The thought of her family arriving extinguished the happy thoughts. ‘Bloody hell.’ She was fast running out of time. The small dog started to bark; Duchess puffed up like someone had inserted a foot pump up her bum.
‘I’ll wash the cat,again,’ said Lottie. ‘I suggest you take that mutt back to Mr Bundy’s.’
‘Okay,’ said Joe, holding the dog away from his clothes. Tomato soup dripped to the floor. What a bloody mess. She knew Joe was smiling at her as she left with the protesting tomato-soaked feline – she didn’t need to look.
When Lottie came back downstairs, having left a slightly traumatised Duchess on her bed to recover, she found Joe mopping the kitchen. So much for him going back to the cottage.
Lottie checked her list. ‘Sod it – I’m late for my shift!’ She grabbed her coat and ran for the door.
‘What?’ asked Joe, his head turning in confusion.
There was no time to explain. ‘You can leave all this. I’ve got to go. I’m late. Sorry!’ She shouted behind her as she exited the kitchen and ran out of the house.
Emily was the happiest she could remember being. She’d been dating Zach for over a year, and at last she was going to meet his family. She’d been introduced to his daughter Jessie in the spring and, despite a few hiccups, she and the six-year-old had forged a relationship. Emily knew she would never replace Jessie’s mother, but she desperately wanted them to get along – she was a delightful little girl, and besides, it was essential if she was to stay in a relationship with Zach, which she wanted more than anything. He’d been busy with work and family stuff, so she’d not seen much of him over the last few weeks. She reached out and put her hand over his as it rested on the gear knob. He smiled at the contact.
‘You okay?’ he asked.
‘Bit apprehensive. I just hope your family like me.’
He gave a chuckle. ‘They’ll love you, Em.’
‘I hope so. Are you okay? You seem preoccupied. Are you worried about me meeting them all?’
‘Nope, they’re all so bonkers they make me look like the best of the gene pool. Only thing on my mind is I’m sure I’ve forgotten to bring something. But I’ve checked all the presents twice, so it can’t be that.’
‘Any last-minute tips?’ She wanted to make a good first impression. At work her reputation went before her, but this was a very different situation. She knew she’d be scrutinised and she wanted to win them over. She felt a lone butterfly flutter inside her, and it was a surprise. She was usually confident, but being accepted by Zach’s family was a whole new experience. It meant more to her than she’d realised.
‘Blimey, where to start? My mum is really into how she looks, so she’ll take compliments all day long. Aunt Nicola, on the other hand, will be suspicious of any flattering comments. But she considers herself an authority on most things, so just ask her opinion on anything. It’ll be Great Uncle Bernard’s last Christmas—’
‘Oh no. How awful. What’s wrong with him?’
‘Nothing. He’s being saying it’s his last Christmas for as long as I can remember, and he’s still here. He can talk the hind legs off a herd of donkeys so he’s always good value. And then there’s my little sister Lottie.’
‘Ah,’ said Emily. ‘I know what sisters are like. Mine drives me nuts. Always sniping, always putting down your achievements and bigging hers up?’ Emily and her sister had been in fierce competition ever since Emily had exited the womb, which her sister had seemed to take as an open challenge. Everything since then had been a game of one-upmanship.
Zach chuckled. ‘No, Lottie’s not like that at all. She’s thebest of the bunch. She used to annoy the heck out of me when we were kids, but when …’ Zach stretched his neck to look at his daughter in the rear-view mirror. She had headphones on and was concentrating hard on the latest Disney film, ‘… when we lost Melissa, Lottie was the one that held my world together.’ A tear formed at the corner of his eye and Emily squeezed his hand. She loved how open he was with his emotions. He was one of the few men she’d known who didn’t apologise for crying or try to dismiss his feelings. Zach had always been honest about how much he’d loved his wife, and in an odd way it had been refreshing – though also mildly terrifying, because she feared being compared to Melissa and she had no way of knowing if she’d ever match up.
Zach’s Adam’s apple bobbed and he continued. ‘I saw Lottie in a different light then, you know? Not just my kid sister but a smart woman who talked sense. It gave me the kick up the bum I needed when I was struggling.’
‘Wow, she sounds amazing.’And not a bit like my sister at all, she thought.
‘She is. But whatever you do, don’t ask her advice, because she makes lousy decisions. Oh, and here’s the really bad news: she can’t make toast, and she’s cooking Christmas dinner!’
‘She can’t be that bad.’
Zach shot her a look. ‘Some people cook to relax. Lottie does it to test the fire alarm.’
Emily retrieved her hand and pondered everything he’d said. She really wanted to make a good first impression. She studied her outfit. She was aiming for smart but friendly, which had been tricky as her wardrobe was mainly suits and jeans. She’d changed her mind a few times over what to wear and had ended up settling for awrap dress which she hoped didn’t show too much cleavage because the shift dress she was going to wear had been too tight round the tummy. She’d been busy at work and missed her regular spin class, and it showed.
Zach clicked his fingers. ‘The wine! That’s what I’ve forgotten. We can grab a couple of bottles from the village stores. Okay?’
‘Of course. We can’t turn up empty-handed.’
A few miles later they left the A-roads behind them and followed some winding lanes before he turned in to an old-style petrol station. ‘We’re nearly in the village, but this is the last place for petrol,’ Zach explained.
Emily was curious to see where Zach had grown up, and the lane into the village looked pretty. ‘I’ll get the wine,’ she said, releasing her seat belt.
‘Okay I’ll pick you up when I’m done here. The village stores is along there on the corner before you reach the village green.’
