Just for Christmas - Emily Harvale Page 0,2
the smile Chance had given her that day as he and Beauty hurried away. The sort of smile that made her think he might be almost as disappointed as she was that they wouldn’t get to spend any time together.
Or perhaps he was merely disappointed not to be spending any time with his mate, Terry. Chance was on a flying visit for his mum’s birthday, and whenever he came over to see his mum, he caught up with his childhood best friend.
When Chance and Beauty left that day, Molly had taken Sarah to the ladies. Sarah swallowed down one of her allergy tablets and washed her hands and face and soon after that the runny nose and eyes returned to near normal and the red blotches on her face and neck slowly began to fade. But as Sarah avoided dogs at all costs, Molly hadn’t witnessed the effects of Sarah’s allergy since then – and had completely forgotten about it.
But she hadn’t forgotten about the look Chance had given her that day, even though she hadn’t seen him since.
He’d been back to Easterhill several times to visit his mum, and he’d met up with Terry and Sarah, but on every occasion, Molly had been busy with work and hadn’t been able to get to Easterhill in time to see him.
More than once, she’d given Terry a good telling off for not letting her know sooner when Chance was coming over. Finally, Sarah had promised to contact Molly herself to let her know. Except Chance hadn’t been back for months – until now.
Completely out of the blue, in the first week of December, he arrived in Easterhill and announced to Terry and Sarah that he was moving back for good. Or at least for the foreseeable future.
‘He’s bought one of the cottages just around the corner from us,’ Sarah informed Molly the night Chance had told them his news. ‘It’s in Wishing Well Lane. He’s done it all online and over the phone, apparently, and he didn’t want to mention it until the purchase had gone through. He’s collecting the keys tomorrow but he told us the place needs doing up.’
‘That’s fantastic news!’ Molly exclaimed. ‘Can I come and stay for Christmas?’
Sarah laughed. ‘You always come and stay for Christmas, so why should this year be any different?’
‘Because this year, I might finally get a chance with Chance.’ Molly quipped.
‘Er. Not necessarily. I hadn’t finished. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Molly, but I’m afraid he’s got a girlfriend.’
‘Oh?’ Molly tried not to sound as disappointed as she felt. ‘Has she come over with him? Or did he find her online too?’ she joked. ‘Perhaps he hasn’t met her yet. He might be picking her up tomorrow, along with the keys to his new home.’
Sarah laughed again but suddenly became serious. ‘I wish that were so, but Terry told me that Chance and Jolene have been dating for a while.’
‘Jolene? Her name’s Jolene? Isn’t there a song about someone called Jolene?’
‘Yep. By Dolly Parton, I think. It was one of my mum’s favourites.’
Sarah broke into a rendition of the song and Molly moved away from the phone.
Sarah might be exceptionally talented with her hands but she definitely couldn’t sing.
‘Why are you two standing at the door?’
Sarah’s laughter came from near the kitchen and Molly popped her head into the hallway as Terry moved to one side. Sarah was wiping her hands on a Christmassy towel, her auburn hair a tumble of curls, her face a picture of happiness, her cheeks flushed from the warmth inside the cottage, and flour and possibly icing sugar, were splattered down her snowman-patterned apron.
‘Er. I’m so, so sorry, Sarah. I completely forgot you’re allergic.’
Molly held up the lead that Asher Bryant, a nearby vet and good friend of Terry’s, had given her, so that Sarah could see it, and Miracle turned his head from watching the falling snowflakes, to peer into the hall.
‘I found him wandering on Easterhill Road,’ Molly continued. ‘I couldn’t believe it at first and I drove past him about three times, back and forth, before I stopped and went over to him. He didn’t have a collar or anything and there wasn’t anyone in sight. I wasn’t sure what to do so I telephoned Asher and he said that if I could get Miracle into my car – that’s what I’ve called him. Miracle. Anyway, if I got Miracle to Asher’s surgery, he’d check the microchip and contact the