‘Are you living in the village?’ asked Libby.
‘I’m renting one of the whitewashed terraces on Love Heart Lane, just opposite Bonnie’s Teashop, but I have to say it’s not good for my waistline because I find myself always nipping in for breakfast or on my way home. The best part is waking up and opening my curtains and the first thing I see is Heartcross Mountain. It puts a smile on my face every morning. And with all that fresh air, I’d never slept so well as I have since moving in.’
‘It sounds like bliss,’ replied Libby, suddenly thinking of the hustle and bustle of New York City.
‘I couldn’t imagine leaving my family behind, I’d miss them too much. You’re very brave.’
‘I’ll definitely miss them,’ Libby agreed, suddenly thinking about the reality of leaving them behind.
Just at that moment, the bell above the door tinkled and a couple of customers walked into the shop. ‘I’ll catch you later; speak soon,’ said Libby.
After leaving Buttercup Barn Libby walked down the long drive of Foxglove Farm. Despite the plummeting temperatures, everywhere she looked was beautifully picturesque. She stopped walking and took a moment to gaze at the mountain. With the peak covered in snow it was picture-postcard perfect. Standing there looking at the scenery Libby turned Florrie’s words over in her mind. She’d been swept away in the excitement of the new job but hadn’t thought about the reality of moving halfway across the world. This is where her family was and if she needed them, they weren’t just going to be a train journey away anymore. Her dad wasn’t getting any younger, either … and suddenly she couldn’t wait for him to get back from his cruise so they could all spend Christmas together as a family. She missed him desperately.
Giving herself a little shake, she reminded herself she’d been recognised for her individuality in a very competitive industry and landed her dream job, something she should be thrilled about. But there it was again … a tiny hint of doubt creeping in. And it wasn’t just her family that was playing on her mind; there was Guy as well. She hadn’t known him long but now she couldn’t stop thinking about him … and what it might be like not to see him every day.
ChapterTen
Libby couldn’t believe how fast her day had gone. Her afternoon had been as busy as the morning and she’d enjoyed every second of it. She’d spent time in the studio working on the next stage of Julia’s surprise wedding outfit. The material she’d chosen was elegant and easy to work with, which was always a bonus. After tracing the pattern and cutting the material, Libby had pinned it loosely to the mannequin. Taking a step back and admiring her work. she thought this might end up being one of the most beautiful garments she’d ever made, and was already feeling proud. Gathering all the delicate 3D flowers, Libby switched on the radio and poured herself a glass of fizz then sat in the window seat and began to sew the flowers by hand. Time flew by and before she knew it there was only an hour before she was due to meet Miranda and David at the ice rink. Just as she was about to leave the studio an email pinged. It was from the printers to confirm that all the invitations for the wedding had been sent out.
‘That was easy enough,’ Libby murmured, grateful that one of the most important and time-sensitive jobs had been ticked off the list. As soon as the RSVPs began to land, she could start co-ordinating the seating plans, and once Miranda had chosen her material for her dress, that was next on the list to sew.
* * *
By early evening the temperature had dropped to minus one so Libby put on an extra layer of thermals to keep warm under her coat and grabbed her gloves. As she opened the front door she found Guy standing there, holding hands with Holly.
‘I hope you don’t mind but we have a little helper for filming tonight.’ Guy smiled as he jokingly pulled off Holly’s bobble hat.
‘Dad!’ Holly exclaimed, grabbing the hat back from him and pulling it down past her ears.
‘I don’t mind at all,’ Libby replied, smiling.
‘Mum has a phone call to make and Pickle is fast asleep.’
‘He’s worn out with all the sledging,’ Holly said sagely.
Libby laughed. ‘I bet he is. Miranda and David are meeting us at the rink,’ she continued to Guy, checking her watch to ensure they weren’t running late. ‘It doesn’t officially open to the public until tomorrow but Flynn texted me to say it’s all been set up and tonight will be the perfect opportunity to check everything is up and running properly. He’s also roped in some extras from a local agency to create a buzz around the ice rink and make it look busy.’
‘Good plan bringing in some extras. I was going to say it would look very empty with just the wedding couple on the ice.’
‘Would I be able to have a go, Daddy?’ asked Holly, looking up at him with those adorable eyes.
‘We’ll see.’
Holly sighed and glanced at Libby. ‘“We’ll see” always means no.’
‘No, it doesn’t, you cheeky monkey!’ cut in Guy. ‘It means, we’ll see! There need to be ice skates that fit, and it depends how cold you get standing around during the filming. If not tonight we’ll be able to go another time. Not that I’m looking forward to it,’ he said as an aside to Libby. ‘I’ve only been ice skating once in my life and that didn’t go well.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘Tell me more,’ she encouraged him, wanting to hear all about it.
‘I was seventeen and thought I was cool and that skating would be easy. I mean, how hard can it be to walk on blades and balance?’
Libby knew exactly how hard it was, given that she’d spent many a winter on the frozen lake behind her grandparents’ place perfecting her technique. It wasn’t something that happened overnight; it had taken her years.
‘Very hard, let me tell you,’ Guy continued. ‘I thought I could do anything and after asking the head girl out on a date, I took her to the local ice rink. Big mistake! Everyone made it look so easy. The other skaters were whizzing around, hand in hand, and she stepped onto the ice first and skated right into the middle with ease. And what did I do?’
Libby knew what was coming next; she could already imagine him with his arms flailing then his legs shooting off in different directions before he landed on his backside.
‘I put on the skates, wobbled up to the rink and launched myself. Immediately my legs went from underneath me, and I fell backwards and saw stars. I woke up in an ambulance. I’d cut my head open as I’d cracked it on the edge of the rink.’
