Christmas Romance Collection

by Melissa Hill

  At the time, Ethan had tried to convince her that yes, there were obstacles to overcome, but they could get through them and everything would work out for the best.

  He was a firm believer in taking things as they came, whereas Terri had let doubt cloud her judgement, and this had made her take a step back.

  So many times had he wanted to go back to Dublin to see her, to check on how the restaurant was doing, and most importantly, to plead with her to reconsider.

  To take a chance on him, and instead of focussing on all the things that weren't perfect, just give in to the possibilities, and see how things went.

  But ultimately Terri was not the kind of woman who let her heart rule her head, and while Ethan loved that about her, it meant that their relationship was over almost before it had the chance to begin.

  Now, for the first time in almost a year, the two of them would be face to face once more. In New York, Terri wouldn’t avoid Ethan, or his phone calls.

  He wondered if perhaps Daisy was right.

  Could Rachel’s wedding, amidst the magic and wonder that embodied New York City, be the perfect opportunity for Ethan to show Terri that maybe their relationship deserved another chance?

  9

  Terri paced back and forth throughout the airport lounge.

  The clinks of the champagne glasses and the easy listening music only made her anxiety worse. From the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, she watched as one by one, planes would slowly lurch up to the runway and then speed off into the sky.

  It was unnatural. It was terrifying. It was flying.

  Terri had never been a fan of flying or travelling in general.

  While she had often dreamed of putting her toes into white sandy beaches or taking in the world’s most beautiful sights, those dreams came crashing straight down to earth at the reality of what she’d have to do to get there.

  Instead, she would go to places via train, car, bus… whatever she could find that stayed on dry land.

  Now, she was faced with the idea of flying not only to a different country, away from her home in Dublin and her beloved restaurant, but she would also have to soar thousands of miles over endless oceans.

  Vast, uncharted oceans.

  Her blood pressure skyrocketed as she tore little bits of cocktail napkin into confetti shards upon her lap.

  Her eyes were fixed on the aircraft flying directly into the sun. Their silhouettes disappeared as they slipped further and further away out of view. Each time Terri saw them go, she would take a sip of her champagne mimosa, praying it would have some magical effect.

  “You really shouldn't drink too much before flying you know.” Gary sat down across from her in a plush leather seat. He had just returned with another beer, his second of the day.

  “I could say the same about you.” Terri raised her glass in a toast as she downed the remaining few gulps.

  “What’s there to be nervous about anyway? It’s just flying. People do it all the time.”

  Gary was trying to play nice by pretending to be concerned about her, and Terri knew it. She had a hard time believing he was sincere, but she supposed she should give him credit for trying.

  While their relationship had never been fantastic, it had all but degenerated after the fiasco that was his and Rachel’s first so-called engagement. While her friend still insisted her fiancé had been at heart insecure back then, Terri wasn't convinced this was a good enough excuse for his behaviour.

  Still, now that it was absolutely confirmed he would soon be her best friend’s husband, she supposed she should try and make more of an effort.

  “Oh, I don’t know…” she replied honestly. “There’s the fact that you're essentially flying in an expensive tin can over an endless ocean …” She flagged down a nearby member of staff in the bar, and requested another refill.

  It was her third, maybe her fourth, even? She had lost count.

  “Yeah, but think about where you’ll be at the end of it,” Gary insisted. “All worth it.”

  “Not especially. Unlike the majority of the world, I’ve never had any rabid desire to visit New York. No offence,” she added quickly, given the circumstances.

  Gary stared at her. “None taken. I don’t get it, though. What’s not to love?”

  Terri rolled her eyes inwardly. The truth was that all the fuss people made of the city had turned her right off.

  At the end of the day what was it only another concrete jungle congested with traffic and people — tourists running rampant … She felt another headache coming on just thinking about it.

  Or maybe it was the champagne….

  Rachel appeared with a large bottle of water in her hand. She slumped next to Gary, just catching the end of the conversation.

  “Yes, yes we’ve heard it all before.” She smiled at her friend. “But I’d be willing to bet by the time this trip is over, New York will have captured your heart too.”

  10

  Her big day — the one she’d spent so long planning, and practically her entire life dreaming about, was finally happening.

  Now that everything was in motion, Rachel wanted desperately for all in New York to go exactly as planned.

  No hiccups, no complaints, no worries.

  Just a couple of days relaxation time with her fiancé and bridesmaid, before finally, a real family and a brand new future waited for her at the end of a lantern lit aisle in Central Park.

  Just like she’d always envisioned.

  Yet now sitting in the airport lounge with Gary’s nervous, suspicious ticks and Terri’s pre-flight nerves were making her worry. This wasn't the cheery jubilant pre-wedding atmosphere she’d hoped for.

  Gary had been touchy and rather distant the past while, and seemed to have had lots of last minute work niggles to sort out, so much so that Rachel had finalised most of the packing and travel details by herself, instead of sharing the pre-wedding excitement with her husband-to-be.

  But perhaps unlike her, maybe he wasn't quite in celebratory mode just yet, and everything would change when they touched down in the Big Apple, and were back in the same romantic mode as their last visit, when Gary proposed.

  She’d always felt that a return to Central Park for the actual ceremony was a real brainwave, especially when the place held such romantic significance for them.

  And she couldn't wait to see what magic Michelle, the wedding planner had worked on the venue for the ceremony, right in the heart of the Park.

  Taking a deep cleansing breath to calm herself, Rachel tried to ignore Terri’s jitters, Gary distractedness and cast aside her own concerns.

  Everything would work out perfectly with this wedding, the day of her dreams.

  It had to.

  11

  Terri put on her headphones and blasted classical music to try and drown out the sounds of the plane engines.

  Gary texted away furiously to someone unknown, and Rachel reviewed her wedding binder once more.

  Each waited anxiously for the sound of the announcement of their flight gate opening, all trying hard to forget the extra baggage they were about to depart with.

  A soft, gentle voice came over the intercom a little while later, and Gary leapt to his feet, snatching his carry-on bag from the seat next to him.

  Rachel too jolted alert as she stuffed the binder back in her own bag.

  She walked to the desk where an airline attendant had been holding her most precious cargo—her wedding dress.

  Terri followed behind the couple nervously. Her legs seemed like jelly as they made the long walk to Gate A4.

  The plane filled up quickly with the three taking their spots in the cabin. Rachel snuggled close to Gary as she placed a blue eye mask over her head.

  She watched anxiously as Terri fastened the wedding gown garment bag to the window seat alongside her. It would be her companion for the trip, apparently worthy of its own, fully paid for seat, while her (considerably less voluminous) bridesmaid dress was stowed in the h
old.

  When Terri’s securing met Rachel’s approval, she fell back into her seat and returned her attention to the wedding magazines she had picked up in the terminal kiosk.

  Terri, on the other hand, knocked back three sleeping pills as she attempted to slip into a long, deep sleep.

  Her eyelids grew heavy as the plane began to take off. Her mind slowed and ebbed as she could feel the force of the plane’s wheels leave the ground.

  She glanced across to where Gary sat alongside Rachel. In the window beside him, she could spot the hints of clouds coming into view. Her heart raced and the blood pounded in her ears. She began commanding herself to sleep. It was her only hope at this point.

  As the plane settled in at cruising height and the cabin lights turned on, Rachel reached over the aisle towards her friend, “Are you doing OK? You’re looking a bit peaky.”

  “I feel like it to be honest.” Terri wasn’t sure if she should blame it on fear, the sleeping pills, or the alcohol she had consumed so far.

  Rachel grinned wickedly. “Let’s get your mind off of it. We do need to discuss some important details after all …”

  Terri groaned inwardly as her friend ceremoniously took out her wedding binder and presented it to her bridesmaid.

  “Page 34, Seating Chart. Just look it over and see if there’s anything amiss? I feel like I'm forgetting someone… but with Gary’s side being so much bigger compared to mine, we can’t afford to mess this up.”

  Terri grabbed the pink binder tab and flipped through hand drawn layout after layout until she found page 34.

  On one side of the page was a list of the wedding guests, only twenty or so. On the other page was the layout of the Central Park Boathouse’s banqueting room. Round circles were set up in place of the tables, while long tables and squares indicated where items like the cake table, serving tables, and dance floor were to go. Each circle had a table number and then eight or so letter combinations highlighted in different shades.

  Terri turned towards Rachel who was studying her, waiting for her to find fault. “You’re right. There’s quite a few people on Gary’s side.”

  Rachel looked down at her hands. “I know. I wish there were more for me, but it’s the ones there that count, isn’t?”

  Terri nodded and then added quietly, “They will be there too, you know. They will be with you every step of the way.” She could tell that the absence of Rachel’s parents was naturally becoming even more pronounced as her dream day approached.

  “I know they will.” Rachel whispered across the aisle, “I really hope they’d have liked Gary.”

  She looked back at her future husband who was snoozing loudly with his mouth gaping open. Then she rolled her eyes and giggled, breaking the somber mood.

  Terri returned to the guest list. “Okay. So on this table for your side we have your aunt, the two wicked stepsisters of course, Justin and his plus one …” Then she swallowed hard as she scrolled past two other names, “and Ethan and Daisy.”

  A sudden ache shot through her stomach, twisting it into knots. Her head grew heavier by the second as she struggled to remain focused.

  “It’s a lot of people at one small table, I know. But I couldn’t decide who to move. You think it will be OK? I’d hate for everyone to be scrunched.” Rachel’s worry wrinkle popped on her face as she frowned regretfully.

  “I think … I think it will be fine. Daisy’s just a child. She doesn’t need much space.”

  Suddenly Terri didn't want to continue this conversation.

  She needed a way out. “Rach, I …I’m not feeling too well. Do you mind if I nod off for a bit? Wake me up when lunch is served, OK?” She didn’t give Rachel a chance to answer or continue on.

  Instead, she reclined her seat as far as it would go and placed her headphones back in her ears.

  Her green eyes closed tight, keeping out the dim lights of the cabin.

  Listening to the airline radio’s classical music station, Terri felt herself falling deeply asleep—the pills and the alcohol only pulling her further and further into a memory.

  She was at Ethan’s house in Richmond, her first visit. They had been seeing one another tentatively for about a month, and he’d invited her to London for the weekend.

  Daisy was fast asleep in her room, and Ethan was pouring Terri a large glass of red wine.

  He sat next to her on the couch, pulling her into his solid frame, as she looked around and tried to get comfortable.

  This place was a home … she thought A real home.

  A place for a real family.

  Ethan kissed her forehead as he gently ran his fingers through the strands of her hair.

  She could feel him inhale and exhale, each breath more perfect than the next.

  But suddenly, she sat up straight and looked back at him, and took a deep breath as she began, “I can’t do this Ethan. I’m sorry.”

  He looked at her, dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”

  “I can’t do this—you two here in London, me in Dublin with the restaurant, Daisy in school… I wasn’t cut out for this—this kind of relationship.”

  She’d been thinking about it for a while now, wondering why she’d ever thought something like this could work. “I think we need to face up the reality of all this.”

  “Face up? To what…?” He stared at her, unsure if she was truly serious. When she looked back into his eyes unblinking, he knew that she was.

  “Let’s be honest with ourselves — now before things get too confusing. The last while has been fun, but your lives are here and Daisy doesn’t need her dad focused on some woman back in Dublin. And I … well, I'm just not cut out for this. The distance thing I mean. Daisy needs more than that …she needs — ”

  “A mum?” His words stung her as he instantly found the words for what she had wanted to say.

  “Exactly. I’m not that person. I cannot help with homework or pick her up from school, or tuck her in at night. Heck, I barely remember to go home myself after closing up most nights. I'll never, ever be the kind of woman you and Daisy need. And it’s about time we recognised that before everyone gets in too deep.” Terri stood as she walked to the door, slipping on her heels and jacket.

  Ethan grabbed her arm. “That’s not how it is. Daisy and I - we don’t need you to be … anything. We just need you to give this a chance. Yes, there are some stumbling blocks - the distance being the biggest one, but we can get through that, I’m sure of it. Just give it a try at least. Terri please, take a chance — on us?”

  “I really can’t. I’m sorry. Tell Daisy—” Terri struggled to find words. “Tell Daisy I said goodbye.”

  12

  “Miss?” A gentle tap pushed at Terri’s shoulder, waking her up. “Miss? I’m sorry to wake you, but could you please put your chair back up. We’re about to land.”

  Terri groggily sat up straight, bringing the back of her chair with her.

  She turned to her left to check that Rachel’s wedding dress bag was still in place, undisturbed by the flight.

  On her other side, Rachel and Gary were talking in low, hushed voices. She could see by her friend’s face that she was upset, but her mind was too wooly to think too hard about what was going on.

  She cleared her throat loudly as Rachel took notice. “Oh, good you’re awake,” she said distractedly. “Lunch service was hours ago, but I didn’t want to wake you. The flight time passes easier when you’re out.”

  “No, no. It’s fine. I’ll grab something when we land. Is everything okay?”

  “Of course.” Rachel attempted to brighten up, but her face still bore a worried expression. “I got you a bottle of water though. I thought you may need it given all that you have been drinking since before, and ate nothing on top of it.”

  Terri hated to admit it, but she was feeling out of sorts. The effects of the alcohol was still coursing through her, and the pills had made her head swim as she struggled to shake herself out of it.


  The water helped, but as the plane came in to land, she knew that her best bet at this stage was going straight to the hotel, and getting a good rest in a proper bed before all the wedding craziness really kicked in tomorrow.

  As the threesome and the wedding gown disembarked from the aircraft, Terri grabbed Rachel’s hand, hoping to lighten the mood.

  “So …this is it. We’re finally here — in New York!”

  She did her best to sound genuinely enthusiastic for her friend’s sake, and Rachel gamely played along as she grinned back excitedly, trying to ignore her fiancé racing silently ahead up the gangway.

  So …concrete jungle where dreams are made of … Terri thought, recalling the lyrics of a popular song about the city.

  Let’s hope this place lives up to its billing.

  “So, how long do we give it, do you think?” Gary murmured an hour later.

  “Give what?” Terri responded, testily.

  “Until she realises that your dress really isn't coming down that empty conveyor belt.”

  Terri looked at Rachel, still standing alongside the moving conveyor, arms folded in front of her chest as she tapped her foot against the tile floor of the airport.

  She had not moved position for at least a good half hour, while Gary and Terri had both given up, preferring to wait it out at one of the side benches against the wall.

  By the looks of it, they were the only passengers from the Dublin flight still remaining in the baggage claim area.

  “I think you probably should break it to her that it’s time to give up.” Gary said passively as he picked away at his fingernails. He was obviously wishing to be anywhere but here.

  “How is this my job?” Terri was not going down without a fight. “You’re the husband-to-be.” At least, Terri hoped that Rachel would listen to some voice of reason.

  “Well, it is your dress. If you’d listened to her in the first place, it would've been safely in your arms, sharing a seat with hers.”