Chapter Twenty-Four
Rupert
“I think that’s the last of them,” Norman said with a pleased hum as he curled the final strand of ribbon.
“I think so too,” I said, checking the order list I’d printed out, because there was nothing more satisfying than crossing things off with a red pen when they were done.
“Good, because I’m not doing any more. I don’t care what you say, we are closed to Christmas orders! I don’t want to see any more ribbon until January at the earliest.”
I chuckled teasingly. “Are you sure? Because Mrs. Lambert—”
“NO! I don’t care if she’s offered you a million pounds, I am not doing anything more for that frightful woman.
Do you know what she said to Sidney at the Christmas light switch on?
That he ought to donate his yellow waistcoat because it’s the sort of colour that doesn’t go with his complexion!
I’m telling you, Rupert, that woman is a curse upon this earth! ”
“But… you don’t like the waistcoat either,” I said. “I mean, she shouldn’t have said it, but you hate it too.”
“Only I am allowed to dislike that waistcoat,” Norman said pointedly.
“I may loathe it, but I will defend my husband’s right to wear it until my last breath.
Which may be sooner than we think. But until then, I will not have some spiteful old bat saying things like that.
It’s like your young man and those atrocious fleeces he wears.
We may both agree they are a choice, but only you are allowed to say they are tasteless. ”
I nodded, immediately understanding what he meant. “Exactly. But also, I like Milo’s clothes. They’re fun.”
Norman smiled fondly, reaching up to pat my cheek. “That’s the spirit. Now, do you need anything else or can I depart? I shall need rest before we deal with the chaos of tomorrow.”
“No, I’m good. Thank you. Are you sure you’re okay to help tomorrow? I know it’s Christmas Eve and probably not what you had planned.”
“Nonsense, I shall be here bright and early with sharp elbows. I may even bring a whistle to keep people in line. Or a walking stick. I’m sure Sidney has one, considering how terrible his knees are. I told him he should do more exercise, but he never listens to me.”
“Norman, you can’t hit people!”
“I’m not going to, I’m going to wave it like a tour guide and gently nudge people into place if they refuse to queue properly. Perhaps I should look at borrowing a sheepdog, I’m sure I can find one, even at such short notice.”
I snorted, imagining the chaos that would unfold if Norman turned up with a fully trained sheepdog and started herding people into place. There was a fine line between triumph and disaster, and I was convinced that idea was firmly on the side of the latter.
“Spoilsport,” Norman said, his bright eyes dancing with merriment and mischief.
“Unfortunately, yes,” I said. “It’s the curse which comes with ownership.”
“Ah well, rather you than me. In that case, I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening.”
“You too.” I watched him head towards the back door, grabbing his coat and hat off the peg. The shop’s Christmas rush had been bigger than ever, and it had more firmly solidified my plans for the future in my head.
Although the sweet shop wasn’t my dream, somewhere along the line, when I wasn’t looking, it had become my life and my legacy, and when I’d tried to think of doing something else, nothing had fit.
Maybe in the future, I’d change my mind, but for now I was going to keep the business and truly make it my own, rather than what my uncle might have wanted.
In the new year, we were going to close for a few weeks to allow the interior to be redecorated and reorganised, giving it the new lease of life it deserved.
I was going to start stocking new products, alongside familiar favourites and the hampers, which were growing in popularity, and I was looking into the possibility of taking a fudge or chocolate making course.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to expand the shop that way, but it could be fun to learn. And although I didn’t have a kitchen here, Milo had said I could potentially look at sharing space with Lick It! if they had room.
I was also going to look at taking on another part-time member of staff for the summer, to really allow me to have a bit more of a life outside of work. Norman was getting older, despite his protestations, and we needed another pair of hands around to support us.
And, just for fun, I’d started a vintage style Instagram, posting pictures and videos of various outfits, how I styled things, and offering advice—or what I could anyway, occasionally with little guest appearances by Elizabeth. Because I couldn’t not include my precious girl.
Milo had been ecstatic when I’d mentioned it as an idea, encouraging me to dive in before I thought better of it. I didn’t expect much from it, but luckily I wasn’t planning to make a career out of being a content creator.
I definitely didn’t have thick enough skin for that.
The back door creaked open again, and I turned to see Milo stepping inside, a bright smile spreading across his face as he spotted me. “Found you!”
“Were you trying to sneak up on me?” I asked with a chuckle as he wiped his boots on the mat and pushed his hat off his face, shaking himself off like an exuberant cocker spaniel.
Water droplets clung to every inch of him, because Christmas in Heather Bay meant grey skies, a freezing wind off the sea, and endless amounts of rain.
I still liked it though, especially the way the Christmas lights reflected in the puddles, slightly distorted in a soft, dreamy way that made the whole world feel almost magical.
“I would if the door didn’t give me away every time.”
“You’re welcome to put some WD-40 on it if you want.”
“I think I’ve got some in a cupboard somewhere, I’ll bring it next time I remember.” He walked through to me, stopping just short so he didn’t cover me or the counter in water. “How’s it going? Ready to go?”
I laughed softly. “I’m ready to go whether everything’s done or not!
Although luckily we have packed everything.
Now all we have to do is get through the collection window tomorrow.
Norman’s threatening to bring a whistle to keep people in line…
and a stick… and possibly a sheepdog, if he can find one at short notice.
I know he’s joking but I wouldn’t put it past him. ”
“I mean, I’m not a sheepdog but I’ll happily come and help keep people in line.”
“I can’t ask you to do that, it’s Christmas Eve.”
“Of course you can,” he said, looking utterly baffled that’d I’d suggest otherwise.
“But… you have plans. You and Alfie are meeting up.”
“Yeah, in the afternoon for a couple of hours. Besides, this is what you do for the people you love, you help them.”
I stared at him, mouth falling open, a strangled croaking noise the only thing coming out of my throat.
Milo frowned, his face slightly screwed up as he tilted his head to the side. He looked at me for a long minute, the pair of us staring at each other in some sort of strange stalemate. “I’ve told you I love you, right? I could’ve sworn I had. I’ve been saying it in my head for weeks.”
“N-No,” I said slowly. “That’s the first time.”
“Fuck me, all right.” He grinned and closed the gap between us, putting his hand on my chest. Right over my heart. “Better say it properly then.”
“Okay,” I whispered, sure he could feel my heart racing under his palm. My whole body felt like a livewire lost in a sea of emotion. I could barely breathe, and my eyes were trained on his face, desperate not to miss a thing he said.
“I love you, Rupert. Have done for a long time, now. And maybe I always did, even when I wanted to pretend I didn’t like you.
You fascinate me, and I don’t mean it in a weird way, but, like, I want to be around you all the time so I can learn everything about you, see the things you love and love them too.
Because there’s nothing you can do that I won’t love.
I’ll love you even when you’re sick and snotty and throwing up everywhere. ”
I pulled a face and Milo laughed.
“Yeah, even then. ’Cos it will happen. And I’ll love you when you’re tired and grumpy or when your brain weasels are extra mean and make you think I don’t love you. On those days, I’ll love you even harder so you know I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re going to make me cry again,” I said hoarsely, my eyes prickling with tears.
“You can cry, sweetheart,” he said, gently reaching out to brush his thumb across my cheek, just below the rim of my glasses. “Cry, laugh, sneeze. Whatever you want. I’ll love you whatever you do.”
“I love you too. God, I love you so much,” I said, overwhelmed laughter bursting out of me as I rested my forehead against his.
“I didn’t think it was possible to feel this way about anyone, but I do.
You are the most wonderful, stubborn, infuriating, perfect man I’ve ever met, and I love you more than anything. ”
My eyes stung with unshed tears as Milo drew me in for a kiss, his lips cold but soft, somehow tasting of summer days and winter nights all at once. He was sweetness and spice. Sharp, stubborn, and gentle. Contrary and completely human. A man who embraced all the parts of life.
A man who saw me for who I was and loved all of it, even the parts I wanted to hide.
How lucky I was to be loved by him.
We may have started off at odds with each other, but that seemed so far away now it almost didn’t feel real. Milo was right though. I think I’d loved him from the start too, in a way. In him, my heart had seen a kindred spirit, but I hadn’t allowed myself to recognise it.
All I’d seen were his flaws, and my fears had easily convinced me nothing good would come from being around him, so I’d pushed him away.
But now here we were, seven months later with feelings so completely opposite. I almost felt like Elizabeth Bennett. Only my Mr. Darcy had a penchant for neon-nineties fashion and a deep-seated desire to befriend seagulls.
“We should celebrate when we get back to yours,” Milo said, murmuring the words against my lips.
“Mmm we should. Any suggestions?”
“Well, I brought some more ice cream… and I’m wearing a plug, so…”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “Call it an early Christmas present. I mean, I’ve got you some other things too, and something for us together—but we’re totally not opening that when we’re at Alfie and Jonathan’s.”
I snorted. “Is it the banana sundae dildo you found?”
“I’m not saying a word.”
It was and I knew I’d laugh as soon as I saw it, but I was also very excited to try it out on him, simply because I loved taking Milo apart. “We can use it before we go out,” I said. “I can’t wait to fuck you with it.”
“Does this mean you’re not going to fuck me when we get home?”
“No, I’m going to do that too. After all, you’ve gone to all that trouble for me.” I slid one hand around him to squeeze his arse through his jeans, smirking as he groaned.
“Fuck, darling, you’re going to kill me. I’ve got to walk home like this now.”
“You already walked here. A little further won’t hurt.” I kissed him again, then stepped back and gestured towards the back door. “Come on then, let’s go. I want to go home and unwrap my early Christmas present.”
I grabbed my coat and my bag, putting my hat on and picking up my yellow umbrella to open up over us as we walked home. The rain hadn’t let up, but it was gentle rather than pelting, and the Christmas lights glowed softly around us in the misty darkness.
Our hands were clutched together tightly, our heads close under the umbrella as we talked about our days, our plans to spend Christmas with Alfie and Jonathan at Jonathan’s cottage, and the latest pictures from Darcy and Owen on a beach in Australia.
There was an undercurrent of tension and heat, a promise of what was to come as soon as we closed the door.
A promise of what forever was going to bring.
And I couldn’t wait to get started.