Carole Singer's Christmas (22 page)

‘Have fun you two,’ she called out but neither Nick nor Mitsy answered. She wasn’t sure whether she should be pleased or disappointed.

‘Bloody Hell!’ Sebastian exclaimed when Carole opened the door.

She wasn’t sure if Nick and Mitsy had heard it but they must have heard the loud and rather long, wolf whistle he made. After her comment just now about him unzipping her dress later, she felt this might be pushing things a bit too far. She quickly shut the door and ushered him away from the cottage.

‘Where are we going for dinner?’ she asked.

‘I’ve booked a table at The Manor Court Hotel. And with you in that dress, I’m really hoping you’ll say I can book us a room too.’

‘What? I’m afraid there is no chance of that, Sebastian. You seem to keep forgetting that I’m living with someone.’

‘I assure you I can’t forget that. But so what? I’m married. The point is, Carole if we love one another, nothing else matters. And we do love one another, don’t we? I know that I love you and I’m pretty sure, after tonight, you’ll realise you love me too.’

‘We’ll see,’ she said. ‘But I’m still not spending the night with you. Not until I’ve finished things with Dom, if that’s what I decide to do.’

‘We’ll see.’ He held the door open for her whilst she got into his car.

To Carole’s ears, that sounded almost like a challenge.

***

Carole was surprised by how well the evening went. They talked about old times, about people they used to know. About all the things they had in common and found they still had. He told her a bit about his life in Australia although not as much as she would have liked and what he did say was rather vague. But by the time he walked her to the door of the cottage, she was beginning to feel that she could be happy with him. That she could still have the life she’d thought she’d have all those years ago.

‘I understand why you want to know about Julia,’ he said when they stood at the door, ‘and I promise I’ll tell you all about her one day but I made a mistake and although we both tried to make it work, it’s over. We both knew it a long time ago. She’ll let me have a divorce because we both want to move on.’

‘So it’s an amicable split then? You both just fell out of love, is that what you’re saying?’

‘I think she knew that I never stopped loving you, deep down. We just drifted apart. I decided I wanted to come home and she agreed that was for the best. That’s it really.’

‘So ... what I don’t understand, Seb is why, if you loved me so much, you ran off and left me the day before our wedding without even talking to me about it? And that note. It was so ... cold.’

He shook his head and took her hands in his. ‘I really don’t know, angel. I wanted to marry you, truly I did but ... I got frightened I guess. I saw myself turning into my dad and spending my entire life in this village and suddenly, I just had to get out. I knew you wouldn’t go so I booked a flight and that was it. I ... I wasn’t thinking straight but one thing I did know was that if I spoke to you, if I saw you, I wouldn’t be able to go. And I had to go. I just had to.’

‘I’m not sure I understand completely but I do know how the mind can make you go a little crazy and do things you wouldn’t normally do. But ... why marry someone else then? If ... if you really loved me I mean, and you just needed to get away for a while?’

He shook his head again. ‘Mum and Dad told me how upset you were, how upset everyone was and ... well, I didn’t think you’d ever want to see me again. I hadn’t thought it all through until then and when it seemed that I’d lost you ... I was so lonely and sad. I was working for her dad at his marina, selling boats and he offered me a permanent job. Next he offered me a senior position, and I think perhaps I married Julia because it didn’t matter who I married if I couldn’t have you. That sounds dramatic I know but that’s really how I felt. At least I had a career even if I didn’t have the one woman I really loved.’

Carole couldn’t help but think this was all a little far-fetched and yet somehow, she desperately wanted to believe it.

‘But why didn’t you just call me? Or write to me? Why just assume you’d lost me and not try to find out how I felt?’

‘I don’t know, angel. I really don’t know. But over the years, I realised that I had to come back and try and find you. Try to see if there was some hope for us, or if I had come to my senses far too late and that I’d lost you for good. You don’t know how happy I was to see you that day. It was like a sign. Like a miracle or something. And I could see it in your eyes the moment you saw me. You still loved me too.’

‘That much is true,’ she admitted. ‘I do still love you. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you. But I love Dom too. Not in quite the same way but I do love him.’

‘I know you say you don’t want to and you wouldn’t let me book a room tonight but I really think that if we made love ... like we used to ... you’d know. You’d remember how good it was, how good we were, and you’d know. Is ... is sex as good with him?’

Carole was feeling flustered again but this time she was feeling under pressure. She could remember what it had been like with Seb and just thinking about it was making her want him.

Sex with Dom was nothing like sex with Sebastian. That, she also had to admit – but not to Seb. That wouldn’t be fair to Dom. Some men are simply better lovers than others. That was a fact of life and Sebastian was definitely a good lover. Not that she had had many. Just Andrew at uni, Sebastian and now Dom, but out of the three, Seb was definitely the most memorable.

‘It’s different,’ she said. ‘And believe me, Seb, I can still remember how good it was with us but I can’t spend the night with you. Not now. Not yet. You need to give me time. I just need a little more time.’

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

‘You can’t blame me for trying,’ he said. ‘I can’t help it, angel. I just want to show you how much I love you.’

He tipped her head back and kissed her. Although she felt guilty she let him, and she began to kiss him back. She knew it was wrong though and she eased herself away from him.

‘I’m sorry, Seb,’ she said. ‘I can’t. I really can’t. I’ve got to go. We’ll talk soon. Thanks for dinner. Goodnight.’

She dashed inside and closed the door. She thought she heard Seb say something but she couldn’t make out what it was and she had no intention of opening the door to ask him.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Carole wasn’t superstitious but Friday December 13
^th
was clearly going to be one of those days. She knew it the moment she realised she’d overslept – yet again.

She dashed downstairs to find that Nick had arrived with a large and very beautiful, six foot Christmas tree to go in Mitsy’s sitting room and a small one about two feet high for the study.

‘Look what Nick’s brought us, sweetheart,’ Mitsy said as Carole popped into the study to say good morning. ‘Have you seen the one in the sitting room? It’s gorgeous. You must come round after rehearsals tonight Nick, and help us decorate them.’

‘I wouldn’t want to be in the way,’ Nick replied, casting a meaningful look in Carole’s direction.

‘As if you could ever be in the way,’ Mitsy said. ‘Now don’t argue with me. You’re coming and that’s that.’

‘Gran, you can’t force people to do things they don’t want to,’ Carole said. ‘Besides, Nick might have plans for tonight, and aren’t you forgetting that Dominic will be here?’

‘No, I hadn’t forgotten that. Sarah’s making up the spare front bedroom for him.’

Carole saw Nick’s raised eyebrows and the huge grin on his face. Again, she had an almost overwhelming urge to slap him, but she didn’t.

‘But what’s that got to do with anything?’ Mitsy continued. ‘He can help too if he wants but he never has before, so I don’t see why this year should be any different.’

‘I’m looking forward to meeting him,’ Nick said. He smiled at Mitsy. ‘Everyone is talking about this weekend. It should be really good–’

‘I don’t care what everyone’s talking about,’ Carole butted in, ‘and for your information, I plan to tell Dominic everything so the gossip mongers won’t have as much fun as they expect to.’

Nick gave her a curious look and furrowed his brows. ‘Er ... I think we have our wires crossed. Everyone is talking about the lighting of the tree outside the village hall. I’m erecting it today remember, and there’s going to be a little ceremony tomorrow evening with carols, mulled wine and mince pies. Your mum’s making several batches today and tomorrow. I thought she said you were helping but perhaps you’ll be too busy with ... other things.’

‘Oh,’ Carole said. She had forgotten, although she had no idea why. She’d told Dom about it when he’d phoned only yesterday – just before she’d gone out to dinner with Sebastian.

‘Did you have a good time last night?’ Nick asked.

Carole raised her head and stuck her chin out. ‘Very good, thank you. It was just like old times.’

Nick frowned. ‘Oh dear.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I’m sure you can figure that one out. I’ll see you tonight then, Mitsy. Bye Sarah. See you later Jamie. You should get some rest, Carole. You look tired and you don’t want your other boyfriend to see you like that, do you?’

Carole’s mouth fell open but he was gone before she could reply.

Two minutes later, a yowling noise came from the sitting room, accompanied by a resounding crash. Jamie and Sarah ran to see what had happened, followed by Carole who was nursing a mug of coffee she’d just poured. Arkenarten had decided to investigate the Christmas tree it seemed.

‘That’s my fault,’ Jamie said, standing the tree upright and picking up fragments of a shattered ceramic fruit bowl. ‘I asked Nick to leave the tree propped up against the wall and I’d fix it in a stand in a wee while. Sorry about the bowl. Was it valuable?’

‘Priceless,’ Sarah replied, grinning and giving him a quick kiss. ‘At least that’s what Mum often called it, but I don’t think she meant it in a good way. I gave it to her for Christmas a few years ago. It was atrocious and I have no idea why I bought it. I think you and Arkenarten have done us all a favour.’

Arkenarten didn’t look quite as pleased. He dashed towards the safety of the study, making Carole stumble as she tried to avoid tripping over him. She spilt her coffee down the front of her favourite blouse and that didn’t make her happy.

‘I knew it was going to be one of those days,’ she grumbled as Sarah took the mug from her.

‘Well, it’s Friday the 13
^th
,’ Sarah said, ‘so I expect it probably will be.’

Carole raced up the stairs as quickly as she could to get changed. She had a lot of work to do today. She needed to finish an illustration for a romance novel. She’d promised Josie that she’d meet her for lunch to tell her about last night, and it was true that she’d said she’d help her mum with the mince pies. She was actually looking forward to that. It would be just like old times.

Just like old times. Hmm. Nick had made an obtuse comment about that. What had he meant?

‘Ooh!’ she shrieked as it suddenly clicked. He’d meant that Seb might run off again if it were just like old times. ‘Sometimes,’ she hissed through gritted teeth as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, ‘I really do hate that man.’

And now she hated him even more. He was right. She did look tired.

‘I hope that Christmas tree bloody well falls on him today,’ she cursed, grabbing her cardigan and heading back downstairs.

***

Carole was feeling much happier by four o’clock in the afternoon although she was surprised that she hadn’t heard from Dominic. She assumed he must be stuck in meetings and he hadn’t had a chance to call. She was sure there was no need for concern. He’d probably call any minute now.

She put the finishing touch to the book cover by adding the title,
My Heart’s Desire
and sat back to study the final result. The novel was a rather racy Regency romp according to the synopsis from which she’d worked, and the publishers had given her a virtual carte blanche on the design, the only proviso being that the hero and heroine must appear as described.

She tilted her head from side to side and studied the cover from all angles. Yes, she was happy with the image. She typed an email, attached the jpeg and sent it off for approval. At least something had gone well today she thought and as she heard her phone ring and saw Dom’s smiling face on the screen, she heaved a sigh of relief.

‘I was wondering when you’d call,’ she said happily. ‘I’ve been a little worried but I know you must be busy. What time are you getting here?’

‘I’m not,’ Dom replied, sounding utterly miserable.

Carole sat bolt upright. ‘What ... what do you mean, you’re not? Has something happened? Are you okay? Has someone ...’ Her voice trailed off. Surely, no one would have phoned him and told him about Sebastian? Of course, they wouldn’t. Who would have his number? She was being silly.

‘I’ve got chickenpox!’

Carole blinked in stunned silence before bursting out laughing. ‘Oh Dom! You really had me going there. I thought you were being serious. Now stop messing about. What time will you be here?’

‘I won’t!’ he said angrily. ‘I’m not messing about. I have got chickenpox! The senior partner’s wife brought their grandson into the office on Wednesday and he had it, although she didn’t know that then. Godwin told us all last night. When I woke up this morning, I was covered in sodding spots. Well, not covered exactly, although it feels like I am, they itch so bloody much. The doctor’s been and he thinks I’ve just got a mild case. He’s given me some antiviral drugs which he says should lessen the symptoms, and Mum’s getting me some cream or something to ease the itching. I’ve got to stay off work though and obviously, away from people for several days. Carole? Are you listening? Are you still there?’

‘Yes. Yes, I’m here. I ... I just can’t believe it, Dom, that’s all. I thought you’d had chickenpox.’