'You shouldn't have done that. But please feel free to drop in anytime. We'll be having dinner around two. So either before or after is fine.'
'Great.' Jenny tied the box of mince pies with a Christmas ribbon and grinned as she handed it over the counter. 'I don't know what's come over me. I'm getting more festive by the day. I blame Mia and Jet. Are you doing anything tonight? Glen and I are going to The Frog and Lily and then coming back here for supper. He's doing midnight mass, of course, so I'll be going to church for that.'
Cathy took the box and smiled. 'This entire village is festive. I've never seen anywhere like it. The girls will be manic all evening, waiting for Father Christmas, and Christy and I will be preparing everything for tomorrow, but we may pop into the pub for one quick drink. Just to savour the atmosphere. We won't make midnight mass though. The kids are far too young to stay awake for that. Jenny? Is something wrong?' Jenny's mouth had fallen open and she was staring at Cathy in a peculiar fashion.
Or was she?
Cathy spun around and couldn't believe her eyes.
It was him.
It was Leo.
He was standing outside the bakery, looking in.
At her.
Cathy's eyes shot back towards Jenny. 'It's him, isn't it? I'm not imagining things, am I?'
Jenny shook her head. 'You're not imagining things. It's Leo. Are you okay?'
Cathy nodded. 'I'm fine. I think.'
And then the door opened and Leo came in, briefly nodding his head at Jenny as he said hello, before turning his full attention towards Cathy.
'Hello, Cathy. I know I'm probably the last man on Earth you want to see right now, but please let me explain. Let me apologise. Let me tell you how I feel.'
Cathy turned to face him, and although she hadn't meant to, she could feel herself smiling. She was so pleased to see him. 'You don't need to explain.'
His eyes scanned her face and his frown turned into a smile. 'Don't I?'
'No. Unless you really want to.'
He nodded. 'I really want to, Cathy.'
'I thought you'd left.' She met his eyes and tried to keep her voice calm.
'I had. I took Mum, Dad and Hal home and spent the day with them. It was Mum and Dad's anniversary, after all. I came back first thing this morning and went to see Mia to ask if I might stay on at Sunbeam Cottage, as I'd originally booked it till the New Year.'
'You've all returned?' Cathy couldn't quite believe it. What on earth was going on?
He shook his head and smiled but his expressive eyes held a hint of sadness. 'Just me.'
'Why? Don't you want to spend Christmas with your family?'
He nodded again, not taking his eyes from her face. 'Yes. I very much want to spend Christmas with my family. That's why I came back.'
'What are you saying?' Her breath caught in her throat and her heart skipped a beat.
'I'm saying that I'm hoping my family is here. My new family. The woman I fell head over heels in love with in less than a minute, and the daughter who's already in my heart. I'm saying that I love you, Cathy, and I don't even know your surname, but it doesn't matter. I'm asking if you feel the same. I thought for a moment you did. And then I thought you hated me. But, as silly as this sounds, before we left yesterday morning, I went to a place called the Wishing Tree, and I had the strangest feeling while I was there. It was as if something was telling me not to give up hope. To take a leap of faith. I couldn't get that thought out of my head all day, or last night. I knew this morning that I had to come back. Was I wrong?'
Cathy slowly shook her head and her heart thumped against her chest as if it wanted to burst out. 'No, Leo. You were right. But there are a few things you need to know.'
He beamed at her. 'I've got a lifetime to find out. There's only one thing I need to know right now. Do you feel the same as I do, Cathy?'
He held out both his hands to her, his palms facing up, and she stepped closer, placing her hands in his. His fingers gently closed around hers and it was as if an invisible cloak had suddenly wrapped around her body. She felt safe and warm and more in love than she had ever been before, apart from when she had looked at Daisy moments after giving birth.
'Yes, Leo. I do. I love you. And as incredible as this is, I know that Daisy does too. Christy told me this morning that you're what Daisy wished for. She wished for the nice man called Leo to fall in love with Mummy and to be her new dad.'
Cathy had completely forgotten where she was and it seemed that Leo had too, until Jenny clapped and cheered and shouted. 'Well, kiss her then, Leo!'
And after blinking a couple of times as if realising where he was, that's exactly what Leo did.
When he finally released her and they eventually left the bakery and walked back towards Corner Cottage, hand in hand, Cathy frowned.
'There is something I must tell you, Leo. And I want you to let me tell you it all before you say anything.'
'Okay.' Leo smiled reassuringly. 'But it won't change anything.'
Cathy smiled and sighed deeply. 'It's about a friend of my husband's. His name is Keith and he spent a lot of time with us after my husband died. He blamed himself because he was driving the car when a lorry crashed into the side of them. Keith was only slightly hurt but my husband took the full impact and had life-threatening injuries. They operated and things seemed hopeful, at first, but there were 'complications', the doctor said. I saw the way my husband looked at me when they rushed him back in for another operation. He knew he was going to die, and there was nothing anyone could do. The accident wasn't Keith's fault, but he has what they call, survivor's guilt, I think. He visited us frequently and even came to stay once or twice. But he started drinking heavily and became very controlling. He behaved as if we were in a relationship – which we weren't, and as if Daisy was his daughter. And recently, he began to lose his temper. He's a police officer and he started checking up on me, tracking where I went and what I did. Asking me questions and going through my bag. The final straw came when he said we should spend this Christmas together as a family. I said no and he got mad. He knocked things off a shelf and one of the ornaments hit me just below my eye.'
Leo stiffened noticeably. 'Jesus, Cathy!'
'I was okay,' Cathy continued before Leo could say more. 'He didn't mean it and he was sorry, but it frightened me. He frightened me. I knew I had to get away from him. My grandad died two months ago and he left me some money. It's not a fortune, but it's enough to give me and Daisy a new start. Life has been tough for the last few years and money had been tight. I wanted this to be a special Christmas, so Christy and I found this place. I didn't tell Keith about it but I posted a Christmas card to him, the morning we left, with a note inside telling him we'd gone away and asking him not to try to find us. I told him we needed space. I said that he frightened me and that I didn't want him around Daisy until he got some help. I also told him, once again, that he and I didn't have a future together, regardless of whether or not he sorted himself out. That I thought of him as a friend, but would never feel anything more. I'm not sure if I was cruel, but I had to be honest with him. Christy and I came here, without his knowledge. I'm not sure what he'll do, or how he'll react. I thought that you should know.' She shrugged as she looked into his eyes, and gave a little laugh. 'I come with very little money, but a lot of baggage.'
Leo wrapped her in his arms and kissed her.
'I'm glad you told me,' he said, when he finally eased away. 'And we'll deal with it together. I've got some high-ranking contacts in the police, thanks to my dad and his golf buddies, and if Keith won't seek help himself, I'm sure someone will ensure he gets whatever assistance he needs. You only have to say the word and we'll get things rolling. But whatever happens, you don't have to worry about him again. I can promise you that. I'll make sure you and Daisy are safe. And Christy and Dylan too.' He smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose. 'And we all come with baggage. As for money, well, that's something else you'll never need to worry about
again.'
Cathy looked into his eyes and could see he was sincere. She could also see how much he loved her and as crazy as it seemed, she knew she loved him just as much. And that this would last a lifetime.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Christmas Eve was one of those nights when the universe shows its true beauty. The moon was full, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and even with the glow of street lights and Christmas lights, millions of stars twinkled across the heavens. It had snowed on and off all day and the blanket of white sparkled beneath the festive lights and the silvery glow from the moon.
At precisely five p.m. the snow had finally stopped. It was perfect timing because Fred and Hettie had reprised their roles of Father and Mrs Christmas. While Mia, Jet and the others, sat in front of the roaring fire in The Frog and Lily, drinking mulled wine and singing Christmas songs with the locals, Hettie and Fred took the children in the village, including Daisy and Dylan, for a magical sleigh ride around the village pond and a little way up Frog Hill. But not too far up and nowhere near Frog's Hollow. It was a Monday, after all.
'I bet the kids are having a fantastic time,' Christy said. 'But I was surprised they went so willingly with Hettie and Fred. Although I suppose as they think it's Father Christmas and his wife, nothing would've prevented them from going. And they love those reindeer to bits.'
'Sorry?' Cathy said, dragging her eyes from Leo's and smiling jubilantly at her friend.
Christy shook her head and rolled her eyes, glancing at Mia. 'I'm feeling a bit like a gooseberry. Look what this place has done to my best friend.' She was smiling though and Mia smiled back.
'Little Pondale is definitely a magical place. And there's no need for you to feel like a gooseberry. Bear's single now, and so is Toby.'
Mia winked at her as Ella handed Christy a sprig of mistletoe from a Christmas display on their table.
'And what am I meant to do with this? Go up and ask the single guys to kiss me?'
'That's what I would do,' Ella said, grinning.
'Hmm. I think I'll get another glass of wine instead. This is really kind of you to pay for everyone's drinks all night, Mia. I know you said you're rich, but even so. Some of these people look as if they've already emptied a barrel each.'
'At least they're having fun,' Mia said. 'That's what Christmas is about.'
'They won't be having fun when they wake up with a hangover,' Jet said, laughing. 'Especially as it's Christmas Day tomorrow. And poor Toby definitely isn't having a good time. I know Freda wanted to be with Alexia, but leaving Toby to hold the fort on Christmas Eve, is a bit much in my opinion. At least Alec should've stayed.'
'Or they should've hired more staff,' Gill added. 'Those two girls don't look as if they've worked behind a bar before.'
'They were the only ones available,' Lori said. 'Freda and Alec left everything until the last minute and trying to get bar staff at Christmas is like trying to find a golden goose.'
Christy smiled suddenly and tapped Cathy on her arm. 'Excuse me for a moment. I think I've got an idea. Will you look after Dylan for an hour or so?'
Cathy nodded, but she didn't take her eyes from Leo's face. 'Of course I will.'
'Then I'll go and do my good deed for the festive season and give that man a hand. It just so happens, I'm the best barmaid this side of the border. Even if I say so myself.'
Chapter Thirty-Six
There had been a change of plan for Christmas dinner. There were now even more people coming to Little Pond Farm on Christmas Day. So many people in fact that Jet had had to bring another table into the dining room as sixteen places weren't enough. It had increased from the eight originally planned, of Mia, Jet, Ella, Gill, Lori and Franklin and Hettie and Fred, to include Jenny and Glen, Cathy, Daisy and Leo, and Christy, Dylan and Toby. Jet had also invited Bear, because Jet didn't want him to be on his own. Not that it seemed he would be.
'Bear's bringing one of the barmaids from the pub last night,' Jet said, as he hung up the landline phone early on Christmas morning. The one beside his bed. 'That's okay, isn't it?'
Mia smiled and kissed him.
'Of course it is. It's your house and you can invite who you want. And one more won't make much difference. Although how we're going to cook enough turkeys to feed them all is still beyond me. Gill says it'll be fine, because we can also use the outdoor oven. I didn't even know you had an outdoor oven.'
Jet grinned. 'That's because you still haven't been around the entire farm. We need to rectify that this week.'
'Hmm.' Mia quickly changed the subject. 'Did you hear Christy say that Toby had offered her a job in the pub while she's here?'
'Yep. Toby was really impressed with her skills. He told me so himself last night.'
Mia nuzzled Jet's neck. 'I don't think that's all he was impressed with. But she's supposed to be here on holiday, not to work in the pub. Mind you, from the way Christy and Toby were looking at one another, I'm pretty sure it won't be long before those two become an item. Quite how that's going to work once Cathy and Christy leave though, is anybody's guess. But miracles do happen, especially at Christmas.'
'Yes.' Jet wrapped his arms around Mia and pulled her closer. 'For example, Glen becoming the permanent incumbent of the parish church and vicarage of St Michael and All Angels.' He beamed at her and kissed her on the lips.
'Ah yes,' she replied, grinning broadly. 'It's surprising what a difference one phone call can make.'
'It's also surprising what a difference one day can make. Did you know that Cathy and Christy live in Milton Keynes? But that since coming here, Cathy's been seriously considering moving down this way. She was planning to look for somewhere to rent, in one of the nearby villages. Now that she's with Leo, that may change again.'
'I didn't know that. Do you think she'll go to London to live with Leo?'
Jet shrugged. 'I don't know. He asked me last night if I thought Sunbeam Cottage or Corner Cottage might be up for sale.'
Mia sat bolt upright. 'Did he?'
Jet nodded. 'I told him to ask you because you own them, but I didn't think you'd want to sell Sunbeam Cottage.'
She shook her head. 'I don't. I can't sell that. It was Mattie's. I don't think I could ever let that go.'
'Even if you no longer wanted to live there?' Jet gave her an odd look. 'I mean, if you had somewhere else you'd rather live?'
Mia smiled. Was this his way of saying that one day, in the dim and distant future, he might ask her to move in with him? Permanently, as opposed to just for the holidays.
'Even then. Ella and Gill might eventually live there. Or maybe Mum and Franklin.'
'That's what I thought.' He kissed her again and leapt out of bed. 'I'd better go and deal with the animals. I asked Gill and Franklin last night to give me a hand this morning. That way we'll get it done much sooner.' He strode towards the shower.
'Mum's going to be helping me and Ella in the kitchen, so take as long as you want. It may possibly get a bit chaotic in there. Although the trial run didn't go too badly. At least the vegetables were edible. And today, everything else will be too.' Mia scrambled out of bed and went to join Jet in the shower. 'This is going to be a wonderful Christmas, Jet.'
'It already is. Merry Christmas, Mia.'
'Merry Christmas, Jet.'
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Several times.
Which meant he left later than he had said he was going to, to go and feed the animals and when Mia went out to tell him and Gill and Franklin to come inside for breakfast, she couldn't see them anywhere. They must have gone to one of the distant fields, which was exactly where Jet said they had been when they eventually came back.
Breakfast consisted of champagne, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and toast. Mia and Ella had cooked the eggs to perfection, which astonished Ella more than it did everyone else.
Then Jet told Mia he had a little surprise for her but it meant she had to go out. She was even more surprised when he t
old Little M to stay. Not that the dog seemed bothered. Having been out with Jet, Gill and Franklin, earlier Little M was happily getting to grips with the massive bone she'd just released from its Christmas wrapping.
Less than half an hour later, Mia was sitting in the sleigh, wrapped warmly in the fake fur blanket and Jet was taking her up Frog Hill, which, in spite of the gradient, the reindeer and sleigh were coping with without undue effort.
'Where are we going?' Mia asked.
'We're going to the Wishing Tree.'
'The Wishing Tree? Today? But, I've already made a wish. I came here with Ella on Sunday. Are you going to make a wish?'
Jet smiled at her but didn't say another word until at least five minutes later. 'I made a wish on Sunday, too, shortly after you and Ella, I believe. Now I want to see if mine will come true.'
Mia gasped as he stopped the sleigh. The Wishing Tree, which only had a few wishes adorned with coloured ribbons on it when she'd last seen it, was covered in myriad fairy lights and the branches were tied with white ribbon in amongst the other wishes and the dried, tan leaves still clinging on to the tree. A few small icicles hung here and there and the entire tree glistened and sparkled in the early morning sunlight as Jet lifted her down from the sleigh.
'Did you do this?' she asked, astonished by its beauty.
'Yes,' he said. 'With Gill and Franklin's help.'
'When?'
He grinned. 'After we'd fed the animals this morning. We were going to do it yesterday, but it was Monday, and none of us is foolish enough to come to Frog's Hollow on a Monday.'
She grinned back at him. 'It's gorgeous, Jet. But why?'
To her increased astonishment, he got down on one knee. 'Because I know how much you love trees adorned with Christmas lights.' His grin turned into a sexy, loving smile. 'And because I love you, Mia Ward. More than I thought it was possible to love someone. Because I've loved the last few days that you've been living in my house. Because you've made my house a home. And because I don't want you to leave after the holidays, or ever, for that matter. Because I want to share my life with you and for you to share yours with me. Because I want you to be Mrs Mia Cross. Because I want you to be my wife. Because I want you to marry me. Will you, Mia? Will you marry me?'
Christmas on Lily Pond Lane: A fabulously festive, heartwarming romance (a standalone in the Lily Pond Lane series) Page 17