Christmas at Candlebark Farm (16 page)

‘No—no, of course not. If that's your professional opinion then I'll take your advice. You're the expert.' She swallowed. ‘I'm glad there's so much interest.'

She didn't look glad.

‘I just thought it would take a whole lot longer. This is…good news.'

Then why was she frowning?

‘I'll pop in tomorrow. Yes—thanks, Julia.'

She replaced the receiver. She stood by the phone for a long moment, and then pasted on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. All his muscles tensed. ‘Is everything okay?'

‘That was my new estate agent. She said there's been a lot of interest in my great-aunt's house.'

Of course there had. It was a great house.

‘She wants to take it to auction on the twenty-ninth of this month, while interest is running hot.'

He let out a low whistle.

‘Is it okay if I stay here till then?'

‘Not a problem at all. Stay until everything is settled.' He paused. ‘It's moving very fast.'

She nodded.

‘Are you sure you're ready for this?'

She lifted her chin. ‘It's what I came here to do.'

And when it was done she would leave, and there would be no reason for her to ever return. He pressed his lips together and rose. ‘I better get onto the chores.'

‘Yes, of course.'

The scent of vanilla followed him all the way out to the barn.

K
EIRA
woke early on Christmas morning. She tried to push her wakefulness away, and drag the mantle of sleep back over her, but as happened every Christmas morning the thrill of excitement threading through her made that impossible. As it had every Christmas morning for as long as she could remember.

Even those Christmases when she'd ached for her mother and grandmother.

Even this Christmas.

The light filtering beneath her curtains dimmed for a moment when she slid her hands over her stomach. She dragged in a breath, sat up, and threw back the covers. No moping today. Today was for Jason and Luke. She wanted them to experience just a little Christmas magic—to realise that they shouldn't shut themselves off from the joy the day had to offer.

Shouldn't shut themselves off from any of the joys the world had to offer.

She tiptoed through the house, careful not to wake anyone. She needn't have bothered. She found Luke and Jason at the kitchen table, eating fruitcake.

‘Ooh, fruitcake for breakfast! Excellent idea. Merry Christmas, Luke. Merry Christmas, Jason.'

‘Merry Christmas, Keira.' Luke leapt up to pour her a
coffee. He looked so fresh and bright and eager her heart expanded.

‘Merry Christmas, Keira.' Jason cut her a slice of fruitcake, his grin wide and his eyes thrilling with the same excitement that rippled through her.

It took her precisely half a cup of coffee and two generous bites of fruitcake before she realised Jason and Luke had no idea how to proceed with the day. A wave of tenderness engulfed her. Across in the living room, early-morning sun poured in at the windows and the French doors, winking off tinsel and angel chains and Christmas lanterns. She nodded. ‘It looks like fairyland in there.'

‘I'm going to be vacuuming tinsel up for the next six months,' Luke grumbled.

But his eyes twinkled and Keira grinned at him. ‘Every time you come across another piece you're going to remember what a marvellous Christmas you had,' she countered. ‘C'mon.' She stood. ‘I've never been able to show the least restraint on Christmas morning.'

She set a tray of mini-croissants into the oven, and then tripped into the living room. ‘It has to be present-opening time!'

At different stages on the previous day, unseen by the others, each of them had tiptoed into the living room to put presents beneath the Christmas tree. It made it seem as if those presents had appeared by magic, even though she knew they hadn't. She clasped her hands beneath her chin. ‘It almost looks too pretty to disturb.'

Jason groaned.

‘That's what my mother would say every year,' she said with a laugh. ‘And I'd always point out that she'd said
almost
…and that I harboured no such scruple.'

She settled on the carpet in front of the tree and rifled through the presents. ‘Here—catch!' She tossed identical packages to Luke and Jason.

They stared at the presents in awe, and then glanced around as if figuring what they should do next. Keira shuffled along a bit, and with shrugs they settled themselves on the floor to form an arc around the Christmas tree with her.

Keira. Jason. Luke.

She tried not to notice how perfect that seemed.

A bark of laughter shot out of Luke when he tore his present open to discover the chunky three-pack of sports socks and the outrageously loud satin boxers encased within.

Jason sniggered. ‘Going to model them?' Then promptly closed his mouth when he realised that his was an identical gift.

Luke leant over and placed a brightly wrapped present in front of her. She tore the package open with more speed than grace—vanilla-scented shower gel, body lotion and bath bombs! She clapped her hands and suspected her grin threatened to take over her entire face. ‘You've got the hang of this, Hillier.'

‘My turn!' Jason said.

His gift to her was a book of nonsense verse that made them all laugh. His gift to his father was a DVD box set of action movies, and an accompanying movie directory book.

‘I've been wanting to see this movie for ages!' Luke selected one from the box and glanced at the television.

‘Later,' Jason decreed, leaping up to put the Christmas CD on. When he opened his present from his father, though—the dragon game—he gazed longingly at his game console.

In unison, Keira and Luke said, ‘Later!'

Keira knew Christmas wasn't about presents, but Luke and Jason hadn't had presents in three years. And to see the happiness that the presents they'd selected could bring to someone's face…and to be made to feel special by someone else's carefully selected presents…that was priceless.

As unobtrusively as she could, she retrieved the croissants and made a fresh pot of coffee, and brought the tray through
to the living room. She set her other presents in front of Luke and Jason.

‘Sweet!' Jason immediately immersed himself in the Manga comics she'd selected for him.

Luke's eyes darkened when he unwrapped his gift—a leather wallet with a snakeskin design. All she'd written on the tag was ‘My Hero!'

When his eyes met hers she knew he remembered that day down by the river as vividly as she did. ‘Merry Christmas, Luke.' Her voice came out husky, but she found she could do absolutely nothing about that.

He leant across and placed the last remaining present in her lap. ‘Merry Christmas, Keira.'

She tore open the paper and laughed as she drew out a hot-pink sun hat, but nestled in its crown was a silk scarf in all the colours of the rainbow—orange bleeding into yellow and green, then violet and finally cobalt blue. ‘I don't think I've ever owned anything so beautiful.'

She promptly settled the hat on her head, and wound the scarf around her throat. Jason pronounced it, ‘fully sweet'.

Luke leant over to finger the delicate silk. ‘It suits you.'

Her heart billowed and skipped.

They all stretched out—Jason on the floor, Luke in his armchair, her on the sofa—and munched croissants and drank coffee, becoming immersed in their books and comics. Occasionally one of them would read something out to the others.

Keira glanced surreptitiously around. This was perfect. It hit her then, with a clarity she could no longer ignore or deny—this was what she wanted. This was where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.

With one final glance at Luke, she closed her eyes and prayed again for a Christmas miracle.

 

Luke started when Keira leapt up with a squeak. ‘It's time we got the turkey on!'

Jason scrambled to his feet. ‘You said you'd show me what to do.'

‘I will indeed.'

Luke pushed out of his chair more slowly, found a piece of gift paper to use as a bookmark in his movie directory book, amazed at how much he'd lost himself in the ease of the morning.

Keira and Jason's wide eyes and laughter during their exchange of gifts had told him that the whole Christmas thing was working. What he hadn't expected was that it would work its magic on him too.

Keira was right. There
was
a magic to Christmas. He moved towards the kitchen for potato-peeling duty, determined that she wouldn't be stuck with all the hard work. He couldn't remember the last time his shoulders had swung so loose and free.

 

‘That's all there is to it?' Luke asked, stunned, when Keira set the turkey and vegetables in the oven.

She dusted off her hands. ‘We put the sprouts on and make the gravy a little before we're ready to eat. And the turkey will need basting every now and again.'

‘I'll do that,' Jason volunteered. ‘You showed me what to do.'

She shrugged. ‘So, yes, that's pretty much all there is to it.'

‘I should be able to manage that on my own next year.'

At his words, he could have sworn her smile slipped, but it emerged with renewed vigour and he figured he must have imagined it. ‘That's the plan.'

She wanted to set him up for all future Christmases—Christmases when she wouldn't be here. A rock lodged in
his chest. Would he have the heart to celebrate Christmas next year?

He glanced at Jason and pulled his shoulders back. He'd celebrate next year if for no other reason than for his son. He would not let things slide so badly ever again. That was Keira's true gift to him.

If only he could give her something so precious.

His mind suddenly whirred and clicked. Maybe he could?

‘C'mon, Jason. I'm dying to check out this game of yours.'

With a whoop, Jason shot into the living room. Keira stopped by Luke, touched his arm. ‘Are you okay?'

He gestured towards Jason. ‘Thank you. It's been a perfect day so far.'

‘Yeah, it has.' She dimpled up at him, and all he could think about was kissing her. ‘But the fun's not over yet. C'mon.'

He followed her, but kept at least three feet between them as they made their way back into the living room. It would be too dangerous to get caught under the mistletoe with her today. Christmas might contain a spark of magic, but it couldn't change the past. Nor could it change the future he'd set out before him.

 

Christmas dinner lived up to expectation. They all ate too much, and it all tasted so good that Luke wanted to keep eating—only he couldn't fit another morsel in.

After lunch Keira made them play charades and other party games. Luke lost every time. He'd find himself caught up in the way her hair bounced, fascinated by the mobility of her features.

He didn't enjoy himself any the less for that.

When the phone rang and no one else moved to answer it, Luke lumbered to his feet. He pressed the receiver to his ear. ‘Hello?'

A tiny pause, then, ‘Luke…hello.'

Brenda! Heaviness slammed into him. Guilt that he hadn't given Brenda and Alf a second thought so far today. Guilt that he was alive and healthy when Tammy was not. ‘I…uh…I guess you'd like to speak to Jason. I'll get him for you.'

‘Thank you. And Luke…?'

He paused in the act of gesturing to his son, and braced himself for something hard and crushing. ‘Merry Christmas.'

He stared at the receiver. He couldn't have heard that correctly. He pressed it against his ear again. Swallowed. ‘Merry Christmas to you and Alf too, Brenda.'

‘Thank you.'

Without another word, he handed the phone to Jason. Dazed, he moved back to his chair.

Keira touched his knee. ‘Is everything okay?'

‘Brenda…she just wished me a merry Christmas.' He still couldn't believe he'd heard that right.

Keira's smile when it came wasn't one of those big ones that could dazzle and unbalance a man. It was both softer and deeper, and more devastating, than that. ‘A Christmas miracle,' she whispered.

He didn't believe in miracles, but…

‘Dad?' Luke turned to find Jason holding the phone against his chest. ‘Is it okay if I spend tonight with Gran and Grandad?'

Luke nodded, and waited for Jason to call him back to the phone so Brenda could retract her merry Christmas.

Jason spoke a few more words into the phone, and then settled it back into its cradle before flopping onto the sofa. ‘It's all good. They're going to collect me later this afternoon.'

‘Sorted?' Keira asked.

‘Sorted,' Jason said. ‘Gran almost sounded like her old self again.'

Luke blinked. A Christmas miracle?

‘This has been the sweetest Christmas ever.'

Luke couldn't argue with that.

 

Jason's grandparents collected him at four p.m. They didn't come in, but they waved from the car. Luke hugged his son, ordered him to have a good time, and waved back.

The car drove away and Luke dragged in a breath and braced his shoulders. There was only one more thing he wanted to accomplish today…

‘Tired?' he asked Keira when he returned. She was curled up on the sofa, her head propped up on one hand. She'd remained inside while he said farewell to Jason. Diplomacy, he suspected. She hadn't wanted to remind Brenda and Alf of Tammy.

Not that he and Keira had that kind of relationship. He rolled his shoulders. They did have a friendship, though.

‘Pleasantly so,' she said.

‘Are you up to sharing a bottle of wine on the veranda? I have a bottle of Pinot Gris here that should be as smooth and mellow as anything you've ever tasted.'

‘Ooh, yes, please!' She swung around to stare at him. ‘That sounds
divine
.'

He grabbed the bottle and two wine glasses and led the way out to the veranda and around to the bench at the side. This spot was one of his favourite places in the world.

Keira leant against the veranda railing. ‘You were right, you know, Luke. This view really is wonderful. It'd be worth quite a bit of inconvenience for the privilege of waking up to it every day.'

‘So you're not sorry fate sent you here to Candlebark?'

She settled herself on the bench. The scent of vanilla rose up around him, mingling with the bouquet of the wine. She took the glass he handed her. He was careful their fingers didn't touch.

‘I'm not the least sorry that I landed at Candlebark. Meeting you and Jason—that's been quite an adventure.'

‘Have you had a nice day today?'

‘Yes…and I didn't really expect to. I just wanted to try to make it nice for you and Jason, but…well, somehow I got swept up in it too.'

‘That makes the two of us.'

He stared at her for a long moment, prayed that what he was about to do was the right thing. His gut told him it was.

She touched a hand to her face. ‘What?'

He shook himself. Made himself stare out at the golden expanse of wheat. ‘You've given me a lot of good advice over these last two weeks, Keira—about Jason, about myself, about Christmas. It appears you were even right about Brenda and Alf. I can't begin to thank you.'