The Best Christmas Ever: a feel-good festive romance to warm your heart this Christmas

by Karen King

He sighed. He’d thought that life would be more peaceful when he moved to Lystone, but it was already turning out to be stressful.

  Chapter Eleven

  Monday, five days before Christmas

  Joel opened one eye sleepily, glanced at the clock, then shot out of bed. He was late! Again! Thanks to Sweetie keeping him awake, alternating between snoring, hogging the covers and pacing around the bedroom all night, again. It was typical that she was fast asleep now, when he should have been up at least half an hour ago. He and Andy were checking out the tree properly today, and had arranged to meet at ten. It was already nine thirty.

  As if sensing that he was up, Sweetie stirred, and sat up on the pillow, looking sleepily at him as if wondering what he was doing.

  ‘Come on, girl, I need to let you out quickly or I’ll be late for work,’ he said, reaching for his dressing gown. Andy would be there with the van soon, and he’d promised Martin a report later that evening, as he knew he was determined to get the tree cut down this week.

  ‘Woof! Woof!’ Sweetie jumped off the bed and ran over to the door her tail wagging furiously.

  ‘Give me a sec,’ he told her as he pulled on a slipper and reached for the other one, thinking how his life was a bit out of kilter at the moment. Here he was, divorced – well, almost – and living in a rural village instead of a big city, which he’d assumed would be quiet and relaxing but was already turning out to be eventful. And if the council ordered him to cut down that blessed tree, he could well become public enemy number one if the other villagers reacted how Lexi had done last night. Not exactly a great start to village life, was it?

  He went downstairs, Sweetie way ahead of him, and opened the back door for the Maltese to have an amble in the secure back garden, then topped up the water in the coffee machine, switched it on, put a pod of black coffee in and placed a mug underneath.

  He must definitely check on Lloyd today and see how he was doing after his near fall. He secretly hoped he might bump into Lexi again, too – she seemed like the kind of person who would go the extra mile to make sure Lloyd was all right. He was surprised – and a little hurt – by her parting shot on the green yesterday. Anyone would think that he had cancelled Christmas. ‘A grinch’ she’d called him, referring to the Dr Seuss book about the grump who hated Christmas, which he presumed she’d read as a child, too. He thought that was a bit off. He didn’t hate Christmas. He just didn’t make a song and dance about it.

  He sighed as he picked up the cup of coffee and took it over to the table. What was it with people and Christmas? As soon as December rolled in, all common sense seemed to go out of the window. Lexi had sounded almost fanatical about it. Honestly, the lengths people went to in order to have the mythical ‘perfect Christmas’. It was as if nothing else mattered. What was the council supposed to do about the tree if it was dying? Someone could be killed. Christmas came second to saving lives. His parents, both doctors, had repeatedly said that when he and Hazel had begged them to spend just one Christmas Day with them instead of sending them off to their grandparents every holiday. He’d realised as he got older, that what they had been doing was vital, and unselfish. They’d put saving lives before their family and their own needs. He admired them a great deal now, still in Glasgow, working in A&E over the Christmas period. Neither he nor Hazel had wanted to follow in their footsteps, though, they’d seen first-hand the hard work involved in being a doctor. Especially at Christmas. Sweetie happily wandered back in, headed for her basket and was soon snoring away. Joel glanced over at her as he sat down to drink his coffee, he wished he could climb back into bed and sleep for a few hours longer, but there was work to do – and he needed this job. He just hoped it didn’t make enemies for him in the village.

  When he finished his coffee the little dog was still spark out, great he could have a quick shower then go and meet Andy, he’d take Sweetie out for a walk later and call in on Lloyd on the way home. He got up and crept out of the room so as not to wake her. He was halfway up the stairs when he heard loud barking and the scuffle of paws as Sweetie dashed out of the kitchen and up the stairs after him. Damn. It looked like he’d have to let her in the bathroom again while he showered. This was getting ridiculous. He could barely go to the loo on his own. He must try and get hold of Hazel today, and see if she had any suggestions as to how to settle the little dog.

  After breakfast, Lexi decided to take the Christmas tree around to Lloyd. She pulled on her jeans and red polo-neck sweater, then her long Christmas cardigan – the one with the white background with rows of green Christmas trees and red reindeer that matched Ben’s. It was long enough to reach her knees, and had pockets and a hood, she was driving there so wouldn’t need a coat. She left her long hair hanging loose, and put in her flashing Santa earrings. She was determined to cheer Lloyd up.

  ‘I’m going to pop the Christmas tree around to Lloyd’s now, Gran,’ she said. Her parents were both working in the bakery that morning. ‘I’ll invite him to Christmas dinner too. I hope he agrees to come.’

  ‘Well, you look very festive!’ Granny Mabe said with a smile. ‘Now, don’t be rushing back on my behalf. Some of my friends are popping round. We’re having a meeting about the yarn-bombing.’

  ‘Do you think you should carry on doing this, Gran? You could get a big fine,’ Lexi pointed out.

  ‘They’ve got to catch us first!’ Granny Mabe replied.

  Honestly, her gran was like a rebellious teenager, Lexi thought as she pulled on her long black boots.

  As she pulled up outside Lloyd’s house, she started to wonder if this was a good idea. Old people could be very proud. What if he looked on this as charity? Or if he didn’t want a Christmas tree? She hadn’t actually asked him, had she? She was always so impulsive – spontaneous she preferred to call it – but she knew not everyone appreciate surprises . . . Maybe she should check before she took everything out of the car. And if he said he didn’t want the tree she had to respect his wishes and not try to talk him into it. She knew she could be a bit over the top about Christmas sometimes, what did everyone expect with a family like hers who all turned their houses into grottos and a mum and dad who insisted on dressing up as Santa and Mrs Claus, not only for the family Christmas dinner but also in the bakery every Christmas Eve!

  She glanced at the house next door but one, the van had gone so it looked like Joel was out, which was good. She felt a bit bad about shouting at him yesterday. He was only doing his job, after all, and had been told that the tree was unsafe. Maybe when he checked it over today, he would decide that he could save it. She hoped so. She walked up the path to Lloyd’s house and rang the bell.

  ‘Who is it?’ he called.

  She opened the letterbox and shouted through. ‘It’s me, Lexi. Is this a good time to call? I can come back later if you’re busy.’

  The door was opened in a couple of minutes. ‘How wonderful! I didn’t expect to see you so soon, but do come in. It’s a pleasant surprise. And I love the earrings. Very cheerful.’

  She thrust her hands in her cardigan pockets and looked at him earnestly. ‘I’ve brought something with me but please say if you don’t want it all. I’m a bit worried that I might be imposing.’

  Lloyd peered down at the ground by her feet then looked back at her, puzzled.

  ‘It’s in the car,’ she explained. ‘It’s a Christmas tree. We had a spare one and I thought you might like it. I’ve brought some baubles and lights too. I could help you put it up. But if you prefer not to bother with it, I don’t mind honestly. It was probably a bit presumptuous of me.’

  His face creased into a warm smile. ‘A Christmas tree? How delightful! I haven’t had one for years! What a lovely idea. Thank you. It’s about time I brightened up the place and celebrated Christmas properly again.’

  She grinned in relief. ‘I’ll go and get it out of the boot of my car.’

  Two journeys later – Lloyd insisted on coming out to help her, and thankfully, the snow had almost clea
red so she didn’t have to worry about him slipping over again – and the tree and baubles were in the house.

  ‘I’ve brought something else, too.’ She took a small CD player out of her bag and two CDs of Christmas carols which she had also found in the loft. ‘I love to have Christmas songs playing in the background while I put up the tree.’

  Lloyd’s eyes were sparkling. ‘I’ll plug it in right away,’ he said.

  ‘Right, now where would you like the tree?’ Lexi asked as the words of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ rang out from the CD that was already in the player.

  The old man looked around the room. ‘I think over by the bay window,’ he decided. ‘Now, I’ll fix us a hot drink, then we can get cracking.’

  Lexi took off her long cardigan and put it over the arm of a chair, then carefully eased the Christmas tree out of the box, opened up the stand and fixed it on the bottom then started spreading out the branches. The tree was standing by the window, branches all outstretched, when Lloyd came in carrying a tray loaded with two mugs of tea and a plate of assorted biscuits.

  ‘That’s a grand tree. Are you sure you don’t want anything for it?’ he said.

  ‘Positive. It was up in my parents’ loft, they haven’t used it for years. My dad won’t throw anything away, but he’s happy to give it away.’

  ‘He sounds a kind man.’ Lloyd placed the tray down on the table, then rubbed his hands. ‘Right, let’s get cracking!’

  So, with the Christmas carols playing, they spent an hour or so decorating the tree, both singing along to the songs.

  Chapter Twelve

  ‘What do you think?’ Andy asked when Joel was back down on the ground again.

  ‘As I thought, the ivy growing around it has caused some of the branches to die back, but the general health of the fir tree is absolutely fine. There’s no need to cut it down. It’s a Douglas Fir, and in good health otherwise.’

  Andy looked uneasy. ‘I thought you said the council wanted it cut down?’

  ‘They do. Martin is putting pressure on me to say that the tree is unsafe and needs to be destroyed.’ Joel stuck his head on one side as he surveyed Andy thoughtfully. ‘You know about the Christmas Eve carol service the locals usually hold here. Theoretically, there’s no reason why it couldn’t have gone ahead this year. It would only take a day, two at the most, to make the tree safe.’

  ‘Maybe, but it’s too late for that now. Even if Martin agreed, they’d never get the paperwork through in time. Or get the lights on.’ Andy shuffled his feet. ‘I don’t see what we can do. If the council want the tree cut down then that’s up to them. If we don’t do it, someone else will and we’ll lose a job, and probably future work, too.’

  Joel rubbed his chin. ‘I know, but I think we should at least say that it can be saved, and perhaps give them a quote for that? It’s not ethical to put in a report saying that the tree is unsafe when it isn’t. Reputation is everything in this business. If the council still want to cut the tree down, that’s up to them. It’s their decision at the end of the day, but it’s our responsibility to be truthful about the state of the tree.’

  ‘True.’ Andy rubbed his hands together as a cold wind blew by. ‘I need to get going. I’ve got another job this afternoon. You have to get your report over to Martin today, don’t you?’

  Joel nodded. ‘I’ll let you know what Martin says.’ He didn’t think that there was much doubt as to what Martin would say, the man was adamant that he wanted the tree cutting down, but Joel had to at least try. It was a beautiful specimen. It would be a shame to destroy it.

  And it meant a lot to Lexi.

  When Andy had gone, Joel stood back and gazed up at the tree, remembering how passionate Lexi had been about the annual carol service, saying how much it meant to the village. If the council agreed to save the tree, he could do it in time, and Andy had said he was free to help. It wasn’t their decision, though, but would Lexi see it that way if the council insisted the tree had to come down? It was evident that Christmas, and all the surrounding traditions, were important to her.

  Christmas. He’d enjoyed it as a child, but as he’d grown older it had little importance to him. In the period between Christmas and New Year, he’d seen his parents come home exhausted and often upset after spending a day in A&E, dealing with emergencies such as car crashes, drunken fights, and accidents, and had, from an early age, realised that the Christmas season often brought out the worst in people. As an adult, he had never bothered to celebrate it much, but Toni loved a party and Christmas to her was an excuse to do just that, and to buy expensive presents that they couldn’t afford. In January, their bank balance was always in the red and whenever he complained she told him not to be a grinch, it was Christmas. It was as if Christmas was an excuse for over-indulging in anything. Last year, he – like most of the nation – had spent a quiet Christmas at home because of the lockdown restrictions, and he was happy to do the same this year. Hazel had left him a turkey crown in the freezer, a small Christmas pudding, a box of mince pies and a good brandy, and there were a couple of films on Netflix he wanted to see, so that was Christmas sorted for him. Right now, though, he’d go and check on Sweetie, pop in to see how Lloyd was, then send over the quote to Martin. After that, for the rest of the day, he could put his feet up. He was looking forward to that. He was exhausted.

  Lloyd looked up as the doorbell rang. ‘I wonder who that can be?’

  ‘Maybe it’s a parcel,’ Lexi suggested. ‘Are you expecting a delivery?’

  ‘No.’ Lloyd walked over to look through the window, then turned back, a smile on his face. ‘It’s Joel.’

  Joel. Lexi felt her cheeks flush. Keep calm, she told herself, don’t sound off again. She braced herself as Lloyd went to open the front door. She was in Lloyd’s house; she would be polite but firm if Joel carried on dissing Christmas.

  ‘Hello, Lloyd. How are you feeling? I’m sorry that I didn’t get chance to pop by yesterday.’

  ‘I’m fine, thank you. And you’ve got Sweetie with you. Hello, girl.’

  ‘Yap! Yap!’

  ‘Do come in. You too, Sweetie.’

  Lexi turned towards the lounge door as she heard Joel ask, ‘You know Sweetie?’

  ‘Yes, I used to see Hazel and Al walking her. How are you getting on with her? She’s a cute little thing, isn’t see?’

  ‘She is, but she’s exhausting me. I know I’ve only been with her a few days but she just won’t settle,’ Joel said.

  ‘She’ll be missing Hazel and Al. They always make such a fuss of her. They’re going to be away six months, aren’t they?’ Lloyd asked.

  ‘Yes, they’re helping set up a couple of new hotels over in Dubai.’

  Sweetie bounded through the door and over to Lexi, wagging her tail excitedly. ‘Oh you are such a cute darling!’ Lexi said, making a fuss of the little dog.

  Sweetie was followed by Lloyd and Joel, but Lexi studiously focused her attention on fussing the little dog.

  ‘You wouldn’t think that if you were woken up to her barking half a dozen times a night and came back from work to find she’d chewed up one of your sister’s favourite cushions,’ Joel said, smiling warily at her.

  ‘Are you being a naughty girl?’ Lexi asked Sweetie, trying to steel herself to apologise to Joel, who was now staring at her flashing Santa earrings. He probably thought she was stupid to wear them.

  His eyes then flitted over to the half-decorated Christmas tree. ‘This all looks very festive.’

  ‘Lexi found out I hadn’t got a Christmas tree, so she brought me one round and is helping me decorate it. Isn’t that kind of her?’ Lloyd told him. ‘Come and join us. Sweetie is welcome, too.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think Joel will want to do that, he doesn’t approve of Christmas, especially not Christmas trees. He’s about to cut down the big fir tree on the green,’ Lexi retorted.

  ‘Really?’ Lloyd looked shocked and Lexi felt herself flush. She shouldn’t have said that. She
didn’t even know if he was going to cut down the tree yet.

  ‘That’s a bit unfair.’ Joel looked annoyed.

  Lloyd looked from one to the other. ‘Why don’t you sit down and tell us all about it?

  Lexi felt ashamed. Why did she let her tongue get carried away? ‘Sorry, I know that you’re only doing your job, but that Christmas tree means a lot to the villagers of Lystone.’

  He met her gaze. ‘I do understand, and I apologise if I sounded uncaring yesterday but it really isn’t my decision to make. All I’ve been asked to do is submit a quote for the work the council want done.’

  ‘It’s a shame if the tree has to come down. Are you a tree surgeon, Joel?’ asked Lloyd.

  ‘Yes. I’ve been examining the tree today with my colleague. Ivy has wound itself around the trunk and some of the branches which is why several of them have died back.’

  ‘And is it dangerous? Is there any chance to save it?’ Lexi asked, forcing herself to keep her tone calm and polite.

  She saw the hesitation on Joel’s face. ‘I think it could be saved, couldn’t it?’ She held his gaze. She was sure that if the tree was so dangerous that there was no option but to take it down, he would say so instead of hedging as he was.

  Joel sighed. ‘Yes, it could be, but it isn’t my decision. If the council ask me to cut it down, then that’s what I have to do.’

  ‘Surely you could cut off the branches that the ivy has wrapped around, then the tree would be safe?’

  ‘Not without the council’s permission, I can’t.’

  ‘And do you intend to tell them that you think it can be saved, and to offer to save it?’ Lexi asked.

  ‘I do, but I doubt if it will make any difference.’

  Well, that’s good that he’s prepared to do that. ‘And could you make it safe in time for Christmas?’ She knew that she was putting him on the spot, but if there was any way of saving the Christmas carol service, she wanted to know.

  ‘Theoretically, yes,’ he admitted. ‘But there would probably have to be another meeting about it, as a decision has already been made to cut the tree down. Which means that there wouldn’t be time to prune the tree before Christmas. So we won’t be able to put the lights on it and your carol service still won’t be able to go ahead.’