The Holiday Swap

by Zara Stoneley

  Then they’d share a glass of wine, end up cooking together, laughing, listening to music… but soon it would be over. She had to make the most of her last few days, of Christmas.

  The ground was crispy under her feet as she and Mabel left a new trace next to the ones that marked where Hugo had strode.

  It looked as though they were going to get a white Christmas, and she was so pleased she’d be here to see it. And whatever Hugo thought, the first thing she was going to do in the morning was build a snowman. A massive one. ‘Shall we build a snow dog as well, Mabel? And a snow horse for Hugo?’

  The light was already fading, the clear sky and crisp white covering on the ground drawing the day out so that they could make the most of every second. She banged her hands together, trying to get the circulation going, knowing that her fingertips would tingle when she went back inside the warm house.

  She blew out, watching the warm air dance against the cold, a ghostly whisper of heat fighting the icy stillness.

  The horses appeared over the brow, following Hugo, snorting their own halos of warmth like small dragons, the frost already teasing its way into their long lashes and forelocks. They danced on their tiptoes, avoiding the sharp, hard frozen ruts of earth, ever mindful of the tall figure that walked in front. If she’d ever hoped to capture a moment, it was this one.

  She closed her eyes, hoping to imprint it on her memory, the freezing air biting at her nostrils as she breathed in, catching at her throat and making her eyes water.

  A low whistle made her open her eyes, and through the dampness she realised Hugo was watching her. ‘Penny for them?’

  ‘I was just thinking how much I love it here,’ she shrugged, ‘what more could anybody want?’ She looked at him. ‘I’ll be sad to go.’ It was that happy-sad thing again. She liked it here, she felt chilled, comfortable. But her home was in Barcelona. And Hugo was here, in Cheshire. With his horses.

  ‘Well, I don’t know if I should admit this or not, but it’ll be damned strange without you.’

  ‘You don’t fancy coming to Barcelona for New Year’s Eve, do you?’

  ‘I can’t just leave the horses.’

  ‘Daisy can do them. Just for a couple of days, she’ll be back home. I’d like you to know where I am.’

  ‘I think I’d rather like to know as well.’ The corner of his mouth quirked up. ‘See if I can work out what could possibly appeal to you more than being here with me can.’

  Flo laughed, not sure how serious he was being, and then slipped her hand into the one he offered. ‘Impossible to imagine, isn’t it?’

  ‘It is.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘Thank you for asking,’ his voice had a softer edge than normal, ‘I can’t think of anybody I’d rather see in the New Year with.’

  Which made her insides all squishy and warm.

  Chapter 25 – Daisy. Turkey and sprouts

  ‘So this is it then?’

  ‘This is it.’

  Daisy looked at the queue that was snaking its way through airport security, and then back at Javier. ‘I wish you could come. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t say that, it isn’t fair.’

  Christmas was all turkey and sprouts. A part she loved, and then a not-so-nice bit that you had to put up with. And now she was actually all fluttery-excited inside at the thought of going home to Mabel and Barney, but she had a hard lump in her chest that wouldn’t budge. What if she never saw Javier again? What if she never felt this lovely warmth inside that seemed to make the whole world look brighter – as though really, honestly, anything could happen if she wanted it to? She didn’t want that light extinguished. She didn’t want to go without this man who made everything look better.

  ‘I’m glad you said it.’ He kissed the end of her nose. He got her. He got it. Which kind of made it worse. ‘We’ll sort something out, and you know I’m not going to let you give up on your dreams. We’re going to work our way through them together.’

  ‘Together’ sounded nice, except all those lists and dreams had faded into the background a bit since she’d got to know him. But she had to be sensible about this. ‘I might have a new set of dreams though.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, that’s a pretty ancient list that I thought up years ago, I think it needs updating a bit.’ Tweaking to make sure that the really important things, people, took priority.

  ‘Like?’

  ‘Like watching the sun rise here on the beach.’ He could say no now if he wanted, be honest, give her some indication of whether the future she could glimpse was anything like the one he had in mind. ‘I’m probably not as big as an adventurer as I thought I’d be, and I do want to go home, but,’ here was his opening, ‘I would like to see some of those things you’ve told me about.’

  ‘So you will come back?’

  ‘I suppose I should really, shouldn’t I?’

  ‘Definitely.’ His smile seemed a bit broader, the dimples a bit deeper as he slipped his hand under her hair, rubbed his thumb along her jaw in a way guaranteed to make her lose her concentration and all ability to speak. ‘And I presume you’ll need a guide?’

  ‘Oh yes.’

  ‘I think I need to come and meet Mabel too, don’t I?’

  Daisy nodded, gulped, tried not to rub against the pressure and purr. ‘I’d like that, she’d like it too.’

  ‘Does New Year’s Eve work for you?’

  ‘What!’ She forgot about being mesmerised. ‘You’re kidding? Really? You’re going to come over?’

  ‘I thought maybe we should start next year on the right note, you know, as we mean to go on.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘I’ve chatted to Gabi and she was all for it. But there are conditions.’

  ‘Conditions?’

  ‘Well, I expect you to give me the full works, show me round. I think you owe me a few tours.’

  Daisy giggled. ‘One tour would just about cover the whole village. It is quiet, you know, no need for a bus, just some wellies.’

  ‘Quiet suits me.’ He slipped his arm round her waist, pulled her in tighter against his body. ‘As long as you’re there.’

  ‘I’ll definitely be there, and you can do my stuff – we’ll swap the scooter for a horse. You really are coming, you’re not joking?’

  ‘No joke.’

  ‘We don’t have a big thing for New Year like you do here – it’s just few fireworks.’

  ‘We can make our own fireworks I reckon, don’t you?’

  Oh God, he was just so gorgeous, her stomach was churning just at the thought of being with him again.

  ‘Go on, you’d better go, you’ll miss your plane.’

  She kissed him. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome – go.’ He took her by the shoulders and spun her round. ‘Go before I change my mind and don’t let you.’

  Was it too early to say it? Was she being daft again? Oh hell, she had to, she couldn’t not. The worst he could do was change his mind. She’d save it, no she couldn’t.

  ‘Javier, I, well—’

  But before she could say what she was trying to, he caught hold of her again and had his arms wrapped around her, his forehead pressed to hers and those blue eyes looking at her as if he’d never looked properly before. Her stomach lurched, it was just such an intent, serious, searching look. ‘I think I love you, Daisy Fischer.’ His voice was so soft she would have thought there was a chance she’d misheard, except he was so close she couldn’t.

  Tears sprung into her eyes and the lump that had been lodged in her chest was suddenly in her throat. ‘I don’t think I love you, Javier.’ She swallowed, tightened her grip round him. ‘I know it.’

  His lips met hers and it was the gentlest, sweetest caress as she leaned into him, closing her eyes so that she could let the smell of coffee, mints, of him, wrap itself around her; properly feel the way his fingers threaded their way through her hair, the sensation of his skin against hers, so that she could hold it. Capture it. Remember it.

  ‘You’d better go.�
�� There was the slightest tremor in his voice. ‘Before we get locked up.’

  She went. Followed the queue, glancing back all the time. She had a stupid smile on her face, she was waving for far too long as she showed her boarding pass. Holding up the queue as she put her belongings in the trays to be checked. Walking backwards through the arch. The security guys thought she was crackers. She didn’t care.

  ***

  ‘You just always have to win, don’t you? Have to be right.’

  Daisy looked at Jimmy and the bubble she’d been in since getting on the plane well and truly popped. Reality. She’d known this was never going to be easy, known Jimmy didn’t want to hear the truth. To give up on his plan. Because it was just a plan. He wasn’t madly in love with her, he’d just decided now was the time to get married and she was the girl he’d known for years.

  ‘This isn’t about winning, or being right or wrong, is it Jimmy?’ He seemed almost like a stranger now as he glared at her over the table. She’d wanted to part friends, thought maybe they could – seeing as they’d never actually been that involved, committed, until he’d popped the question.

  There was no way he couldn’t have been expecting this. Which was why he’d been refusing to answer her calls or texts. He’d been avoiding the issue, waiting for it to go away. For her to come home and things to magically revert to how they’d been.

  ‘And what is my dad going to think?’

  She tried to repress the sigh. It suddenly seemed easier though, Jimmy wasn’t that bothered about her; maybe he never had been. He was bothered about keeping up appearances, doing what his family expected.

  ‘I’m sorry, Jimmy, I really am, but it just wouldn’t be right for either of us. This isn’t about your dad is it? It’s about us.’

  ‘Well we were fine before.’

  ‘Maybe we’ve changed? I know I’m going to want to travel, maybe go back to Barcelona, and you hate doing that. And I wouldn’t expect you to just sit here waiting for me.’

  ‘If you’d stayed at home with me, where you belong, you wouldn’t have got any of these daft ideas. You’ll regret it.’

  ‘Oh, Jimmy, I know you don’t get it,’ she went to touch his hand, but he pulled away, ‘but I needed to go, and I wanted to stay out there.’

  Jimmy shook his head, looking baffled. ‘Are you having one of those midlife-crisis things?’

  ‘Jimmy!’

  ‘Right, if you’ve got it all off your chest I’ll be getting off to the pub. It’ll be packed tonight with it being Christmas Eve. You don’t get that in old Espagne, do you?’ She shook her head.

  So that was it. Her head felt lighter as he slammed the door shut behind him. In fact, her whole body seemed lighter.

  ***

  ‘Happy Christmas, Daisy.’

  Daisy smiled to herself, happy but sad, as his familiar, warm voice wrapped its way round her senses. She walked out of her mother’s kitchen – where she’d been helping to prepare vegetables – so that she could have some privacy.

  ‘Happy Christmas to you too, Javier.’

  ‘Everything okay? What are you up to?’

  ‘Right now? I’m wearing a very attractive apron and I’m busy with some parsnips.’

  He chuckled.

  ‘I miss you.’ It had seemed strange waking up on her own on Christmas morning, back in her cottage – with Javier and Spain seeming like a world away. And now, hearing his voice, it was maddeningly better and worse at the same time. She’d been dying to hear him, but now she just wanted him to be there. With her.

  ‘I miss you too, but I’ll soon be there with you.’

  True, but New Year’s Eve and his promised visit seemed a lifetime away. ‘I know. I wish I could have stayed with you though.’

  ‘Here, I’ve got somebody else who wants to talk to you…’ She could hear background noises and then a chorus of ‘Happy Christmas’ from Gabi and Jaime. The laughter caught Daisy in the stomach and a lump rose to her throat, bringing the sting of tears to her eyes. She really missed him. It had caught her unawares, this sudden longing to be with somebody – a feeling she’d never ever felt like this before.

  ‘Are you sure Gabi doesn’t mind you coming here for New Year? Will she and Jaime be okay without you?’ If she did mind, then Daisy had a feeling she’d be heading back on a flight to Spain some time very soon.

  ‘I heard that! I don’t mind at all.’ Gabi shouted. ‘In fact I’ll be glad to see the back of him for a while. You’ve no idea how much a big brother cramps your style.’

  Javier laughed ‘Some people are never happy. But, yeah, she doesn’t want me. I’m all yours.’

  ‘All?’

  ‘Totally. Mind, body and soul.’

  ‘How do you feel about mucking out horses?’

  ‘Well that wasn’t quite what I meant, but you know me, game for anything. Why? I thought you only had one.’

  ‘I have, but Hugo has lots, and Flo’s persuaded him to see the New Year in in Barcelona, so I kind of offered to do it.’

  ‘Kind of offered? That sounds just like you! Sounds good to me though, we’ll have the place to ourselves, nobody to spoil the fun.’ He was chuckling again and the sound fizzed straight down the airwaves and into her bloodstream. ‘Look I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to go, Daisy, but it’ll seem like no time before I’m with you. Have a lovely day, won’t you? I’ll call again later if I can.’

  ‘I will, you too, give my love to Gabi and Jaime. I’ll call you tomorrow.’

  Daisy’s mum smiled when she went back in the kitchen. ‘Sprouts.’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Sprouts will keep your mind off him.’

  ‘Him?’ Acting the innocent didn’t exactly work for her; she was grinning and blushing.

  ‘I think you found more to look at than the sea in Barcelona, young Daisy, now come on get those veg prepared. You know I need to have dinner served before the Queen’s speech is on.’

  ***

  ‘I can’t believe I’ve eaten so much.’ Daisy groaned as she helped her mother and sister clear the plates. The seconds of Christmas pudding had been a bad idea. All she wanted to do now was collapse on the sofa for an hour, then take Mabel for a very long walk.

  ‘Oh go and answer the door will you, darling?’ Her mother frowned, ‘did you say young Florence was popping round?’

  ‘I didn’t think it would be this early, but she can help us wash the pots.’ Daisy peeled herself off the comfortable seat and headed for the door. It was weird thinking of Flo and Hugo as a couple: very weird – not that he couldn’t be nice.

  He could be unbearable, pompous, and arrogant, but she’d always sneakily watched him handle his horses, wishing she could have such a bond with an animal. He was patient and kind, and amazingly persistent. It was just a shame that the moment he hung up the tack he reverted to the same old idiot. She grinned, but maybe Flo had found the secret to keeping the ‘nice’ Hugo.

  ‘Flo!’ She flung the door open. But it wasn’t Flo.

  ‘You can’t have forgotten me already!’ Javier, with the broadest grin she’d ever seen on his face, was standing in front of her clutching a bunch of red roses.

  Flo popped her head round the side of him and giggled. ‘You have no idea how difficult it was to deliver this present.’

  ‘But… Flo, Javier.’ Daisy looked from one to the other of them, then over Javier’s shoulder at a sheepish-looking Hugo.

  ‘Oh my God.’ She stared again, just to make sure it was him, then squealed and jumped into his open arms, nearly sending him flying off the doorstep. Squashing the flowers, but she didn’t care.

  ‘I thought you only saved hugs like that for your terrible animals.’ Hugo’s drawl didn’t bother her in the slightest, she looked over at him, not letting go of Javier.

  ‘You’re a fine one to talk, you’re only nice to your horses, or..?’

  Daisy looked over at Flo, who was grinning mischievously, then back at Hugo, who didn’t look bashful at
all now – he looked quite pleased with himself.

  ‘Well are you letting us in for a drink, woman? It’s freezing out here.’

  ‘In, in,’ she gestured them past her, accepting a hug and kiss from Flo, then eased her body a couple of inches away from Javier. ‘But, how did you get here?’

  ‘Plane, automobile, you know, the usual.’ Oh those dimples were heaven, she’d missed them so much.

  ‘But I just spoke to you – you were with Gabi.’

  ‘We flew over yesterday evening – she came too.’ He grinned.

  ‘She what?’ Daisy peered over his shoulder.

  ‘She’s not here.’ He laughed, and kissed her. ‘She fancied a change, so she’s spending Christmas with some relatives down south; that’s where we were when I rang.’

  ‘But you said you were in Barcelona.’

  He grinned. ‘You assumed I was in Barcelona; I never said where I was. Then I drove up and, thanks to Flo’s directions, managed to find my way to your house so that we could all come here. Well, I did nearly put the car in a ditch at one point I’m not used to icy roads, but…’ He pointed down at his feet. ‘Hugo lent me some boots to walk over in.’

  ‘But, doesn’t Gabi mind? Didn’t she want you to be with her?’

  ‘She asked me how the hell she was going to meet anybody new if I was always chaperoning her. She’s probably got a point.’

  It was just so strange seeing him standing on the doorstep. ‘We’ll go back to mine later, and you can meet Mabel, and Barney, but you’d better come in and meet my family first.’ She watched as he shrugged off his coat. In fact, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was here. For Christmas. But… ‘So you won’t be here for New Year?’

  ‘Think you can put up with me until the second of January?’

  She squealed again. She couldn’t help it. Then she grabbed hold of his hand. ‘Mum, Mum you’ll never believe…’