Season's Meetings

by Amy Dunne

  The wing mirror on her side was actually taped on, which led to the conclusion something had taken it off aggressively in the first place and Holly hadn’t seen fit to get it professionally repaired. One of the windscreen wipers was slower than the other. The clock taunted her by blinking neon green digits that told the wrong time. Dust and fluff had accumulated in the ventilation slits. The dashboard was chipped in random places, and the gearstick head didn’t match the rest of the interior.

  Sensing she was being watched, she looked up to find Holly looking at her and beaming a megawatt smile before turning her attention back to the road beyond the windscreen.

  Catherine fidgeted in her seat, astounded and embarrassed by the fiery ache of arousal stoked inside her. From seemingly nowhere a question whispered in her mind: perhaps the source of the incredible fragrance was Holly…

  A groan escaped from Catherine’s mouth but was thankfully hidden by the recent irritating Christmas song blaring out. Perhaps her biggest problem wasn’t the car and was actually Holly. This beautiful, cheery stranger was wreaking havoc on her life. For some unknown reason, Catherine’s long-lost libido had returned in full force and gone straight into overdrive. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt like this. Of course she’d felt attracted to Paula, but it had been a gradual, delicate thing. Whatever this was, it most definitely was not delicate or gradual.

  Perhaps it was her first experience of lust?

  Or maybe she was going crazy?

  Regardless of the reason, it had to stop. One night, during their first week at university, Beth had opened up to Catherine about a recent upset in her personal life. They made a pact that they would never get romantically involved with family, each other’s love interests, or close mutual friends. It hadn’t been an issue at the time. Catherine had no family other than Granny Birch, no friends other than Beth, and was still a virgin whose sexuality was so far back in the closet, it may as well have been in Narnia. She’d never envisioned herself being romantically involved with anyone and was still a few years away from being seduced by Paula.

  Holly was Katie’s favourite cousin, and was therefore family to Beth. Plus, Catherine wasn’t interested in a one-night stand, or capable of anything more than that. Her heart was irreparably damaged from everything that happened with Paula. But the biggest reason why nothing would or ever could happen was simple: Holly was obviously straight. Wasn’t she?

  She could feel the makings of a headache flaring behind her eyes. She needed to try to calm down and perhaps even sleep. The most important thing out of this whole sordid mess was, Holly felt confident in both the car and her ability to safely drive them to their destination. That was enough to instil some calmness.

  After another half an hour of overanalysing everything and being subjected to one cheesy Christmas song after another, Catherine could take no more. She found the off button on the car’s stereo and didn’t hesitate in pressing it. The inside of the car plunged into silence.

  “I take it you’re not a fan of that song,” Holly said, her tone clipped.

  Feeling self-conscious, Catherine fidgeted in her seat, realising a little too late her actions could have beem construed as rude. “Sorry. I don’t like Christmas songs. I had an incredibly late night at work last night and can feel a headache coming on. Do you mind if we drive without music?”

  Holly flicked a glance at her and smiled. “That’s fine. It’ll give us time to get to know one another.”

  Catherine gulped. She’d planned to sleep, in the hope that when she awoke they’d be at their destination. The prospect of talking with Holly and getting to know her better simultaneously panicked and excited her in equal doses.

  Now the obnoxious Christmas music was silenced, another problem became astoundingly clear. The loud desperate chugging from the car engine sounded as though it had developed a dire strain of emphysema, and the rhythmic thudding of tyres on the snowy road filled her with dread. Considering putting the music back on to drown it out, her plans were foiled when Holly spoke.

  “I know you missed your flight and this was your last option, Catherine. But I’ve got to be honest with you. I’m so relieved you agreed to come on this journey. I’ve never driven to Scotland before, let alone in snow. I never normally venture out when the weather’s bad, so this is also a first. At least if anything happens there’s the two of us to deal with it.”

  Catherine wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh, cry, or throw up. She covered her mouth with a gloved hand and bent forward.

  “Are you okay?” Holly asked. “Do you need me to pull over?”

  Catherine shook her head, not daring to actually speak in case she said what was repeating over and over in her head: We’re going to die.

  “What made you decide to spend Christmas with Katie and Beth?” Holly asked.

  The last thing Catherine felt like doing was partaking in small talk, but as the only alternative was to contemplate their untimely demise, she reluctantly answered. “Beth got Florence to guilt trip me.”

  Holly laughed and the sound was pleasantly musical. Catherine turned in her seat, wincing as another spring poked an already sensitive part of her backside. If they were going to die, she might as well make the most of the journey up to that point.

  “Beth does tend to get what she wants,” Holly said. She laughed again. “Although I bet you gave her a run for her money.”

  “Yes, she does, and yes, I did,” Catherine said wryly. “She left me voicemails every night for over a month. Eventually, she resorted to phoning me at work under the pretence of there being a family emergency. Finally, she used her secret weapon: Florence.”

  “Whoa, that’s some hardcore tactics. You never stood a chance.” Holly smiled. “What do your family make of you spending Christmas in the Highlands of nowhere?”

  “I don’t have any family,” Catherine said. “My gran died in July, so it’s just me.”

  “Shit.” Holly gave an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry, Catherine.”

  Catherine shrugged and tried to mask her grief. “It’s fine.”

  They drove in silence. Before Holly had asked Catherine about her family they’d been having a pleasant chat, but now it was ruined. Catherine supposed it was perfectly reasonable for Holly to ask about her situation. The subject was bound to have been broached at some point, but now the atmosphere between them was awkward and Catherine regretted it. If only she’d had the foresight to have thought up an acceptable answer, or had even stopped at having no family; there’d been no need to mention Granny Birch’s death.

  “So…you don’t like Christmas songs?” Holly asked, her tone tentative.

  Catherine raised her chin. “I don’t like Christmas.”

  “Oh,” Holly said. She seemed stuck for words. Her eyebrows arched and she blew out a long breath. Sweeping the unruly curly strand of hair behind her ear again, she said, “I know some religions don’t celebrate—”

  “I’m an atheist,” Catherine said. She noted the frown on Holly’s forehead. This conversation was quickly heading in the same direction as the last one. She didn’t want to have to discuss the death of her parents, as it would only add to the macabre impression Holly undoubtedly had of her. In an attempt to prevent the inevitable, Catherine quickly said, “My reasons for disliking Christmas are personal. I’d rather not talk about them.”

  Holly shrunk away from her. “Of course.” Shaking her head, she said, “This all sounded a lot better in my head. Why don’t you ask me some questions instead? Go ahead. Ask me anything.”

  Catherine sat up straight, panic surging through her body. Her mind was blank. She kept trying to grasp at fleeting questions, but they were elusive, and each passing second added to her mounting stress. She didn’t want to make herself sound like a complete arse by asking something inappropriate.

  “Be gentle with me.” Holly gave a playful wink.

  Catherine said the first thing that came to mind. “Why are we staying in a hotel tonig
ht?” What the hell? Seemingly unable to stop talking, the barrage of words kept coming, and with each one Catherine cringed a little more inside. “Surely it makes more sense to continue driving through the night, especially as the forecasts have predicted awful weather for tomorrow. We don’t want to end up stranded somewhere.”

  Holly burst out laughing.

  Confused, Catherine remained silent. As far as she was aware she hadn’t said anything amusing.

  Holly’s face flushed with colour and her smile was as magnificent as ever. After a few deep, calming breaths, Holly glanced at her, eyes sparkling and cheeks pink. “Are you really that uninterested in me? You could’ve asked me anything, but you chose to ask about the journey instead.”

  Her face burned with embarrassment. “My mind went totally blank,” Catherine said. “I’m such an idiot.”

  Holly laughed again. “Don’t be silly. I think it’s endearing. Anyway, in answer to your surprise question”—she gave a playful nudge with her elbow—“I’ve been up since three this morning for work, and I didn’t finish until this afternoon. I’m usually in bed by nine, and I’m already tired. Eight hours is a long time in general, but in this weather, I don’t think it would be safe to attempt to drive it all in one go. Whereas four hours today and then four tomorrow seems doable.”

  Happily reeling from having been called endearing and by the unexpected touch of Holly’s elbow, Catherine nodded. “Always better to be safe than sorry. You’re a competent driver and I respect your decision.” She paused, then added, “If I came across as bossy or rude before, I apologise.”

  “Not at all,” Holly said. “It’s a shame you don’t drive because we could’ve taken it in turns and continued through the night.” She hesitated. “I was a little surprised, actually, when Katie told me you don’t drive.”

  Catherine fought back a groan. She’d finally started to loosen up a little, despite having embarrassed herself, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain why she’d never learnt to drive. That would lead back to the death of her parents—something she didn’t relish delving into.

  “It never interested me.” Before Holly could ask why, Catherine tried to change the subject. “I was hoping maybe you’d let me have another go at asking you a question. I might do better this time.”

  “I doubt you could do worse,” Holly teased her. “Sure, go ahead. In fact, I’ll give you five questions.”

  “Five?”

  “Yes. You can ask me anything and I’ll answer you honestly.”

  “You don’t have much faith in my questioning abilities,” Catherine said with a chuckle. “But I’ll take all five.” She couldn’t be certain, but it looked as though Holly was blushing. “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  Catherine opened her mouth, but Holly spoke first.

  “That was actually worse than your first question. Only four left, I sure hope they get better.”

  “That didn’t count,” Catherine said.

  “Well, it sounded like a question to me.”

  “It was a question, but it wasn’t one of my five.”

  Holly gave a dramatic shrug. “I suppose I’ll let you off this once.”

  Catherine opened her mouth and hesitated, thinking through the next question carefully. “How old are you?”

  “Marginally better. I’m going to turn twenty-six on Christmas Day.” Holly wiped her steamy window with her gloved hand. “What about you?”

  Catherine folded her arms. “I’m the one asking the questions.” Holly gave a sheepish smile but didn’t speak. It was enough to melt Catherine’s resolve. “I’m thirty-one.”

  “I definitely thought you were older.”

  “What?”

  “No, you look good. It’s not that.” Holly’s gaze flickered from Catherine’s legs and travelled up her body until their eyes met. A moment later, she turned her head and focused on the road.

  Catherine slowly released a shuddery breath. Beth had always said she wouldn’t recognise flirting if it slapped her in the face. She couldn’t be certain, but she had an inkling perhaps straight Holly was flirting with her right now. She could be wrong. But the possibility was exhilarating.

  “What job do you have?”

  “I own a small bakery called Indulgence,” Holly said. She sat up straighter and wet her lips. “I opened it in January, and I haven’t looked back since. I love it. I even look forward to waking up at three every morning.” Her eyes sparkled with passion. “There’s nothing better than creating something beautiful with your bare hands. It’s the most sensual job in the world. I get to immerse myself in incredible smells, tastes, and textures. Knowing what I’ve created isn’t just aesthetically pleasing but also delicious, well, that’s the proverbial cherry on top.”

  Catherine was a little stunned. She hadn’t been expecting Holly to reveal she owned and ran her own business, especially at only twenty-five years of age. That was an incredible accomplishment. Holly was clearly a skilled and driven woman.

  “Was it something you always wanted to do?”

  Holly laughed. “Not really. Although I’ll confess I’ve always been good with my hands.” She shot another mischievous wink at Catherine before continuing. “I was never bothered about being an academic starlet and so left it to my older sisters to fight it out between themselves. When I left school I had no idea what I wanted to do, and I happened across an advertisement for a catering school. It sounded interesting and so I enrolled. During those two years, I discovered my culinary skills were quite good. At eighteen, I’d given my parents heart failure when I told them I’d no interest in university and was planning to go travelling around Europe by myself. I worked two mundane jobs for over a year until I’d saved enough money, and then I made the best mistake of my life. I headed straight for Paris. I got a job working for a grumpy pastry chef who never spoke a word of English. My fate was sealed. I never ventured any farther than Paris because I’d found my calling. I stayed there for nearly three years and he taught me everything I know.”

  “Why did you leave?” Catherine asked.

  “I could’ve happily stayed there forever, and that was what bothered me.” Holly’s shoulders slumped. “I was homesick. I missed my family and England in general. Plus my girlfriend and I had split up, so there were no ties.”

  Girlfriend was the word Catherine heard the loudest.

  Holly nibbled her bottom lip for a few moments before continuing. “I suppose I wanted more. As much as I loved it, it was his dream. I wanted the opportunity to realise my own.”

  “Which is exactly what you’ve done,” Catherine said. She was trying to hide her astonishment. Holly had said girlfriend. The connotation of that one word meant Holly was bisexual at the very least, and, in theory, Catherine might stand a chance.

  Holly nodded. “Yes, but it wasn’t easy. For starters I was forced to move back in with my parents, which was a huge shock to the system. It took a few months to settle down and get work. I ended up working for over two years at a full-time office job during weekdays. Five evenings a week I tended a bar, and my weekends were spent working in a café. It was soul destroying, and I almost gave up, but my parents persuaded me to persevere. They gave me the same amount of money both my sisters had been given for their university tuition. That, paired with my savings and a hefty bank loan, was about enough to cover the overheads for a gorgeous little bakery I’d seen and secretly set my heart on. The rest, I suppose, is history.”

  The incredible smell inside the car made sense.

  “What job do you do?” Holly asked. Frowning, she peered out the windscreen. Catherine followed her line of sight. The snow was falling thicker and faster now, covering the windscreen in a light blanket of snow between each swoosh of the wipers.

  “I’m a regional sales manager.”

  “Do you like it?” Holly asked. She flicked the lever beside the steering wheel, increasing the pace of the wipers.

  Catherine felt the car slow down. “I’m goo
d at it. It’s full of challenges, and I happen to be excellent at developing strategies that enable us to meet our targets. It also pays well.”

  Holly leant forward, squinting at the road ahead. “I asked if you enjoy it, not if you’re good at it, or if it pays well.”

  “It’s the same thing.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Holly said reverently. “I was good at my office job, but I didn’t enjoy it. It was monotonous and nearly bored me to death, so I left. It’s going to take a while for the bakery to prove if it’s viable and will pay me well, but at least I enjoy it.”

  Catherine was a little taken aback. Holly had made a valid point. If Catherine genuinely considered her question, the answer depressed her. She didn’t enjoy her job. Yes, she was good at it, and perhaps for the first few years she did enjoy the challenge, but recently it’d become ever more stressful. The long hours, always being delegated the crappy and difficult stuff, while Jonathon stole her ideas and reaped all the credit. She wasn’t even convinced she was appreciated by her staff team, let alone by the board of directors.

  She didn’t want to admit to Holly that she didn’t like her job, so she told a barefaced lie. “I enjoy it. A lot.”

  Holly held her gaze for a few seconds before turning away. “Okay.”

  Catherine was certain Holly knew she’d lied, but at least she had the grace not to call her out. “What made you decide to spend Christmas in the Highlands of nowhere?”

  Holly laughed. “My parents are spending the whole month in Canada with my oldest sister’s family. Two of my mum’s sisters and their families, including Katie’s parents, also live out there, so it’s a bit of a reunion. I couldn’t afford to take the time off work or waste the money on travelling. They offered to pay for me, but I refused. When the business is making loads of cash and I’m rich, I’ll go over then.”

  Catherine suspected money was a bigger issue than Holly was letting on but remained quiet.

  “Anyway, news soon spread through the family grapevine, and I got a call from Katie insisting I spend Christmas with them. I knew better than to argue with her.”