Page 65 of I’ll Be Home for Christmas

‘Maybe we can take turns choosing what to do for Christmas from now on.’

‘That sounds like a great idea.’

She leaned closer to kiss him and as the kiss deepened, they left the sauna to head back to his room, barely making it through the door before clothes were shed and kissing turned into a whole lot more.

22

MEG

The family meal today had been incredible. At times, Meg had wanted to pinch herself that she, her parents, and Chrissie and Sarah were gathered at the same table. More than that, there was smiling, conversation, and no sign of the misery and tension that had come before. Jonathan and Rhys had slotted right in as well. Rhys had never had a fondue! They’d all thought that was hilarious, but Meg supposed she’d grown up partly here in Winterbruck where it hadn’t taken Astrid long to turn her cooking skills to one of Switzerland’s most beloved dishes and it had become a regular occurrence.

The meal was followed by games and Jonathan had joined in in a way Grant had never tried to. Meg felt some regret that she’d spent so long with a man who hadn’t brought her much happiness and had left her devastated at the end, with a huge impact on her life. But then again, perhaps she’d needed to be with Grant if only to see the sort of man who really should be in her world.

During the game of Twister, she’d wondered whether Jonathan felt the same way about her. They’d got themselves totally twisted, as the game would suggest, and fallen in a heap, and the look he’d given her suggested he did. But then, it had been so long since she’d even tried to read someone else’s signals or body language that she wasn’t sure.

Chrissie had teased her in the kitchen about him. Meg had gone out to fetch another bottle of white wine from the fridge, and her sister had followed her.

‘I don’t think you’ll be in the spare room for long,’ Chrissie had said quietly, one eye on the doorway to make sure they were alone.

‘Stop it,’ said Meg, although she couldn’t deny the thought hadn’t crossed her mind already.

Then Chrissie had come to her side in a way she hadn’t done since they were in their teens, conspiring, gossiping as sisters did. ‘You really like him, don’t you?’

‘He’s unlike any man I’ve ever met.’ She leaned her back against the counter. ‘Have Mum or Dad told you anything about Grant?’

‘I only know what you told me – the gambling, the lies, how he sold the chocolaterie and put you out of a job.’

Meg recapped the details of how they’d met, the early days. ‘It was fun, you know, and at the start we were caught up in the passion. And to have a shared interest carried us along. But I should’ve known there was no depth. I can see it now, in retrospect, but back then I couldn’t. When he offered me the job as lead chocolatier at an established chocolaterie in Camden, it was my dream role. I felt like I’d finally landed where I should be.’

Their dad had called out to ask where they were with the wine and Chrissie had given Meg a hug. ‘You’ll find another dream role. And as for Jonathan, maybe he’s the dream guy too.’

And as Meg followed Chrissie back into the lounge, she’d felt tears prick her eyes. Her sister had hugged her, actually made the move when she wasn’t injured, she wasn’t upset. She’d done it just because.

And it meant the world to her.

Now it was time to do what she should’ve done before and talk to her parents.

Jonathan had left, Sarah and Rhys had gone on their way, and with Nanna and Grumps in the armchairs, she and Chrissie sat next to each other on the sofa.

It was just the four of them.

‘I need to talk to you both,’ Meg began.

‘We thought you might.’ Their mum looked at her the way she had when Meg was younger. It was a sort of expectant look, one that said she was listening. ‘You can say anything, Meg. You know that.’

Meg nodded and she felt Chrissie’s hand reach out to hers. She didn’t miss the way her dad looked as shocked as she felt that the gesture had happened so naturally. She gave him a smile, but then it was time. Time to admit everything. And with Chrissie by her side, it felt a tiny bit easier.

She apologised again for the way she’d been in London, the mess she’d got herself into. ‘It sounds ridiculous even to me all these years later,’ she said. ‘But I think I needed to fall back a step to totally see the way forward. All the partying, the lack of accountability, putting off my studies – it all pushed me in the right direction eventually.

‘I can’t even express how sorry I am for my behaviour at Chrissie’s wedding. I’m sorry to her, to Anthony, and I’m apologising to the both of you now. I embarrassed you, the family.’ She didn’t need to say anything about what happened at the wake – Chrissie had told her not to. It wouldn’t make any difference, she’d said and she’d saved Meg’s humiliation at having to admit to what she’d done that day. Having Chrissie’s support after all this time was something Meg would never take for granted.

‘Chrissie and I have talked. We’ve got a lot more talking to do, but we’ve moved forwards quite a few steps.’

Their parents were pleased, but they knew that wasn’t the end of it.

Next came Grant – the man Meg knew her parents had never really liked. ‘You were right not to trust him, Dad.’ She just about managed to hold back the tears when she told her parents how much she’d loved her job, how she’d added to the success of the business that Grant owned. ‘Grant had gambling debts and he lied about expanding the business – all the while, he was playing cards and losing over and over again. He sold up.’

‘The Cocoa Cupboard has gone?’ Her dad looked almost as devastated as she had been.