ Lily told her. ‘They reckon we’ll get loads in the new year.’
‘Excellent,’ said Beth. ‘I love the cold crisp days of winter.’
‘It’ll be even colder and crisper in Antarctica if you get that cruise ship job,’ Hannah reminded her.
Beth nodded. The Zoom interview had gone well and now it was just a case of waiting to see if they wanted to hire her as a stargazing guide on their latest cruise ship.
‘It’s an amazing opportunity and would look great on your resume,’ said Ella, nodding her approval.
‘Of course it would,’ said Hannah.
‘So tell us about this last-minute holiday,’ said Lily to Ella. ‘Do you ski?’
‘I après-ski,’ Ella told her, with a smile. ‘Besides, you can’t really expect me to go hurtling down a mountain on two planks of wood. I mean, I’m not that crazy. So expect lots of photos on my blog of fondue, fireplaces and twinkling lights.’
‘You could have that here,’ murmured Hannah.
‘I agree,’ said Lily. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be with us? I know we’re not sophisticated and all that but it might be more relaxing.’
‘Maybe she just wants to be with her new love,’ said Beth, as always thinking of the romance of a snowy holiday in the Alps at Christmastime.
‘I’m there to support Benedict with his career,’ said Ella. ‘All the business partners at his firm are staying in the resort, that’s why he’s invited me. They’re having a thought shower whilst they’re out there.’
‘A what?’ Hannah looked mystified.
‘It’s all corporate jargon,’ said Ella with a shrug. ‘Basically he needs to network this Christmas to stand him in better position to get a promotion. He’s vying with another guy for Vice-President of Finance. I’m there to help market him and improve his prospects.’
‘Sounds really fun and festive,’ murmured Lily, rolling her eyes.
Ella shook her head at her friend. ‘It’s not about fun. It’s business. It could be a real game changer for him.’
‘You won’t mind that it’s a work thing?’ asked Beth.
‘Not at all. You know I hate all that soppy stuff,’ said Ella with a shudder. ‘That’s why Benedict is such an amazing find. He’s good-looking and ambitious, as well as having the most amazing apartment in town as well.’
Beth loved Ella but had always struggled to understand her friend’s attitude towards relationships.
‘Yes but does he know all about your hopes and dreams?’ asked Lily. ‘Does he want to get married? Have a family?’
Ella frowned at her. ‘Of course not,’ she replied. ‘He wants his own business and to make as much money as he possibly can.’
‘But what about the magic?’ asked Hannah, in a dreamy voice.
‘The magic?’ Ella looked nonplussed. ‘Don’t look at me. I don’t believe in soulmates and magic and all that stuff.’
Beth realised in that moment that it had been the magic that she had been missing so far from every relationship.
‘What about Noah?’ teased Ella, looking at Beth. ‘Are you feeling the magic there?’
‘Of course not,’ she said, shuffling in her seat. ‘Besides, I’m not going out with him, am I?’
She leaned forward and topped up her glass with champagne, grateful for when the conversation moved on to Ella’s ski wear and what the resort was like.
The champagne helped her to relax but still she felt restless and a little out of sorts.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Lily, slipping her arm into Beth’s as they headed back to the lodge later that evening.
‘Too much champagne,’ she replied.
‘Can you actually have too much champagne?’ asked Ella, on the other side of Lily and Hannah.
‘I’ll let you know in the morning,’ said Lily.
The combination of alcohol and fresh air made them all a little giggly as they headed indoors. They could hear the laughter and conversation coming from the bar where the men were having their own festive evening.
‘Come on,’ said Lily. ‘Let’s go find our men.’
She knew that Lily was referring to Ben and Alex but even so, Beth hoped that Noah was still there as well. It might have been all the champagne she had drunk that evening that made the thought of seeing him quicken her pulse.
But despite the alcohol, she knew that it wasn’t. She had a huge crush on Noah and had no idea what to do about it.