Darcy circulated and chatted with Amelia about the knitting stall, how popular it was already and how busy Cleo had been. Drinks were topped up, canapés brought round, and Mitch had taken Kyle under his wing, introducing him to other people as they talked about his Christmas tree farm in Inglenook Falls and the stall in the city.
Cleo eventually turned up and after grabbing a champagne sat next to Amelia on the sofa. ‘I need this drink more than you know.’ She knocked a glug back enthusiastically.
‘Trouble in paradise?’
‘Ignore me, I’m being a grouch. I’m tired and it’s been a long day rather than a particularly bad one. The knitting stall here, along with one in Inglenook Falls, plus the Little Knitting Box, plus the kiddies…’
‘I’m tired just hearing that list. Is it good to be back in Manhattan though?’
Cleo smiled, relaxed a bit. ‘It is. I don’t get to come that often so the market stall is a really good excuse.’ She looked over at the men when they laughed at something. ‘Kyle seems to be getting on well with Mitch.’
‘I’m so relieved.’ She relaxed with another sip of her drink. ‘I’ve been thinking, we should come out to Inglenook Falls one day. I’d love to see the Little Knitting Box and I know Kyle would like to visit the Christmas tree farm if Mitch is happy for him to do so.’
‘Sounds like a plan to me.’ She looked over at him again. ‘Getting away seems to have been a real tonic for him.’
Amelia frowned in thought. ‘He thanked me earlier, for taking him away.’
‘That’s a good thing, surely.’ Cleo crossed her legs, flicked her dark-blonde hair over a shoulder out of the way. ‘I doubt a lot of teenagers would even say thank you.’
‘Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but I thought it would’ve been a thank you for bringing him to New York, the most exciting thing ever for most kids of his age. But he said it more along the lines of a thank you for the escape. As though I could’ve taken him anywhere in the world as long as it wasn’t near home.’
Cleo put a hand over hers. ‘You’re a wonderful auntie and an even better sister to step up like this; I hope Connie knows how lucky she is.’
Connie hadn’t always taken from Amelia, sometimes she’d given. When Amelia wanted to put herself through university to jump-start a new career direction Amelia and Stuart had given her free board and lodgings, telling her it was payback for all that childcare over the years. They became equals – Connie wasn’t taking advantage, Amelia wasn’t a pushover – but since Stuart died, slowly Amelia had slipped back into the role of Connie’s sole support system when it came to her son. Amelia had been around when puberty hit Kyle and his hormones raged, when he felt nobody understood him, and she’d been at her sister’s side when they found out Kyle had got involved with a gang committing petty theft, lads who had seen nothing wrong with drinking under age and getting wasted. Amelia had been there when Kyle left school, she’d watched him unable to get a focus or direction, drifting along as the mood took him. She’d told him he wasn’t the loser he claimed to be, but she could see he was stuck in a place he couldn’t see a way out of, and when her sister begged her to talk to him her first thought had been to get him well away from all that was familiar. And here they were.
But Amelia was growing increasingly frustrated with her sister. She hadn’t texted many times at all, almost as though with Kyle it was a case of out of sight, out of mind.
Amelia sat up straighter. ‘I refuse to be sad tonight.’ She shook off the melancholy and clinked glasses with Cleo. ‘It’s amazing to see you again, and that jumper is gorgeous.’
‘Nice change of subject,’ Cleo smiled. ‘And thank you. I made it myself last year.’
‘I wish I had half your talent.’ She admired the camel stepped-hem jumper. ‘What’s the wool? Or should I say yarn?’
‘Don’t worry, I still forget sometimes and say both. It took me forever to learn to say sweater rather than jumper and I still flit between the two. The yarn is merino and alpaca, beautiful isn’t it?’
‘I loved working in your aunt and uncle’s wool shop but I never took to knitting. Mum used to tell me it was weird to be surrounded by beautiful wools and not feel the urge to learn, but I never got the hang of it.’
Amelia accepted a cranberry canapé on a tiny piece of baguette with whipped ricotta when Darcy floated on by as the hostess and stopped with them before taking the food over to the men.
‘How’s your work going?’ Cleo asked. ‘You haven’t said much about it since you got here.’
‘To tell you the truth, it hasn’t been great lately.’
‘I thought you loved it.’
‘I do, but I’ve had some trouble. This holiday,’ she put the word in inverted commas, ‘was enforced rather than off my own back. I got too involved with a case, ended up mouthing off to a parent who wasn’t doing their kid any favours. Don’t tell Kyle – not mouthing off is one lesson I’m always harping on about. It gets you into far more trouble and I’ve found that out the hard way.’
‘Do you have a job to go back to?’
‘I do, but I know I need to find some way of separating my work and my personal feelings. It’s all well and good getting invested to a certain extent – caring about people is a quality for the job – but I overstepped. I called the mother a bitch.’
Cleo gasped. ‘Amelia, that’s not like you.’
‘No, it’s not. But her son has been in a lot of trouble with the police.’ She lowered her voice, she didn’t want her nephew hearing this. ‘I can see Kyle going down the same road if he’s not careful, and the mother, well, she reminded me of my sister, always thinking her job and her social life were more important than her son. I know I shouldn’t judge, but I saw red, let her have a piece of my mind. The kid thought it was hilarious but nobody else did, and I’ve had to apologise to her as well.’
‘Do you think you did it because you’re frustrated with your sister?’
‘I didn’t realise at the time but, yes, you’re probably right. I’ve been a bit lost lately, since Paul and I ended things, having to move back into the flat and redecorate, all the ups and downs with Kyle.’
‘Why don’t you talk to Connie?’
‘I will, it’s finding the right moment.’
‘And you’ll move on from Paul in time.’
‘I hope so.’
‘Are you still in love with him?’
‘I feel it ended so suddenly, I never saw it coming. I think that’s half the problem. If we’d fought a lot or one of us had had an affair, I might have processed the breakup quite differently.’
‘And he never really gave you much reason, did he?’
‘We wanted different things was all he said. Basically a cop-out. Who knows, maybe he was shagging someone else, perhaps he wanted to spare my feelings in the end.’
‘Well, let’s hope this holiday is a break for you as well as Kyle. Away from England, the flat, anything that reminds you of Paul.’
Amelia sighed as she watched Kyle again, relaxed, open, different. ‘I wish his mum could see him like this rather than the angry, frustrated, sad boy who seems to think the world is against him. You know, she could barely look at me when she dropped him off, it’s as though she was passing him on to me. My problem. And it wouldn’t have escaped his notice either. It must be hurtful to think your own mum doesn’t want you around.’
‘I can understand his grief, losing my mum was awful and at times I never thought I’d get over it. At least I had my dad and Teresa, even though I didn’t appreciate her at the time. I think she kept him going, gave him the confidence to raise me despite all that we had lost. I don’t suppose Connie has had that, so it must be hard for her.’ She held up her hands. ‘I’m not saying it’s right for her to depend on you, but it must be tough doing it all alone and coping with her own grief at the same time. And I never got into trouble the way Kyle has, so my dad was lucky with that too, although he did have the battle with my attitude to
contend with.’
‘You never liked Teresa, I remember it well.’
‘Don’t remind me, I was awful to her.’
‘You get on well now?’
‘We really do. Since the day she showed up in New York and I was forced to face her and deal with my feelings, we’ve become friends. I never thought that would ever happen.’
‘I’m not sure things will be so easy with Kyle. Trying to reason with a boy his age is tough.’
‘May I ask why it’s you who’s come to the rescue and taken him on a holiday?’ Cleo probed.
‘You remember how I said I always looked after him when he was small?’
‘Your sister expected you to, from what I remember. Wasn’t it because you worked at home?’
‘That’s right. But it’s my fault, I never said no, and then when Stuart died, how could I turn down anything she asked of me? She was devastated. Like you say, she had nobody to draw strength from.’
When Darcy put on some Christmas music and the sounds of Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ floated around the room Amelia apologised to Cleo for bringing the mood down more than once tonight.
‘Nonsense, that’s what friends are for. And now I can moan about my problems to get even.’
‘Please do, I’m fed up being the only whinger at a party.’
‘I need some advice.’
‘Still having trouble with Ruby?’
‘She’s being a little madam.’ Cleo told Amelia all about the cupcakes she was supposed to take into school, those Cleo had bought that had never seen the neatly assembled tables of the bake sale, Prue swooping in and coming to the rescue, Prue feeding Ruby with information that was not only inaccurate but damaging. ‘There’s no way I don’t love Ruby and Jacob, and I’m furious that Prue would even suggest it, let alone to her daughter who is very much a part of my family.’
‘Do you think Prue wants to get back with Dylan?’
‘Actually, I don’t. But it’s like she doesn’t want him to be happy with anyone else. She was fine for a long while but maybe the permanency is making her uneasy. Not that it was ever temporary, when we’ve had another two children. Marriage is just a formality so I don’t get why she’s causing such a stir. It’s as though the wedding plans are an official reminder that Dylan chose to be with me rather than give his marriage with her another go.’
‘All I can suggest is to keep talking, keep Ruby onside as much as you can, involve her in things and don’t rise to Prue’s antics because that’s probably exactly what she wants. Why don’t you schedule some special Cleo–Ruby time?’
‘I don’t think Ruby would like that one bit.’
‘So make it something she can’t refuse. Like a pamper day – she’s at the age where girls love all that fuss. Do the pamper day, take her for hot chocolates, maybe to a movie or to see the Christmas lights. But only you and her. Otherwise your focus will be on everything and everyone else. Then, I’d talk to her about your wedding, keep it all in the open. Perhaps search on websites for dresses, get her looking too, say you’re giving her responsibility now she’s older. It could be anything…choosing flowers, cake tasting, watching you try on dresses.’
‘I think you’re right. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to find the time to do it, but I will, and before Christmas,’ she said determinedly. ‘I can’t go into Christmas with things like this, it’s really unpleasant. I’m on edge all the time and I’m not sleeping.’
‘I didn’t realise it had got so bad. Does Dylan know?’
‘Some of it, not that I’m struggling to sleep at night. I don’t want him forced to take sides. He’s seen Ruby playing up so he does know but I don’t want to go on and on about the effect it’s having on me.’
Amelia put a hand over Cleo’s. ‘Trust me, he needs to know. You need to manage your stress levels. It’s not selfish, it’s necessary. Keep him in the loop and it’ll make your life easier. And then sit down and schedule a time for you and Ruby.’
Cleo smiled and nodded and when she noticed another guest come to join the party she said, ‘That’s Holly,’ and waved over at her. ‘Come on, let me introduce you.’
Holly was as lovely as Cleo had described and she sounded as though she’d found her niche with freelance journalism and photography, and seeing her with Mitch, Amelia felt a pang of sadness that she was single for the first Christmas in a long time. The holiday season seemed to make the loneliness multiply tenfold. And watching Mitch with Holly, Amelia could see the love between them and wondered if she’d ever find that closeness again. Maybe Paul was her only chance and, for whatever reason, he’d ended it.
When the fire in the grate crackled away too enthusiastically Darcy moved the fireguard across as the last log took hold and Amelia wandered over to the tree to admire the ornaments up close as the lights faded in and out. After the talk with Cleo she was feeling nice and relaxed and wanted nothing more right now than to absorb the holiday atmosphere, merry on the bubbles she’d drunk and pleasantly sated with the canapés that Rupert had treated them all too, each one a perfect-sized portion.
Darcy topped up Amelia’s champagne flute before they both looked out of the window and up into the dark skies above the tree-lined street. ‘You know, I think it’s going to snow soon. When I went to put grit on the stoop earlier the air had that smell about it. You mark my words.’
‘I hope so. Kyle isn’t keen but maybe he’ll change his mind.’
‘There’s nothing like New York in the snow, you wait. The city falls silent, the park is a sight to behold.’ She put a hand against her chest. ‘Listen to me, I’m getting far too carried away. Now, let me introduce you to a couple more of my guests.’
She really was a good hostess, giving people space to chat, to have a moment, but not letting anyone miss out. Apparently the Christmas Eve party at the inn was a hit every year – this was just the warm up – and Amelia was already looking forward to being back for another social occasion. When it was just her and a teenager, these occasions were enough to keep her spirits up if things with her nephew were hard.
Amelia turned around ready to be sociable but didn’t expect to come face to face with someone she already knew, or at least had met before.
‘Amelia, this is Nathan. Nathan, this is Amelia,’ Darcy began. ‘Nathan is staying here with us. He’s a friend of Myles’s and missed out on the apartment you and Kyle are in – you got there first.’
‘Is that right?’ Nathan asked, a twitch in his jaw showing he was either unhappy about that or else he was trying to work out how to treat this woman he’d run into before.
Darcy carried on, oblivious. ‘Amelia is new to the city, Nathan, just like you and Scarlett. And you’re all from England.’
Nathan extended a hand to Amelia, obviously not wanting to offend Darcy. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Likewise.’ The hand shake didn’t last long and when Darcy swung off to grab him a drink, she said, ‘You’re lying.’
‘Totally.’
They stood in silence until Darcy came back with his bottle of beer but she was too busy talking to Rupert about more canapés to be brought through to notice the tension.
‘Look, this is crazy,’ Amelia began. ‘Why don’t we start again?’ She held out a hand but he didn’t take it straight away.
‘Did you donate the twenty to charity?’
‘I gave it to a homeless shelter not far from here, you can go ask them if you need to check. I handed it, plus another thirty bucks of my own money, to a woman called Marion, crazy ginger hair and taller than you.’
He seemed satisfied enough and at last shook her hand. ‘Truce?’
She laughed. ‘What were we even fighting about anyway?’
‘Because your –’ He realised she’d been joking. ‘You know what, never mind. Cheers.’ He chinked his beer bottle against her glass gently.
‘Is that your daughter?’ Amelia nodded in the direction of the pretty girl in the black sequinned dress and long
legs she wished she’d been blessed with herself.
‘Yep. That’s Scarlett, sixteen going on twenty-one.’
‘Must be a handful.’ Amelia hadn’t missed Kyle already giving the girl the eye. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her at the markets the other day and it seemed the attraction was reciprocated by the way Scarlett was smiling.
‘Hard to manage at times, but then you’d know.’ He covered his face with one hand, shook his head. ‘Sorry, that wasn’t a dig about your son, I was trying to be a parent who gets it, that’s all.’
‘No worries.’ Kyle and Scarlett seemed to have hit it off and from where Amelia was standing she could see their heads locked together in chat away from the other adults in the group. It was then she wondered whether perhaps Scarlett had given away the location of her accommodation when talking to Kyle the other day and that was why he’d made an effort tonight. ‘And Kyle isn’t my son, he’s my nephew.’
‘Really? So he’s on holiday with you for a while? What happened to his parents?’
‘His mum is having a hard time.’ He didn’t need to know that Kyle was the hard time.
‘What about his dad?’
‘He passed away a few years ago.’
‘That sucks.’ Wait, was that a modicum of sympathy? ‘My brother died when I was younger and then as an adult I lost my wife, Scarlett’s mum. Death is a shit thing for anyone to deal with, let alone someone Kyle’s age.’
She was almost lost for words at first with how much he’d shared. ‘I’m sorry to hear that, it must’ve been rough. All of it,’ she stammered. Perhaps it was the beer making him so open and honest; whatever it was, she kind of liked it. Paul had rarely talked about his feelings – he’d been more of a moody type when something was wrong. Maybe if he’d been more open they could’ve worked through whatever it was that drove them apart.
‘It was.’
‘Kyle needs a break,’ she explained, ‘so I played the auntie card and here we are.’
Christmas Promises at the Garland Street Markets: A feel good Christmas romance (New York Ever After, Book 5) Page 11