Standing next to her brother on the pavement Libby gave him a look of admiration. He hadn’t gone in with all guns blazing; he’d assessed the situation and tempered his response accordingly, acknowledging that even though Jenny had made a poor decision, he could see the reason why.
‘Do you know how much I love you?’ She bumped her shoulder against his. ‘Everyone needs a Flynn in in their life. You’re so kind and considerate, giving her a place to stay and her job back.’
‘Anyone would have done the same thing.’
‘They really wouldn’t have. I have the best family.’
* * *
Thirty minutes later Jenny was unpacking her belongings in her room at Starcross Manor while Flynn and Libby headed to the bar to sit in front of the roaring fire sharing a bottle of wine, after Flynn had made a phone call to the police.
‘That was a hell of an afternoon,’ said Libby, taking a sip of her drink.
‘And it looks like you and Guy are out of a job. At least you can relax a bit now before jet-setting to the other side of the world.’
Libby had had the same thought. She couldn’t wait to spend more time with Guy and was determined to enjoy every moment of the run-up to Christmas. Her mind had also been ticking over as she thought about her own future. She’d had an idea that she wanted to run past her father before speaking to anyone else about it.
‘It’s a shame to let The Grand Hall go to waste. Maybe we could advertise for a Christmas Eve gala and put on a three-course meal with music? The hotel will be full of guests and we could invite all our friends. It would be the perfect get-together and a chance for you to see everyone before you leave,’ suggested Flynn.
Suddenly, Libby stared at Flynn, the cogs turning in her mind.
‘Are you okay? You look kind of weird.’
‘Flynn!’ Libby couldn’t hide her enthusiasm. ‘I’ve got thebestsuggestion.’ She flung her arms towards The Grand Hall. ‘We are not letting the date go to waste and I can still do my job.’
‘What are you talking about?’ He sat forward in his chair.
‘You and Julia!’ Libby couldn’t get her words out fast enough. ‘You can get married on Christmas Eve, a surprise winter wedding for Julia! I can coordinate everything because I know exactly the wedding she wants. I have her scrapbook of her dream wedding and if everything she’s outlined is okay with you, I can make it all happen. You and Julia can get married on Christmas Eve with all your friends and family!’ she said excitedly. ‘What do you think? Please say yes?’ Libby’s heart had begun to race with anticipation.
‘But what about Julia’s dress? How would we organise that?’
‘Believe me, Julia’s outfit will not be a problem. All you have to do is organise your own kilt and turn up. I’ll sort the rest. A winter wedding at Starcross Manor is Julia’s dream. Please say yes!’
‘Of course! Yes!’ he exclaimed without hesitation, throwing his arms wide open for a hug.
‘Yay!’ Leaning over she hugged Flynn with all her might. ‘This is going to be brilliant. And top secret. I’ll organise a pamper morning for us with hair and make-up so we can keep her out of the way of preparations here. She’s going to look stunning!’
Flynn was beaming. ‘This is a brilliant idea.’
‘I’ll get Isla and Guy roped in and then we can get the villagers organised. Honestly, what better way to promote Starcross Manor as a top wedding venue than with its very own hotel mogul getting married here. The pictures and videos will beamazing!’
‘Are you sure we’re going to be able to pull this off?’ Flynn queried. ‘It’s only a little over two weeks until Christmas.’
‘You better believe it!’ Libby chinked her glass against Flynn’s.
‘You better believe what?’
They both spun round to see Julia standing behind them.
‘You better believe that this is going to be the best Christmas ever!’ stated Flynn, standing up and lifting Julia off the ground before spinning her around.
Laughing, she asked, ‘How much have you two had to drink? Put me down.’
With their secret still very much a secret, Flynn winked at Libby as he placed Julia firmly back on the ground. ‘Grab yourself a glass. Wait until we tell you about our afternoon. You aren’t going to believe it.’
‘I’m intrigued,’ replied Julia, narrowing her eyes. ‘I can’t leave the pair of you alone for a minute, can I?’
As Julia grabbed a glass from behind the bar, Flynn whispered to Libby, ‘She doesn’t know the half of it. I can’t believe I’m getting married in just a matter of weeks.’
