The 14 Days of Christmas

Ivy gave one slow nod. “Sounds like you’ve done a lot of growing up in the last year.”

I grinned, thinking back to the memory of that first kiss with Sebastian, of the night in Snowsville, of the burning ritual. “All any of us can do is keep moving forward. And keep striving toward happiness. Which reminds me, can I accept your kind Christmas lunch invitation?” I’d been putting off accepting because I really didn’t know how I was going to feel celebrating after what had happened last year. But Sebastian had made sure I’d moved on and that I wanted to celebrate this year, no matter what had happened last.

“I’d be delighted to have you. There will be a whole gang of people. I say, the more the merrier.”

A merry Christmas was almost guaranteed in Snowsly. A merry Christmas at Snowsly Manor was an absolute certainty. It was just a shame that the man who’d shared my bed recently wouldn’t be sitting next to me.

Twenty-Five

Celia

I stepped out of the Manor and into the frigid night air. I pulled my Christmas tree hat down so low I could barely see. Maybe it would snow tonight. That would go some way to making up for not having Sebastian here tomorrow.

The Christmas market was in full swing and the smell of cinnamon and roasting chestnuts wafted their way up the hill to the Manor entrance. It was like living in a Hallmark movie. Except this year, there was no happy ending.

A car pulled up just as I started to head home and the door opened.

“Celia?” a voice said. A blonde-bobbed head popped out from around the door, followed by a squeal. “Celia!”

Was I hallucinating? “Lemon?”

I barely kept my balance as my best friend launched herself at me, wrapping her entire body around me. I joined in the squealing. “I can’t believe you’re here!” I said as the driver of Lemon’s car approached, carrying a suitcase.

“Inside, miss?”

Lemon peeled herself off me and nodded. “Yes please.”

“You’re not staying with me?” I asked. What was happening? How was she here and I didn’t know about it?

“I’ve got a room booked here. No offense to you, but I’m quite looking forward to staying in a hotel. It’s all arranged.”

“Since when?” How long had she been keeping this from me?

“Since Sebastian called me two days ago and offered to fly me over.”

I stopped breathing and the blood slowed in my veins. “He did what?”

“He didn’t want you to be alone on Christmas Eve. He tried to get me here earlier—didn’t want you sad today—but this was the earliest I could get a flight.”

My heart twisted in my chest. Sebastian was such a good man. Even though I hadn’t known him long, I knew he was special. Special to me. “I can’t believe it.”

“Seems like a good guy.”

We headed back into the Manor, nudging each other like over-excited teenagers.

I sighed. “I know. Did I tell you he bought me a car?”

Lemon burst out laughing. “A car? Like, to keep?”

“It’s ludicrous, really. I should never have accepted it, but he said my other car wasn’t safe and he wanted to keep me safe and . . . and I don’t think I could ever say no to him.”

The more time I spent with Sebastian, the more I realized that the grief I’d experienced over the last twelve months hadn’t been about Carl at all. My sadness had been for the future I thought I was going to have, the “certainty” that Sebastian had pointed out was just an illusion, and a complete lack of direction. I’d bobbed along this last year without knowing where I was going to end up. Carl leaving brought the curtain up on a pile of things I should have been thinking about while he was still in my life. What did I want? Who did I want to be?

“You think a car is great—I haven’t even told you that he flew me business class. It’s only fair to let you know that this will be my last trip over to see you. There’s no way I can afford to fly business again, but there’s no way I can go back to flying economy. Like, ever again.”

“You got used to the high life quickly, I see.”

“Absolutely. I’m going to have to win the lottery or rob a bank or something. Or maybe one of my business ideas will take off.” Lemon was always having business ideas. I had no doubt that one day, she’d be as successful as she’d always dreamed.

When Lemon was all checked in, we kicked off our shoes and clambered onto the bed in the Blue Room. “This was where Sebastian was staying,” I said, glancing around. “It’s nice.”

“You want to smell a pillow or something? I don’t mind.”

I laughed. “No, maybe later.”

“Let’s raid the mini bar.” Lemon scooted off the bed and grabbed two miniature bottles of Baileys. “This seems festive.”