A Surprise Christmas Wedding: from the best selling author of A Perfect Cornish Christmas comes one of the most feel-good winter romance books of 2020

by Phillipa Ashley

  Lottie decided to be honest with Shayla. ‘They should have already kicked in,’ she said discreetly. ‘Jay’s on his way to the generator now. If you could help me keep people calm in the meantime, I’d be grateful.’

  ‘Let’s hope it’s sorted soonest. Keep me posted.’ Although Shayla was calm, there was a distinct edge to her voice.

  Lottie turned her attention to Keegan.

  ‘Should we light the candles or something?’ Connor suggested.

  ‘At least that would be romantic,’ Keegan said.

  Lottie was a bit worried about the fire risk but relented, thinking anything that kept Keegan happy was a good thing and it really would be romantic … ‘OK. It shouldn’t be too long before we have power. Jay’s gone to sort some emergency lighting.’

  She asked the catering staff to bring in some tealights for the tables from the store room and soon the ballroom was lit by flickering candlelight. It was all very Christmassy and the delighted photographer took his chance to get some photos of a very happy couple by the tree. With the holly, ivy, decorations and romantic lighting, the room looked stunning and would make a wonderful showcase for future weddings.

  Lottie’s relief that Keegan was happy was undercut by her growing concern that the generator hadn’t kicked in. Any moment now, the lights would flare into life and the disco ball glitter again but the minutes ticked by and the ripple of unease among the guests grew louder.

  Just as Lottie was beginning to worry, the emergency lights came on to a collective murmur of thanks. A sea of relieved faces materialised in the low-level lighting, including the band, looking very pissed off that their set had been cut off.

  ‘Thank goodness for that,’ Fiona murmured.

  Even though the lights made it safe for people to move around, they were hardly festive and there was still no power for the band or disco. With people at least able to see each other and visit the bar, Lottie went into the hall to take a call from Jay who was in the facilities room at the rear of the house.

  It wasn’t what she’d had hoped for.

  ‘The diesel generator isn’t working. I’ve no idea why so I’ve called the generator company and they’re sending an emergency team but they’re twenty minutes away. It’s lucky the snow’s melting but even in the best case it could be an hour before the power can be restored.’

  ‘It’s only seven,’ she said in dismay. ‘The party’s barely started but I’ll have to ask everyone to be patient.’

  ‘The band could still play unplugged, and they can manage without the mikes,’ Jay said. ‘Why not ask them to do that?’

  ‘Do you think they would?’ Lottie said.

  ‘I don’t see why not. That’s what I’d do. Do you want me to have a word? I recognised the guy on the bass guitar from the local gig circuit.’

  ‘That would be great, thanks. I’ll update Keegan and Connor.’

  Jay was back in a couple of minutes and spoke to the band, while Lottie attempted to placate her bride and groom.

  The novelty of the candlelight was already wearing off. ‘What else is going to go wrong?’ Keegan said. ‘We’ve paid a fortune to have the perfect wedding here and so far, it’s been one disaster after another.’

  ‘Now, Keegan, that’s not exactly fair, is it?’ her mother said, obviously used to her daughter’s tantrums. ‘If this snow hadn’t come down, you’d never have arrived by sleigh. You must be the only bride who’s ever done that. And this candlelight is gorgeous.’

  ‘I suppose so,’ Keegan said grudgingly. ‘But this is your responsibility,’ she flung at Lottie.

  ‘The power failure is due to the weather,’ Lottie said patiently. ‘And while we couldn’t have foreseen the generator problem, please accept my sincere apologies. The engineer is on his way and I’m confident we’ll have it up and running soon.’ She crossed her fingers mentally.

  ‘Lottie’s right. The power will soon be back on, nutkin,’ Connor said.

  In the nick of time, Jay came up. ‘The band are going to carry on until we get the power restored. Don’t worry, I’ll watch out for the generator engineer and stress how urgent it is.’

  After a short delay, the music started up again and Lottie was relieved to have an excuse to escape into the vestibule where Jay delivered the good news that the generator engineers were only moments away. The warm front had brought drizzle and a thaw, which must make it easier for them to get there.

  A minute later, the lights of a van wavered on the driveway and pulled up outside.

  ‘There they are,’ Jay said. ‘I’ll take them to the facilities room.’

  ‘I want to hear how long they think it will take,’ Lottie said, pulling on her coat and following him, not adding that she’d like to get away from Keegan’s moaning.

  The engineer climbed out and Jay approached. From the way both men suddenly stopped and kept their distance from each other, she knew in an instant it was Ben.

  They faced each other, Ben with a toolbox, Jay with a torch, like two gunfighters ready to draw, except it wasn’t funny.

  Lottie intercepted them both, standing between them.

  ‘You’re not going to make a thing of this, are you? I need this generator fixing now, or I’ll have a furious bride and groom demanding their money back. Jay, you go back inside and make sure everyone’s OK. I’ll take you up to the generator, Ben.’

  He glanced from Jay and back to Lottie. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘No, I’ll take Ben to the generator room,’ he said.

  ‘Suit yourself but I’m coming too. No arguments. Now, get a move on.’

  It didn’t come naturally to boss two grown men around like a headmistress, but Lottie wasn’t in the mood to mess around.

  They caught up with her, one on either side. Lottie opened the door.

  ‘It’s in here.’

  Lottie let him inside and he examined the generator.

  ‘I was expecting a team. Didn’t know you worked for Parsons,’ Jay muttered.

  ‘I don’t. I’m self-employed now but I’m one of their on-call contractors. Believe me, I don’t relish being out here in this bloody weather on a Saturday night but I’m the only team you’re going to get.’ He nodded to Lottie. ‘Excuse me for being blunt. Obviously, it’s my job to help customers out, but Jay did ask.’

  Jay was stony-faced.

  ‘None of us wants to be here,’ Lottie said coolly. ‘Can you fix it?’

  ‘Fortunately, yes. It’s a simple job. The transfer switch has gone, which was what I thought it might be when the message came through from head office. It’s one of the most common reasons for this type of kit to fail and so I always keep spares.’

  ‘Will it take long?’ Lottie asked, relieved that one of her problems might be easily sorted out.

  ‘Ten minutes. Fifteen tops.’

  ‘Good because there’s no chance of the mains power being restored anytime soon.’

  ‘I heard it could be off until morning,’ Ben said.

  Jay lurked nearby, showing no signs of leaving. Lottie decided to let him stew and called Shayla with an update.

  She waited while Ben replaced the switch, refusing to leave them alone.

  He straightened up. ‘There. It’s done.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Lottie said.

  ‘It’s my job, you’re very welcome and I’m happy to help. I’m sorry I said I hadn’t wanted to come out.’

  ‘It’s OK.’ Lottie was aware of Jay standing by, with a face like thunder.

  Ben picked up his toolbox. ‘Goodnight, then.’

  ‘You too, safe journey home,’ Lottie said, all too aware that ‘home’ meant the one he shared with Nadia and Seb. It was so frustrating to be constantly treading on eggshells with Jay, where Ben was concerned.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said. As he walked past Jay he said, ‘Jay, I get that you’re still angry with me but I can’t stand seeing you like this – like a wounded animal who won’t let people close. I am so very sorry that things turned out like the
y did.’

  He held out his hand.

  Jay stayed resolutely silent.

  ‘OK. Don’t take my hand, or even forgive me but ask yourself why – be honest with yourself – if you really want to let this fester and spoil all the good things you have now. I can’t wish I’d never met Nadia. But sooner or later it would have happened anyway.’

  Lottie despaired. She was embarrassed and upset at the level of enmity he’d nursed all this time. What did Ben mean, that he and Nadia would have got together anyway? She thought Jay and Nadia had had a happy relationship … but she couldn’t afford to deal with it now.

  ‘I’ll walk with you down to the drive,’ she said to Ben.

  ‘I can find my way but thanks, anyway. You’d better get back to the wedding.’

  With that, he let himself out of the building, leaving Jay and Lottie alone.

  ‘I’m going back to the ballroom,’ she said, waiting for him to say he’d join her.

  ‘I suppose you think I should have thanked him?’ Jay said.

  She was about to deny it but was too worked up. ‘I – it’s none of my business and I can’t deal with this now. I understand what it’s like to cling on to love for someone – to try and hang on to something you can never get back.’

  Jay tried to speak but Lottie wasn’t to be silenced.

  ‘I’m glad Connor turned up, no matter how hard it’s been, because it’s made me realise that we were never suited. That I didn’t need him, or want him. Because of our break-up I moved to Firholme. Don’t hate your brother. I’ve had rows with Steph – nothing like you have – but her illness has made me realise that it’s never worth pushing away someone you love.’

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Lottie finally shut the door on the world just after two a.m. The generator powered the house and at midnight, the rest of the site was restored to the mains. The rain had turned to a full Lakeland downpour, sluicing through the snow, leaving the roads passable for the guests to leave in taxis or be picked up by the riding-school volunteers.

  The bride and groom went up to their room along with the rest of the wedding party and the reception had wound up.

  At one time, the thought of Connor spending his wedding night at Firholme, with another woman, would have broken Lottie’s heart. Now, she was relieved that he was spending it with Keegan, and not her. She’d escaped from a marriage that would never have given her the contentment and joy she craved.

  Jay’s comment from earlier in the day wouldn’t go away: he said he’d made all the effort for her. He’d pulled out all the stops and everything had been so promising until Ben had turned up. They worked as a team, he was kind, and she fancied him way more than she’d ever fancied Connor. He was exciting, complex and – she realised – a challenge. Was she attracted to him because of that? She mustn’t let herself think of him as a lost cause that she could save.

  Yet she was still unsettled by his lack of trust – and the scars of the breakdown in his relationship with his brother and Nadia had affected him. Could he ever trust someone again – especially after she’d lied to him about Connor?

  Lottie didn’t know but she wasn’t sure they could move their relationship forward until she was sure.

  With that on her mind, and after her rollercoaster of a day, she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep but she also hadn’t reckoned on how exhausted she was. The next thing she knew, it was morning and daylight was peeping through the curtains where she’d been too tired to shut them properly.

  She woke and threw back the curtains on a world of melting snow, muddy fields and leaden clouds reaching down to the lake. It was such a contrast to the fairy-tale Narnia that had greeted her yesterday and it cast a pall over her mood.

  Over breakfast, she sent a video of the reindeer arrival to Steph and the girls, smiling at the excitement with which it would probably be greeted. She only hoped the twins didn’t expect a sleigh pulled by reindeer to arrive at their own front door on Christmas Eve.

  What a pleasure it was to see the girls for Sunday lunch, while she and Steph ran the reindeer video over and over and looked at the latest photos emailed by their parents. Lottie didn’t think she’d ever missed them more and plans were made for their visit in the early spring.

  It was also a relief to tell Steph about the wedding and a real treat to put her feet up and throw herself into family life. The girls were a tonic for any ailment or worry. After lunch, they cosied up next to her on the sofa, brimming with excitement.

  ‘We’ve bought you a present!’ they trilled in unison.

  Lottie raised an enquiring eyebrow. ‘Oh, lovely but it’s a bit early, isn’t it?’

  Myra folded her arms. ‘You need this present now.’

  ‘Open it!’ Jodie ordered.

  They handed Lottie a paper bag with several smaller parcels inside, wrapped in tissue paper.

  ‘OK. If you insist.’

  She opened the first and took out a wooden owl with huge yellow eyes. ‘Wow. An owl. I love owls. I can hear them outside my window at Firholme.’

  ‘He’s for your tree!’ Myra said. ‘I chose him from the Christmas fair.’

  Jodie tugged at her sleeve. ‘Open mine next, Auntie Lottie!’

  ‘I am. I want to make it last.’

  ‘No, open them now!’ they chorused.

  Steph grinned. ‘You’d better do as you’re told, Auntie Lottie.’

  The next parcel contained a wooden reindeer with a red ribbon to hang it from the tree. ‘That is beautiful …’ she held the decoration by the ribbon, brimful of emotion. ‘Just like Cush’s reindeer.’

  ‘I chose that,’ Jodie said. ‘And Mummy chose this one.’

  Steph smiled as Lottie took the largest of the parcels out of the bag. Inside the tissue was a globe containing something sparkly and pink. ‘Wow, a snow globe,’ she said. ‘How pretty.’

  ‘No, silly!’ Myra giggled. ‘It’s gin.’

  Jodie sniggered. ‘Mummy got it from the fair. She said you wouldn’t be able to wait until Christmas to drink it.’

  ‘Mummy’s right.’ She gave Steph a look. ‘Thanks. I will try and hang it on the tree, at least until Christmas Eve.’

  Steph laughed. ‘It’s some kind of pink grapefruit flavour with edible glitter. Couldn’t resist it.’

  Lottie dangled the gin in front of her. ‘It’s way better than a snow globe.’

  The twins were still jigging and Myra plucked another bag from behind a cushion. ‘We got something else,’ she said.

  ‘For Jay.’ Jodie took the bag and thrust it at Lottie.

  ‘Jay?’

  ‘It’s a thank you for the tree,’ Steph said. ‘Sorry, but the girls insisted, even if he doesn’t celebrate Christmas.’

  ‘Open it!’ the twins declared.

  ‘No, it’s for Jay to open,’ Steph said. ‘I’m sure Auntie Lottie will let us know what he thinks …’ She exchanged a knowing glance with Lottie. ‘And now, it is bedtime and no arguments!’

  Steph flopped onto the sofa. ‘How are you?’ Lottie asked.

  ‘I’m OK …’

  ‘Any word from Kerr?’

  ‘He sent me a WhatsApp message asking how I am. Did you give him my number?’

  ‘Might have done,’ Lottie said. ‘I hope it was OK?’

  ‘Definitely but don’t get too excited. I replied saying I was fine, but I haven’t heard anything since.’

  ‘Maybe you need to make the first move. Kerr’s a quiet kind of guy. He might be waiting for a hint.’

  ‘You could be right but I’m too worried about this scan to take things further. Much as I fancy him, I need to know I’m going to have a future before I can start planning it.’

  ‘Oh, hon. I’m so sorry I’d forgotten it was racing up so soon, with all the wedding chaos.’

  ‘It’s OK. You have to have a life of your own. I’ll be fine.’

  Despite this, Lottie knew Steph must be terrified of the cancer coming back. She’d have given
up everything for her sister to be well but life didn’t work like that; and all she could do was hug her and reassure her that she’d always be there for her, no matter what life threw their way.

  It was ten o’clock when she arrived home, and made up the fire. After the laughter and excitement at Steph’s, the Bothy felt very empty. However, the glowing hearth warmed her spirits and she made herself a hot chocolate and started to arrange the cards on the mantelpiece.

  She added the new decorations from the tree to her own, wondering what to do with Jay’s present. She had no idea when, if ever, would be the right opportunity to give it to him.

  Since the adrenaline of the wedding she’d had more time to reflect on what had happened with Ben. Jay was obviously still hung up about Nadia, and Lottie wanted a fresh start. No matter how much she wanted it to be with Jay, it was never going to work for them.

  With Steph’s future uncertain and her hopes for Jay at rock bottom, no sparkle from the Christmas tree or music on the TV could lift her mood. Rain hammered against the windows and she could hear the beck rushing down past the end of the garden. She was mulling over whether to have a Baileys to cheer herself up when there was a knock at the door.

  Her first thought was that it might be Shayla popping by but when she opened the door, she found Jay, standing in the rain in only a T-shirt and jeans.

  ‘Jay!’

  He leaned against the doorframe, white as a sheet and held his head in his hands. ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘It’s Seb. He’s in intensive care. It’s meningitis and they’re not sure he’ll make it.’

  Chapter Forty

  Lottie virtually dragged him into the hall. ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry. Come in, out of the rain.’

  It was then Jay realised that his face wasn’t wet because of rain but from tears of shock. He rubbed his hand over his eyes. ‘Sorry. Dad only called a few minutes ago. I ignored all of Ben’s calls … That’s why my dad had to phone me. Oh God, Lottie, what have I done?’

  She didn’t hesitate. ‘Nothing, but you can do something now. I’ll drive you to the hospital in the truck. Get your coat.’

  ‘I – do you really think they’ll want me there?’ Jay seemed frozen. ‘I’m desperate to go but he’s not my little boy. Jesus they must be out of their minds. They might lose him.’