‘Maybe, but I am sorry, especially if it affected your relationship with that woman.’
‘Alicia,’ said Jamie. ‘Everyone knows who she is. Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.’ He and Katie trod the shortdistance to the area where several vehicles, including her own, were parked.
‘I’m sorry for butting into your Christmas,’ she said as they stood at the door of her car. ‘It’s rude of me, but I panicked.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ Jamie rubbed his arms. It was bitterly cold today, even by his standards. ‘It gave me a chance to get away from Cara’s interrogation, although God knows what I’m getting when I go back in. She’ll be peering out the window marking the coordinates you were standing at and trying to find a hidden meaning in it.’
Katie’s laughter was like weak tea. ‘Ah, I miss Cara. Although not the endless quest for detail.’
‘I’ll tell her you came over to borrow some napkins,’ Jamie joked.
‘Good plan. Thanks again, J.’ Katie opened her arms to hug Jamie. It was more affection than they had in the latter stages of their relationship, but that wasn’t the point. He wrapped his arms around her, hugged her back and hoped she would be okay.
Chapter 34
Alicia
Exhaustion was pulling Alicia down like a stone in water, but she had nearly reached Kinshore. Thank goodness she’d caught some sleep on the plane. Without it, the drive would have been impossible. Luckily, it being Christmas Day, the roads were quiet, and the journey almost enjoyable with Christmas songs on the radio and spectacular, snow-dusted mountains rising up on either side of the road. Was one of them Ben Corrin? If Jamie were here, he could tell her. He could pick that mountain out of a thousand-mountain line-up.
Alicia hoped this mission wouldn’t be a disastrous one. Jamie had been hunting for her less than forty eight hours ago. Surely he would still want to see her. What could have changed in that time?
The sign welcoming Alicia to Kinshore appeared at the side of the road and goosebumps pricked her arms and legs. Those had been missing when she’d flown back into LAX. Her body was telling her that arriving in Kinshore was like coming home, back to a place she belonged. How strange after spending only a short time here.
As she drove into the village, Alicia realised she had no idea where Jamie would be on Christmas Day. He might be at his own house, but it was more likely he'd be at his parents', as he said he always spent Christmas there. Knowing they lived on the distillery grounds, she followed the signposts. At least that part was easy.
Alicia’s heart cartwheeled in her chest when she saw the sign for Butler’s Distillery. Snow piled high on the two pillars at the entrance, marking the private road to the house. The wide, long driveway, flanked by woodland, was draped in fresh white snow creating an inviting winter scene.
Finally, a fork appeared in the drive, one direction leading to the distillery and the other to the main house. The private property sign at the road to the Butler home made Alicia consider turning back. Jamie might be annoyed at her for crashing his family Christmas, or tell her that he’d decided she was right, that they wouldn’t work, and then she would have to find a hotel to stay at, and where would she find one of those on Christmas Day in this part of the country?
But she had to take the risk. Foot, gas, engage.
Driving up to the house, a huge and impressive stone building with snow-dappled ivy trailing across the doorway and enchanting fairy lights sparkling in the gleaming windows, a sense of belonging swaddled Alicia, although her nerves still hammered their nails in. There were several cars parked out front which meant lots of Jamie’s family that she hadn’t met.
Then she saw something else that made her foot hit the brake.
Jamie was standing by one of those cars. Hugging a woman.
A freeway pile up happened in Alicia’s mind as her thoughts careered through the barriers of rationality she had carefully constructed. She fixed her stare on the scene in front of her.It’s a friend. It’s not a friend. They are so close. Why is she here? Is she leaving. She could be arriving. If she were more than a friend, they’d be kissing, not hugging. Is she pregnant? She looks pregnant. Is that Katie? Yes. Oh God! He’s back together with Katie.
Alicia put her hands flat on the dashboard and inhaled. ‘Be sensible,’ she said. ‘Remember his voice note.’
But then Alicia watched Jamie do something that she found impossible to justify. He raised his thumb to Katie’s face and made a light sweeping motion across her cheek as if wiping away a tear.
‘Jesus!’ She leaned forward in her seat and accidentally slid her elbow onto the horn. A sharp honk sliced through the winter stillness.
‘Fuck!’ Alicia slid down in her seat so she wouldn’t be visible to Jamie and Katie. But peeking over the dashboard she could see them looking in her direction. Damn! It would be impossible to get out of this. The only option was to reverse up the drive and that would look farcical.
Alicia gaped as Katie rubbed his arm, opened her car door and climbed into the driver’s seat. He waved as she drove off. As Katie drove by Alicia’s car, Alicia turned the other way. Then when she turned back, who was standing at the passenger window of the car, but Jamie. Beautiful, baffled Jamie Butler.
Jamie rubbed his eyes and blinked hard? Was Alicia back in Kinshore, in his parents’ driveway on Christmas Day? Itwould appear to be the case. He motioned for her to wind the window down.
‘Alicia?’
‘Jamie.’
‘What are you doing here? This is…’ He wanted to say amazing. This was a dream come true. But it was also confounding.
‘Not what you were expecting?’ she suggested.
