Chapter 40

FORTY

CHRISTMAS EVE

‘Any idea of what you'd like to do today, or are you just fancying a chill in advance of the big day tomorrow?' asked Ed. They were sitting at the kitchen table in their pyjamas, munching on buttery oven bottom muffins, a large teapot of freshly made tea sitting between them.

‘Hmm.' Florrie scooped a dollop of marmalade from the jar. ‘I've got something else to add to The Happy Christmas Memory Project.' She gave him a mysterious smile.

‘Something else? Haven't you done enough? The project is groaning with happy memories.'

‘Another one isn't going to hurt.' She grinned as she bit down on her muffin, making Ed laugh.

‘Fair enough. And are you going to give me any clues?'

‘Nope. Only that you need to dress up warm, maybe put that Christmas jumper to good use again. Oh, and you'll have to stay out of the kitchen for an hour.'

‘Oh, right.' Ed's eyebrows drew together in bafflement.

‘All will be revealed when the time's right. You just need to be ready to go out at about one o'clock.'

‘The plot thickens,' he said with a smile.

Bang on the dot of one o'clock, Florrie and Ed left the house, taking Gerty with them. Ed followed as Florrie headed towards the car, zapping it with the key fob. It was another beautiful wintry day with clear blue skies above. There'd been a light dusting of snow overnight, but nothing that would hinder Florrie's plans. She'd already been out earlier and had cleared the car's windscreen, giving it a thorough spraying of de-icer for good measure.

‘Can you tell me where we're heading yet?' Ed asked, as she turned the engine on and set the air vents on full blast.

‘Patience.' She grinned at him as she flicked the indicator and put the car into gear. A thrill rushed through her as she anticipated Ed's reaction to her latest plan in The Happy Christmas Memory Project.

Soon they were heading down the steep incline of Skitey Bank. Though the gritters had been out earlier, Florrie still drove cautiously; she didn't want to risk losing control of the car and have them careering down to the bottom prom, as some unfortunate driver had done the previous winter, ending up crashing into the wooden railings.

‘We're going for a walk on the beach?' Ed said, when she pulled up in the seafront car park. Gerty peered gleefully out of the rear window, the prospect of a run along the sand making her shiver with anticipation. Most of the snow had gone there, with just traces by the edges of the wall and around the kiosks, the salty sea air making short work of it.

‘Not just yet.' She stilled the engine and gave him a smile, her eyes glittering. ‘But we need to get out here.'

‘Okay.' Ed laughed.

‘Right, it's this way.' Florrie hooked the backpack she'd taken to the car earlier over her shoulders. ‘It's not far.' She slipped her gloved hand into Ed's and cast him a smile.

‘I'm intrigued,' he said, grinning down at her.

A short walk later, she stopped outside a chalet painted a tasteful shade of duck-egg blue. A festive wreath hung from its door, the inclusion of seashells giving it a seaside twist. ‘This is us,' she said, pushing the key into the lock and opening the door, while Gerty had a good sniff around the ground.

Inside they were greeted by an achingly cosy sight. The chalet's compact exterior belied the spacious room within. The walls were clad with white painted matchboard while the floor was covered with a rustic sisal carpet, in keeping with the location. At the back of the room was a set of built-in bunkbeds; to the right was a compact fitted kitchen painted a smoky shade of blue, as was the dining table and its two chairs. To the left was a lounge area with two small armchairs that flanked a wood-burning stove. The accessories had a tasteful seaside theme, with the soft furnishings in variations of blue and white, while watercolour paintings of Micklewick Bay beach and Old Micklewick adorned the walls. But best of all, the beach hut had been decorated for the festive season, and a small Christmas tree stood by the door, while twinkling fairy lights were draped around the walls, and a reed diffuser infused the air with the aroma of cinnamon and ginger.

‘Oh, wow! This is amazing,' said Ed, looking around him in awe.

‘I know. It belongs to Stella's mum. She said we could use it for today.' She went to plug in the electric heater Alice had told her about. She'd advised her to put it to use while the stove got going.

‘She did?' Ed asked, looking puzzled.

Florrie slid the backpack off her shoulders and set it on the small kitchen countertop. She reached inside and pulled out a tub. Turning to him, she said, ‘I've made us a picnic, a Christmas one. I thought it'd be fun.'

Ed's smile widened. ‘A Christmas picnic? I can honestly say I've never had one of those before!'

‘I'd originally planned for us to just have it in the car looking out to sea – I'd told the girls about it. Anyroad, Stells had mentioned it to her mum, who said we could have the use of this place, make more of an occasion of it. I don't know about you, but I think it's loads better than sitting in our little banger.' She laughed, thrilled it had gone down so well. She'd had a moment's doubt the night before, suddenly thinking it was a daft idea. But she'd reminded herself of the Christmas picnic her parents had surprised her with when she was a young girl and they'd driven to the moors and picnicked in the car as snow had fallen around them. It was one of her favourite Christmas memories.

‘It's amazing. And very generous of Stella's mum.' Ed released Gerty from her lead and the Labrador trotted off, sniffing busily around the room. Ed headed over to Florrie, slipping his arms around her waist. ‘And so thoughtful of you, Florrie. I really don't expect you to go to all this effort for me.'

She turned to him, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘It's no effort at all, it's fun. I've loved thinking of things for The Happy Christmas Memories Project.' She pressed a kiss to his lips, still chilly from their short walk to the chalet.

‘Well, I want you to know, I appreciate everything you're doing. I feel thoroughly spoilt.' He squeezed her tight. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?' he asked, releasing her from his embrace.

‘You could chuck this cloth over the table so I can set the food out, then you could maybe light the stove. I don't know what you reckon, but I thought it might be nice to keep the door open and set the chairs next to it. That way we can eat while looking out at the view. But if you think it'd be too cold, I'm happy to eat at the table.'

‘I love the idea of looking out to sea, and we'll still be sheltered from the breeze.'

‘Oh, and we need to pull a cracker each first, that's very important.'

‘There are Christmas crackers, too?'

‘Of course!'

‘You've thought of everything.'

‘I'll have you know, no Christmas picnic is complete without Christmas crackers,' she said with a faux serious face.

‘Can't argue with that.' He grinned as he took the end of the cracker she was holding out to him, pulling it with a snap.

‘And the rule is you keep your Christmas hat on till we're back home.'

‘Happy to oblige.' Chuckling, Ed fixed his paper crown on his head.

‘Suits you.' Florrie grinned at the ridiculously cheerful smile he was wearing.

With the picnic devoured – amongst other foodie treats, it consisted of turkey and stuffing sandwiches in fluffy white bread buns with a generous smear of cranberry sauce, pigs-in-blankets, mince pies and gooey mini chocolate Yule logs, washed down with a flask of tea – they sat back in their chairs, looking out at the dark-grey sea. White horses were breaking as waves charged to the shore, crashing noisily. Seagulls screeched overhead. One particularly vocal herring gull stood on the railings and cawed for all it was worth.

Florrie blew on her mug of tea, her thoughts meandering to the other night at The Cellar with Jean and Jack. They'd been in raptures at hearing the young couple had accepted their offer. ‘It's a whole new chapter for The Happy Hartes Bookshop,' Jack had said as they'd clinked their glasses of fizz. ‘Pun very much intended.'

Ed and Florrie had been inordinately relieved to find that Jack was understanding regarding Peter Harte's request to retain Mr and Mrs H's anonymity in their role in his adoption. ‘I appreciate it's a highly sensitive topic and I'm very mindful of folks' feelings. Please reassure your parents I won't tell a soul.'

In turn, Florrie and Ed had agreed never to reveal to them the reason behind Mr and Mrs H's estrangement from their son, knowing how it would devastate Jean. She'd no doubt blame herself, which they didn't want. It wasn't fair to inflict such pain on a warm, kind-hearted person like Jean. She'd been through enough already.

‘There's another reason I went to London that I haven't told you about.' Ed's words sliced through Florrie's thoughts, jarring with the happiness that only moments ago had her in its clutches.

Uh-oh. ‘There is?' Please make the reason be something good. Her pulse started pumping hard around her body.