‘He’s –’
‘Family, I know.’ But his mood simmered. ‘I felt as though I always came second, that’s all. I started to resent all the plans that were cancelled because of your sister and your nephew.’
‘It didn’t happen that many times. Work took over occasionally, but no more than your work.’
‘But at least those trips were scheduled, I wasn’t dropping everything just like that.’
‘I suppose not.’
‘Do you get where I’m coming from?’
‘I guess so.’ He’d always been a good debater, able to convince people round to his point of view, and she kind of got it, but weren’t relationships supposed to be deeper than that? Surely he should’ve seen how pained she was to mess him around, how much she had going on, how difficult it was to be stuck between responsibilities for family and career and the man she loved?
‘I love that you give projects and family your all, I just wish that sometimes your all would come my way.’
She gripped his hand that was resting on his knee. ‘I didn’t realise how strongly you’d felt. You should’ve talked to me rather than ending it the way you did.’
‘I’m here now to do just that. Your text came a couple of days after the office Christmas party, which was a miserable affair if I’m honest. I didn’t have a date, most other people did, I ended up talking to the boss most of the night and went home early.’
He’d always loved having her at his side at work functions. ‘Sounds dire.’
‘It was, without you.’
She shivered again. ‘I should get dressed.’
‘I can help.’
He was looking at her like she was a Christmas present to unwrap and she really wanted her PJs now. Not seeing him for months had been agony, not hearing anything from him even worse, but seeing him now was disconcerting and she didn’t know quite what to make of it. She was out of her comfort zone, New York was making her confused, and at the forefront of her mind was Nathan’s company and the near-kiss.
‘I’m sorry I was such a dickhead.’ He took hold of her hand when she stood up and leaned his head against her towel-covered thigh as he remained seated on the sofa.
‘You were a dickhead.’ At least he still made her laugh, and seeing how sorry he was made her wonder if they really could try again.
‘I’m trying to see the bigger picture, the picture where you and I are together with a family of our own.’
His words had her frozen to the spot. He wanted a future with her, he had plans, he was talking about family when he’d never wanted to go down that road before.
‘If you’ll let me,’ he said, standing up, not letting go of her hand, their bodies pressed together, ‘I’ll make it up to you.’ Her heart was pounding against his chest as he spoke. ‘Show you how sorry I am. I want you in my life, in my house, at my side, Amelia.’
‘You never wanted to settle down and have a family.’ His breath against her neck was tantalising, made it difficult to think. ‘What’s changed?’
‘Like I said, I see the bigger picture. I don’t want to mess around anymore. I want you, Amelia.’
‘I don’t understand.’ His touch made her dizzy with confusion.
A smile crept across his face. ‘I wasn’t going to tell you yet, but there’s something else. I’ve been doing well, got promoted twice already, but now I’ve been offered a position in Edinburgh. It’s more money than I ever thought I’d earn, it’s the job of a lifetime. It’ll be a solid future for us.’
‘You’re taking the job?’
‘I’d be crazy to turn it down.’ His eyes dazzled with excitement and she remembered how passionate he was about his career. ‘I’m hoping you’ll come with me. Say you will, Amelia.’
‘What about my work, my flat?’
‘You’ve got the qualifications and experience to take it to the next level, if that’s what you want, and you could rent your flat out again. It was a good investment before.’
‘You’ve thought this through.’ He’d never seen her career as important, not like his. He earned four times as much as her and although he had never come out and said it, he saw his own work as taking priority. And if he was thinking that way already, what would happen if they did end up together and having a family? She’d be stuck at home, single-parenting, while his life would carry on regardless. He’d be putting his all into a career when he’d criticised her for doing the very same thing.
He ran his hand through the length of her hair before resting his fingers against her face. ‘I’ve thought of nothing else in the last couple of months. I was scared to try again with you, I thought you’d tell me to get lost. But when I got your text I had to go for it, I had to come and get you. What do you say?’
‘It’s what I wanted for a long time,’ she admitted, but she didn’t have a chance to add that she had no idea what she felt anymore because he took her pause as acceptance and kissed her hard on the lips. She pulled back and another knock at the door rescued her from anything more.
‘Who do you know in this city? Ignore it.’ Paul tried to kiss her again but she pulled away.
‘It might be Kyle.’
‘He’s here?’ The familiar muscle in his jaw twitched the way it always did when something irritated him or when someone crossed him. ‘Why is he with you?’
‘Long story.’ Another knock. ‘I need to get that.’
‘Go,’ he said, gesturing to the door. ‘Jump to it, you usually do.’
‘Paul…’ She didn’t have time to talk him down from his mood right now, so she opened the door but didn’t expect both Kyle and Nathan to be on the other side.
‘What’s going on?’ She looked from one to the other. ‘Kyle?’
Both of them clocked Paul but Nathan soon refocused. ‘Ask him!’ He pointed a finger towards Kyle and his eyes only betrayed him once by dipping towards the towel that she was doing her best to keep a tight hold of.
‘You’re crazy!’ Kyle yelled back at Nathan.
Amelia shut the door behind them to keep the noise inside rather than out in the corridor. ‘You’ll have the neighbours calling the police in a minute. Nathan, please calm down,’ she pleaded as he grabbed Kyle by the scruff of his neck.
‘Not a chance,’ he fumed, but at least he let go of Kyle and Kyle seized his opportunity to take a few steps back.
Paul piped up at the least convenient time. ‘Do you two mind?’ He looked from Kyle to Nathan. ‘Me and Amelia…we’re kind of in the middle of something here.’
Amelia, Nathan and Kyle all turned in his direction. All of them lost for words. All of them ignoring his request.
Amelia turned back to Nathan. ‘What’s he supposed to have done this time?’ So much for the truce, the acceptance of Kyle and Scarlett.
‘I found them in bed together last night,’ Nathan snapped. ‘I told Kyle to leave, which he did. But I also told him to leave Scarlett alone and this evening I found them both together again.’
‘You found them in bed?’ Amelia wasn’t sure she was ready for this particular showdown. Her auntie role only went so far. ‘Were they…?’
‘Not quite, but I’ve been a seventeen-year-old boy, remember.’
‘Don’t judge me by your crappy standards,’ Kyle hollered across the room, although Amelia was thankful he was at least keeping his distance and that she, far too vulnerable in just a towel, could step between them.
Paul piped up again. ‘Typical.’
‘What did you say?’ Kyle’s head whipped around to confront him, the man standing there in a suit as though he’d just been to the office not travelled across the miles to surprise his ex-girlfriend and tell her he’d made a mistake. But then Paul had never let himself be seen looking anything other than pristine, much like women who didn’t let their partners see them without make-up, hiding their true selves behind a disguise.
‘You always were trouble,’ Paul went on, ‘and Amelia doesn’t deserve it.’
‘He’s
right.’ Kyle addressed Amelia now. ‘You don’t deserve the shit I give you, but this time I didn’t do anything. I swear. Apart from ignore him asking me to keep away, which I don’t see is necessary when I did nothing wrong!’ He finished his spiel, yelling the last few words in Nathan’s direction.
When Paul went to say something else Amelia’s hand in the air silenced him because whatever remark he was about to come out with, even if he was defending her, which she didn’t fully appreciate right now, was only going to make it worse. She turned to Nathan. ‘I could understand your anger if he’d forced himself on Scarlett, but unless I’m mistaken, he didn’t.’ She didn’t even need to ask that question because she knew Kyle more than this man did.
‘How do you know?’
‘Did you ask him? Did you ask her?’
Her harrumphed. ‘He may not have forced himself on her, but I’ve no doubt it would’ve been his idea.’ He wasn’t waiting for an answer. Instead he slung something into the apartment across the floor. ‘You left these behind last night, mate. Don’t you ever come near my daughter again.’ And he didn’t even look at Amelia when he left this time.
She shut the door, leaned against it, her heart still pounding. But her eyes fell on whatever Nathan had thrown inside and she went to pick it up. She handed the packet to Kyle and her heart sank a little. ‘Yours, I believe.’ Condoms.
‘Notice it’s unopened,’ Kyle said defensively. ‘And also take note, they’re not mine!’
‘Pull the other one.’ This time Paul’s comment incited such a rage that Kyle nearly flew at him.
‘Into your bedroom, now, Kyle!’ Amelia instructed. ‘Now!’
The thing about Kyle was that no matter what trouble he got into, no matter the arguments, he did respect her. She knew it and he knew it. And he retreated into his own space, away from trouble.
‘Wait here,’ she told Paul. ‘I’m getting dressed.’
‘You can order me into the bedroom like that too if you like,’ he teased, his eyebrows raised suggestively, but her look kept him rooted to the spot.
She was back in lightning time so Paul and Kyle would have no time to start their war again. The navy-and-white snowman pyjamas she was now wearing were ones she’d bought at the markets earlier and they were snuggly and warm. Just a shame the atmosphere wasn’t.
‘Cute PJs,’ said Paul, but she went behind the kitchen counter to avoid him reaching for her. ‘You’re angry.’
‘I wish people would give Kyle a chance, not assume the worst.’
‘Who’s the bloke?’ he asked.
‘Nathan.’
‘Who is he? And who’s Scarlett?’
Amelia filled him in on the goings on since they’d arrived and Paul concluded, ‘Wow, never thought Kyle had it in him.’
‘Had what in him?’
‘To be a fast worker, with the girls.’ He seemed impressed for some reason. ‘But he’s bringing trouble to your door again and I don’t like what it does to you. I always hated the way your sister took advantage.’
‘I know, you told me once or twice.’ Or was it a million times?
‘I know all about the trouble Kyle got into and I hate that it was impacting your life, our lives too.’
‘He’s family and I love him as if he were my son.’
Paul reached a hand out and covered hers with his. ‘It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you, your willingness to put others first. You were always thinking of your family and how to make it better all round.’
‘I thought that was one of the things you hated about me.’
‘I never hated a single thing. I found it a lot to handle, that’s all.’
Sitting on the sofa again she said, ‘You and I weren’t together when I came on this holiday, so you can’t be angry that Kyle’s here.’
He tried to kiss her but she turned away. ‘You know, my hotel in Times Square has a great view, it’s the penthouse suite, own bar and a freestanding bathtub in the bathroom. I know how much you enjoy a bath at the end of a long day.’ He did, he knew her well, they had a history and now he was coming back to her asking for another chance. ‘Why don’t you sort Kyle out and tomorrow you and I can have some time together.’
‘I’ll be working at my friend’s market stall during the day.’
‘We’ll meet up in the evening then.’
‘We can get takeaway and eat here.’
‘Let me treat you to a proper meal at the hotel, or out in the city somewhere.’
‘Fine,’ she conceded, having no energy to argue. ‘Text me the full address so I don’t get lost.’
‘Of course I will.’ He kissed her gently on the lips and this time she let him, although Nathan’s face was right there again. ‘I’ll leave you to it. See you tomorrow. A nice meal, fine wine, overlooking Manhattan, you’ll love it.’
Once Paul left she turned her attention back to Kyle trying to ignore the fact that once again her sister only had a backseat view of her son’s life. That had to stop and Nathan’s visit tonight proved it. Finding Kyle and Scarlett together, discovering the packet of condoms – it all showed that this was beyond what Amelia could do as an auntie. Kyle needed his one remaining parent and Connie would have to step up whether she liked it or not. No wonder Paul had walked away. It must’ve been frustrating to watch the woman he was with give in to her sister’s demands over and over again.
She knocked on Kyle’s bedroom door. ‘Can we talk?’
The door swung open. ‘Is Paul still here?’
‘He’s gone to his hotel.’
‘Thank God for that.’
‘Kyle.’
‘He never liked me.’ She didn’t deny it. ‘What’s he doing here anyway? Come to ruin the fun? I thought you two split up ages ago.’
‘We did, but right now it’s not about me. Care to tell me exactly what’s been going on with Scarlett?’
But his attention turned to the parcel on the countertop he’d neglected to see earlier. Perhaps it would be a good way to calm him before they talked further. ‘That came for you yesterday but you’ve barely been here.’
‘I’ve been avoiding you.’
‘Wonder why.’ At least he was talking.
He sat down next to her with the small box in his hands and tore off the thick brown tape before opening the flaps at the top.
‘What is it?’ She peered inside when he said nothing, just stared. ‘Is that…?’
‘My Christmas ornament.’
‘Connie must’ve sent it straight over.’ She briefly recapped her recent conversation with his mum before she noticed a letter lurking in the bottom of the box. Kyle picked it up and as he read she filled a glass of water from the tap.
‘What does it say?’ she asked when she’d given him enough time and space to get through it.
‘You can read it for yourself.’
She took the letter and sat on the sofa next to him. Judging by his face it was going to be an emotional and unexpected outpouring of Connie’s feelings, but something Amelia couldn’t avoid. Slowly she began to read…
Merry Christmas to my wonderful son. I hope you’re having an amazing time in New York with Auntie Amelia, who is the best sister I could ever have asked for. I don’t think she knows that, I’ve neglected to tell her things I should’ve done over the years, but I know you get on with her so well that I’ve no doubt the two of you will be having a fabulous Christmas.
I hope you’re pleased to see this decoration after so many years. I never put this on the tree after your dad died, and you never asked me to but I suspect it was because you were afraid to upset me. I’m sorry I wasn’t better able to help you through your grief, my own overwhelmed me so much. I watched you and your dad paint this Christmas ornament and with him gone I couldn’t look at it. I had to change the habits we’d formed, which meant new decorations that didn’t have memories attached. I know now that I was wrong to do it. It was selfish of me and there have been many times I’ve thought of giving it ba
ck to you.
I will be thinking of you at Christmas. My friend Jill is coming over from Wales and you might remember how good a cook she is. I won’t go hungry! She’s already given me a schedule of what has to be done and when so I suspect she’ll have me putting my apron on the second I get out of bed.
I’m looking forward to you coming home in the new year and if you like, we could spend a couple of days at Jill’s farmhouse on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, as long as it doesn’t snow here and stop us from driving anywhere. She would love to have us both there and it would be good to spend some time with you.
Have a think about it, and wishing both you and Amelia a very merry Christmas.
Much love,
Mum xx
Amelia bet Connie had no clue as to the extent of Kyle’s feelings, how it made him feel when she’d pushed him away, how it made him doubt himself. Perhaps this was a start, a way to mend things between them. ‘It’s a nice letter,’ she said when Kyle said nothing, just stared at his decoration, in his hands again after all this time no doubt bringing the memories with it. ‘Do you think you’ll take her up on her offer?’
‘Wales? With Mum?’
‘I know, it’s not very exciting.’
‘Are you kidding?’ A tentative smile began. ‘She’s never suggested going away before, not since I was really little, when Dad was around.’ There were tears in his eyes but Amelia didn’t point it out. ‘Either she had a partner who she went away with, or she was working, or she was pushing me off to your place to sort me out. I was angry at her, you know. I thought she should be the one to help me when Dad died, I felt it was wrong for her to struggle when she’s the adult.’
‘She’s had a tough time, you both have.’
‘Scarlett told me she must have her reasons for how she acts.’
‘Scarlett?’
‘I talk to her about things. And she’s really clever, Amelia. She’s amazing in fact.’
‘I don’t doubt it. But tell me the truth, what really happened last night?’
‘Nathan’s a total freak.’ He put the ornament down on the side table.
Christmas Promises at the Garland Street Markets: A feel good Christmas romance (New York Ever After, Book 5) Page 21