A Kiss in the Snow - Rosie Green Page 0,72

going to happen. He’s gone. I missed my chance with him because Adam got in the way. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll get packed and I’ll go home tomorrow.

When the doorbell rings soon after six, though, I forget all of this and race to the door with hope in my heart.

It’s Anita.

And at the sight of her cheerful, friendly face, my own face crumples with despair and a tear rolls down my cheek.

She stares at me in horror. ‘What on earth’s wrong, Carrie? Has something happened?’

I dash away the tears and try to smile. ‘Not really.’

‘Well, something’s not right.’ She takes my arms and peers at me, concerned.

Wearily, I tell her to come in, and we sit in the living room and I tell her everything that’s happened - Adam’s shock arrival, kissing Ronan and then finding him gone when I woke up this morning. She listens in astonishment, and when I’m finally finished, she murmurs, ‘Well, bugger me. So I was right all along about you and Ronan.’

Then she sees my face and leaps out of her chair to hug me. ‘Oh, Carrie, don’t worry. He’ll be back.’

‘But I’m going home tomorrow.’

‘So I’ll keep an eye out for him, and I’ll phone you the minute I have a sighting. Or…’ Her eyes light up. ‘You could Google him, find out his business details and go and find him.’

Hope rises at the thought, but I shake my head sadly. ‘He left without telling me where he was going, Anita. He wouldn’t have done that if he wanted me to find him.’

She shrugs. ‘He knew you’d be able to track him down on-line. You can find practically anyone these days. Especially if they’ve got a business.’

‘I think you’re clutching at straws there. If he really liked me, he wouldn’t have risked losing me by just leaving and not even leaving a note.’ I give a shaky sigh. ‘He’s gone and that’s that.’

Anita echoes my sigh. Then she slaps her knees. ‘I think you need a drink, my girl.’

I dredge up a smile. ‘Good idea. There’s rhubarb gin and a bottle of tonic in the kitchen.’

‘Ooh, nice.’ She leaps up. ‘Any ice?’

‘Just the stuff outside,’ I call, going to the window. ‘Although there’s not going to be much of that left by tomorrow.’ I stare out at Ronan’s igloo, recalling the day he made it. If only we could relive that night, when we lay on the cushions in the igloo, candlelight flickering on our faces, enjoying being with each other. Maybe I’d find a way of letting Ronan know I’d fallen for him.

There’s just one flaw in that fantasy. I only realised how I felt about him this morning – and by then, it was much too late…

Anita is back with our drinks.

‘I went to see Reenie just before I came here,’ she says.

‘You did? How was she?’

‘Great, actually. Becca had just left and she looked…happy. We started talking about Becca and how much she’d been looking forward to singing at the Christmas Revue again this year. And I suddenly realised that there was a solution on the doorstep. I mean, literally, right there on Reenie’s doorstep.’

‘What do you mean?’

She grins. ‘The barn?’

I frown, thinking this over. ‘You mean stage the Revue in the barn? Well, it’s definitely big enough. Did you mention your idea to Reenie? Because I can’t imagine she’d agree to it.’

Anita shrugs. ‘You’re right. She didn’t. She just laughed. She said she’d been cooped up alone for months and that’s what she was used to. The idea of hundreds of people tramping up her path to her barn made her brain feel like it might explode.’

I nod. ‘I can understand that. Shame, though.’

She nods and takes a slug of her gin. ‘You know, despite the snow, it still doesn’t feel as if Christmas has arrived yet in Silverbells. The Revue would have been just the thing to get the villagers working towards a common goal and getting into the spirit of the festive season.’ She frowns. ‘Plus it would take my mind off a Christmas without Jeff.’

‘It’s not too late to talk to him.’

She shakes her head. ‘We’ve been apart too long. He’s moved on, Carrie. I can tell.’

I heave a sigh. ‘Another drink?’

‘I’d love to. But I’d better get back. I said I’d read Rufus one of his Christmas stories tonight. He’s getting so excited for the big day. What will you be doing on Christmas Day?’

‘Spending it with Krystle, as usual.’

‘Nice.’

‘Yes, it is, actually.