'There's no need. I'm just glad you're safe.'
'You still haven't said why you wish you weren't here.'
He twisted his pint glass between his fingers. 'Too many memories. And not much to look forward to.'
She watched him for a moment but he didn't look up from his glass.
'The memories bit I understand. But as to not having much to look forward to, I don't get that at all. Apart from the fact that you've probably got enough money to go anywhere you want, whenever you want, you've got everything to look forward to. You're helping Luke and Zoe get their business off the ground, so Zoe tells me. That's really kind, and definitely something to excite you, I would've thought. And once Luke actually proposes, there'll be an engagement party, a wedding, and who knows what after that.'
'That's the part that worries me.'
'What? Them having children?'
His head shot round and he met her eyes. 'No.' He shook his head. 'Having to come back here for all of it.'
She sucked in an angry breath. 'Do you hate it here that much?'
He shrugged and shook his head once more.
'Well, tough. Not everything's about you, Harrison.' She stopped and bit her lip. 'Sorry. I promised Zoe I'd be nice.'
His eyes narrowed and his fingers tightened on the glass. 'You did what? Zoe told you to be nice to me? That's just great. That's perfect. So if she hadn't, you'd have ignored me again, would you? Or walked away as you love to do.'
'No. That didn't come out right. You just ...'
'I just what?'
'Oh, I don't know. You just make me really angry sometimes, Harrison.'
'Ditto.'
'I make you angry? Why? What have I done?'
'Oh, I don't know,' he imitated her to a T. 'How about flaunting your boyfriend in front of me, for one thing.'
'My boyfriend? You've got a bloody nerve. Especially after you flaunted your girlfriend in front of me.'
'What are you talking about?'
'I'm talking about sending her to my room, straight from having sex with you in the shower, on the pretence of getting her to “see if I was okay”. The woman was virtually naked. Now that's what I call flaunting.'
'What woman? When?'
'The most beautiful woman in the world, of course. To my bedroom at The Grange. After you saved my life.'
His brows furrowed. 'You must've been delusional. That can happen after hypothermia. I told you, you needed to take care. I didn't send anyone to your room. Not before, or after having sex in the shower. No. What I mean is, I wasn't having sex in the shower – or anywhere else for that matter – with anyone, let alone the most beautiful woman in the world. What exactly did she look like?'
'Delusional? That's your response is it? So you deny sending her to my room in the flimsiest, shortest dressing gown, ever, do you? And rubbing my nose in it. Let's ask Kiki, shall we? Where is she, anyway? Have you two had a row? Is that why you're behaving like a bear with a sore head?'
'Kiki? What the hell's Kiki got to do with anything? And no, we haven't had a row. Just a little misunderstanding, that's all.'
'Well, I hope you sort it out, Harrison, because getting cross with other people simply because they're having a good time and you're not, is frankly, pretty childish.'
'Julie-et?' Dan intervened before Harrison could make any response; if indeed he was going to. 'Come and help me toast the marshmallows, darling. You're so much better at this sort of thing.' He grabbed her hand and pulled her away and as she turned her head briefly to look back, Harrison stormed off towards the road.
Chapter Twenty
It must have started snowing in the middle of the night because when Juliet pulled back her curtains at seven-thirty on Saturday morning, there was at least six inches of pristine snow, for as far as the eye could see.
She threw on her dressing gown over her favourite pyjamas – Christmas Unicorns in Santa Hats – and went downstairs to the kitchen, where a choir from one or other cathedral boomed out Christmas carols via the radio.
'Morning.' Only her mum was in the kitchen, leaning over the stove stirring a saucepan of porridge. Rosa still made it the old-fashioned way.
'Morning, sweetheart. Did you have a good time last night? Your father and I were tucked up in bed when you and Zoe came home, so I assume it was fun.'
'Yeah. It was great. Dan was on top form and he'd organised a sort of BBQ. We all sat outside under the stars, kept warm by a massive fire pit. I wouldn't be surprised if it's still burning this morning.'
She poured herself coffee from the pot, and popped several slices of bread in the toaster, trying not to trip over Cinnamon who, as usual, was sprawled between the Aga and the kitchen table.
'It'll be buried under all this snow,' Rosa said. 'Shopping's going to be a bit of an expedition in this weather. Still, there's nothing quite as Christmassy as shopping for presents, trudging through snow. We'll need to make a day of it. Perhaps we'll go somewhere nice for lunch. We'll see what your father and Zoe have to say.'
'That would be nice.' Juliet threw her a sideways glance as she pulled out a chair and sat at the table. 'Mum? May I ask for some advice?'
'Of course, sweetheart. What is it?' Rosa took the saucepan off the stove and put it to one side, before pouring herself a coffee and sitting next to Juliet.
'Do you think I should buy Harrison a present? Not a Christmas present, exactly, but something to say thanks for saving me and for letting me spend the night at The Grange.'
'I think that's a lovely idea. What are you thinking of getting him? Men are always difficult to buy for, especially men like Harrison who has everything he could possibly need or want.'
'That's the problem. I don't know what to get him, but I want to get him something. I asked Luke if he had any ideas, but he said he can't think of a thing Harrison doesn't already have. At least, nothing that money can buy.'
'That was an odd thing to say.'
Juliet had said that about Kiki, but she nodded. 'Yeah. Not much help, either. I'll have to have a look around in town and see if anything jumps out at me.'
The ping of the toaster announced the toast was ready just as Zoe and Bernard ambled into the kitchen.
'I suggested we spend the day in town, darling,' Rosa said, as Bernard gave her a kiss. 'Not just the morning. We'll have lunch and then come back and have a light supper this evening. How does that sound?'
'Perfect,' Bernard said, kissing Juliet on the top of her head and taking his seat at the table.
Zoe squealed and jumped up and down, waving her phone in her hand.
'Zoe thinks it's a good plan,' said Juliet, pulling a face at her sister.
'What? Oh I wasn't getting excited about shopping and lunch. I was getting excited about this. Look!'
Zoe passed her phone in front of them but it was so fast Juliet didn't see a thing.
'I didn't see it. What was it?'
'It's an invitation to dinner tonight.'
'Lovely. Oh! From Luke? Does this mean he's going to propose tonight?'
Zoe frowned. 'What? No. I mean yes, it's from Luke, but it's not for me. Well not just for me. It's for us. For all of us. We've been invited to dinner at The Grange tonight. Luke says he knows it's short notice but it would mean a lot if we could come.' She looked at each of them in turn, her smile fading slightly. 'We will go, won't we? All of us.' She stared at Juliet.
'Hey. Don't look at me like that. It is short notice. Very short notice and I think it's a bit of a cheek, but of course I'll go if it'll make you happy. Even though I'd rather throw myself back in the lake and drown than have dinner at The Grange.'
Even Bernard stiffened. 'I agree with Juliet. It's very short notice, especially in this weather, and so close to Christmas Day.' He glanced at Rosa before smiling at Zoe. 'But if you and Luke are going to be spending your future together, I suppose we'll all have to get used to passing an evening or two at the house.'
Rosa smiled wanly. 'Does he say if it's a formal affa
ir, sweetheart? Or casual?'
'Oh. He doesn't say. I'll send him a text and ask.'
Juliet tutted. 'Why don't you call him? That way we can ask what time it is. Who'll be there? How long it's likely to last. Can I bring a plus one? Because I'm not looking forward to Harrison and Kiki pawing one another in front of me while I sit there twiddling my thumbs.'
Zoe smirked. 'Forgetting for one moment that you don't have a plus one you can take, why would Harrison and Kiki be pawing one another?'
'They might not be I suppose, if they're still having their little misunderstanding.'
'What misunderstanding?'
'I don't know. I didn't ask the details. But they must've had a row because she wasn't there last night and Harrison was biting everyone's heads off. He was in such a bad mood. I suppose they could've made up last night though because he left ten minutes after he arrived. Well maybe not ten minutes, but he certainly didn't hang around.'
Zoe chuckled and shook her head. 'I don't know what you're talking about. But I'll ask.' She went into the hall and closed the kitchen door behind her.
'I'm not looking forward to this, darling,' Bernard said, casting a melancholy look at Rosa.
'Nor am I,' she replied. 'I'm not sure why we need to go to dinner. He hasn't proposed yet.'
'Perhaps Rufus wants to make it clear the past is in the past.'
'Oh God,' Juliet said. 'Will he be there?'
Rosa raised her brows. 'I should think so sweetheart. It is his house, after all.'
'Oh joy. I'm not sure I've got anything to wear. Especially not if it's a formal affair.'
'Then it's probably a good thing we're going shopping. You can pick up something in town.'
'Great. I've got to buy a dress to go to a dinner I don't want to go to with people I don't like. Present company excepted.' She shook her head and reached out her hand to her dad. 'Will it be awful for you, Dad? I know you got through having to come and see me the other day, but this is different. We've got to go to the house that was our home and sit and watch as that old man lords it over us.'
'He might not do that,' Rosa said, as Juliet got up to grab some toast. 'Harrison was nothing but kind when we were there, and he made sure I had everything I needed to make me feel comfortable. I don't see why Rufus would go out of his way to make us feel uneasy or unwelcome. Not after so many years. At least I hope he won't.'
Zoe shoved open the door, all smiles. 'Okay. Dinner's at eight. Luke will come and get us. Casual not formal. No need for you to dress up. What else? Um. He'll bring us home whenever we want. It'll just be them and us. No one else is invited. Um. And no, you can't take anyone with you, Juliet. Right. I think that covers it. God, I'm starving. What time are we going shopping? I need to buy a new dress.'
Juliet's jaw dropped as she returned to the table with a plate of toast. 'I thought you said it was casual and we didn't need to dress up.'
Zoe grabbed a slice from Juliet's plate and grinned. 'I said you didn't need to dress up. I intend to knock both Luke and the old man, dead. Figuratively speaking, of course. I don't want old Rufus to die the first time I go to dinner with him. And I definitely don't want Luke to kick the bucket. At least not before he's proposed. Sorry! I shouldn't joke about that, should I? Not after what happened to you, sis.'
But Juliet wasn't thinking about that. If Zoe was going to buy a new dress in the hope of knocking her boyfriend's socks off, so to speak, then perhaps Juliet should do the same. Buy a new dress and see if she could knock a certain person's socks off.
Although with Kiki as her competition, it would have to be one hell of a dress.
Chapter Twenty-One
Despite having spent the entire day Christmas shopping, trudging through shin-deep snow, laden down with bags and battling hordes of determined shoppers, while being brain washed into feeling jolly by the endless stream of cheery Christmas music blaring from every shop, Juliet was ready by seven-thirty and was staring out of her bedroom window towards The Grange.
When they lived there, the entire outline of house could be seen from anywhere on Mistletoe Row at this time of year; lights hung all around the façade, the roof, the windows and the door. There was a huge Christmas tree, or two, outside, with hundreds and hundreds of coloured lights swaying in the wind. A warm amber glow from the interior flooded out onto the gravel drive, making the house look both welcoming and lived in. When you opened the heavy front doors which were surrounded by boughs of pine entwined with holly and mistletoe and where a magnificent, mistletoe, holly and red rose, wreath hung, the heady aromas of spices, brandy, and herbs and baking, drifted out into the cold night air. And when you went inside, it was as if you'd been enveloped in a warm hug. There were lights and decorations adorning the tree in the hall, another in the sitting room and one in the dining room. Boughs of holly and mistletoe wound their way around each door frame. Cards and presents were everywhere. The place oozed Christmas spirit in every sense of the word.
Peering out into the darkness, Juliet could just make out the light in the hall, and one in the dining room. Harrison and Luke, along with Kiki, had been at Merry's Christmas Tree Farm on Monday, so they must've got a tree. It wasn't outside, so it must be indoors. Perhaps they got more than one. She hadn't seen any when she was there, but she had stayed in her room. She hadn't spotted one as she left on Wednesday. Did they get one, after all?
From her room, the house looked sad and lonely. It really needed cheering up. It was odd that Luke hadn't done that. But perhaps he would if Zoe mentioned it. She saw car headlights moving down the drive. Luke was on his way. She went downstairs just as Zoe called her name and a few seconds later, Luke pulled up outside.
'Sorry this was all so last minute,' he said, holding the door open for Rosa, Juliet and Zoe to get into the back, while Bernard walked around and got in the front passenger seat. 'Harrison thought it was time we all got together. Now that it's out in the open.' He slid into the front seat and smiled. 'And I apologise if you feel that Zoe and I have been running around behind your backs Mr and Mrs Bell, but the truth is, we weren't sure how you'd all feel about us seeing one another. No point in tipping up the apple cart for a few dates. Once we realised how serious we were, we knew we had to come clean, so to speak. But I wanted to wait until I could talk to Harrison. And he's been difficult to pin down.'
'We understand,' Bernard said. 'And, if we're going to be family, please call us Rosa and Bernard.'
'Thanks.' Luke put his foot on the accelerator and tore away at close to breakneck speed, sending waves of snow into the air.
Bernard coughed. 'Perhaps we could slow down a tad. I can hardly see the road under all this snow.'
'I've got snow tyres and it won't matter if we venture a little off-piste.' Luke threw Bernard a confident smile, which clearly wasn't returned. 'No. You're right, of course.' Luke immediately slowed down, but it still took less than three minutes from door to door.
Juliet was surprised to see the front door open the second they arrived, and even more so, to see Harrison waiting to greet them.
'Welcome,' he said, as they got out of the car. 'Glad to see you arrived safely.'
'We didn't have far to come,' Bernard said. 'Good evening, Harrison. Good to see you again.'
'No. But ...' His voice trailed off as his gaze landed on Juliet. He was probably going to comment on Luke's driving, but clearly thought better of it. 'Um. It's good to see you again too, Bernard. It's good to see you all. Please come in.'
He stood to one side to let them pass and as Juliet drew level with him, he half-smiled, half-frowned; a sort of grimacing smile, if she could call it that.
'You look beautiful, Juliet.'
His words surprised her. She knew the midnight-blue dress, which clung to her body in all the right places, but somehow managed to hide the few lumps and bumps eating too much junk food had caused, suited her. Her family had even said she looked lovely, Zoe going as far as to say, “Wowser! And I thought I would knock them dead,” b
ut Juliet had her heavy overcoat buttoned up tight, so he couldn't see it at the moment. He was clearly trying to be polite.
'Thanks. You look good too.' And he did. Charcoal grey trousers, a white shirt and a navy-blue sweater might look boring on most men; somehow Harrison made them look hot.
She glanced around the hall, met her mum's eyes and nodded. She could read her thoughts because Juliet was thinking the same.
'You look a little disappointed,' Harrison said, as he asked to take their coats and Daphne joined them from the direction of the kitchen.
'No. Um. I was merely wondering if you bought a tree the other day, and if so, where it is, that's all.'
'In the sitting room. Daphne decorated it, with a little help from Luke so it ...' He stopped mid-sentence as Juliet shrugged off her coat and handed it to him. His jaw dropped, his eyes opened wide and he blinked several times.
'What's wrong?' She looked down at her dress. It was an off-the-shoulder, scooped neck, which came to a low-cut V at the top of her breast-bone and for a second, she thought it might be revealing much more than it should. She laid a hand upon her chest and let out a soft sigh of relief. 'Phew. I thought my dress may've slipped. Um. Why are you staring at me? It's making me feel a little uncomfortable.'
He blinked again. 'You should be in my shoes. I'm stunned. You look ... sensational.' He gave his head a quick shake. 'Sorry. Um. Let me take your coat, Rosa.'
He reached out his hand to take it, but his gaze was still fixed on Juliet and she could feel a rush of colour creep across her chest and up into her cheeks. A tiny smile formed on her lips. Was he actually having trouble taking his eyes off her? Did he honestly think she looked sensational? She was so pleased she'd bought this dress, even though it had cost far more than she should've spent.
'Drinks in the sitting room?' Daphne said, glancing at Harrison, as if for approval. 'Rufus is in there waiting.'
'Great,' Harrison said, but he didn't sound happy. 'Yes. Please make yourselves at home while I hang up your coats.'
Bells and Bows on Mistletoe Row Page 12