Carole Singer's Christmas (2 page)

Carole giggled. ‘Oh, Gran. I’ve yet to see the day when any germ – or anything else come to that – could get the better of you. You can’t spend the holidays on your own though. That’s awful. I’ll speak to Dom and to Mum and we’ll sort something out. Perhaps she’ll agree to come down to you as usual.’

‘Nick said that I should go on a cruise, find myself a nice young man and have some fun. That’s not such a bad idea actually. But I won’t be on my own if I stay here anyway. I’ve already invited Nick round for Christmas dinner.’

‘Nick? Who’s Nick?’ Carole asked, unable to suppress a twinge of anxiety.

‘He owns the new garden centre, Four Seasons Gardens, just outside of the village. I’ve told you about him.’

Carole bristled. ‘This is the first I’ve heard of him, Gran. How long have you known him and why exactly have you invited him for Christmas dinner?’

‘Nonsense, dear. I’m always talking about him. He moved to the village in the summer and he came and did some work on my trees. Now I know I told you about that. He was able to save my ancient apple tree, the one I was so worried I’d lose, and I’m certain that because of his skill I’ve got more mistletoe on it this year than ever before.’

‘Oh, yes. I vaguely remember you saying that you’d found a tree surgeon but you didn’t say he’d opened a garden centre. That still doesn’t explain why you’ve invited him for Christmas dinner though – or why he’s advising you to go on a cruise with a man! Exactly how well do you know him?’

‘Oh, Carole. Don’t get all mother hen-ish. He’s a lovely young man, and so handsome – in a rather moody and mysterious sort of way. I can’t wait for you to meet him. I’ve told him all about you and–’

‘Gran! What are you up to? You know full well that I’m virtually engaged to Dominic. Don’t start your matchmaking with me and this ... Nick.’

‘Sweetheart! As if I would. Actually, I’m thinking of keeping him for myself. Lots of older women have toy boys, don’t they? He’s a godsend, I can tell you. He’s always popping in to see if I need anything. And I could sit and watch him work all day. Oh ... if only I were forty years younger.’

‘Er ... how old is he?’

‘He’s thirty-six next month. On Christmas Eve, in fact.’

‘Thirty-six! And he’s always popping in? That sounds a bit odd to me. Where did he live before? What’s his surname?’

‘Carole, what are you suggesting? That he’s after my money or something? He’s not at all like that, I assure you. In fact, he’s just the opposite. I had to ... Well never mind that. I’m telling you now if I was a girl of your age you’d have to fight me for him. He really is ... ‘fit’, as you youngsters say. He’s like one of the Brontë sisters’ heroes. You know the type – tall, dark and menacing on the outside but on the inside, all soft and gooey. And his eyes! They’re as black as coal. Even his voice is sexy. The way he calls me Mitsy makes me feel like a teenager again. Gosh, I’m getting all wobbly-kneed just thinking about him!’

Carole wasn’t sure she liked the idea of her gran getting the
hots
for a man more than forty years younger. She shook her head to erase the picture. She definitely didn’t like the idea of this Nick calling her gran, Mitsy. Only family and close friends called her that.

‘Hmm,’ she said, ‘I’m not sure I’d describe
Heathcliff
as soft and gooey.’

‘No, that’s true – but he was a man in love, and we all know how crazy love can make us. Oh ... sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t ...’ Mitsy’s voice trailed off.

An even more unwelcome image popped into Carole’s head; one that she hadn’t had for a very long time and she coughed to clear her throat as if the thought were choking her.

‘It’s okay, Gran. That was years ago. I’ve forgotten all about that now. And you’re welcome to this ... Nick. I’ve got Dom and I’m not interested in anyone else.’

‘That ... that’s lovely, dear.’

‘Yes, it is. Listen, I was going to call you later as it happens. Dom is ... has to go away this weekend ... on unexpected business and I thought I’d come down and see you – if that’s okay?’ Carole lied.

Dominic was right about Mitsy not liking him and Carole decided it was better not to tell her that he’d changed their plans at the last minute and was swanning off for the weekend with his friends. She knew exactly what her gran would have to say about that.

‘Oh! Um. Of course it’s okay. You know you don’t have to ask. I’d love to see you. It’s been three months since I came up to stay for the week and it must be at least six months since you came here.’

‘What? Has it really been that long? It can’t be.’

‘Yes, dear it has, but I know how busy you are so I’m not complaining. When are you thinking of coming down?’

‘Um. Friday morning. I’ll stay until Monday afternoon.’

‘Perfect. I’m looking forward to it already. You can finally meet Nick. But Carole, there’s ... there’s something I should tell you. Now I don’t want you to get upset sweetheart and although Jutsdown is a village, you’ll probably hardly even bump into one another but–’

‘Gran? What is it?’

‘Well, dear ... you’ll find out sooner or later so I may as well just tell you. It was one of the reasons I rang, to be honest. Sebastian’s back. And he’s getting a divorce.’

CHAPTER TWO

Carole dropped onto the sofa and flopped back against the cushions, wondering if her heart would ever stop thumping. The news about Sebastian had come as a big surprise and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

‘So it’s all settled then?’ Dominic asked, returning to the sitting room with two large glasses of wine.

She glanced across at him. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’

‘I asked if your weekend is settled. Are you all right? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost. Nothing wrong with your gran, I hope.’

Dom handed her one of the glasses and she raised her head, meeting his pale brown eyes which, despite the hint of concern in his voice, were impassive.

 ‘Thanks,’ she said, noticing he’d filled the glasses almost to the brim as usual. ‘Er ... no, gran’s fine. It ... it was just something she told me about ... someone I used to know. It’s nothing important.’

She forced a smile. That was the second time she’d lied in the space of fifteen minutes she realised; first to her gran about Dom, and now to Dom about her conversation with her gran. She must stop doing that or she really would turn into her mother.

‘Good,’ Dom said, sitting beside her and flicking on the TV, signalling an end to the conversation.

Carole stared blankly at the screen. Football didn’t interest her in the slightest and under normal circumstances she would have got up and gone into the small second bedroom that served as her office, to continue working on one of her commissions, but these were not normal circumstances. Sebastian was back in the village of Jutsdown – and he was soon going to be single again.

Dom wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close and giving her a quick peck on the top of her head. In an attempt to put the brakes on her current train of thought, she snuggled up to him. It didn’t help though. She just couldn’t settle.

She wished she’d asked her gran for more details once she’d recovered from the initial shock. Instead, she’d pretended that Dom was calling her and told her gran that she would speak to her again later. She now knew that was a mistake, and it also dawned on her that she’d now told three lies, not two. She screwed up her eyes in self-disgust.

Her stomach seemed to be tying itself in tight knots and whatever it was that was rising in her chest and throat, it wasn’t indigestion – she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. She’d put on a few pounds recently and although she wasn’t overly concerned about her weight, she did want to be able to fasten her trousers properly.

And Dom had made one or two remarks about her bottom ‘looking big’ during the last couple of weeks, and she didn’t want him to think she’d let herself go
before
he proposed. Not that it looked as if he was ever going to. That thought took her mind down another path she didn’t want to tread. Was it happening again? Had she spent the last three years of her life with another man who would, one day, just up and leave her without a word of warning, travel half way around the world, and marry someone else?

‘Dom, you do love me, don’t you?’ she asked, resting a hand on his thigh and tracing imaginary little patterns with her finger. He didn’t answer so she slid her fingers down the length of his thigh and back up again. ‘Dom?’

Dom moved his leg and Carole’s hand slipped onto the sofa. She straightened slightly so that she could see his face.

‘What? Oh, yes, of course I do, hun,’ he said without looking at her.

She placed her hand on his chest, slid it down to his waist and under his T-shirt and walked her fingertips upwards, leaning in to kiss him as she did so.

Dom slapped his hand over hers and tilted his head away. ‘I’m watching the football, babe. Can we do this later?’ he added, without glancing away from the screen.

Carole sighed deeply and slowly got to her feet. ‘Sure,’ she said, picking up her glass and trudging towards the kitchen. ‘I’ll go and make a sandwich. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning.’

‘Trying to lose some weight? That’s good. Can you make mine a cheese and tomato ... with pickle? And use the white bread. I don’t want that wholemeal, seedy stuff you like. It tastes like straw. And bring in the wine bottle will you, hun?’

Carole stopped in her tracks and sucked in a long, slow breath. A vision of hitting Dom over the head with the wine bottle leapt into her mind and she blinked, wondering where that could have come from.

‘Yes!’ Dom yelled.

She let out the breath in a heavy sigh and continued towards the kitchen. Dom’s team had obviously scored, which was more than she had done.

***

Carole sat at the small pine table in the kitchen, deep in thought as she munched her sandwich. When she’d taken Dom’s in to him together with the bottle of wine, he thanked her by smacking her playfully on her bottom. It was something he often did but this evening it annoyed her and she was now wondering whether it was because he’d failed to propose, or if it had something to do with hearing about Sebastian.

Unintentionally, she found herself comparing the two men. Dom, the man she loved now and whom she hoped would propose but hadn’t, and Sebastian, the man she’d loved ten years ago who had proposed, and left her standing in the church with a broken heart, which she thought would never mend.

And not just a broken heart but also an empty joint bank account. Although to give him some credit, he had sent her a cheque for her half a few months later – from Australia.

She still couldn’t believe he’d booked a flight the day before their wedding, jumped on a plane the next day – their wedding day – and flown to a different hemisphere, just to avoid marrying her. The note he’d left, which unfortunately no one had found until after the humiliation of her arriving at the church, had given little by way of explanation and nothing in the way of comfort. It said simply:

Carole my darling,

I am so, so sorry for doing this to you but I really believe you’ll thank me one day, and I hope with all my heart that in the future, we’ll be able to be friends again. I wanted to tell you to your face but I can’t bear the thought of seeing you upset, and your mum and Grandma Mitsy would skin me alive. It’s better this way. I’ve had to use the money in our joint bank account but I promise I’ll pay your half back to you as soon as I can. If you need it now though, just pop in and ask Dad to give it to you. I’m sure he won’t mind.

All my love,

Sebastian.

At least that was one promise he’d kept, although the cheque came with another note, this time telling her that he hoped she’d ‘moved on’ and that he ‘still couldn’t believe it’ but he’d just got married. Carole couldn’t believe it either.

‘Carole!’ Dom called from the sitting room. ‘Open another bottle, will you, hun? It looks like this game will be ace and I don’t want to miss anything.’

She was tempted to suggest he reach out his arm for the remote, press the pause button and come and get the bottle himself – or his arse would end up as large as he thought hers was. But she remembered the pile of dirty clothes she’d dropped on the utility room floor earlier that evening and reasoned that, as she’d got to get up anyway, she may as well do as he asked.

‘In a minute, Dom. I’m just finishing my sandwich.’

‘Yes, yes, yes!’ Dom yelled.

Carole knew he wasn’t replying to her. ‘That’s just one of the many things I love about you, Dom,’ she said even though she was aware that he couldn’t hear her over the volume of the TV. ‘The fact that we can have such meaningful conversations.’

She popped the final piece of her sandwich into her mouth, scraping the feet of the chair across the tiled floor as she stood up. Grabbing another bottle of wine and the corkscrew, she took them into Dominic. He eyed her curiously as if he didn’t understand why she was giving him the corkscrew as well as the bottle. She placed both on the coffee table and marched out.

‘I’m sorting out the washing, then I’m having a bath and an early night,’ she said without looking back. ‘Don’t fall asleep in front of the TV again because I’m not coming down to wake you up.’

As she stuffed Dominic’s boxer shorts into the washing machine, she wondered how the evening had gone from her believing she was soon to be Dom’s fiancée, to her behaving like a nagging mother.

***

Fifteen minutes later, surrounded by fragrant bubbles of lavender and vanilla bath essence, which was one of the products in the latest of her mother’s home-business ventures – and a rather good one, Carole had to admit – she dialled her friend Josie’s number.

‘I wondered when you’d call,’ Josie said. ‘Grandma Mitsy’s told you about Sebastian, I take it.’

‘Yes, she has. And I’ve got two questions for you. Why didn’t you call me and tell me he was back in the village and who the hell is this
Nick
guy who seems to be spending an inordinate amount of time with my gran?’