Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay: a heartwarming romantic comedy perfect for curling up with this Christmas for fans of Jill Mansell (Swallowtail Bay, Book 3)

by Katie Ginger

  When they’d settled, one of the grandmothers had mentioned something very interesting. The local primary school normally held its annual festive carol service in the school hall, but the roof was leaking and needed some urgent repairs. According to her, St Herbert’s was searching for a new venue that wasn’t going to cost them any money to hire, otherwise they’d have to cancel, and the children were heartbroken at the possibility. Nell had immediately been struck with what she’d thought at the time was a good idea and was eager to tell Cat all about it.

  ‘The knit and natter group said St Herbert’s Primary were looking for somewhere to hold their Welcome to Christmas service and I rang them and suggested here, and they said yes straight away! Isn’t that awesome? I can clear the dining room and open the door to the lounge. If Tom helps me bring school benches over in his van, I reckon I can get the singers in the lounge here’ – she gestured to where with her hands – ‘and have everyone seated out there in the dining room. It’s such a small school there’s only one class per year and that only has twenty kids. I’ve planned out all the space already. What do you think? I’m going to sell hot chocolates and mince pies and all kinds of Christmassy treats. I reckon it could really help with takings. I need to do everything I can to get money in while the bookings are low.’ Cat didn’t speak and Nell worried she thought it was just another of her flights of fancy.

  Nell knew herself well enough to understand that her imaginative nature made her prone to thinking things would always work out and sometimes they didn’t. Like when she was a teenager and had decided the boy next door fancied her. In her mind, the chance meeting she’d engineered would end up in love at first sight. She’d trip up and fall into his arms, he’d catch her and from that point on they would be inseparable. What actually transpired was that she’d bumped into him accidentally on purpose trying to eat an ice cream in a coquettish fashion, and the ice cream had gone all over his T-shirt. That choir of angels she was sure were waiting open-mouthed to sing hadn’t started because he’d been less than impressed and called her a stupid cow. Love had died instantly.

  Incidents like this had been repeated throughout her life and she’d learned to manage her expectations, at least as far as the business went. At times though, she still couldn’t stop her mind wandering to the day her true love would walk into her life, every moment like a romcom movie waiting to happen. Which reminded her, she still needed to tell Cat about Harry.

  ‘What do you think, Cat?’ Nell asked nervously. Even though she didn’t have children herself and being an only child, she had no nieces or nephews to fuss over, she still loved kids’ carol concerts. There was something about the madness and chaos of the homemade costumes that made it really feel like Christmas. And Christmas carols were always magical and made her cry.

  ‘I think it’s a great idea,’ Cat replied. ‘And it’s a really lovely thing to do, which, given the time of year, is perfect. Well done you.’

  Nell glowed at the compliment.

  Heavy footsteps descended the stairs and Harry poked his head around the door. He was wearing a different sweater, thinner and tighter this time, and dark denim jeans. Nell noticed for the first time how his hair was a light reddish-brown, like the willow branches Tom had brought, but streaked with California blond. He wasn’t from California, she’d just had a little fantasy about that involving him, half-naked in an undone wetsuit. The address he’d given her when she took the booking was New York. A city she’d longed to visit but had never got around to despite many drunkenly planned shopping trips with Cat. ‘Hey, Nell.’

  ‘Hi, Harry. Everything okay?’ Seeing him again, his hair slightly dishevelled, sent a bolt of electricity into her heart waking it up. She hadn’t failed to notice Cat’s bewildered glance at this new and exciting unmentioned guest.

  ‘Relax, everything’s fine. The room is absolutely divine, and I just wanted to say you were right about the bed. As soon as I’d had a shower …’ Nell swallowed to stop herself from seeing him all toned and soapy. She could already feel herself blushing. ‘I just couldn’t keep my eyes open and it was the best nap I’ve ever had.’

  ‘See, I told you. I’m glad you’re feeling better.’

  Cat’s gaze flitted between the two of them.

  ‘Well, I’m still pretty jetlagged so I’m just off to see my family for dinner then I’ll be back for a good night’s sleep. Evening, ladies.’

  ‘Good night, Harry.’

  ‘Good night,’ Cat called enthusiastically and when he’d disappeared with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts, she batted Nell’s arm and burst out in a hearty giggle. ‘When were you going to tell me about him then?’

  ‘Harry? He’s just a guest. He’s staying for three weeks to see some family.’

  ‘And all the flirting?’

  ‘We weren’t flirting. At least I wasn’t.’ Nell brushed a long tickly hair behind her ear.

  ‘Oh no, no flirting with the tall, gorgeous American,’ Cat teased. ‘Blimey, we don’t get many of those around here, do we?’

  ‘No, we don’t,’ Nell replied, playing with the edge of the Christmas cushion she’d tucked under her arm.

  ‘I’d make the most of it while you can.’

  The words ‘while you can’ left a horrid feeling in Nell’s chest but as Cat carried on, she ignored it. As much as she wanted to believe in love at first sight, she wasn’t sure Harry did. Cat took her mind off things with tales of Brenda’s latest exploits which included a strange new kind of face cream made from seahorse poo. They were just laughing about this when Niall, the wedding caterer, came in.

  Niall Peters made the most incredibly delicious fancy food and Nell couldn’t decide which aspect of the wedding she was most excited about; that this was going to be the first of many weddings held at Holly Lodge; that it was her best friend’s wedding and therefore a joyous day when two of her very best friends became one; or getting to stuff her face with food made by an incredibly talented man. Niall walked in with a happy ease and arms laden with little white boxes that were sure to hold delicious food.

  ‘Hey, ladies,’ Niall said. ‘You look very comfortable there.’

  They were incredibly comfortable by the fire with Cat two gins down and nearing the end of the third. So far it had been more like a girls’ night in than waiting for a meeting. The smell coming from the white boxes was like icing on the cake – the fanciest takeaway ever. Nell couldn’t wait to dive in.

  ‘I’m not late, am I?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Nell said, standing up. ‘What can we get you to drink?’

  ‘A coffee would be great, thanks.’

  Nell already knew how he had it and went off to get him one. When she came back, Cat and Niall were looking decidedly cosy next to each other on the sofa. The meeting began and Nell watched Cat taste the food samples with mounting worry.

  It wasn’t that she was pretending because she didn’t like them, or conversely, going over the top in her enthusiasm for the tiny cheesy vol-au-vents. It was more that the way she was behaving could only be described as flirtatious. Definitely, definitely flirtatious. And Cat hadn’t flirted with anyone since she and Kieran had got together. To see her do it now was more than a little disconcerting.

  ‘Niall,’ Cat began, gently touching his arm, her hand lingering there for a moment longer than necessary. ‘These are absolutely divine, don’t you think, Nell? We definitely need to have these for the guests to munch on when they arrive.’

  Niall leaned to the side to get his pen and notepad and knocked into Cat. ‘Sorry. So, definitely the mini cheese soufflé vol-au-vents. What about something meaty?’

  Cat gave a devilish smile and widened her eyes at Nell. ‘I do like something meaty.’

  Who was this woman in front of her? The Cat she had seen only a few days before was as different to this one as could possibly be. Last night, Cat had seemed tired and fed up; this one was like Cat on Viagra. She looked the same and dressed the same, but a playf
ul vixen had reared her head. Over the top of her hot chocolate, Nell eyed the situation with mounting concern. Was it her imagination or had Cat moved closer to Niall? No, it wasn’t, and Niall too looked increasingly uncomfortable at Cat’s proximity.

  ‘What other things would you suggest?’ Nell asked, trying to give the meeting some kind of focus.

  ‘I do this fabulous chicken salad in a baby gem lettuce cup. It’s one of my favourite light bites.’

  ‘Light bites,’ Cat giggled, and Nell looked at her like she’d gone completely insane.

  ‘Let me tell you about them,’ said Niall, pulling open another white box to show the tiny baby gem lettuce leaves piled with chicken, halved grapes and sprinkles of chopped walnuts. As he did, Nell studied his face, trying to figure out what was happening. Niall had one of those faces that wasn’t really attractive until he spoke and his personality came through. At first his features seemed quite plain, due to a very square jaw and crooked nose, but when his love of food filled his face, his features softened. The crooked nose gave him character and hinted at a bad-boy past, while his stockiness and manly features gave the impression of security and protection. He wasn’t Nell’s type, but she was a bit worried that Cat had randomly decided he was hers, even though he wasn’t giving any indication of being anything other than professional. ‘I’ve made a sample. Here.’

  Nell took one, hoping Cat wouldn’t like it so they could hire a different caterer she wasn’t going to flirt with, but it wasn’t to be. Cat took a bite of hers and was rapturously enjoying the taste, making strange ‘umming’ sounds when Nell decided to intervene. Maybe Cat hadn’t had much lunch. As a midwife, her days were unpredictable. She had mentioned how busy she was today with a woman on the verge, a couple who were overdue and a delivery that had gone swimmingly producing a gorgeous, squidgy pink baby girl. Perhaps three gins on an empty stomach had gone straight to her head. It was the only reasonable explanation for this weird behaviour. ‘Shall we get some water, Cat?’

  ‘Oh, Niall. Yum. This is amazing. We should definitely have this too.’

  ‘Cat?’

  Cat looked up in surprise and swallowed. ‘No, thanks, Nell. I’m fine.’

  Nell grabbed her arm and yanked her up out of her seat. ‘No, you’re not. You need some water and so do I. Come with me. Back in a minute, Niall. Make yourself comfortable.’ Just not too comfortable, she added internally.

  ‘Don’t go anywhere,’ called Cat over her shoulder.

  Once they were in the safety of the basement kitchen and Cat had pulled herself onto the countertop, swinging her tiny legs, Nell took three glasses from the cupboard and poured some water into them from the cold filter in the fridge. ‘What are you doing?’ Nell asked, unable to contain herself any longer.

  Cat pulled down the hem of her skirt and picked fluff off her bright purple thick woollen tights. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘Yes, you bloody well do. When did you start flirting with guys? You haven’t flirted with anyone since you and Kieran first laid eyes on each other. You weren’t even behaving like this the first time we met him. What’s going on?’

  ‘Nothing,’ she said with a shrug. ‘I’m just trying to enjoy my wedding preparations without my mother badgering me, that’s all.’

  Nell leaned against the countertop, her other hand on her hip. ‘Well, do you think you could enjoy them a little less enthusiastically? You’ll give Niall the wrong idea.’

  ‘No, I won’t. Oh …’ She paused, her hand at her mouth. ‘Do you like him?’

  ‘Me? No.’ The idea had never crossed Nell’s mind actually. He wasn’t her type. She wasn’t exactly sure what her type was, but it certainly wasn’t Niall.

  ‘Or is handsome Harry more your thing?’ Nell felt her ears grow hot, and shook her head, knowing full well it wasn’t very convincing. ‘I’m engaged to be married, Nell, I’m not dead from the waist down. I was just having fun.’ Cat crossed her arms over her chest.

  ‘You’ll be dead from the neck up if you keep flirting, or I’ll lock up the gin.’

  ‘I didn’t realise I was flirting like that, I was just trying to have a bit of silly fun, like we used to when we were younger, but I promise, I’ll stop.’ Cat’s shoulders slumped down in a sulk. ‘Why is everyone determined to make my wedding bloody miserable?’

  ‘I’m not trying to make your wedding or its planning miserable,’ Nell replied, gently touching Cat’s knee. ‘You know how much I love you. But you’ve been acting a bit weird. Is everything okay? Is your mum getting to you?’

  Cat shrugged. ‘A bit. I just wanted to enjoy myself while she wasn’t here. She takes over so much when she’s around, it takes all the fun out of it.’

  ‘You’re going to have to talk to her about this, you know. If she keeps making you miserable, you have to say something.’

  ‘I know.’ Cat hopped down off the counter. ‘Can we get back to eating the food now? Mum’s put me on a diet, and I’ve been starving all day.’

  Nell tutted at Brenda’s machinations. If Cat didn’t speak to her, she was going to have to, and Brenda Wilson was almost as formidable as Mrs Meggett. The diet thing was the most ridiculous of all. Cat was happy as she was, and it wasn’t for Brenda to say otherwise. ‘Okay, let’s go. You carry your drink and I’ll take mine and Niall’s, but no more flirting okay?’

  ‘Okay.’ Cat pushed open the swing door with her bum and they went back into the lounge to eat the rest of the delicious food, yet Nell wasn’t totally satisfied. There was something deeper going on, Nell was sure of it. She had a feeling it was to do with this wedding dress business and if Cat wasn’t going to stand up for herself, she was going to have to do it for her.

  Chapter 8

  Tom’s Saturday morning ended up far busier than usual. After he’d arrived, he kept his coat on because the shop was so cold his teeth were chattering. He couldn’t have the heating on too much as it dried the flowers out and lowered their shelf life, but he popped it on now to heat the place up a little. Settled at his workstation, he also pulled out some fingerless gloves.

  The shop smelled like Christmas and orders for festive wreaths were coming in thick and fast. They were his speciality in the town, and he’d also decided to make a range of garlands like the one he’d made for Nell. The child within him had run riot and he’d begun a range of ‘Santa Stop Here’ signs using driftwood from the beach. He always loved using natural materials collected from the pebbly beach of Swallowtail Bay, though he drew the line at seaweed and anything that smelled remotely fishy. No one wanted that in their home at Christmas or any other time of the year. The first few mock-ups he’d made were looking pretty good.

  Though he’d arrived there at a little before six-thirty, with the sky as dark as night and the sun still hiding behind the horizon, time flew by as he worked and the next time he checked the large clock on the wall above the flowers, he’d been there for almost two hours. The shop was finally beginning to warm up a little and a pale white sky was visible through the window when Janie arrived at a quarter to nine. She came through the door looking like an Eskimo. Her eyes were only just poking out between the pink scarf wrapped over her mouth and the matching hat pulled down tightly onto her head. Her hands were covered in big fluffy mittens. Even though it was only her pale blue eyes that were visible, Tom could see she was as cheerful as ever from the sheer light and joy shining out from them. It was a pleasure seeing and working with her, and to Tom she was feeling more and more like a little sister every day. ‘Morning, Janie. Bit cold at the bus stop, was it?’

  ‘Freezing this morning,’ she replied, unwrapping the layers. ‘I thought my toes were going to drop off.’

  ‘Well, I’ve got the heating on, so you’ll warm up nice and quick. What do you think to this one?’ he asked, showing her one of the driftwood Santa Stop Here signs as she readied herself for the day. A bright red, jolly Santa winked back at her.

  ‘I love it. I think they’ll sell out straight a
way. They’re so perfect for Swallowtail Bay. The seaside meets Christmas. We should have a bucket of those out front.’

  Tom stood back and admired his handiwork. Janie was right. It really was the seaside meets Christmas. He’d never thought of it in those terms, but she was definitely onto something there. Something a little bit different but still festive. She had a good brain for marketing. Maybe he should get her to look at the hotel stuff.

  ‘I can’t believe how cold it’s got. Do you think it’ll snow?’ Janie asked with childlike enthusiasm at the prospect of the white stuff floating down and covering everything in a seamless blanket that called out to be stepped on.

  ‘I don’t think it’s quite cold enough for that, but you never know. I did have to de-ice the car this morning so if the temperature keeps dropping, it might.’

  When Tom had driven to the shop earlier that morning the pavement glistened under the lamplight. He’d sat in the car watching the windscreen de-frost which was actually helpful as it gave his eyes time to adjust to the dimness around him. He was going to have to go to the optician’s soon but the thought brought with it an element of fear. The headaches were increasing in intensity and frequency and the thought that something was seriously wrong sprang into his mind and with it, panic. If something serious was wrong with him, like a brain tumour, what would happen to Grandad Nigel?