Before she had time to dwell on it too much, it was her turn and she fussed with Lana as she settled her. Ted stayed in place on his throne and she held Lana on her lap. This time Stacey did the honours with the camera phone.
When his ordeal was over, Ted took Lana from her and gently placed her back in the buggy. It must be difficult for him, but it needn’t be. She wanted to make it as easy as it could be, so that both of their girls would have their father around as much as possible.
‘I’m glad we came,’ Ted conceded. ‘It was a good idea. Elsie and Lana will like to look back on that, I’m sure.’
‘Coffee now?’
‘Great idea,’ Stacey said.
They headed through the store, the aisles brimming with tempting Christmas treats. She still hadn’t finished her Christmas shopping and would need to get a move on. There was little point, after all, in doing it in January.
‘Did you think any more about Christmas, Ted? Could we all go away, do you think? I’ll need to hurry up and find a place that could accommodate us all.’
Ted looked uncomfortable. ‘I think we should talk about it at home, Chantal.’
‘It’s no big deal,’ she assured him. ‘We could manage. I think it would be great fun. We can take all the food, muck in with the cooking, pack lots of champagne, heaps of chocolate.’
Ted pulled at his shirt collar. ‘Don’t you think it would be a little . . . awkward?’ He couldn’t help his glance towards Stacey, who had flushed.
‘It will be fine, really,’ she said. ‘In fact, Stacey and I have been talking.’
‘Oh,’ he said. ‘You have?’
‘I’m trying to be helpful,’ she insisted. ‘Practical.’
‘And you thought you’d just go ahead and sort out my life for me without any consultation with the person whose life it actually is?’
‘I always organise Christmas.’
‘And that’s my point. You organise everything, Chantal. Why can’t you leave me alone, for once? Everything has to be on your terms.’ Ted held up his hands. ‘Well, I’m sick of it. I’m out of here. I’ve done my bit. I’ve played nicely with Santa and now I’ll leave you to your plotting.’
She stood there speechless. Where had this come from?
‘Consider this,’ Ted continued. ‘What if I don’t want to play happy families? What if I don’t want to spend Christmas together? Or any time? What if I’d rather live alone? I’ve been offered a great job back in the States and I might well take it. How does that fit with your plan?’
‘Ted . . .’
But, before she could utter another word, he’d turned on his heel and was marching away through the racks of teddies wearing jolly red and white scarves.
Chantal looked at Stacey. Her face was ashen, her eyes were agog and she’d been stunned into silence.
Chantal blew out a disappointed breath. ‘I thought that went well,’ she said as flippantly as she could manage.
‘Should I go after him?’ Stacey gazed in the direction where Ted had made his exit. It was clear that she was on the verge of tears.
‘No. He’s best left alone when he’s like this.’
‘He didn’t mean it though, did he?’
Chantal shook her head. ‘Who knows?’
‘You don’t think he’d really take a job in America?’
‘No.’ Chantal shook her head with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. ‘I doubt it. He might be fed up with me, but he loves Lana and Elsie. He’ll come round.’
Yet, knowing Ted, she could equally get home to find that he’d packed a bag and gone.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
The afternoon rush is slowly subsiding and I take five minutes to have a cuppa and some restorative chocolate. A nice 70 per cent cocoa from a plantation in Venezuela seems to hit the spot. I wonder if there has ever been a busier Christmas. There are all kinds of talk on the news of recession doom and gloom, but you wouldn’t know it to see the business in here. The till has hardly stopped ringing all day.
From beneath the counter, I pull out the sales details for Chocolate Heaven and gaze at them in a wistful manner. If Father Christmas really existed he would give me the means to buy this place.
As I look up a familiar red Ferrari pulls up outside. Marcus. My heart sinks. I’ve a good mind to rush and bolt the door.
I don’t and a second later my dastardly ex-fiancé swings in.
‘I’m not even speaking to you,’ I tell him tartly.
‘I’ve come to say that I’m sorry,’ he begins.
I put my fingers in my ears. ‘La, la, la. Not listening!’
Marcus has the gall to laugh. ‘You can’t blame me for trying.’
‘It was a horrible thing to do,’ I counter. ‘Once a bastard always a bastard, Marcus. I know that now.’
‘We had fun though, didn’t we?’
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Right up until the point you tried to snog me and then I fell in the canal.’
Now his laugh becomes a guffaw. ‘You didn’t?’
‘I did.’
‘I wondered what all the commotion was.’
‘It was me. And Aiden came to my rescue. He was on to you before me, Marcus Canning. That fake client routine didn’t fool him.’
‘It nearly did.’ He isn’t even remotely shamed.
‘I’m done with you.’ I give him my crossest face. ‘You’ve had too many second chances.’
‘I love you,’ he says, starkly. ‘That won’t change.’
‘No, Marcus, what won’t change is you. You’ll always be the same.’
‘We’re soul mates, Lucy Lombard. Whatever happens, we’re meant to be together.’
‘Have you had a blow to the head?’ I couldn’t be any more exasperated and yet Marcus is still standing here as cool as the proverbial cucumber. ‘I love Aiden. I love him more than I ever loved you.’
‘That’s harsh.’
‘And true.’
‘I am a winner, Lucy. I will get you back.’
‘You’d have to crawl over broken glass.’
He shrugs. ‘Faint heart never won fair lady. Can I have a coffee while I’m here?’
‘No. Clear off.’
‘You never used to be this cruel.’
‘I never used to be this stupid, either.’
‘A cappuccino would be good.’
I fold my arms, unmoveable.
‘What’s that you’ve got there?’ He picks up the sales details for Chocolate Heaven. ‘Oh. They’re really going to sell?’
I sag a little. ‘It looks like it.’
‘No wonder you’re tetchy.’
It’s pointless telling Marcus that I wasn’t actually tetchy until he arrived. I was sad, that’s what I was. Sad that I wasn’t born into a banking dynasty in the style of the Rothschilds and could, therefore, afford to buy Chocolate Heaven with my spare change.
‘You should go, Marcus,’ I say. ‘Aiden is due to come here soon and you wouldn’t want him to find you here.’
His face registers a moment of panic. ‘Right. I’ve got a meeting, anyway. I’ll be on my way.’
‘And don’t come back.’
‘I love you.’ He grins at me. ‘Don’t forget that.’
‘Forget what?’
‘Hahaha.’
He breezes out of the door, jumps into the Ferrari and roars away. I’m disappointed to see that he didn’t even get a parking ticket. There really is no justice in this world. Then I notice that he’s taken the sales details for Chocolate Heaven, just when I wanted to torture myself with them a bit more, and I give an extra dark scowl to his disappearing tail lights.
Chapter Sixty
While I’m still grumbling to myself about Marcus, Nadia arrives and, thankfully, distracts me.
‘I am in serious need of chocolate,’ she says, throwing her handbag onto the nearest chair.
‘Any preference?’
‘No. Just give me more than is good for me.’
‘Coming up.’
She sinks into the chair next to her handbag and lets out a tired and disgruntled huff.
So I make Nadia one of my Christmas specialities – a strong black forest latte flavoured with chocolate and topped with cream, cherry syrup and chocolate flakes – as she looks as if she needs it. I serve it with a slice of chocolate-chip banana bread, because bananas are nearly as good for you as chocolate. They’re full of plutonium or something.
‘Here you are,’ I say to Nadia when I deliver it. ‘All of your five a day in one hit.’
‘Thanks, Lucy.’
‘You look stretched. Everything all right?’
Nadia shakes her head, wearily. ‘I’ve just had another run in with Tarak.’ A sigh escapes as she takes a welcome glug of her latte. ‘This can’t go on. I have to do something to stop it.’ She looks up at me. ‘Can you believe this? He’s still banging on about me going to a hotel with him. Offered me dinner in return for an illicit shag. Bloody cheek. I even threatened to tell Anita, but he practically laughed in my face. He has a point, too. My sister adores him. She can see no wrong in him.’ Her expression is bleak. ‘What am I to do?’
‘Let me give it some more thought. I’ve yet to come up with a cunning plan, but there will be a way to call a halt to this harassment.’
‘Anita would probably have to catch him in the act to be convinced of his cheating ways and I certainly don’t want it to be with me.’
There’s a queue of customers forming at the counter. ‘I have to go,’ I tell Nadia, ‘I think I’m on for the Guinness World Record for selling chocolate Santas. I’ll keep thinking, though. You can count on me.’
She smiles at me in a jaded manner. ‘Thanks, Lucy. You’re a pal.’
When I’ve served a dozen people with Christmas treats, Autumn appears. She too has a long face.
‘Everyone’s glum today,’ I say. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘I have just had the most depressing lunch with my parents,’ she reveals as she unwinds her scarf.
‘Couldn’t you get the money for the charity from them?’
‘They’ve just agreed to give me a hundred grand.’
‘Wow.’ My eyes nearly pop out of my head. ‘That’s the kind of depressing I could do with now.’
‘Sorry, Lucy,’ she says. ‘That sounds really selfish of me. I’m morose because they hardly talked about Rich at all. Their own son is dead and they don’t seem to give a damn. They’re such cold fish.’
‘But they produced a lovely, warm and caring daughter,’ I remind her. ‘They must have done something right.’
‘I’ve spent all of my life trying not to be like them,’ she admits.
‘Have you told Addison about the money yet?’
‘No. I’m going to mull it over for a few days first.’
‘Why? I thought he’d be thrilled.’
Autumn frowns. ‘I don’t know why. Maybe I don’t want him to think it was as easy as it was.’ She lowers her voice. ‘I have an awful feeling that he’s taking advantage of my situation, Lucy, and it’s sitting a bit uncomfortably. I’m more than happy to help out with the charity, but I don’t want to be nothing more than a cash cow for Addison. If I’m going to do something in Rich’s memory, then I actually want to raise the money for it myself. The less it has to do with my parents the better. Does that make sense?’
‘Of course. You must do what you need to do. Don’t be rushed into making a snap decision. You could regret it. It’s your money. Sit on it until you feel comfortable.’
‘I think I will. Just for a short while.’
‘What are you having?’
‘A coffee and one of those reindeer cupcakes, please. I’m just in the mood to bite that shiny red nose off.’
‘Wow. Things must be bad,’ I tease. ‘And you a vegetarian.’
That, at least, raises a smile. She goes over to Nadia and they exchange a kiss. ‘Hey.’
Fortunately, there’s a brief gap between customers and I make myself a quick and rather generous espresso as a pick-me-up and join them both.
‘I’ve just been telling Autumn about Tarak,’ Nadia says. ‘Cheating scumbag.’
‘That’s horrible,’ Autumn agrees when she knows the story. ‘How could he ask you to go to a hotel with him? So sleazy.’
‘Wait!’ A light bulb pings on in my brain. My dormant criminal mastermind lobe is finally fully functioning! ‘Accept,’ I say. ‘You must accept.’
‘Have you lost your marbles, Lucy? Nothing on God’s earth would get me there.’
‘I have a plan. A brilliant one. We’ve done our best and most dastardly work in hotels. We must call a full meeting of the Chocolate Lovers’ Club immediately.’
Nadia looks wary. ‘Now you’re worrying me.’
‘All you need to do is say yes to Tarak. I’ll organise the rest.’
Now her wariness turns to sheer disbelief. ‘You’re kidding me?’
‘Trust me,’ I say, barely able to contain myself. ‘This is my best plan yet. You have to believe in me. After this, your horrible brother-in-law will never bother you again.’
Then the door opens and Crush comes in.
‘Don’t say anything about this,’ I whisper. ‘Crush mustn’t know what we plan to do.’
‘We don’t know,’ Nadia reminds me.
‘Oh, yeah.’ Mere details. ‘It will be fine. Leave it all to me.’
‘Are you sure?’
I nod. In for a penny, in for a pound. Somewhat too late, I’ve remembered that I’m supposed to be sensible and grown-up Lucy now. I’m not sure that Crush would be altogether keen on my plans, so it’s probably best that I don’t tell him everything. Or anything.
I leave the girls and dash over to see him.
‘Hey.’ He takes me in his arms and kisses me. ‘I’ve finished my meeting early and thought I’d swing by instead of going back to the office.’
‘I’ll be finished soon.’
‘What about we go out for a pizza and catch a movie?’
‘Sounds great.’
He studies me. ‘Are you sure that everything’s OK?’
‘Brilliant.’ I kiss him to convince him of my sincerity. ‘Never better.’
But I don’t tell him I’m still utterly miserable about the impending sale of Chocolate Heaven. I don’t tell him about Marcus’s visit or what I’m planning to pull off to save Nadia from Tarak’s unwanted attention. Sometimes I’ve been known to overshare and that gets you nowhere.
Chapter Sixty-One
Autumn stoked up the fire in her living room and then settled back under her blanket. She’d finally relented and had decorated her living room for Christmas. It was now looking very festive – a small tree stood in the corner, decorated with multi-coloured lights. It was artificial as she couldn’t bear the thought of all those trees chopped down in the name of Christmas, but it looked quite realistic. There was the glow from the fire and she’d lit some candles too, scented with ylang ylang, frankincense and patchouli, to help her relax.
Yet, whatever she did, she couldn’t get warm this evening. Deep inside her there was a cold, unidentifiable knot – was it anxiety, disappointment, loneliness? She wasn’t sure but, whichever, she didn’t like how it felt.
Even a bar of her favourite dark chocolate studded with delicious nips of ginger, eaten straight from the fridge, had failed to take the edge off her turmoil. There was no need to be alone; she could call Addison. Worryingly, the thought of that didn’t comfort her either. He’d want to know about her lunch with her parents – in fact she was surprised that he hadn’t called her already. Then they’d probably have a row about something and nothing. Once upon a time she could call on the girls and they’d all come running right away. There was no doubt that they were all still there for each other, but the practicalities of getting together were considerably more tricky now. Lewis would be in bed, so Nadia would need to find someone to look after him. The same went for Stacey and Chantal with their babies. Lucy would drop everyth
ing and come round, but that wasn’t fair on her. She had hardly any time with Aiden as it was. It was moments like this that she missed Rich, missed having a family of her own.
There was nothing worth watching on the television, so she pulled her laptop towards her. Autumn had done a little bit of searching already, but now she was determined to put out the first feelers to make contact with her daughter again. It could be years before Willow might look for her. Perhaps she never would, and Autumn understood that. However, she felt she had to try. So far she’d learned that you could only search for your birth mother with the consent of your adoptive parents if you were under eighteen. That’s if Willow even wanted to find out where she’d come from. It was a potential minefield, but Autumn felt she had to know. She could understand if her daughter didn’t want a relationship with her and, if she had a happy and settled life, then Autumn wanted to do nothing to disrupt that. But, despite being able to rationalise all the reasons why Willow wouldn’t want to make contact with her, Autumn knew that she would love to be able to see her daughter at least once and tell her that she hadn’t wanted to give her away. Willow should know that she was very much a loved and cherished child. As always, she had flashbacks of her daughter being wrenched from her arms. It would also be lovely to hear from Willow’s lips that she’d had a good and happy life with her adoptive family. She could hope for no more.
Autumn found the site that she’d looked at before – an agency that helped to put people who were searching for adopted children or birth mothers in touch with each other. This could change both of their lives – for the better, she hoped. Before she could have any second thoughts she entered her details, her hands shaking as she completed the online form. When it was done, she pressed ‘send’ and closed down the laptop.
It wasn’t like her to drink alone, but she went to the kitchen and poured herself a large glass of wine. She’d downed half of it before she’d even moved away from the counter. Then the doorbell buzzed and she went to answer, frowning as she wasn’t expecting anyone so late. The awful thought went through her mind that she hoped it wasn’t Addison. She couldn’t face him right now.