He dragged in a deep breath and Isla relaxed into a warm smile.
‘I’d like that,’ she said. ‘ So what will you do here over Christmas? Surely it won’t be all work?’
‘I’ll be keeping Dahlia company for Christmas lunch.’
‘I’d like to see her with her party hat on eating Christmas dinner,’ Isla said. ‘I’ll give you my phone number and you can send me a photo of that.’
‘Perhaps we could even FaceTime?’
‘Even better. And, you know, I’m interested in your research. So if you ever wanted to let me know what you’re working on…’
‘Really?’ His face lit up as though she’d just announced he’d got six numbers on the lottery. ‘You’d want to know?’
‘Of course I would. I’m not a complete Luddite you know.’
‘Right,’ he grinned. ‘I’d love that!’
They were silent as he held her gaze and she felt her world tilt into the depths of his eyes.
‘What?’ she asked, flustered, blushing as she tore her gaze away. When she looked back she could see he was blushing too.
‘I’m sorry… zoned out there for a moment,’ he said with a self-conscious laugh. ‘Long day.’
‘Me too,’ she said. ‘Long and weird day.’
‘Just so you know,’ he added as she dropped her napkin onto an empty plate, ‘I had a brilliant day out at the lake. I’ve been there so many times by myself, it was amazing to share it with someone.’
‘It was amazing having someone show it to me,’ Isla replied. ‘I’d never have seen it in quite the same way otherwise. Thank you.’
And then came another charged silence. Was this it? Goodbye? The idea pulled at Isla, and she felt a strange and sudden lump in her throat.
‘I’d better get back to my room and finish packing,’ she said, realising that if she didn’t leave soon she might just cry.
‘Oh…’ he said, standing as she did. ‘I suppose this is the last I’ll see of you.’
‘My dad’s coming to pick me up for the airport. I think he wants to start out early to make up for the snow on the roads so, yeah… probably. But it’s been lovely getting to know you.’
‘You too,’ he said, looking so earnest and so desperate that Isla wondered if some huge revelation was coming, something that might just make leaving him ten times worse. But he simply forced a smile and nodded. ‘Goodnight then, Isla. Have a safe journey home.’
There was a pause. Then Isla gave a tight smile in return and made her way out of the dining room. Was that truly the last time she’d ever see Sebastian? She had a feeling it might be, but it wasn’t a feeling she was happy to dwell on right now.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
At least it had stopped snowing when Isla looked out of her bedroom window the following morning. The sky was still heavy, the mountain tops obscured by blankets of white, but the air was dry and promising. It looked as if she’d make that flight home after all, and though part of her felt a stab of regret at the prospect of leaving St Martin, a place which had gradually and unexpectedly crept into her heart, there was relief too. Home would mean distance, and distance meant time to collect her thoughts and figure out exactly where she was in her life. There was plenty to think about too, from her new relationship with her dad to which members of the family she could trust – even how she now viewed her mother.
And then there was Seb. She’d gone to sleep with his voice in her head and his face behind her eyelids, the things they’d talked about playing over in her mind, and she didn’t quite know how she felt about any of it. They’d parted as friends, but she couldn’t decide if that was enough. While she’d shared so much of her life with him there was one part of her she couldn’t share, not with anyone. It was the real cost of witnessing her dad’s betrayal and the life her mum had lived since that day, and it was the fear of getting too close to a man, certain that one day the same would happen to her if she did. It was like she’d programmed herself to gravitate towards relationships that would only ever end in disaster, like a self-fulfilling prophecy that proved her point that she would never find anyone who would make her truly happy and if she ever did she would lose them. But how could she admit this to anyone when she couldn’t even admit it to herself? She’d convinced herself Seb wasn’t her type, but perhaps that was the point? Her type had always been wrong, no good chancers like Justin, but perhaps that was just a defence mechanism dictating her choices. If she had a bad man then she had the perfect excuse for it not to last and she’d be spared the heartache of a good man abandoning her. Perhaps what she really needed was a man like Seb and the belief that she might not lose him.
Seb was holding back too – she understood it. She could feel he wanted to say more and there were moments when he almost did, but not quite. They’d agreed to stay in touch when she got home but surely things would change once she did? Ordinary life would start again and time would dull the stirring of emotions that had the potential to become so much more. She’d convinced herself she didn’t fancy him but there had been a strange pull as she’d watched him across the table and it had to mean something, even if she didn’t fully understand it herself.
He wasn’t at breakfast that morning, though Dahlia went to great pains to let Isla know that he’d told her he’d be eating it late. Did Isla want to come back and eat when he did, she’d asked. Isla politely declined and the conversation had quickly moved on to what she was going to do about Serendipity Sound. Isla had made a quick phone call to Grover Rousseau’s office after breakfast and he’d been shocked to hear her accusations, but he’d confirmed that the house had no right being listed on the website. He’d told her he would make enquiries of his own and Isla was so relieved to know that she wouldn’t have to face dealing with it alone.
Once, she might have felt vindicated by the need to confront her dad about it – even quite enjoyed the idea. But now she wanted to believe, more than anything, that her instincts about her father were right. She wanted to believe that he was essentially a good man who’d made bad choices.
Isla was sharing a last coffee with Dahlia in the bar when Ian arrived. The snow had been falling steadily outside but they’d been having such a good time chatting that neither woman had noticed it. Now, as her father strode towards their table, Isla saw the troubled look on his face and guessed that he didn’t come with good news. Her gaze flicked to the windows – the snowfall looked heavy out there. Had he come to tell her he wasn’t able to drive her out to the airport after all?
She glanced at the clock meaningfully, hoping she was wrong. ‘I wasn’t expecting you quite this early.’
‘Have you seen the forecast?’
‘No, but…’
‘It’s bad. High winds, snow, blizzard conditions, danger of avalanche on the mountain passes. It’s not going to be safe to drive to the airport and I doubt your flight will be taking off anyway.’
‘But I checked and it’s not cancelled—’ Isla began.
‘Not yet,’ he cut in. ‘But I guarantee it will be. There’s no way anything will be taking off in this, even if we could get there. Best to sit it out and re-book.’
‘But what about the cost? I can get the bus if you don’t feel safe driving; I can’t afford to re-book—’
‘I wouldn’t expect you to pay, but I do want you to be safe and if that means booking another flight then I’ll pay for it.’
‘But—’
‘He’s probably right,’ Dahlia said.
Isla looked from one to the other. ‘It’s Christmas Eve. I’m supposed to be home for Mum.’
‘Your mum wouldn’t want you running the gauntlet of dangerous weather any more than I do,’ Ian said. ‘If you need me to, I’ll call her and explain.’
Isla’s mouth fell open. ‘You’d do that?’
‘If I had to, of course. I can’t say it’s an attractive prospect but your safety has to be my number one priority.’ He gave a small smile. ‘I’m not about to get you back and then lose
you again in the same week.’
Isla shook her head. It said a lot that her father was willing to put years of conflict and pain behind him to speak to his ex-wife on her behalf. There was even a little spark of hope that perhaps one day they might all be able to stand in the same room and speak civilly to each other. All in good time, but the idea was a wonderful one.
‘I need to go home. Besides…’ she looked at Dahlia, ‘my room’s not available after today.’
‘Not a problem,’ Ian cut in before Dahlia had time to reply. ‘I’ll talk to Celine about you staying with us for a day or so while we get you sorted.’
‘But…’
‘I don’t want you to argue. Just this once let me be your father; my decision is final.’
‘You don’t think any transport will be running to the airport?’ Isla turned to Dahlia, filled with a sudden panic at the thought of sleeping under the same roof as the family she barely knew and barely trusted. How was she supposed to cope? Not to mention her suspicions, increasingly well-founded, that one or more of them was trying to rip her off. She’d hoped for time to mull things over at home, do a little digging before making her move. She wasn’t even sure if any of her suspicions were grounded in fact, but while that doubt hung in the air the last thing she wanted to do was share Christmas dinner with them.
‘Probably not,’ Dahlia admitted. ‘Sorry, honey. I can see about getting you a room elsewhere, if you need me to.’
Isla looked at Ian and shook her head. How could she say yes in front of him when he meant so well?
‘I suppose I have Serendipity Sound if I could have the keys from Justin?’ she said, the idea occurring to her all at once. If she were there she’d know if anyone arrived to take possession over Christmas and it would be a legitimate reason to get it all out into the open.
‘I’d rather you weren’t out there on your own in blizzard conditions,’ Ian said. ‘I’d hate to think of you being cut off and the power going – you’d freeze to death.’
‘Lovely thought,’ Isla said, and she saw him glance at her with a small smile.
‘Just saying.’
‘So no to Serendipity Sound?’
‘I’d rather have you at our place while the storm is bad.’
Isla held in a sigh.
‘You’re packed and ready, right?’ Ian asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Always Glory’s daughter,’ he smiled. ‘I knew you’d be organised way in advance.’
‘Of course,’ Isla said, and she couldn’t help a small smile despite the tension of the situation. It was nice – they seemed to be at a place where it didn’t feel quite so sharp around the edges when they talked about her mum. In a funny way, they’d both suffered at her hand and, as much as Isla still adored her, even she could see the damage Glory had caused over the years. But there was no point in laying blame; it was the way it was.
‘You have a few hours until I need your room,’ Dahlia said. ‘And the new guests might not even make it here if the weather is too bad, so you might find it’s free after all. Why don’t you wait to see before you hand me the keys? Might make life easier for everyone.’
Isla gave Dahlia a grateful smile. She might have acted like an eccentric fairy godmother at times but she had a sharper insight than anyone gave her credit for and now she appeared to understand Isla’s predicament perfectly.
‘Fantastic, thank you, Dahlia,’ Ian said. ‘I’ll go home and speak to Celine just in case. And Isla, you phone me as soon as you know. But remember that the invitation for Christmas dinner will be open regardless. Can’t very well have you here in St Martin and not see you on Christmas Day, can we?’
‘I’d like that,’ Isla said. But it was a good job he couldn’t see how her stomach churned at the prospect.
‘Please tell me you have something,’ Isla said in a low voice as they watched Ian leave. ‘A broom cupboard, a coal bunker, a grain silo… I’ll take anything as long as I don’t have to go and stay with my dad.’
‘I guess it would be awkward,’ Dahlia said. ‘I’d love to help but if my guests arrive I’ll have nothing. I’d let you stay in my own quarters but there’s only one bed and—’
‘I’d take the floor!’ Isla said, but then she checked herself as she saw from Dahlia’s expression how difficult that would be. Dahlia wouldn’t allow Isla to sleep on the floor – it wasn’t in her nature, and there was no way Isla would take her bed.
‘I could stay at Serendipity Sound, couldn’t I?’
‘I guess you can do whatever you want but I don’t think anyone would be happy about the idea. You’ve never seen a doorway get buried by snow before?’
‘Well, no, but…’
‘Let me tell you, it can make life difficult. Ian’s right, if the power goes and you’re snowed in there you could well find yourself in real trouble. At least here there’s enough of us to work together if we had an emergency – safety in numbers.’
Isla let out a sigh. ‘I suppose I can deal with my dad’s place if I have to. I’ve done the hard work, and at least Dad is on my side even if no one else is.’
‘You don’t know that for certain yet.’
‘There’s that too. I suppose I’m overreacting.’
She was about to speak again when Dahlia’s attention wandered. Following her gaze she saw Seb walk into the bar. He looked sheepish and set to turn around and walk out again when Dahlia called him.
‘Morning! Or should I say afternoon because we’re nearly there!’
He blushed, fiddling with a moss-green bow tie, his gaze flicking to Isla and then back to Dahlia again. ‘I had some results I needed to get sent off before Christmas and the internet connection has been terrible so it’s taken me all morning.’
‘You didn’t come down for breakfast,’ Dahlia said reproachfully.
‘Sorry about that. Work has to come first you know.’
‘I’ll get you something now – you must be famished,’ she replied, pushing herself up from the table.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t hear of it—’ Seb began, but Dahlia waved her hands in the air.
‘Sit down. I wouldn’t see you starve.’
‘But it’s almost lunchtime.’
Dahlia crossed her arms and frowned. ‘Then you’ll just have to eat both.’
‘Perhaps some toast then…’ With a sheepish smile he made his way over to Isla’s table as Dahlia went in the opposite direction to the kitchens.
He turned to Isla. ‘I thought you’d already be on your way to the airport.’
‘So did I,’ Isla said. ‘You just missed my dad, actually, telling me that he can’t take me today because of the weather.’
Seb looked across at the windows, seemingly surprised to see that it was snowing.
‘I could take you to the airport if there’s a problem… I have my hire car still.’
Isla looked to the windows herself. If anything, the storm seemed to be picking up pace, flurries now racing in circles, heaping in corners and window frames, and Isla was almost as surprised as he was to see the speed with which it had progressed. Before it had looked like snow – now it looked like something to be scared of. Tempting as it was to try to make her flight, there was no way she was dragging Seb out in this. Her dad was right; it was dangerous. She wasn’t scared so much for herself but if anything happened to Seb she’d never get over it.
‘It’s OK, I’m going to try to find somewhere to stay overnight and see about getting home on a later flight.’
‘But tomorrow is Christmas Day. There won’t be any flights.’
‘I suppose not.’
‘But won’t your mum be upset?’
‘Ballistic. But she’ll understand – eventually. When she gets over the disappointment and finishes telling me she told me so. So in about twenty years.’
‘So, you’re stuck here for Christmas?’
‘Looks that way. Maybe there’ll be room for another at Dahlia’s Christmas lunch?’
‘She doe
s seem to like picking up waifs and strays,’ he replied with a half-smile. ‘What about your dad? Won’t he invite you there?’
‘He already has. Sort of. The trouble is…’
‘You don’t know if you want to go,’ Seb finished for her. ‘Of course, given the circumstances I can hardly blame you.’
‘That sounds ungrateful, doesn’t it?’
‘Why?’
‘Well, I have family here offering me a room and dinner and you’re going to be working all through the holiday season…’
‘I’m sure I’ll take a couple of hours off somewhere.’
‘But you won’t be with your family, you’ll be with… well, with Dahlia. Who’s nice and everything, but she’s not your family – she’s a lady whose hotel you use sometimes – she’s…’
‘A virtual stranger,’ he finished for her. ‘But you know what they say about strangers?’
‘What?’
‘They’re just friends you haven’t met yet.’
Isla smiled. Then another conversation came back to her, something similar about strangers. Hadn’t Dahlia reminded her that love affairs started in just the same way?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Dahlia herself returning with a plate of toast and a coffee. She set it down on the table. Seb sent an uncertain glance at Isla and she nodded. ‘Sit here, I don’t mind at all.’
‘I’m sorry, honey…’ Dahlia turned to Isla now as Seb took a seat. ‘But the guests who are due to arrive and take your room have called ahead to say that they’re making slow progress, but they are still coming. They said they’ve got so far now it’s easier to carry on than turn back. So I’m afraid I don’t have that room for you tonight.’
‘But you could phone round, see if anyone else has a room?’ Isla asked hopefully.
A Cosy Candlelit Christmas: A wonderfully festive feel good romance (An Unforgettable Christmas Book 2) Page 19