‘Open it!’ Luke demanded.
She reached inside, thoroughly confused by a cool, smooth surface. Then she realised what it was. ‘It’s a snow globe!’ she said, pulling it free from its box.
Luke nodded. ‘Can you recognise it?’
In it was a house and as she turned it round, snowflakes danced through the sky above it. She realised she knew it. ‘It’s Mary’s house!’ she whispered. Luke didn’t speak as she turned the globe in her hand. There was the water butt, the seat, the stone sinks filled with herbs. ‘It’s perfect, like in a model village or something.’
Luke laughed gently. ‘When I realised you couldn’t buy it in the normal way, I wanted you to have it in some form or other.’
‘And so you made it for me.’ Hattie inspected it, noting the detail: the roof tiles, the double doors that opened on to the veranda; it was perfect. She couldn’t speak or see for a few moments as tears overcame her. She cleared her throat and blinked. ‘I don’t know what to say. It’s wonderful. I didn’t know you could make things like this.’
Luke relaxed. It was if he hadn’t known earlier if she’d like it or not. ‘I started building things with balsa wood when I was a boy.’
‘But it must have been so difficult to create anything so small, so detailed. And painting it.’
‘That took a steady hand, I tell you. And a very fine brush. But I enjoyed doing it. For you.’
Hattie’s mouth went dry again. She shivered. She was so unbelievably touched by Luke’s thoughtfulness and, at the same time, unbelievably sad. She had lost this wonderful, handsome, thoughtful man through her own inability to see what was under her nose. ‘It’s so beautiful. I love snow globes.’
‘I knew that,’ said Luke. ‘I remember, a couple of Christmases ago, you and Rose saying how much you liked them.’
‘Oh, Luke!’
‘What?’
Hattie could never have expressed her feelings in words, her thoughts were like fog and her heart was too full to make sense of anything. She suddenly felt hemmed in on the sofa. She got to her feet. ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’
She opened her arms. She’d have to hug him; it would be weird and unnatural not to.
‘Hattie – I feel—’ He stopped, gazing down at her. She looked up at him, willing him to finish his sentence, but instead, his mouth came down on hers and the need for explanations vanished. They were holding each other so tightly neither of them could breathe, kissing as if they would never stop.
The dogs, confused, jumped up and down next to them. Luke brushed them away but didn’t take his mouth from hers. At last, they had to part. Luke swallowed. ‘I hope I haven’t made a mistake. I’ve loved you for so long, I really hope I haven’t stuffed it up.’
Hattie was still short of breath. ‘By making me a snow globe?’
‘No! By kissing you!’
Hattie shook her head in exasperation, so happy she couldn’t stop smiling. ‘But what about April?’
‘April? What are you talking about?’ He seemed genuinely bewildered.
‘Aren’t you together? You’re in touch with her so often! She’s always messaging you and I assume you message her back.’
‘Yes, but – you don’t really think that she and I are an item, do you?’
He seemed to think the idea was so ridiculous Hattie began to wonder herself. ‘Why not? She’s a very attractive woman!’
He seemed confused. ‘But I’m in love with you.’
The way he said this made Hattie suddenly feel weak and lose concentration. She almost missed what he said next. ‘Why would I think about her? The messaging? She helped me with the snow globe. I needed some drone shots to get the 3D effect for the house. She knew the right people to arrange that.’ He laughed. ‘I couldn’t ask you, although I’m sure you know the right people too!’
‘I see.’
‘You introduced us!’
‘I know – sorry – I’m feeling a bit odd,’ she said. ‘Put your arms round me again.’
He obliged and they sank on to the sofa. Luke kept his arm round her shoulders, but he was diffident.
