‘That’s the last one,’ Oli said as he pressed down on the Sellotape then slipped the small gift into Tom’s stocking.
‘Do you think they’re sleeping now?’ Grace asked as she pointed at the ceiling.
‘I doubt it but I’ll check.’
He left the kitchen and tiptoed up the stairs.
Grace held her breath and listened. Amy and Tom had been under strict instructions to remain upstairs, even if they heard an army come marching through the cottage.
A floorboard above her head creaked and she heard a yelp.
Hope raised her head from where she was lying on the quilt near the Aga. They’d brought her out to the kitchen with them, because Oli said he didn’t know if she’d try to climb the stairs and he didn’t want her disturbing the children. He also wanted to keep an eye on her in case she needed the toilet.
‘It’s okay, girl. He’ll be back soon.’
Hope lowered her head again and blinked knowingly.
‘I’m sure you understand me, don’t you?’
Grace blew a kiss to the greyhound just as Oli reappeared in the doorway.
‘Surprisingly, both sound asleep. I even waited to see if Amy was pretending but nope. Then I stepped on a Lego brick and it really hurt, but my yelp didn’t wake them. My father must have worn them both out.’
Grace snorted before she could stop herself. ‘Lego can be dangerous stuff. Perhaps Tom left it there to catch Santa out.’
‘I wouldn’t be at all surprised.’
When Paul had arrived with the children that afternoon, and found Grace there already, his eyes had lit up. Oli had explained that Grace had come to see Hope and that she was going to help him with festive preparations, but Paul’s smile had suggested that he thought otherwise.
‘Okay, let’s get the presents piled up in the lounge then I have a little surprise.’
‘What is it?’
Oli tapped his nose. ‘You’ll have to wait and see.’
They carried the two stockings and the gifts in their different wrapping paper into the lounge then set them out in two separate piles.
‘I’ll take the stockings up later when I go to bed. Now, you take a seat.’
‘No, let me help you.’
‘Absolutely not. Stay there.’
Oli disappeared then returned with Hope and her quilt and settled her in front of the fire. Grace watched as Hope stretched out then let out a long satisfied groan. She giggled. That greyhound noise would never cease to amuse her.
Oli entered the room carrying a tray.
‘Close your eyes.’
‘What?’
‘Grace, please, close them.’
She did.
‘Now you can open them.’
On the coffee table in front of the sofa was a bottle of champagne and two crystal flutes. Next to them was a plate of small circular crackers piled high with smoked salmon, cream cheese and a bowl of what appeared to be a rich dark chocolate mousse.
‘Oli… how wonderful.’
‘You’re wonderful and you deserve to be spoilt.’
‘It’s just perfect.’
‘Good. And… if you’re wondering, because I know it must be difficult sometimes, the flutes are brand new. I bought them recently, hoping you’d come here for champagne at some point.’
‘I hadn’t wondered that, but, thank you.’
Oli popped the cork then filled their glasses. He handed one to Grace.
‘Merry Christmas, Grace. May this be your first of many at Conwenna Cove.’
They clinked glasses.
‘I hope so.’
Grace sipped her champagne, savouring the crisp finish and the clean, pure flavour.
‘It’s delicious.’
Oli nodded.
‘Is everything ready for tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I think so.’
‘And what are you three doing for lunch?’
‘My father and Maxine are meant to be coming here. Would you like to…’ He leant forwards and put his glass on the table. ‘How do you feel about Christmas dinner?’
‘In what way?’
‘Well, do you want to spend it with your parents or would you like to join us?’
‘Oli, I would love to join you, but it’s my parents’ first Christmas here and I think I should be with them.’
‘Of course. I understand that.’
‘And you need to be with your family.’
He nodded, then ran a hand through his hair. ‘Silly, right, but I hate the thought of not being with you.’
‘It’s not silly, it’s lovely, and I would love to be with you too, but we can get together later on tomorrow.’
‘This is all quite difficult isn’t it?’ He took her hand.
‘It’s not a straightforward situation, but it’s not a bad one either.’
He gently stroked her fingers in turn then ran his thumb over her palm.
‘What’s wrong, Oli?’
‘I want to be with you but I feel… a bit guilty too.’
She wriggled closer to him on the sofa. ‘I’m sure that’s probably natural when you lose a partner.’
‘I do know that Linda would want me to live life to the full. She told me as much. But even so, it’s like I’m here living and she’s cold in the ground.’ He shook his head. ‘God, Grace you don’t need this. I just wanted to explain to you. I want to be with you, but I have to make sure that you want the kids too.’
Grace took a deep breath then released it slowly.
‘You, Amy and Tom come as a package deal and I wouldn’t want it any other way.’
He reached for his champagne again.
‘Well, here’s to the future and whatever it may bring.’
They both drank from their glasses.
‘Now, let’s eat that salmon. I’d hate for it to go to waste.’
They sat and ate in silence as festive images flickered across the TV screen and Hope eyed them from her quilt. Grace and Oli handed her some small pieces of salmon and she accepted them gently, licking her lips in appreciation.
‘We could get used to this Hope, couldn’t we?’
‘I could get used to this.’ Oli stroked her cheek. ‘I’d love to spoil you both on a frequent basis.’
When they’d finished the crackers, Oli lifted the champagne bottle. ‘More?’
‘I probably shouldn’t. I’m already a bit lightheaded and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to come back early in the morning and to see the children opening their presents.’
‘You could always stay?’
‘I could but I did stay recently… by accident… and if I stay again, won’t the children get confused?’
‘Confused? They might do, I guess but they do like having you around.’
‘Well, I’ll go home now and come back early shall I?’
‘Okay. Great.’
Grace rubbed Hope’s chin then gave her a kiss on the head before going out to the hallway and pulling on her coat and hat. She stuffed her feet into her boots then picked up her gloves.
‘I’ll see you in the morning, then.’
‘Grace… hold on.’
Oli went to the chest of drawers, opened the top one and took something out then he returned to Grace.
‘Take this.’ He held out a key.
Grace stared at it. ‘You’re giving me a… key?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh… Oli… uh… Wow! That’s such a big step.’
‘It is. But Grace…’ He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. ‘Look, I realize how it looks but I was only giving you the key so you could get in in the morning.’
Grace slapped a hand to her forehead. ‘I’m such an idiot.’
He stepped backward then scuffed his foot on the rug. ‘No you’re not. I mean… I thought I was giving it to you for that but perhaps, deep down, I was hoping you’d keep it after tomorrow.’
‘After tomorrow? So you did mean…’ She bit her lip as dozens of thoughts raced through her mind. ‘I will have to go back to Cardiff in January, but then once I’ve sorted everything out—’
A floorboard on the landing creaked and they both froze, staring up into the darkness as if they’d been caught discussing something they shouldn’t. A few moments later, the chain flushed and there was the sound of the tap running. Oli and Grace stood still, waiting for whichever child it was to return to bed. When they heard Tom returning to his room, they both released the breaths they’d been holding.
‘I was going to say that I will be back and that I will definitely use this key. As long as you want me to have it.’
‘I really do.’
He leant past her and opened the front door so she stepped out into the cold darkness.
‘Merry Christmas, Grace.’
‘I’ll see you tomorrow?’ she asked, her heart thudding as she didn’t want to leave him.
‘Yes. Looking forward to it. I’ll watch you along the path now and be careful because it’ll be icy.’
Grace turned then and walked away, an ache growing in her chest because she had to leave him. She’d see him again in the morning and that was something to look forward to. She just felt like an idiot for how she’d reacted about the key and hoped that she hadn’t hurt Oli’s feelings at all.
As she trudged back to Rosehip Cottage, a cold wind whipped around her legs and made her unsteady on the frosty ground. Then, as if the heavens had suddenly opened, snowflakes came swirling down, thick and soft, and soon the ground behind her was covered in white, as Christmas Eve dwindled and made way for Christmas Day.