Not Just for Christmas

Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

I t took them a little while to transfer the dog’s paraphernalia from Carla’s car to Lewis’s, and then secure Molly on the back seat. Then there was a second round of hugs before they were finally on their way.

“That was really lovely,” Erin said, as they turned out of the cul-de-sac.

“Really?” Lewis asked. “You don’t wish you’d stayed at the hotel and enjoyed the peace?”

“Not at all.” She pressed her head back into the headrest. “Your family is great. I had a brilliant time.”

“I’m glad.”

Erin twisted to look at Molly, who was sitting upright and staring out of the window. “I still can’t believe your dad gave you a dog. I’m assuming that was out of character for him?”

“Yep.” He frowned and ran his tongue along his bottom lip. “Usually, he never does anything without running it by mum. Now I think that’s probably a good thing. Dad really shouldn’t make decisions by himself.”

“Do you think he secretly wanted a dog for himself? ”

“I don’t think so.” He tapped lightly on the steering wheel. “I think he genuinely thought I’d be happy about it.”

“Are you unhappy about it?” Erin asked.

He glanced in the rear-view mirror and looked uncomfortable – like he didn’t want to offend Molly.

“I thought I’d get a dog at some point in my life. But when I’m more settled. At the moment I’m focussed on the hotel, so it’s just not the right time for me to have a dog.” He paused for a moment, then spoke quickly. “It’s also not just that which bothered me. I think what really made me angry was that my dad is usually the person who really gets me, but today it felt as though he doesn’t understand my life and my choices.”

Erin smiled sadly, resisting the urge to reach for his hand. “I think he had good intentions,” she said gently.

“I know he did,” Lewis agreed. “But that only means I end up feeling guilty and ungrateful on top of everything else.”

After a beat of silence, Erin spoke again. “Do you think your mum will agree to them keeping Molly?”

“I guess so. If not, I could probably convince Carla to take her. Her life would easily accommodate a dog. I’m surprised she hasn’t got one already.”

Looking into the back again, Erin took in Molly’s adorable face. “I can’t imagine it will be easy to give her up after a week. She’s a gorgeous dog.”

“I know.” Lewis glanced at her in the mirror. “I’ll still get to walk her, though.”

“It’s not the same,” Erin said automatically.

Lewis responded with a sigh and they fell silent for the rest of the drive. Darkness had already fallen and the villages they passed through glittered with twinkling lights, which lulled Erin into a state of utter contentment.

When Lewis pulled the car into his parking space beside the hotel, another car pulled up at the same time.

“That’s Ivy,” Lewis said, turning off the ignition. “She can’t keep away from the place.” His face lit up as he stepped out of the car and called out to her. “Isn’t it you who’s always telling me off for spending too much time here?”

Erin exited the car in time to see the affection in Ivy’s eyes.

“The difference is I’m not here to work. We only came to see you.” Ivy opened the back door and Poppy tumbled out.

“Santa brought me a bike!” she shouted, eyes wide with excitement. “It has a basket and a bell just like I wanted. Do you want to see it?”

“I’d love to,” Lewis said, while Ivy went to open the boot of the car.

Poppy retrieved a pink helmet and set it on her head. “Maybe I can ride it here, Mummy.”

“I think the pavement is slippery here too,” Ivy said while lifting the bike from the car. She glanced at Lewis. “I didn’t want to put stabilisers on because I think she’ll be fine without them, but it’s not exactly the ideal time of year to learn to ride a bike. So far, I just gave her a push around the house.”

“It’s not so slippery,” Lewis said, rubbing his shoe back and forth over the pavement. “I think this is the perfect stretch to learn to ride a bike.”

Ivy shook her head. “I’d rather not spend the evening in A&E, thanks.”

“I’ll hold on to her and give her a push down the road and back,” Lewis said, then bent to hug Poppy. “Happy Christmas, by the way!”

“Happy Christmas!” she replied, pulling out of the embrace to move to her bike.

“Happy Christmas!” Ivy said as he hugged her too, then gave Erin a watery smile.

Lewis held the bike steady while Poppy clambered on.

“Don’t let go of her,” Ivy said sternly.

“I won’t,” he said. “Not until she’s got her balance, anyway. ”

“Lewis,” Ivy growled in that affectionate way she had, which gave Erin an irrational pang of jealousy.

“It’s fine,” he said, waving away her concerns. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

Ivy shut the boot of her car before coming to stand beside Erin and watch Lewis slowly push the bike – and Poppy –along the pavement.

“She must have been very excited this morning,” Erin remarked.

Ivy smiled fondly. “Absolutely beside herself.”

“I imagine Christmas is even more magical when you have a child.”

“It is,” Ivy agreed, then turned at the sound of Molly barking.

“Maybe I should get her out,” Erin murmured, moving back to the car.

“Whose dog is that?”

“Lewis’s.”

Ivy stayed quiet while Erin unclipped Molly’s car harness. She kept a firm hold of her lead as she jumped out of the car and then walked back to Ivy with her.

“Lewis doesn’t have a dog,” she said, a smidge of irritation in her voice.

“It was a Christmas present from his dad.”

Ivy looked over at the car, confusion wrinkling her features. “Were you out with Lewis before?”

“Yes. I ended up having dinner at his parents’ house.”

Ivy screwed her features up even further. “I’m sorry… what?” She didn’t even try to hide her displeasure and Erin was suddenly certain that she wasn’t the only one feeling pangs of jealousy.

“I met his family at midnight mass and his mum felt sorry for me for being alone in the hotel. It was sweet of her to invite me. ”

“Yeah,” Ivy said, her voice low and gravelly. “The Carrington family are lovely. And they’re all very generous.”

Erin reached to stroke Molly, sure there was some subtext to Ivy’s words. Possibly that Erin was taking advantage of their generosity.

“Have you been enjoying your stay at the hotel?” Ivy asked after a moment of awkward silence. Since Lewis and Poppy were now out of sight, they were staring along the road at nothing.

“It’s been really great,” Erin said.

“It must be difficult, though?”

“How so?”

Ivy turned to face her square on. “You were supposed to be here with your fiancé, weren’t you? I imagine you’re dealing with a lot at the moment.”

“Oh. That. It’s kind of a stupid story, but––”

Poppy called out to her mum, interrupting them. “Look at me!” she shouted, pedalling madly and riding entirely by herself while Lewis ran beside her. She wobbled while getting her mum’s attention, but righted herself immediately. The look on her face was pure joy.

Ivy dutifully cheered her on until Lewis took hold of the bike and brought her to a stop in front of them.

“I can ride a bike, Mummy!” Poppy declared proudly, before her eyes darted to Molly. “Is that your dog?” she asked Erin, bounding off the bike. “Can I stroke it?”

“You can stroke her,” Lewis told her. “She’s called Molly, and she’s my dog. I got her for Christmas.”

Poppy gasped and turned to stare up at Ivy. “I didn’t know I could ask Santa for a pet!”

“You can’t,” Ivy said, her features softening for her daughter.

“It wasn’t from Santa,” Lewis said. “My dad gave it to me.”

“Wow!” Poppy giggled when Molly licked her hand. “You’re so lucky. ”

“You have a dog?” Ivy asked, the annoyance back in her eyes as she looked at Lewis.

“Yeah. Long story.”

“Your parents just got you a dog without discussing it with you?” She shook her head, a look of utter disbelief on her features.

“Mum didn’t know anything about it.”

“What on earth was your dad thinking? He’s supposed to be the sensible one in your family. You can’t buy someone a dog as a surprise.”

“It was slightly awkward,” Lewis told her, catching Erin’s eye and making her stomach flutter with his private smile. “But I’m not keeping her,” he said, his attention shifting back to Ivy. “I told him it was ridiculous not to discuss it with me first and that I don’t have time for a dog. She’s staying with me for a week while Mum and Dad are away, and then she’ll live with them.”

“Did Fiona agree to that?” Ivy asked sceptically.

Lewis scrunched his nose up. “ Agree might not be quite the right word. If she doesn’t come around to the idea, I’ll convince Carla to take her. It’s partly her fault, anyway.”

Ivy clicked her tongue. “We should go inside and say hello to Warren,” she told Poppy.

“I want to ride my bike again first,” she said eagerly.

“One more time up and down the road,” Lewis told her as she straddled the bike. “Then we go inside and get warm.”

Left alone, Erin and Ivy descended into another awkward silence.

“Don’t feel you have to wait out here in the cold,” Ivy said eventually. “Go in and get warm.” It felt more like instructions than a suggestion.

Erin looked helplessly at Molly.

“I’ll take her,” Ivy said curtly as she took the lead out of Erin’s hand.