The Best Little Christmas Shop

George gave me a smile and moved his bear to his free hand. The bear’s head lurched again and I winced, half expecting it to plop off and roll across the pale sanded floorboards of the shop. Luckily it stayed in place but I didn’t have great hopes for that state lasting very long. I chewed my lip for a moment.

‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ I asked George.

He shook his head. ‘No. But I’d like some!’

I swallowed a grin. With a dad who looked like his did I was pretty sure the odds were quite favourable on that front. I glanced up and met a wary gaze.

‘I have three brothers,’ I began as the little boy listened, ‘and when we were younger, sometimes we would argue and occasionally my teddy would get caught in the middle of it.’

‘Was he trying to stop you arguing?’

‘Umm … yes, I think he probably was.’ I risked a look up at the man. The storm had gone from his eyes now and a hint of amusement played there instead. ‘Anyway, sometimes teddy would be in need of a bit of repair so I ended up training as a Teddy Bear Surgeon. I am, in fact, fully qualified.’ From the corner of my eye, I saw that delicious mouth quirk again.

‘You are?’ George asked, his eyes widening.

‘I am.’

This wasn’t exactly too far from the truth. All right, I didn’t have paper qualifications but I’d had plenty of practice. My youngest brother Joe had gone through a phase of yanking off bits of my bear whenever we were arguing. We were the closest in age and the most likely to get into a big barney. After repairing Ted three or four times, my mum had given up and said that if we were going to destroy things, we were also going to have to repair them. So, I’d learned how to sew and my teddy, although slightly wonky, was definitely more robust when he went in for the next round.

‘Do you think you could help Bear?’

‘George, I’m sure she has plenty to do already –’

‘It’s really no trouble,’ I interrupted. ‘I mean. If you don’t mind. I quite like to keep my skills fresh so you’d actually be doing me a favour.’

Cal hesitated. ‘I’m not sure –’

But George was already handing me the teddy. I met his dad’s eyes as I took it. I could see he was still uncomfortable about a relative stranger doing something for him. He obviously wasn’t local. If he’d been from the village, he’d have realised this was all part of normal life here. Unlike many places, the village had managed to retain its closeness and community. And whilst it was hard for people not to know everyone else’s business, it was generally in a kind and considerate way rather than gossip. Of course, there was always a bit of that too – the villagers were human after all.

I looked the toy over and made a couple of ‘hmming’ noises before returning my attention to Cal and George.

‘It’s good news, you’ll be glad to hear. Definitely nothing serious. He’s already had some excellent surgery.’ George giggled and beamed at his dad. Cal’s face remained impassive but I saw his Adam’s apple bob briefly. ‘He really only needs a tiny bit more. If you two want to have a look around the shop, he’ll be fully recovered and waiting for you when you come back. If you want to go ahead of course.’

‘Can we, Daddy?’

Cal gave me a look and a tiny shake of his head, but I could see the faintest of smiles on his lips.

‘If Lexi doesn’t mind, then yes, of course. As long as you’re going to help me choose the decorations now. I’m not sure I can decide all by myself.’

‘Of course I’ll help you. Don’t worry.’ He kept hold of his dad’s hand as he looked at me. ‘You’ll look after my teddy, won’t you, Lexi?’

‘As if he were my own, I promise.’

‘Come on, George. Surgeons need peace and quiet to work in. Let’s start with finding you an advent calendar, shall we?’ Cal led George away, throwing me a quick grateful glance over his shoulder as he did. I gave him a quick nod and reached into the drawer of the old wooden desk I was sat at and pulled out a biscuit tin. Opening it, I rummaged around in the sewing supplies it stored to find a cotton that matched the fur of the bear and then set about threading up a needle. Steadily I worked around the bear’s neck, squinting at him occasionally and trying to ensure his head was level so that he wouldn’t be for evermore looking askew at the world.

Finally, I gently took out the larger, uneven stitches that had been put in at the time of the original incident, the love that they clearly represented more than making up for what they lacked in skill. By the time Cal and George came back to the desk, laden with items, I’d not only repaired Bear but also whipped the scarf off a toy we had on sale to finish him off properly. Luckily, I knew the maker of the scarves and would put in an emergency order by text once my customers had gone.

‘Bear!’ George cried as he saw his teddy casually lounging on the table that held the till. ‘Daddy, he’s got a scarf too, and it’s the same colour as mine!’

Cal smiled. ‘You really shouldn’t have. How much do I owe you?’

‘Ha! I’m good, but I’m not that good. I’ll have to ring them up first,’ I said, pushing my chair out to get to the till, leaning over for his basket as I did so.

‘No, I meant for the repair –’ he tilted his head ‘– and his new scarf.’

‘Oh!’ I shook my head, frowning. ‘Nothing.’

‘No. I must. It’s taken your time when you obviously have plenty to do anyway. I’d like –’

‘Really. It was my pleasure. There’s no charge.’

Cal was a good head and half taller than me but I’d grown up with three brothers and spent my entire career in a male-dominated world. I knew how to make a point when I needed to. Matt called it ‘The Tone’. Even without this inside knowledge, Cal clearly got the idea I wasn’t prepared to argue the point any further.

‘Well then, thank you. Sewing, admittedly, is not my forte.’

I smiled. ‘Then that makes two of us. You did a great job, honestly. There are plenty of people who wouldn’t even know where to start! And George thinks you’re a superhero so don’t be too hard on yourself. Honestly, I’ve just tidied it up a bit, that’s all.’

Cal tilted his head at me. ‘I’ve a feeling you’re being more kind than honest but I’ll take it. Thank you, again.’

‘You’re welcome. OK, let’s get your purchases sorted, shall we? I think all this shopping has tired someone out.’

Cal turned in the direction of my nod to where George was now curling up on one of the faux fur beanbags, his fingers wrapping around the bear’s scarf distractedly as his own eyelids drooped heavily.

‘Oh crikey, hang on, I’ll just get him –’

I caught Cal’s sleeve. ‘Don’t. He’s not doing any harm. Just leave him whilst we’re sorting this out.’

‘But isn’t that your stock?’

‘Yep. But it’s made for sitting on.’

‘Yes. Once it’s paid for.’

‘Look.’ I turned George’s dad around by his arms. ‘You’ve clearly taught him well. He’s even taken his shoes off. He’s fine. The stock is fine. Relax!’

Cal looked down at me and I realised I was still holding his arms. I dropped my hands quickly and shoved them into the pockets of my jeans.

‘Things are very different here from London,’ he said, his expression relaxing.

‘Yes. They are. Which is a good thing, I think.’

‘Definitely.’

‘OK. Let’s see what we have here.’ I started ringing through Cal’s purchases, wrapping the breakables, and stacking things carefully in a couple of boxes to make it easier for him to carry and transport back at home.

‘Have you got a long journey back?’ I asked as I rang up the final total, glancing over at the now sleeping George.

Cal gave me a quizzical look as he dipped a hand inside the padded jacket he wore, retrieving a wallet from the inner pocket and pulling a credit card out from inside.

‘No. Not far at all.’

‘Oh! Sorry, I assumed you were down from London when you said that about it being different here from there.’ I handed him the card reader and he put the card in as he answered me.

‘We used to live there.’

‘Oh.’ Clearly he didn’t want to share any more so I stopped my questioning and tried to remember that not everyone was as chatty as the locals. ‘That’s not reading properly. Do you mind?’ He shook his head as I moved the reader around to face me and took the card out, switching it around so that the chip was in the machine. As I did so, he rolled his eyes at himself.

‘My fault distracting you,’ I said.

‘Hardly.’

I dropped my gaze to the readout and took the comment at face value. Fair enough. Even if it was a bit blunt.

‘I meant hardly in that it wasn’t your fault, not that you weren’t distracting. Not that I was …’ He trailed off and I lifted my gaze to his. ‘I think I’m just going to shut up now.’

I laughed. ‘OK. Do you want to enter your PIN?’

‘Very much so.’

I grinned, took the machine back off him, and waited for the receipt to chug out, which I then handed to him, along with his card. As I did, I noticed the name on it.

‘Cal Martin?’

‘That’s me.’

‘As in Xander’s boss, Cal?’

‘You know Xander?’

‘He and Giselle are my best friends. I didn’t realise you were The Cal.’ I needed to have words with my friend, Giselle. She’d mentioned that her husband’s boss was quite good-looking, but had left out the fact that he had eyes like a rainstorm, a mouth that suggested temptation and, from what I could see, a body that absolutely promised it.

‘The Cal?’ He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that he kept low in deference to his sleeping child. ‘That sounds like quite a lot to live up to.’

‘You know what I mean.’

‘I do. When you said your name was Lexi, it did cross my mind that I’d heard the name but …’ He hesitated. ‘I didn’t think you could be the same one because I was under the impression you were kind of a high flyer and didn’t live in the village. Don’t you work in Formula One or something?’

‘I used to, yes.’ I’d intended to leave my explanation at that for now, but I hadn’t banked on those eyes. When I lifted my gaze from where I had been fiddling with the credit card machine’s cable, they were focused on me and suddenly I felt like I was the only person in about a five-mile radius. A thought, uninvited, flashed through my brain as to what that focus might feel like in a more … intimate … setting. Oh wow, probably best not to go there! Almost instantaneously, my cheeks flamed as I gave my thoughts a firm shove.

‘I’m sorry.’ He stepped back. ‘I didn’t mean to embarrass you.’

‘Oh, no really. It’s fine. It’s not that at all.’ If only you knew … ‘I think I just got a little warm for a moment.’ I flapped my hand a bit for emphasis, which only succeeded in making me feel like an even bigger idiot so I shoved it back in my pocket again.

He smiled gently. ‘It is nice and cosy in here. Certainly seems to suit some people.’ We both looked over to where George was zonked out, Bear in one arm cuddled against him, the other flung out across the soft fur. ‘I’d better get him home.’

‘Oh wait. Don’t forget this.’ I placed one of the fresh wreaths I’d been making on top of one of the boxes. ‘Your son seemed to really like them.’

‘He did – you’re right,’ Cal agreed, reaching in his jacket for his wallet again.

I put my hand on his arm briefly to stop him.

‘It’s on the house.’

He frowned at me. ‘You can’t do that.’

‘Yes, I can. It’s my family’s business and it’s one wreath. Don’t worry. It’s not going to bankrupt us.’

‘So you’re Dan’s little sister?’

I laughed. ‘It’s a long time since I’ve been called anyone’s little sister, but I guess technically, yes.’

He gave a brief head tilt. ‘You are kind of little compared to your brothers.’

He had a point. I was.

Cal made an attempt to reach for his wallet again. ‘I really would feel happier if I paid for this, you know. You’ve already done too much for free.’ He nodded at his son’s toy.

I shook my head. ‘Honestly, it made a nice change to do something different for a few minutes. You two brightened up my day so take the wreath as payment for that, if you like.’

Cal studied me for a moment, that gaze enveloping me once more. ‘I’m not going to win on this, am I?’

I shook my head. ‘Nope.’

‘Xander did say you were a force to be reckoned with at times.’

‘You mustn’t believe everything Xander says.’

‘So I’m also not to believe that you head-butted a kid much bigger than you who was bullying Giselle at school.’

I cleared my throat. ‘I’d like to point out that we were seven and that I don’t condone violence. But we’d already tried reasoning with him. And have you ever seen Giselle cry? Even back then she was so feminine and delicate. It’s heartbreaking! I did what I had to.’

‘Fair enough. I also heard that the kid you nutted grew up to be the local policeman?’

I laughed. ‘Oh, you do know all the gossip, don’t you? Yes, he did. And he grew into a lovely man with a lovely family who totally agrees now that he was being a little … pain.’ I checked myself in time and received a grin in return that did nothing to help cool me in the slightest. ‘He says now that I was quite right to do what I did.’

‘So you don’t get speeding tickets even when you’re parked then, or anything like that?’

‘No. Thankfully!’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’

‘Right. I’d better get this little tyke home.’ Cal bent and lifted the boxes and then as he approached George started bending his knees.

‘You’re going to drop the lot in a minute,’ I said, coming up behind him. ‘Here, I’ve got plenty of practice ferrying sleeping nephews and nieces to cars. I’ll bring him for you.’

‘No.’ His reply was so sharp that I actually took a step back. Cal turned a little more. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it come out like that.’

I pasted on a smile, or at least half a one, and shrugged. ‘No problem. I was just trying to help.’

‘Yeah. I know.’ He ran a hand through the dark hair. ‘I know you were.’

‘Let me take the boxes then.’ I bent my knees to where he’d now put the purchases on the floor.

‘No, they’re pretty heavy.’

I blew out a sigh and stood, raising my eyes to him. ‘OK. Look. One, I’m stronger than I look and two, one way or the other you’re going to have to either leave George here whilst you take the boxes or leave him in the car whilst you come back and get them, and I don’t think you want to do either.’

His lack of reply was enough.

‘OK. So, you bring your son and I’ll bring these.’ I bent and scooped up the boxes, jiggled them into a better position, and peered around the side of the pile to see where I was going.

‘Are you sure you’re all right with those?’ Cal asked as George flopped softly against his shoulder.

‘Yes. So long as you’re not parked miles away, I’m fine.’

‘No, just down the road. Do you need to lock up or anything?’

‘No, it’s fine. Let’s just get going, shall we?’ The boxes were biting into my arms and I wasn’t about to show myself up by having to put them down again after I’d made such a song and dance.

Cal got the door and then led the way to a relatively new Land Rover Defender. He opened the boot and between us, him still with a sleeping child in one arm, we loaded the boxes into the storage area and wedged them in with a blanket and a coat so that they didn’t tip. He closed the door and went around the side, deftly popping his son in and securing him into his seat.

‘OK. Well, it was nice to meet you. Enjoy your purchases.’ I smiled and made to head off back to the shop.

‘Lexi?’ Cal called.

I turned and waited as he took the couple of steps towards me. There was a faint scent of aftershave now that he was close. Woody, masculine. Very him.

‘Look, I’m sorry if I snapped a bit at your offer earlier.’

‘It’s fine. I didn’t mean to cross any lines. I apologise if I did.’

‘No.’ He threw a glance back at the car, as if to check it was still there even though we were only two feet from it. ‘It’s me. I’m still pretty new to all this.’

‘All this?’ I queried.

‘People being kind, offering to help. Hell, even talking to one another for the most part.’

‘Right.’

‘I’ve hurt your feelings, which I would have felt a shit about anyway but after your kindness today, I feel a double shit about it.’

‘Honestly. Don’t give it another thought. I’m not.’

‘I think that’s a big fib.’

I tilted my chin up in defiance. ‘It’s not, I assure you.’ I think I was quite convincing until the big swallow I did gave me away.

A glimmer of a smile fleeted across his lips. ‘That’s what I thought. Look, I … it’s hard to explain. I just didn’t want George suddenly waking and find himself being carried along by someone he didn’t know then getting upset.’

‘It’s all right, Cal, really. You don’t have to justify anything to me.’

‘I think I do.’ He was watching me and once again the world around me seemed to melt into nothing. I’d never met anyone who could make me feel like I was the only one in the room before – even outside. And the thing was, I was pretty sure he had no idea he was doing it.

I took a deep breath, and looked away, feeling it to be the safer option. ‘OK. Let’s just agree that I didn’t mean to cross a line and you didn’t mean to bite my head off and move on shall we?’

The glimmer became more of a smile. ‘I think I’d like that.’

I smiled back. ‘Me too.’

‘Now get back inside before you freeze to death and I have something else to apologise for.’

I laughed, waved, and half ran along the narrow pavement before diving back into the warmth of the shop. As I did, Matt popped his head out from the back stock room.

‘There you are. Thought you’d abandoned ship.’

‘No, not yet. Just helping a customer to the car with his purchases.’

‘Good sale?’

‘Yep. Very good actually. I threw in a wreath for free because his little boy liked them.’

Matt put a mug of tea down on the desk in front of me and I wrapped my hands around it.

‘Ooh thanks, just what I need.’ I took a sip and then realised he was watching me. ‘What?’

‘You. You just make me laugh.’

I took another sip. ‘Do I dare to ask why?’

‘Well, you have this tough, tomboy outer layer –’

‘I do wear dresses sometimes, thank you.’

‘You know what I mean. You give off this tough-girl attitude, your job is predominantly male –’

‘My former job.’

‘Stop interrupting for two minutes, will you?’

‘Sorry.’ I made a zipping motion across my lips.

‘It just makes me laugh that you make people think things don’t bother you, that you’re tough as old leather – and we both know that’s not true. I just wonder why you always feel you have to do that. I can understand the work thing – why you don’t want to be all girly there. But you’re not as tough as you make out so why let people think that you are?’

‘Because it’s suited me. I’m not pretending to be anything I’m not anyway. I’m just not all feminine and girly like Giselle. She cries and looks beautiful. I cry and look like a red-faced, swollen-eyed, blotchy mess. It doesn’t quite have the same effect.’

‘I’m not saying you have to cry all the time. God forbid. I’m just saying you’re not as tough as you think you are … and that’s OK.’

‘Is there a point to this conversation?’ I asked, staring into my tea.

‘The family just wants you to be happy.’

I turned on the chair and folded my legs up into a crossed position. ‘The family? You know we’re not The Mob, right? And by happy, do you mean married?’

‘Well, not immediately. And not at all if that’s not what you want.’

‘I did want – once. Remember how well that worked out?’

‘So that means you keep yourself at a distance from everyone for ever?’

‘It’s a lot less hassle.’

‘And a lot more lonely.’

‘With a lot less heartbreak.’

‘And a lot less chance at joy.’

I glared at him because I’d run out of argument.

‘Look. I’m not necessarily ruling it out but there was hardly a lot of opportunity before. Liaisons were frowned upon in the team and there was barely time for anything like that anyway.’

‘Not entirely frowned upon.’ Matt shifted position on the wall as he snagged another biscuit from the tin and frisbeed one to me. ‘You were engaged to Marco.’

‘He was their top driver and winning them the championship, not to mention millions in sponsorship. The rules didn’t really apply to him so much. And I’d been working for a different team when we got together so they couldn’t say a whole lot.’

Matt shrugged his eyebrows.

‘Anyway. That’s all a bit irrelevant now. Besides, dating is the absolute last thing on my mind right now. Trying to find another job is rather taking priority.’

‘Have you heard anything?’

‘From Marco?’

Matt gave me an interested look. ‘I meant jobwise but we can go with that.’

‘Oh. No. I’ve got another enquiry out I’m waiting to hear back on but I don’t know if anything will come of it.’ I sighed and snagged another biscuit. ‘I’m really good at my job but it’s a small community. They all know what happened and as far as they’re concerned, the years of commitment I gave were all wiped out by one action. I don’t know if anyone will give me another chance.’

‘They’re idiots if they don’t.’

I smiled at my big brother. ‘Likely true.’

He gave me a wink, then scooped up my now empty mug. ‘You know you’ve always got a job here, don’t you? God knows we could do with the help.’

I nodded. I couldn’t lie. The thought had crossed my mind more than once. The past year, being off the circuit, had allowed me to get back a little more often and see my friends and family and I’d begun to realise just how much I’d missed it all. My friends, my family, even the shop. Matt rinsed the mugs in the sink and came back to lean on the wall.

‘Have you heard from Marco then?’

‘We’ve spoken a bit, yes.’

‘And?’

‘And it’s fine. It’s good. We’re in a good place. A better place. Back to being friends, which is maybe where it should have stayed.’

‘It was kind of a whirlwind.’

‘Yep. It certainly was that. But at the time I thought it was the right thing. What I wanted. What he wanted.’ I pulled my mouth to the side and gave my brother a look. ‘Seriously not very good at the whole relationship thing, am I?’

‘Aah, don’t you worry. These things usually take two. And who knows? We might even be able to find a bloke to put up with you if you ever decided to stick around here. Stranger things have happened.’

‘You know your comedic talent is wasted here, don’t you?’

Matt opened his mouth to reply and I rammed a biccie in it. ‘Conversation closed.’

Chapter Three

‘So! A little birdie tells me you met Cal?’

I was sat at the lime-washed pine table in Xander and Giselle’s kitchen decorating gingerbread men whilst Giselle cooked something deliciously French for dinner on the hob of her pink Aga.

‘Is that all right?’ I asked, carefully tipping one of the biscuits towards her.

Giselle glanced over. ‘Perfect! You know you don’t need to check with me. We used to do these together for the shop all the time.’

I pulled a face as I squidged the icing down the bag a little more. ‘I know. But I’m out of practice.’

‘It’s like riding a bicycle. It’ll all come back.’

I gave my gingerbread man a neat side parting. ‘If you remember, the last time I rode a bicycle with you, I ended up headfirst in a nettle bush.’

Giselle laughed. ‘Oh my, I’d forgotten that. You were in such a state! I felt so sorry for you. It must have been agony.’

Gingerbread man got mittens. ‘It definitely isn’t in my list of top ten favourite days, that’s for sure.’

Giselle tasted the sauce and made a fluttering motion with her beautifully long, false lashes. ‘Parfait!’ It always amused me how, even though she’d been over here since she was seven years old, there were times when she still dropped back into French. It wasn’t forced or affected. I wasn’t even entirely sure she knew she was doing it. But I loved it.