When he saw Amelia Nathan hung back and watched her perusing the chocolate stall. He couldn’t deny how much he’d been looking forward to seeing her today, how it felt a bit like a date. On holiday or not, he’d found a woman he wanted to get to know much better. And he wondered whether she possibly felt the same way.
Chapter Twelve
Amelia
Amelia waved over at Nathan when she noticed him hovering near the roast-chestnut cart. She let a laugh escape when he stumbled on the less-than-even grass beneath, looking as though he’d had one too many at this early hour.
‘I’m glad my clumsiness amuses you.’ He quickly righted himself and made his way over.
‘You were a bit comical, I’m afraid, arms waving everywhere.’
‘Not quite the impression I was going for.’
‘You’ve got to watch the ground here, it’s uneven and you can’t see when it’s frosty. I stumbled about ten minutes before you did.’ She looked around them, stallholders embracing the season, visitors milling and moving excitedly from one stall to the next. ‘What do you think to Inglenook Falls? Bit different to the city, isn’t it?’
‘Completely different, and in a good way. I’m glad I came.’
She stood on tiptoes and pointed back towards the entrance, where across the street there was a small row of shops and you could just about make out signage for Cleo’s store. ‘That’s the Little Knitting Box, where I’ve been helping out as well as bringing boxes of stock over here from. Did you and Scarlett find the Christmas tree farm all right?’
‘We did, and I’m sure Scarlett is in good hands.’
‘You’re not worrying too much?’
‘Not right now, no.’
The way he was looking at her suggested she was as much of a distraction for him as he was for her. His company would stop her worrying about Kyle so much. ‘Kyle said he’d be finished with Mitch around four o’clock.’
‘He’ll be exhausted after a full day. I wonder if Scarlett will attempt any lifting or chopping.’
‘You never know.’
He seemed a lot calmer about them spending time together, which was a relief. She gestured towards the market stalls. ‘Were you looking for anything in particular today?’
‘I’m just killing time really.’
‘Come on, I’ve done the rounds already. Do you like cheese?’
‘As a matter of fact I do.’
‘Then I’ve just the place.’
Over the next hour they savoured many of the tastes on offer at the winter markets, their first stop spent sampling cheeses, the stronger the better, although one variety nearly knocked his head off with the chilli hit he hadn’t expected. Amelia had done her best not to laugh too hard and cautiously took a bite of the same variety. They enjoyed a mulled cider each, tasted chocolates in all shapes and sizes, one so rich Nathan drew the line at having any more.
‘This is starting to become an eating holiday,’ he declared when they passed the knitting stall and waved a hello to Cleo.
‘They have the most amazing doughnuts at the end.’
‘No way, I’m done. And please tell me it’s almost time to warm up at the café, I can hardly feel my toes.’
‘Drama queen.’
She loved how he was open to trying new things. Paul had always been what he declared a traditionalist. He liked fancy restaurants but kept his choices conservative; when he enjoyed wine he stuck to blends and varieties he knew. But Nathan seemed to go with the flow. Paul had never been able to handle spicy food so wouldn’t have tried a crumb of the hot cheese. Mind you, perhaps Nathan was regretting it given how quickly he’d downed the cider straight afterwards.
They moved on to a stall with picture frames and Amelia told him this was Mitch’s work.
‘He’s a talented man,’ said Nathan.
‘It was once a secret hobby, according to Cleo – I’ve been with her all morning, she’s updated me on so much local gossip that I feel as though I could slot right in here as one of them.’
