Liv rushed out into the hallway, letting the kitchen door swing closed as she put the phone to her ear. ‘Charlotte, you will never know how pleased I am to hear from you—’
‘What the hell are you doing? Mum is beside herself with worry. Is he holding you hostage? Actually don’t say anything because if he is then he’s probably listening in—’
‘Honestly, I’ve not been kidnapped. I’m here of my own free will. Well, that and the shitload of snow that came down. Seriously, I thought we had a lot of snow that year the shed roof caved in and we had to dig the guinea pigs out. But up here it’s on a biblical scale.’
‘Is my car all right?’ asked Charlotte.
Liv winced. ‘Don’t worry but—’
‘You know I’m now instantly worried. You’ve totalled it and that’s why you’ve not come home. Good grief, that’s it, isn’t it? You’re not in hospital are you? If you’re lying in a hospital bed and—’
‘Stop! I am fit and healthy and your car has a puncture but it’s being fixed tomorrow… hopefully.’
Liv heard Charlotte sigh into the phone. ‘Bloody hell, Liv. As long as you’re okay, that’s the important thing. So you’ll be coming home tomorrow?’
‘Um…’ Liv looked over her shoulder. She could just see Fraser through the glass in the kitchen door. ‘Thing is there’s a bit of a crisis here and they need me to stay and help out with this big event on the twenty-third.’
‘An online marketing crisis?’
‘No, a cooking one and—’ Liv didn’t get to finish her sentence because Charlotte was laughing so hard on the other end of the line.
‘You? Cooking?’ was all Charlotte managed to say before she dissolved into more hysterics.
It wasn’t that funny. When Charlotte had got her laughter under control Liv tried to explain. ‘Fraser is about to launch his new restaurant with a showcase dinner tomorrow night, but his ex has just hired all his staff in an attempt to sabotage everything.’
‘Good,’ said Charlotte. ‘That’s called Karma. It saves you taking him down but I can see why you’d be keen to watch him go down in flames.’
‘That’s not why I want to stay.’ She’d not heard herself say that out loud before and it solidified something in her. ‘I want to stay and help him.’
‘Why on earth would you do that? Why?’ Charlotte sounded exasperated.
Liv thought about the Fraser she’d got to know, him losing his uncle and his dad disappearing the way he had had definitely softened her view of him. Plus he had let her stay for free. ‘Nothing’s ever straightforward. And I’ve kind of got to know him.’
‘But this is the guy who ghosted you, right?’
‘Yep.’
‘Then he’s a shit. That’s as straightforward as it gets. Come home.’
Liv sighed. She understood Charlotte was only looking out for her, as she always had done, but sometimes you had to go with your gut and staying to help felt like the right thing to do. ‘I know you don’t get it, Charlotte, but I need to do this. I’ll be home soon and we’ll have a great Christmas. Give Mum my love.’ And before Charlotte could protest any more, Liv ended the call.
Fraser strode out of the kitchen pulling on his coat. ‘Everything okay?’ he asked.
‘Yes, I’m staying,’ replied Liv and Fraser smiled. ‘Just until after the showcase dinner, then I really need to get home and get ready for Christmas. Or we’ll be like the Cratchits.’
‘Thanks, I appreciate it,’ he said, moving to one side as Dolly joined them. ‘But I’m not sure it’ll be enough,’ he added.
‘But there’s us too,’ said Dolly pulling back her shoulders, which pushed her tummy out and gave Jock’O an unwelcome nudge up the bum.
Fraser looked at Dolly in her wheelchair and Effie, who was staring at the chandelier above them as she twirled her hair around a finger. Liv knew exactly what he meant. ‘The four of us can’t manage alone, can we?’ Liv looked from Fraser to Dolly.
‘No.’ Fraser looked defeated.
‘Goodness me, Fraser,’ snapped Dolly. ‘You’re a Douglas, with a large dose of McNab running through those veins. We do not give up.’
Liv looked to Effie for an explanation. ‘Granny comes from a long line of McNabs,’ she whispered with an expression that said Liv should be wildly impressed by that fact. She would have been more impressed if she’d come from a long line of McVities.
‘Sometimes you need to know when to graciously step down. I think there’s a difference,’ said Fraser. ‘I have to face it. Lizzie knew what she was doing. She set out to derail the restaurant and she’s done it.’
‘But if it’s just staff that you need,’ said Dolly sounding a little desperate.
‘I need a kitchen team and waiting staff. There’s simply not enough time to get anyone else hired.’
‘Then we’ll have to rope in as many locals to help as we can to make up the numbers,’ said Dolly. ‘I’d best get on it right away.’ She headed for the reception desk.
‘Granny, that’s sweet of you but—’
Dolly spun her chair around making both Liv and Fraser step back. ‘Sweet?! I’ve been called some things, Fraser Douglas, but never sweet.’
‘Kind, thoughtful then,’ said Fraser. Dolly was still glowering at him. ‘Also determined and tenacious.’ Dolly seemed mollified by this. ‘But I need trained staff, otherwise it will be a complete and utter disaster. ‘We have to face it.’ He looked up at the ceiling. ‘Bonnie Scott’s is on hold. Possibly indefinitely.’ Fraser turned up his collar and strode off.
‘Where are you going?’ called Liv.
‘Delivery van has made it here but the gates are shut thanks to Robbie and his paparazzi paranoia. And it couldn’t get up the drive anyway.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘To add insult to injury I’ll have to pay for all this food when I won’t be able to serve it,’ he added and carried on walking.
The front door banged closed, which seemed to snap Effie from her daydream and she looked around like she’d been teleported somewhere unfamiliar. ‘What?’ she asked, her eyes darting from Dolly to Liv and back again like a startled rabbit.
‘Effie dear, we’re in the middle of a family crisis. Please try and stay with us,’ said Dolly.
Liv’s mind was buzzing. There had to be an easy solution. ‘I’m thinking out loud here so hear me out,’ said Liv and Dolly nodded. ‘There have to be people around with the right skills. We just have to find them. Put out an advert maybe. A plea for help. Like a Just Giving page but we need people instead of cash. Or a lost dog.’ Dolly and Effie were looking at her like she’d grown a beard. ‘Okay maybe something else.’ Liv’s brain was whirring with the effort. ‘Someone stole Fraser’s staff. I’m thinking maybe he could borrow someone else’s. He needs trained staff so something in the same or similar business. How about a local pub?’
‘The Saracen’s Head will be full every night – they’ll need everyone they’ve got,’ said Dolly.
‘Ooh are they burning rowan again this year?’
‘Blimey who’s Rowan? Another witch?’
Effie giggled. ‘No silly. It’s a tree. They burn a branch of it to—’
‘Ward off evil spirits?’ offered Liv, sensing a theme in this neck of the woods.
‘Actually,’ said Dolly. ‘It’s to eradicate bad feelings between friends and family. Still pagan in origin though so it was a good guess. And the locals love it so the Saracen’s will be busy tomorrow night.’
‘Okay.’ Liv wasn’t giving up. ‘Anywhere else that’s already shut up for Christmas? Coffee shop? Fast food outlet? Garden centre? Pet shop? Anything really.’ At the end of the day they were desperate.
Effie shook her head. Dolly held up a finger. ‘The Little Loch Tearooms. My friend Winnie said they were going to be closed over Christmas and Hogmanay. I suspect they’ve shut up already thanks to the weather.’
‘Perfect,’ said Liv feeling like she might actually have a grip on something useful. ‘How do we get hold of the boss or the staff?’
‘I’ll call Winnie,’ said Dolly continuing towards the reception desk.
A few minutes later the front door banged open and Fraser put down a crate of food. ‘Please can someone give me a hand?’
‘Coming,’ said Liv almost skipping up the hallway until she was stopped in her tracks by an arctic blast. ‘It’s not warmed up yet then.’
Fraser blinked at her. ‘It won’t until April when the temperature might make it into double figures.’
‘Fair enough,’ said Liv going to pick up the crate and realising it was heavier than she was expecting.
‘You can leave it. I’ll sort it once I’ve brought everything down from the gates.’
‘No, it’s fine,’ said Liv, her voice squeaking under the strain of lifting the heavy box. She wasn’t going to be shown up as a wimp even if it meant a hernia. She waddled up the hallway with the heavy load, but as soon as she heard the front door close she put it down with a jolt. ‘Bloody hell that’s heavy.’
‘Did you want a hand?’ called Effie.
‘Please.’
Together they carried the crate through to the kitchen and began unpacking it. Effie didn’t say anything, which Liv realised was quite unusual. Now she watched her she seemed preoccupied. ‘Everything all right?’ asked Liv as Effie passed her far more garlic than anyone could ever need.
‘Me?’ Effie looked around and then pointed to her chest.
‘Yeah, you. Are you okay?’
‘Yep,’ she said as she put the empty crate in the freezer.
Liv retrieved it. ‘You’re not okay. Sit down. What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing.’ Effie perched one bum cheek on one of the high stools.
‘Is it John?’
Effie breathed out in a gush. ‘It is and I don’t know what to do. I can’t tell Dolly or Fraser because they don’t know about him and they wouldn’t understand.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘He sent me this.’ Effie pulled out her phone and bit her lip as she passed it to Liv.
Liv read the message: This might be goodbye, my love. Almost out of money. You’ve brought me so much happiness and joy. I only wanted to help the needy but I can’t do any more. Please pray for me. All love John x
Alarm bells were starting to ring in Liv’s head. She looked up at Effie’s expectant face. ‘What do you think?’
‘I need to help him. But how? He’s so far away.’
‘Yeah. I think that’s how he wants you to feel. At least he hasn’t asked for money.’
‘But he does need money. Maybe I should offer to send him some,’ she said.
‘No, no, no. Don’t do that.’ Liv was struggling – she wanted to alert Effie to a possible issue but at the same time she didn’t want to burst her bubble. ‘I’m sure he’ll find a way to sort things out. Have you got any photos?’
‘Ooh yes.’ Effie’s mood lifted as she showed Liv on her phone. Up popped a picture of a smiling young man with short cropped hair and what looked like an American army uniform.
‘Is he in the army by any chance?’ asked Liv.
‘He is. He’s taking a sabbatical to help people after he was on a dangerous mission and suffered trauma.’
‘Right,’ said Liv no longer able to hide her cynicism. ‘And you believe him?’
Effie pulled her chin in. ‘Of course I do.’
‘You see I’m not so sure. You get a lot of men claiming to be American generals but they’re con men and I’m worried that—’
‘Stop it!’ Effie’s voice was almost a shout. ‘John’s not like that. He’s lovely.’
‘But what if he isn’t?’
Effie shook her head. ‘I thought you were my friend. I told you because I thought you’d understand but you’re just like everyone else. You think I’m stupid and that I don’t know my own heart. But I do.’
‘Effie, look—’ But Liv didn’t get to say any more. With tears welling in her eyes Effie stormed out of the kitchen and Liv was grateful that it was a swing door because otherwise she knew it would have slammed. Liv sighed. Perhaps she could have handled that better. Poor Effie. The door opened again and a large crate came in with Fraser carrying it. He plonked it on the counter. ‘What’s wrong with Effie?’
Liv opened her mouth but engaged her brain in the nick of time. She couldn’t tell Fraser the truth without revealing Effie’s secret boyfriend, but which was worse? ‘She’s a bit sensitive.’
‘Heavens, Liv! What have you said to upset her?’ said Fraser.
‘Thanks for assuming it’s my fault!’
Fraser shook his head. ‘I’ve one last crate to get,’ he said and he left.
‘It’s not my fault by the way,’ she called, but he was already gone.