Page 91 of New Beginnings on Railway Lane

‘We’ll have to anchor it down but absolutely.’ Ryan grinned. ‘Go big or go home, I say.’

He headed back into the waiting room to check on the bread that he was baking in the open fire.

Katy stood in the entrance hall as a thought struck her as to what he had said. Go home? She didn’t want to. Because she was already there. Cranfield was her home now, at least until Valentine’s Day.

49

A week before Christmas and the snow that the forecasters had been predicting finally arrived overnight.

Katy was thrilled when she looked out of the window one morning and rushed to get dressed. She headed outside and breathed in the fresh clean air. It was so cold, it almost iced up her lungs, but it was crisp and clean.

Looking across the railway tracks, she could see lots of families out walking and even a snowman that had already appeared by one of the paths.

‘Good morning.’

She spun around and smiled at Ryan as he walked towards her.

‘You rushed out early today.’

‘Good morning,’ she replied. ‘Isn’t it beautiful?’ Her breath showed in the cold air as she spoke. ‘I couldn’t resist coming outside.’

He came to stand next to her. ‘Fancy a walk?’

‘I’d love one.’

So they carefully went over the railway bridge, taking care not to slip on the slippery iron surface before making it safely to the path beyond.

‘Good job you’re still not wearing those high heels like when you came for your interview,’ said Ryan, laughing.

She smiled back. It felt like a lifetime ago. And like a different person.

They had shared quite a few kisses over the weeks, but both of them were still holding back from revealing their true feelings, as if the countdown to Valentine’s Day and what happened afterwards was still hovering over them.

‘Hey, what are your plans for Christmas?’ Ryan asked, as they walked along. ‘Are you seeing your folks?’

Katy shook her head. ‘My stepdad is Irish, so Mum and him are going to stay with his family.’

‘Well then, you’re either going to be in charge of laying the table or chopping the vegetables, so it’s your choice of task.’

She looked at him. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, would you like to spend the day with us menfolk over at Grandad’s?’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘It’s not the Ritz but—’

‘I’d love to,’ she found herself saying quickly and Ryan looked pleased.

‘Where did you normally spend Christmas?’ he asked.

‘Mostly I was at work. By the time I got home, it was normally over.’ She laughed. ‘A sad meal for one.’

He took her into his arms. ‘I’m sorry you were in pain all those years.’

‘It’s taken this village to make me look at everything differently,’ she said, wrapping her arms around him.

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Just Cranfield?’

There was doubt in his eyes, so she reached up to hold his cheek in her hand.

‘No,’ she told him softly. ‘It was you as well. My life has been turned upside down and somehow rather than upsetting everything, it’s made it all a million times better.’