Last Christmas (3 page)

Ella heard the scratching of her CD in the player. She had been so lost in thought she hadn’t realised that the machine was stuck on the same line, repeating eerily the same refrain again and again.

Now
I
know
what
a
fool
I’ve
been
,
but
if
you
kissed
me
now
I
know
you’d
fool
me
again
. Chug chug chug.
Now
I
know
what
a
fool
I’ve
been
,
but
if
you
kissed
me
now
I
know
you’d
fool
me
again
. Chug chug chug.
Now
I
know
what
a
fool
I’ve
been
,
but
if
you
kissed
me
now
I
know
you’d
fool
me
again
.

The music blasted out truth and made her think of his kisses.

Oh his kisses. She sighed, finally submerging in the water to rinse out the shampoo that had almost set on top of her head. If he was here now, even after all the pain and heartbreak he had put her through, she knew she’d give in to his charm. She would melt at the touch of his hand. She’d be a fool again because he was so handsome, funny and sexy.

Ella sat up and wiped the water from her eyes. She moved onto the rose-infused conditioner and massaged it into her scalp while she thought about Robbie’s redeeming features and ignored the squeaky repetition of Wham!’s Christmas classic. Robbie was hilarious, successful and ambitious. He was so seductive and incomparable in the bedroom …

Ella remembered the Christmas Eve that Robbie had whisked her off to Switzerland for a skiing holiday. They had spent the week in a five star hotel and having decided it was too cold outside to ski, even when they had piled on all their clothes, they spent the week in the hotel room without any clothes …

Ella was becoming aroused just thinking about her and Robbie’s sensual holiday but she realised that she was back-tracking and forced herself to think of Robbie’s faults. She dunked her hair in the hot water in order to cool off and rinsed out the conditioner.

She had to remember how furiously and often they had argued, how uncontrollably jealous and patronising he had been. Just because he spoke five languages and was exceptionally well-read, didn’t mean he was better than everybody else.

Ella convinced herself that she was only thinking about him now because she had so many Christmas memories with him, it wasn’t because she missed him. She vowed not think of him again that evening and stood up to drain the water from her body. Ella took out the plug, squeezed the excess water from her wild curls and stepped out of the bath. She had to stop that awful song.

Chapter Three

Ella stepped out of her car onto the frozen gravel and wrapped her scarf a little tighter. She was wearing a soft black poloneck with a denim dungaree dress over the top. The dress was cut into her waist, showing off her curves and although it was short with her tanned heeled boots, she wore thick black tights to make the outfit a bit more conservative. She looked over at the Crosley’s family home. It was a beautiful cream farmhouse with a thatched roof and a duck-egg blue door. Hanging in the middle of the door was a decadent wreath, decorated with diagonally sloped red ribbons, white glossy pearls and fluffy old man’s beard. Either side of the door were two pillars made from wooden beams. Misteltoe had been diligently wrapped around each pillar and it looked wonderfully festive. Ella walked down the gravel drive and onto the path that led to the front door. All the plants in the flowerbeds either side of the path were covered in a glittering film of horst frost which twinkled as she passed.

As Ella stepped onto the path, she took a deep breath and thought about what state Libby might be in with the imminent arrival of her ex-boyfriend, Marcus. She could see that the house was full of guests already; the glow of old antique lamps inside illuminated the shapes of marshmallow-sized Christmas coats and the light buzz of jingly Christmas music escaped the cracks of the old and drafty windows.

Ella was just about to reach the last step on the path when she lost her footing. Her left boot slipped on the frosty edge of the stone and as her body fell from underneath her, she felt panic surge through her body. Ella attempted to shift her body forward, hoping to grasp onto the left hand beam and grab at the mistletoe twines in front of her to steady herself, but as she lurched forwards, her right foot slipped too. After a wobbly dance on the ice, which even Michael Flatley would have been proud of, Ella fell. She closed her eyes ready to embrace the fall, hoping that the temporary darkness could numb the pain.

But the fall never came. She felt pressure on her right arm, a squeeze around her bicep and a hand placed on her left hip. Someone had caught her. She looked up, with strands of hair across her face, into the blue eyes of the Brown Haired man. Electricity ran through her; she knew this face. It was the stranger from the supermarket. He loosened his grip on her arm but kept his arms on her shoulders so she had a moment to steady herself. Ella blew the hair from off her face and took a step back from him.

“Th-thank you,” she whispered. Regaining her composure, she straightened the edge of her denim hem and said in a louder, more confident voice: “I think I saw you earlier in Waitrose.”

The man stared at her so intensely that it made Ella feel nervous.

“That could have been a disastrous fall,” he replied finally. This was the first time that Ella had heard him speak. He was incredibly well-spoken but his voice had a touch of coarseness to it as if he had been a smoker or heavy drinker all his life. He was wearing the same brown suede jacket he had been wearing in Waitrose and somehow, he seemed more attractive now, perhaps because of the faint whiffs of his musty cologne Ella smelt on the bitter wind.

James Dean. That was who he reminded her of. He looked just like a brunette version of James Dean with his slightly quaffed hair, rusty stubble and enchanting eyes which were set back above light puffy bags. He even had the full seductive James Dean lips that looked like they should be hosting a Lucky Strike cigarette.

Ella realised she hadn’t replied to him and had been staring hopelessly into his eyes.

Say something you idiot!

“Yes it could have been. I should have been more careful on the ice.”

I should have been more careful on the ice? That’s hardly exciting. Think, Ella.

Ella felt intimidated by the way the Brown Haired man stared at her.

Aware that this was the third time that day that she had stood in silence opposite this stranger making a fool of herself, Ella decided to throw herself into the situation and introduce herself.

“I’m Ella, Ella Moore.” She smacked red lipstick-covered lips together and narrowed her eyes, waiting for the reply from this man. He took a step closer to her and as he spoke, she could see his breath on the air.

“I am Fergus, Fergus Lamb.”

So
the
Brown
Haired
man
is
called
Fergus
and
he
seems
to
be
mocking
the
way
I
introduced
myself
.
Great
start
,
Ella
,
Ella
Moore
..

Ella wanted to strike up a normal conversation with him but all she could think about was how her body felt after he had touched her arm. Just as Fergus started to raise his hand and speak again, the front door burst open in front of them.

“There you are! I thought I saw you from the window!” Libby was panting excitedly and Ella could see from the twinkle in her eye that she was a little drunk.

“Come in now, both of you. It’s freezing out here. I see you’ve met already and I don’t need to bother with introductions.” Libby kissed both of them on each cheek and then proceeded to bark her orders.

“Ell, I need you. Fergus, Toby’s in the kitchen!”

Fergus nodded and gestured to Ella to follow Libby through the front door first. Ella walked over the threshold, her cheeks now blushing after the abrupt interruption and stopped in the hallway. As Libby closed the door behind them, Fergus brushed past Ella. As he did so, he lightly placed his hand on her hip so that he could pass through the narrow hallway and into the kitchen without bumping into her. Her skin tingled. She watched him go and thought about what Libby had just said.

So Fergus is a friend of Libby’s brother, Toby?

Ella turned to Libby who was shaking her mane of golden hair from side to side trying to add volume to it.

“How has it been so far? Is he here?” Ella asked.

“Yes, and the new girlfriend Jessica is
so
beautiful and
so
frickin’ nice, I can’t actually hate the bloody girl.”

Ella chuckled. “Oh Libby, it’s always hard seeing your ex with someone new. At least you look incredible.” Libby was dressed in a short black velvet dress that showed off her long legs. Libby had sun-kissed skin all year round and adorable freckles which clustered around her nose. She flashed Ella a smile with her naturally red lips.

“Thanks darling!”

“Pleasure. Now I know you don’t want to like her, but it will be much easier for you if she is nice.” Libby frowned but Ella continued. “You and Marcus were best friends for years before you dated and your families are good friends, so you want to keep a great friendship with him. If he is happy with someone who is genuinely nice then you can all be friends.”

“Eugh, I guess you’re right Ell.”

“And it must have taken real guts for her to come here and meet all his friends and his stunning ex-girlfriend at her house; I admire her. Also, Marcus must have told her how important you are to him if she has agreed to coming here and walking straight into the lion’s den!”

“Haha. I guess she is pretty brave to come here. She’s also not really a threat because Marcus and I left it on good terms and we broke up because we grew apart not because one of us hurt each other. But it will just take time to get used to seeing him with someone else.” Libby paused to think. “As much as I want to despise her, she really is lovely! She’s a microbiologist or something sickeningly clever! Ha! I just hope she’s good enough for him,” she smirked.

“Haha, that’s the spirit Libs! Could you imagine if she
was
a real terror? It would ruin your friendship and be a disaster. Now, introduce me to her and give me some of your Champagne.”

Libby was in a brighter mood as she linked arms with her best friend and reentered the party. As soon as Ella stepped into the kitchen she was hit by the familiar smell of mulled wine. The room was filled with clusters of overexcited people, the clinking of glasses and wafts of cinnamon. The two girls sauntered to the kitchen table dodging festively plump individuals who stood in their paths. They poured themselves a drink and toasted to new beginnings. Ella spotted Libby’s mother standing by the Aga and gestured to Libby she was going to say hello. Libby nodded and moved off to greet new guests arriving at the front door.

Elisabeth Crosley was an exceedingly glamorous woman who oozed charm. She was larger than life with enormous golden tresses, a huge bosom and long spidery eyelashes. Libby was a clone of her mother. Elisabeth Crosley had a soft spot for Ella and had taken her under her wing since her parents passed away, since they had been Elisabeth’s oldest friends.

“Darling, hello! I am so glad you are here. I can see you’ve already lifted Liberty’s spirits – well done! It’s more than I can do. Honestly, she’s been sulking all day.”

Ella smiled and kissed Elisabeth on each cheek.

“Well I’m glad I was able to cheer Libby up a little. She was even able to praise the new girlfriend; she’s quite accomplished apparently,” Ella said.

“Quite right my lovely. Apparently, she’s a quantum physicist or something. So long as she’s good enough for him.”

Ella chuckled at how similar Libby and Elisabeth were. She wondered if Jessica was a microbiologist or quantum physicist or if both the Crosley women’s penchant for exaggeration had exceeded itself.

“Ella, have you seen my husband yet? Where
is
he?” Elisabeth asked wobbling her head as she always did when she talked.

“He’s probably ignoring all our guests.” Just as Elisabeth finished her sentence, William Crosley appeared at the other end of the kitchen in a green v-neck cashmere jumper and brown corduroys.

“William! Come here and help me, you keep running off!” Mrs Crosley echoed down the kitchen in her high-pitched authoritative voice.

William was a small man. He was much smaller than his wife who he was completely in awe of. He had rather large ears, red cheeks and rare royal blue eyes with fantastic streaks of light blue marbled through them. Ella could see that William must have been a handsome man in his youth.

“Oh hello Ella. It’s lovely to see you. How are you?” William croaked as he hugged her.

“I am fine, thank you William. And you?” William adored Ella every bit as much as his wife did and he thought that she was a good influence on his fashion-conscious-party-attending rebel of a daughter.

“Wonderful thank you, but I’m afraid I can’t chat now. Elisabeth is just about to tell me to fetch some fire wood from the stables, so I shall go!” William threw his hands up in the air comically in mock exasperation and grinned cheekily at his wife before shuffling off to perform his unspoken orders. She smiled back and turned to Ella.

“I must go and see to the guests. Keep your drink topped up and do go on down into the drawing room. I think the younger contingent are in there.”

“Thank you Elisabeth. I have some puddings I brought for you but I left them in the car. I’ll bring them in later,” Ella said.

“Oh you needn’t have my child! But thank you. You are staying here tonight? And you’re coming to us on Christmas Day?” she asked as she walked off into the throng of the party.

Ella nodded enthusiastically and leant back against the Aga. She recognized most people in the room but she was most anxious to say hello to her school friends. Harry Pomeroy, Lara Allsopp and Charlie Bellamy, Ella and Libby’s closest friends from school, were all crowded around the fridge at the other end of the kitchen. Ella stood up straight and went over to them.

“Ella!” cried Lara. There was a cacophony of
hellos
and
how
are
yous
as Ella greeted her friends.

“How are you Ell?” asked Charlie. “Did you just drive down from London?”

Charlie Bellamy was exceeding tall and had to crouch down to fit into the Crosley’s low-ceiling kitchen. The Crosley’s old country house was an obstacle course for the not so vertically challenged people of party. The taller contingent had to watch out for the lethal beams that often appeared out of nowhere.

“Yes, I did. Don’t tell me you just did too?”

“Yes! Oh we could have come down together and I could have driven you back tomorrow morning,” Charlie replied as he put his arm affectionately around Ella’s shoulder. Charlie was so tall, Ella always enjoyed leaning into her old friend. There was something so comforting and safe about him.

“Oh are you all staying the night too?” she asked as she squeezed Charlie’s hand around her neck in a friendly way.

As all her friends nodded and started firing questions about how they were each spending their holidays, Fergus passed by in front of Ella. Ella saw him looking at Charlie’s arm around her neck as he went over to the table to fill up his drink. Neither one of them broke their stare until he brought the glass up to his lips, tilted his head back to down his glass of champagne and filled it up once more.

“Isn’t that right eh Ella?” Charlie joked as he pulled her in closer to his chest.