Golden Christmas (9 page)

She heard the tapping of Jonathan's computer
keyboard when she entered the front door.

"Hi, I'm back."

The tapping stopped and he appeared at the
sitting room door, clean shaven, wearing a gray jacket and smart
slacks. It was the first time she'd seen him in anything other than
jeans.

"You look good." She dropped her coat on the
sofa, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rose on her toes to
kiss him.

He pressed his nose to her hair. "You smell
good, and I'm sure you look good too. Tell me what you're
wearing."

As she described her long red dress and black
boots, he skimmed his fingers down her side and smiled.
"Lovely."

The clock on the mantel chimed twice and
Jonathan sighed. "You know I'd love to spend the rest of the day
here with you alone, but we can't let my sister down." He crouched
and put Holly's special guide-dog harness on, then they went
downstairs and locked up.

Weak sun shone through the gaps in the
clouds, doing nothing to ease the intense cold but adding a sparkle
to the icy landscape. Vicky pulled her scarf tight and snuggled
deeper into her coat.

They settled Honey on an old towel on the
backseat of Vicky's car before they climbed in. Five minutes later,
they arrived at the Fat Goose. Chloe burst out of the back door,
wearing a thick sweater patterned with snowflakes and a matching
scarf and knit hat. She jumped on the spot, flapping her arms to
keep warm as they got out of their car.

"I'm just running over to Holly Cottage to
check on the pups. Wanna come?"

"Oh, I'd love to see Jessie." Vicky glanced
at Jonathan, aware that he wasn't going to be running anywhere,
especially on the icy ground. "But we can go later when we have
more time."

"You go now." Jonathan squeezed her hand.
"I'll head inside and find the others. I need a drink to warm me
up."

"Okay. See you in a minute." Vicky pressed a
kiss to his lips, then she and Chloe ran across the village green.
The brittle, icy grass crunched like sugar beneath their feet. She
glanced back a couple of times to make sure Jonathan made it inside
safely, but she needn't have worried. He held the handle on Honey's
harness as his dog led him around the pub to the private back door,
then they disappeared inside.

Chloe unlocked Holly Cottage and they hurried
along the corridor. The unmistakable smell and sound of puppies
greeted them as they cautiously pushed open the kitchen door, wary
in case any of the pups were on the other side.

Jessie waded out from the heap of her
brothers and sisters and scampered towards Vicky, yapping with
excitement. Tripping over her paws, she landed in a heap at Vicky's
feet.

"Oh, you sweet, adorable little darling."
Vicky scooped up her baby and buried her face in the pup's soft
fur. She couldn't wait to have her full time and take her to see
her mum and dad. They would love her on sight, just like Vicky
had.

Chloe cleaned up some puppy poop before she
cuddled her little boy. Although
little
was not the right
word to describe the pup she'd chosen. He was already twice the
size of Jessie.

"Have you thought of a name for him?" Vicky
asked.

"Paddy. Because he's got such big paddy
paws."

"His paws are nearly as big as Jessie's head,
and he's going to grow into those paws."

"I know. Auntie Shell says Paddy is going to
be a monster."

They made a fuss of the other puppies,
playing with them all for a few minutes, then Vicky checked her
watch. "We'd better go back to the pub or we'll be late for
dinner." She pulled her phone from her pocket. "Before we go, will
you take a couple of photos of me holding Jessie? I want some
pictures to show my parents."

Chloe took the phone and snapped some photos
while Vicky posed with her puppy.

"Will you take some pics of me and Paddy?"
Chloe said, handing back Vicky's phone. "Dad makes me use this
stupid old phone of his." She pulled an old-fashioned flip phone
from her pocket and grimaced. "It doesn't even have a decent
camera. Dad says I'm not old enough to have a smart phone that goes
on the
Evilnet
. I'm nine and he still treats me like a
baby."

"Sounds like your dad is doing what he thinks
is best for you." She sympathized with Owen Bramwell's concerns.
She'd been cautious letting Josh use electronic devices. He'd been
allowed a few hours a week on her iPad under supervision.

It surprised her to realize that a few weeks
ago, thinking of her son like this would have twisted her heart so
badly she might have cried. Now it didn't hurt quite as much.

"I guess." Chloe pouted.

Vicky put Jessie back in the dog bed and
smiled as the little golden puppy wormed her way between her bigger
siblings to the food dish. She held up her phone and snapped some
pictures of Chloe and Paddy. The pup was so heavy that Chloe had
difficulty holding him when he wriggled.

"I'll e-mail them to your dad and he can
print them out for you."

They locked up the cottage and ran back
across the village green, laughing together, their breath billowing
in huge smoky clouds as they puffed like dragons, trying to outdo
each other. She'd thought she could never bear to play with a child
again, yet she enjoyed Chloe's company.

The delicious smell of roast turkey filled
the air as they burst in the back door of the Fat Goose. Vicky
followed Chloe past the restrooms and kitchen to the restaurant
where a Christmas tree twinkled in the corner with presents beneath
it. The pub was closed to the public today, and it was strange to
see the room so empty of people.

A round table was laid for dinner with a
golden candle centerpiece and red-and-gold napkins. The reflected
firelight danced across the glasses and silverware.

Owen Bramwell sat beside Jonathan at the
table, and they both held glasses of wine. Seeing them side by
side, the likeness was obvious. They looked more like brothers than
cousins.

Jonathan angled his head, listening.
"Vicky?"

She rested her hands on his shoulders,
leaning down to kiss his temple. "How did you know it was me?"

"From the sound of your steps."

She laughed, pleased he could identify her so
easily.

"How are the puppies?" Jonathan asked.

"Adorable. Especially my little Jessie."

Shelly carried in a dish of vegetables, and
her boyfriend brought in the turkey on a huge oval plate and
started carving it. Chloe sat beside her father, and Vicky took the
seat next to Jonathan.

Soon they were all eating and talking about
the puppies and the weather. The empty years when Vicky had shut
herself away at Christmas to wallow in guilt and grief felt like a
bad dream now.

When they'd finished eating and were sitting
in the comfortable chairs in the lounge bar, gathered around the
roaring log fire, Vicky took out her phone and checked the images
of herself with Jessie. She looked happy with her cute puppy. Her
parents would probably be overjoyed to see these photos. She texted
a couple to her mum.

Now she'd made the decision to visit them and
lay the past to rest, she wanted to do it immediately. She wanted
to grasp this new life she was starting so it didn't slip away.

Jonathan gripped her hand and squeezed.
"You're quiet."

"I spoke to Mum and Dad earlier. I'd like to
go and see them tomorrow."

"Am I allowed to come?" he asked softly.

Vicky stared into the dancing flames of the
fire. "I haven't been back there since I lost Colin and Josh." Her
visit would be an emotional one. There would be tears.

"That's okay. I understand if you want to go
alone."

Part of her did want to go alone. But she
didn't want to leave Jonathan on his own on Boxing Day.

She glanced down at her fingers laced through
his. "I'm likely to need lots of hugs tomorrow. Come if you're up
for that."

"I'm good at hugs."

She leaned into him and rested her head on
his shoulder. He wasn't just good at hugs; he was good for her in
every way.

• • •

In the early hours of the morning on Boxing Day, the
weather changed, bringing wet and windy conditions.

Standing in Jonathan's bedroom, Vicky wrapped
her arms around her middle and stared at her reflection in the
mirror of the dark window. Outside in the night, rain lashed at the
glass and the wind whistled in the trees. She glanced over her
shoulder to make sure she hadn't disturbed Jonathan when she got
out of bed. He lay on his side, the covers draped over his broad
shoulders, his dark hair an inky smudge on the pillow in the low
light.

She rubbed her eyes and sighed, then pulled
on Jonathan's dressing gown against the night chill. She couldn't
sleep. So many thoughts were tumbling around in her head. She'd had
fun on Christmas Day, but now she felt guilty. Yet she shouldn't.
She knew that. It was crazy to keep feeling guilty for enjoying
life.

She wanted so badly to come to terms with
what happened and move on. And she had made so much progress the
last few days, thanks to Jonathan and Jessie. She smiled at the
memory of her cute golden pup. Taking a few steps to the chest of
drawers, she picked up her phone and found the images Chloe had
taken of her holding Jessie.

For the briefest moment, she considered
looking at her photos of Colin and Josh, but she resisted. Instead
she scrolled on, chuckling at a photo of Jonathan wearing a
Christmas hat at the pub yesterday. They'd had fun. She'd had fun.
She got along well with Shelly and Chloe, and Owen seemed like a
nice guy. She liked spending time with Jonathan and his family.

Yet she still had to go and see her parents.
She'd texted, and they expected her and Jonathan for lunch later
today. She pressed a palm against the cool glass and watched the
water streaming down outside as the rain pelted the window.

What she really wanted to do was climb in
bed, snuggle up to Jonathan, and stay there forever so she could
forget about the rest of the world. But that was a coward's way
out.

The bed creaked and Jonathan coughed. "Vicky.
Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm here. I'm coming back to bed. Don't
worry."

She pulled off his dressing gown and draped
it over the end of the bed before climbing in beside him. His arms
closed around her, and he pulled her tight against the length of
his body. "You're cold. How long have you been out there?"

Vicky closed her eyes and pressed her face
against his chest. "Not long," she mumbled.

"What's the matter," he whispered.

"I can't sleep."

"Are you worrying about visiting your
parents?"

"It's not seeing
them
that's the
problem. It's the house and the village. There are so many memories
there."

"I'll be with you, darling." His arms
tightened around Vicky, and she snuggled closer to the comforting
strength of this kind, loving man who'd rescued her from
herself.

His lips touched her forehead, his breath
tickling her skin.

"I love you," he whispered.

His words cut through the tense muddle of
Vicky's thoughts. Could this be true when they'd only known each
other a week?

Should she say it back to him? Then the
moment passed, and she knew it wasn't the right time to say it now.
Beneath her palm, his heart pounded, and her own heart raced to
catch up. Did she love him?

Jonathan gnawed his lip as the road hummed beneath the car tires.
Water on the road splashed against the car. The heater blasted and
sweat prickled his skin inside his winter jacket, but it was more
due to nerves than the heat.

He wasn't sure he'd been right to ask to come
with Vicky today. Perhaps he should have let her make this visit
home on her own. She had enough to cope with without having to
introduce
him
to her parents. He was well aware they might
be less than impressed that he was blind.

They would probably think he'd be a burden on
her and need looking after. Sadly, that was true to a certain
extent. Even though he tried to be independent, he would never be
able to do everything he used to. What his brother and cousins
normally did to help him would naturally fall on Vicky now they
were in a relationship.

"We're just entering Waltham Cove," Vicky
said. She'd been describing the countryside and the villages they
passed through during the journey. When they dropped Honey at
Rosemoor Farm so Chloe could look after her today, Vicky had seemed
eager to get started. But as the miles passed, she'd grown
quieter.

Eventually she'd fallen silent. A couple of
times he'd asked her if she was okay, but he didn't want to keep
doing that. He sighed. If only he could see her face.

"The village isn't very big. The center is
clustered around the harbor. Then there is a new housing
development on the outskirts where I lived after I was married. Mum
and Dad have a cottage up the hill with a view over the ocean."

"Sounds lovely." Jonathan pictured West
Country coastal villages he remembered seeing with small stone
cottages gathered around rocky bays, although the new housing
development didn't fit into that image. He rubbed the scar on his
forehead, frustrated with himself for not being able to see where
he was.

"Here we are." Vicky stopped the car and shut
off the engine.

Jonathan wiped his sweaty palms on his
trousers, trying not to worry that Vicky's parents might not like
him. He was here to give Vicky moral support, so he needed to focus
on her, not his own insecurities.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching towards
her and accidentally bumping her with his hand. "Sorry." Sometimes
he felt like an idiot fumbling around.

Her fingers closed on his and she clutched
his hand to her chest. Her heart pounded against his palm through
her sweater. "Nothing to be sorry about." She leaned close and
kissed him, her floral fragrance like a balm to his senses, her
silky hair tickling his face.