Could It Be Magic?, page 16
34
‘Wow!’ Nick’s look of undisguised pleasure at her appearance did wonders for Thea’s still somewhat fragile self-confidence. ‘You look incredible.’
Thea knew she was beaming, and she decided to just embrace it. ‘Thank you,’ she said, once she felt capable of drawing breath again. ‘You look pretty good yourself.’
An expression of pleasure passed over Nick’s face, but Thea could sense there was something on his mind. ‘What’s up?’ she asked.
‘Only this.’ Nick gestured to the ends of the bow tie, which dangled at his collar. ‘You wouldn’t believe the hassle I went to, to get it, and now I’ve forgotten how to do the damned thing up.’
Thea laughed. ‘Is that all? I can help with that.’ She reached out a hand and pulled him into her brightly lit hallway, which had a large mirror to the left-hand side, reflecting them both in all of their dressed-up glory.
Thea felt a definite stirring of lust as she paused in front of him, trying to remember how to tie a ‘proper’ bow tie. She moved closer, taking the ends of it in her hands, and then, as if some kind of muscle memory had kicked in, she brought them together until she was satisfied that she’d tied the perfect bow. Breathing in the heady scent of Nick’s aftershave, an aroma that felt thrillingly unfamiliar, she straightened the bow, ensuring that the ends were tucked safely away.
‘There you go,’ she said softly. ‘Perfect.’ Thea raised her eyes from Nick’s collar and realised how close his mouth was to hers. Laughing nervously to break the tension, she spun him around to face the mirror. ‘Look. Not bad, if I do say so myself.’
Nick grinned at their reflections. ‘Looks great. We scrub up quite well, don’t we?’
‘We do.’ Thea agreed. She was jolted, seeing them both in the mirror, just how right they looked together, as if they were an actual, established couple. There was an ease with Nick that she’d never really paid attention to before, but as she caught his eye in the mirror and gave him a smile, it felt as though they were at the beginning of something that should have started a long time ago.
‘All set?’ Lorelai had appeared in the hallway and had a delighted expression on her face.
‘I think so,’ Thea turned briefly away from Nick and hurried to kiss her grandmother goodbye. ‘See you later.’ She grabbed her long black coat from the hook in the hall and then turned back to Nick. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Yup.’ Thea saw Nick glance behind Lorelai, to where Cora was lurking, having obviously wanted to get a glimpse of them both together in their evening finery.
‘Don’t let your gran watch any scary movies,’ he joked.
‘Cheeky beggar,’ Lorelai replied, but her eyes were twinkling. ‘Don’t keep my granddaughter out too late!’
‘Gran, I’m not fifteen any more!’ Thea knew she was starting to blush and suddenly felt the urge to get out of the house as swiftly as possible. ‘I’ve got my keys, so you can lock up.’
‘All right,’ Lorelai replied. ‘And don’t worry’ – she glanced back at Nick – ‘it’s Christmas romance movies all the way tonight, isn’t it, Cora? Not a murderer or scary villain in sight.’
‘Glad to hear it!’ Nick’s laugh was less nervous now, and Thea again thought how natural this all felt. There was something to be said for dating someone you and your family had known forever.
As they headed out of the front door, Thea felt the warmth of Nick’s hand in the small of her back, even through her coat. In the distinctly vertiginous heels, she was glad of the gesture. He led her to his Land Rover, which looked as though it had been cleaned for the occasion and opened the passenger door for her.
‘Are you ready for this?’ he asked when they were both settled inside.
‘I think so,’ Thea replied. ‘It’s been a while since I’ve been out on a date, let alone a night out as posh as this!’
Nick laughed, and the sound made Thea’s pulse race a little faster. ‘Me too. It’s nice to get the dinner suit out of mothballs.’
‘Well, I’m honoured you’ve done it for me.’ Thea smiled across at him.
A pause fell between them. Nick was just reaching for the ignition when he stopped and turned back towards her. ‘I’d do anything for you, Thea. I hope you know that.’ The nervous laugh was back again. ‘I’m sorry. That sounds a bit intense, but I want you to know that I’m here for you, as a friend, or, if things work out that way, something more.’ He was holding her gaze, his blue eyes reflecting the intensity of his words.
‘I appreciate that, Nick,’ she said softly. ‘All this…’ She gestured down at herself. ‘All this is very new for me. I’m kind of taking this one step at a time. But I’m glad it’s you I’m taking the steps with.’ She leaned towards him, and before she could second guess herself, she kissed him, very gently, on the mouth. Her lips parted slightly, and the kiss became deeper, and when Nick raised a hand to her cheek, she shivered at the contact. As they broke apart again, she let out a long breath.
‘Wow,’ she said. ‘That was quite something.’
Nick stroked her cheek with his thumb, and she shivered at the contact. ‘It was. And that felt like a very lovely step to take.’
‘I agree.’ Thea’s hand, which had come to rest on Nick’s shoulder, moved slightly so that her fingertips were just resting on the side of his neck, and she felt his pulse hammering under her touch, again suggesting he was as excited by the kiss as she was.
After a few more seconds, Nick moved back from her, clearing his throat. ‘If we’re going to get to the ball on time, we should probably get going.’
Thea nodded and settled back into the seat. She wondered, having literally just said she wanted to take things slowly, if she’d just put her foot on the accelerator of their relationship with a kiss like that. But it had felt right. As Nick drove the short distance to Cherry Tree Court, she tried to stop thinking so hard. Tonight was meant to be fun, and that kiss had definitely been fun.
35
The exterior of Cherry Tree Court loomed up at them as Nick drove up the wide, sweeping approach. On either side of the long driveway, as they got within twenty metres of the house, flaming garden torches lined the boundaries of the frost-bejewelled lawn, and the house itself was a hive of activity. Cars were parked all around the broad, circular sweep of the immediate area in front of the house, and Nick raised a hand of acknowledgement to the steward in a yellow hi-vis jacket who directed him to a space.
‘I remember standing out here doing that job when I was a teenager,’ Nick said, grinning briefly at Thea before he carefully reversed into the parking space. ‘Froze my backside off for two hours and then snuck into the kitchen and guzzled about a gallon of the mulled wine.’ He laughed. ‘Can’t quite remember much after that, but I do remember waking up on Jamie’s bedroom floor with the worst hangover I’d ever had.’
Thea giggled. ‘Annabelle told me about that – she was so pissed off because she and Jamie had a date that Sunday afternoon and neither of you were in any state to string a sentence together.’
‘True.’ Nick turned off the engine. ‘And I suppose you’ve never had the hangover from hell and had to cancel something?’ His tone was teasing.
‘Oh, quite a few times before I had the kids,’ Thea replied. ‘But being a parent tends to put paid to all of that, for a few years at least.’
‘Well, I hope tonight you feel you can have a few glasses if you want to, since I’m more than happy to be the designated driver.’ Thea’s heart sped up as Nick’s gaze, now a little more serious, met hers. ‘I’ll make sure you get home all right.’
‘I know you will,’ Thea said softly. After the kiss in the car, the atmosphere felt as though it was crackling between them, and Thea’s thoughts were already heading towards the end of the evening, and the inviting darkness of a secluded corner of Cherry Tree Court…
‘Ready then?’ The click of Nick opening the car door brought Thea back to reality. She clambered out of the passenger side before he had the chance to come around and open the door for her and took his arm when he appeared by her side.
‘As I’ll ever be. But I’m holding you responsible for keeping me upright in these heels!’
‘Challenge accepted.’ Nick’s eyes shone in the light emanating from the interior of Cherry Tree Court. ‘But only if you stay off the mulled wine. Given the long traditions of the Midwinter’s Eve Ball, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was still made to the same recipe that floored me all those years ago!’
‘Ah, but you always were a lightweight!’ Thea teased. ‘I remember that party at Ben Marsden’s gaff where you had one can of Fosters and were convinced you could dance the Macarena on top of his mum’s glass coffee table. It’s a wonder you didn’t fall straight through.’
‘Oh God,’ Nick groaned. ‘I’d forgotten about that.’ He paused and gently brought Thea around to face him. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘the fact that we’ve got a lot of shared history feels a bit like a blessing and a curse. I love that we grew up together, and that we’ve got so many of the same friends, but also, it feels a bit… weird, too.’
‘Weird how?’ Thea was perplexed. ‘Us being friends was supposed to make things easier, not harder!’
‘Well.’ Nick looked squarely at her and Thea’s heart gave a little skip. ‘It’s kind of like we’ve known each other for so long, and there are so many memories and moments from the past, that I suppose I’m worried there’ll be nothing for us to discover about each other because we already know it all.’ He shook his head. ‘Is that just really daft?’
Thea smiled and raised her hand to Nick’s face. Gently, she brought her lips to his, and kissed him, the warmth of his mouth in delicious contrast to the evening frost which was setting in all around them.
‘Does this feel boring?’ she said as they drew breath between kisses. ‘Or like we already know how to do it?’ Increasing the pressure of her lips on his, she felt a low-down tingle of excitement as he responded to her, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her nearer. ‘Because we can stop if you’re about to fall asleep!’
Nick groaned into the kiss, and Thea could tell from the way his body had hardened against her that bored was the last emotion he felt. They held the moment for a few seconds longer, until, breathing more heavily, Thea carefully disentangled herself from Nick’s arms.
‘Well,’ she said, raising a trembling hand to a stray lock of hair that had broken loose from the bun maker Cora had used to tie most of her brownish blonde locks up, ‘I hope that’s gone some way to proving my point, and putting your mind at rest.’
‘Something tells me you’re not a great fan of being proved wrong,’ Nick teased as he buttoned up his dinner jacket. ‘But if that’s the way you’d like to do it, then that’s fine with me!’
Thea slipped an arm through Nick’s again, trying to make sure she didn’t trip on the gravelled driveway. ‘Duly noted. And if you, er, need another, “reminder” at any point this evening, just let me know. I’m more than happy to refresh your memory!’
They hurried to the front door, which was manned by another steward in a hi-vis vest. Nick quickly produced his invitation from the inside pocket of his dinner jacket, and in a short time they were walking through the elegant, walnut-panelled entrance hall, heading towards the dining room that looked out onto the extensive grounds at the back of the house.
‘It’s been quite a while since I’ve been here.’ Thea glanced up at the huge chandelier that adorned the sweeping inner hallway, lighting the path up the carved wooden staircase that wound its way graciously up to the first floor. Portraits, some bought from the Treloar family of Roseford Hall, who had a historic connection to the place, and some that had been sourced by the company who now managed the building, lined the walls of the landing, nodding to the history of the place but in pleasing contrast to the more modern fitted carpets and décor that co-existed within the house. The two styles were a reminder that Cherry Tree Court was a thriving venue as well as having a long, auspicious local history.
‘Well,’ Nick said as they reached the doors to the dining room. ‘I hope you’re ready for some festive small talk and the joys of hospitality mass catering!’
‘Oh, you sell it so well!’ Thea replied, laughing. ‘I almost wonder why I bothered getting so dressed up.’
‘I’m glad you did.’ Nick looked her straight in the eye. ‘If I forget to say it later, thank you for coming with me tonight. I’m so glad to have you by my side.’
Thea felt an inner glow of pleasure, and she moved a little closer to Nick before they made their way into the dining room. ‘Thank you for inviting me,’ she said. ‘And I promise, no more references to the past tonight. Let’s make some new memories that are just for us.’
Seeing Nick’s smiling face made Thea’s inner glow even brighter, and she couldn’t wait to spend the evening getting to know him better.
36
As soon as Thea walked through the door of the dining room, she began to realise exactly how long it had been since she’d been to a function like this. All around her were men and women in formal attire, yakking away nineteen to the dozen and looking completely at home. This was, after all, a chance to network in the cold winter months, which, in a remote area such as Lower Brambleton, was not to be missed. Although, in the twenty-first century, business owners and those on the list of attendees were far more upwardly mobile than their eighteenth or nineteenth century forebears, that comparison wasn’t too far off the mark. The impression that the bush telegraph was chattering under the guise of a party was one that wasn’t lost on Thea.
What surprised her, though, as people began to notice herself and Nick, was just how recognisable he was to most of the room. The Saint family had farmed in Lower Brambleton for at least four generations, and although the farm was now a large market garden, the shop was a successful replacement for a business that had been in danger of being lost during the recession of the 1980s, and under Nick’s father’s stewardship, and latterly Nick and Annabelle’s, the business was thriving. This meant that Nick had plenty of name recognition, and there were lots of smiles, greetings and brief snippets of conversation as they moved towards the bar, where glasses of Bucks Fizz and other drinks were available.
‘Wow, you’re giving off minor celebrity vibes!’ Thea murmured as they finally got to the bar. ‘So much for the unassuming farm boy act.’
‘Ha-ha.’ Nick picked up a flute of Bucks Fizz and handed it to Thea, before asking the bartender for a pint of Coke. ‘Wait until Christmas at the Farm Shop goes out in a few days’ time – you’ll be signing autographs yourself!’
‘Not a chance! I made sure I kept to the background, remember?’ Thea took a sip of the Bucks Fizz, which was actually rather strong. Cherry Tree Court obviously didn’t stint on the hospitality for this bash. The alcohol warmed her and took the edge off the nerves that were beginning to rise again, now they’d entered the party.
‘Nick! Looking fly, mate,’ Jamie exclaimed as he arrived at the bar. ‘Glad you got that tie sorted out. This isn’t the kind of gig where they’d let you in with the one you found in your pocket.’
‘Tristan came through with a spare just in time,’ Nick replied, taking his Coke from the bartender.
‘Lucky for you,’ Jamie said, a twinkle in his eye. ‘Looking good, too, Thea. Hope he’s treating you well tonight.’
‘So far, so good.’ Thea smiled at Jamie, and then, as Annabelle joined them, she gave her a hug.
‘Dad’s around here, somewhere,’ Annabelle said. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve seen him?’
‘Not yet,’ Nick said. ‘I’m surprised he’s showed up, though. He told me he didn’t have a dinner suit any more.’
‘Oh, he didn’t until this afternoon,’ Annabelle said. ‘Mum took him to Moss Bros in Taunton and made him buy another one that actually fitted. But, unfortunately for you, only the one bowtie.’
Thea, who hadn’t heard the full story of the bowtie, crooked an intrigued eyebrow, but Nick didn’t elaborate.
Just then, she caught sight of Tristan and Charlotte, who were also heading towards the bar. Her twin brother had a look of impatience on his face, and Thea wondered what had happened. She hoped he and Charlotte hadn’t had a row. They were two such incredibly different people, but somehow, they made things work between them. The occasional disagreement wasn’t unexpected, though.
‘All right, Tris?’ she asked as they drew closer.
‘Yeah.’ Tristan gave her a brief smile. ‘Just a bit fed up with being cornered by locals who want to talk about the next stage of the Observatory Field development. If I have one more person bellyaching about the plans for the new village hall, or the unreliability of the bin collections up there…’
‘Well, now you come to mention it!’ Thea teased. She was relieved that it was work and not his relationship that had provoked the irritation.
Tristan shook his head. ‘I know I’m seen as the link to the developer, but I was hoping I’d get tonight off, at least!’
‘Just get a drink down you and don’t worry about it,’ Charlotte said soothingly. Thea smiled at her; Charlotte knew almost as well as Thea how to get her brother back in a good mood, and she was grateful that he’d found her.
Grinning, Tristan took a glass of champagne, unadulterated by orange juice. He raised it to his lips but paused before having a sip. ‘Are you sure you’re OK driving?’
‘Absolutely,’ Charlotte replied. ‘Kick back and enjoy it. You’ve earned it this year!’
As the group of friends chatted, Thea took the chance to keep observing the gathering of the great and good of Lower Brambleton and its environs. Underneath the sparkling Christmas lights, everyone looked glamorous and festive in their formal dresses and black dinner suits. She was glad she’d found such a great dress in Purrfect Paws. Relaxing slightly as the Bucks Fizz worked its magic, she moved a little closer to Nick, who was in animated conversation with Tristan and Jamie about the shop’s plans for the new year. She felt a warm flush of pleasure as he slid an arm around her, and that she was becoming a closer part of the group, in a slightly different way to before.
