She leaned forward and peered at the decoration. “How did they?”
“My dad used to say it was magic.” The smile on Ashley’s face made him forget what had gone wrong today, and concentrate on what was right. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“I bought a sachet of lemon and honey with me. The lady in the drug store said to add it to a mug of hot water. It’s supposed to help with colds.” Ashley followed him into the kitchen. “I hope Sean’s okay.”
“So do I. It’s not like him to be late.”
Before he turned on the kettle, Matthew checked his cell phone.
Ashley rubbed his arm. “We could drive into town, too.”
He looked into her upturned face. Even with a red nose and watery eyes, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “We should stay here until Nathan calls.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, we can leave straight away.”
He slipped his phone into his pocket and took two mugs out of the cabinet. “Music.”
“Music?”
Heat hit Matthew’s face. He’d been thinking about the things he hadn’t done before Ashley arrived. “I thought we could listen to some Christmas carols.”
Ashley smiled as she poured hot water into a mug. “You’re really getting into the Christmas spirit. Would you like a lemon and honey drink? It’s not the same as eggnog, but it will warm you from the inside out.”
“That would be great. I’ll be back in a minute.” Matthew rushed into the living room and turned on the music. Everything looked as good as it was going to get. The garland he’d strung across the fireplace made the whole room seem more Christmassy, even if his tree was a little lopsided. The borrowed lights were still twinkling, and the pinecones that Catherine and Toby had decorated added a nice touch to the coffee table.
“Here you go.” Ashley handed him a mug. “Do you need me to do anything for dinner?”
“No. It’s all under control.”
“I’m impressed.”
He hoped so. The next part of the evening was something he couldn’t plan. “Ashley, I’ve got something I want to ask you.”
She scrunched up her nose. “You noticed, didn’t you?”
He had no idea what she was talking about, but he hoped it had nothing to do with getting married. “Noticed what?”
“The dent in my car. I had a small accident this afternoon.”
Matthew breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t see it. Are you okay?”
“Apart from feeling like a ding-a-ling, I’m fine. I was reversing out of a parking space and didn’t see someone driving toward me. We had a little collision.”
“How little?”
“Enough to dent my rear fender.”
“But you’re all right?”
Ashley nodded. “The man I hit was very nice. We exchanged phone numbers and insurance details. He didn’t have much damage to his car, so it shouldn’t cost too much to remove the dents. But if you hadn’t noticed my car, what did you want to ask me?”
Matthew took her mug out of her hands and left it beside his. “I’ll give that back to you in a minute.” He held her hands and took a deep breath. “I love you, Ashley. I never thought I could be so happy.”
A loud bang came from the hallway, and Sean rushed into the living room.
“Oops,” he said as he skidded to a halt.
Ashley let go of Matthew’s hands. “Are you all right?”
