Page 36 of The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop

Isla smiled. She loved how Oscar followed her every move, sticking his snout into the pile of presents as though he was an essential part of the task.

‘Right,’ she announced in a voice that Oscar understood entirely. ‘Come on then, let’s go walkies!’

Isla wasn’t sure who was more excited – her or Oscar.

* * *

It was a crisp, bright day, the sun low in the sky, the remainders of this morning’s frost still sparkling in the sunshine. As she passed the bushes laden with holly and berries, she was reminded that she should pick some more sprigs for both the house and the shop. She would make another trip to do that, perhaps with Jake or her mum.

As she went through the kissing gate into the field, she spotted Guy in the distance and gave him a wave. She let Oscar off his lead and he went galloping across the field to greet Lottie, his ears flapping joyously. Lottie was equally excitable, chasing Oscar round in circles. Isla could feel her face and nose stinging with cold as she went to greet them.

‘Hey,’ said Guy, a friendly expression on his face. ‘How are you?’ He leaned in to hug her, leaving a kiss on her cheek.

‘Good,’ she breezed. ‘These two definitely recognise each other now, don’t they?’

‘Oh yes, they made an immediate connection, and they’ve been the best of friends ever since,’ he said, raising his eyebrows and fixing her with a stare so that Isla wasn’t sure if he was talking about them or the dogs. She laughed and they started walking, chatting away easily about what they had been doing that day. It was one of the many things Isla loved about being home. The fact that she could wander out of the front door and within minutes be in stunning countryside. Sharing that experience with someone else, Guy especially, was a bonus, as they continued walking and talking, pointing out the beauty in their surroundings.

‘I’ve had some good news this week,’ she told him. ‘A job offer from one of the big publishing firms.’

‘Really? Congratulations! Are you going to take it?’

‘I’d be a fool not to,’ she said, realising she hadn’t answered his question.

‘What good news! I guess London isn’t too far away.’

She turned her head to look at him, to try and gauge his meaning.

‘If we want to carry on seeing each other,’ he said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He held out his gloved hand to hers and she took it in her own. ‘I’m hoping this is for longer than just Christmas.’

She didn’t answer but simply smiled and nodded. She hadn’t dared to look too far ahead. The new year had represented a time when she would need to make some big decisions about her career, but she realised there were other considerations now too. Could their friendship – she could hardly call it a relationship yet – develop into something more serious? She did really like Guy, but whether what they had together could extend beyond the bookshop and dog walking, she didn’t know. The trip to Highbury from Bramlingham wasn’t straightforward. It took over two hours by train, involving a couple of changes, and driving was even worse. Not to mention the parking situation once you arrived in London. In reality, with both of their busy schedules – Isla often worked until eight or nine o’clock at night, and that would only likely increase once she took on a new role – she couldn’t actually see it working out between them.

‘Why are you looking so sad?’ He pulled her round to face him. ‘This is what you wanted, isn’t it? The new job? I bet Diana is thrilled.’

She grimaced and lifted her shoulders to her ears.

‘Don’t tell me, you haven’t told her yet?’

‘I’m about to,’ she said with a sheepish smile, knowing that she really couldn’t put it off any longer, although it still filled her with dread imagining how that conversation might go.

They walked over the field, through the metal gate and onto the wooden bridge where they stopped for a moment to peer into the river below, the dogs padding back and forth, eager to move on. Then they went through the second gate and into the next field, following the path winding its way in front of them. They met a couple of fellow dog walkers who they said hello to, but other than them, they didn’t see a soul. They looped around, taking a cut-through to the back path, having walked about three miles, and ending up in the first field, climbing the slight incline to the bench on top of the mound that give far-reaching views over the surrounding countryside.

‘Hey, I’ve got something for us. Come on.’ Guy invited her to sit down and pulled out a thermos flask from the large inside pocket of his wax jacket. ‘Coffee?’ he said with a wide smile.

‘My goodness. You really do think of everything.’

‘I’m afraid I can’t provide marshmallows or whipped cream, but it’s the next best thing, and it’s warming, if nothing else.’ He poured the coffee into two cups and handed her one. ‘I hope you thought to bring the cakes,’ he said, pursing his lips to one side, an expectant look on his face.

She laughed. ‘I’m sorry. I’m pretty rubbish at keeping to my side of the arrangement, aren’t I? I must try harder.’

The coffee was welcome and they sat side by side on the bench looking out across the fields, watching Oscar and Lottie mooching about and playing together.

She took at glance at Guy, noticing the strong, defined lines of his profile, the way his mouth naturally upturned at the corners, and his enviably long, dark eyelashes. Annoyingly, it took her several coatings of thick black mascara to achieve the same effect.

‘The bookshop won’t be the same without you,’ he said, and she nodded her agreement.

‘I’ll certainly miss it, and the customers, and Heathcliff too, of course.’ They’d only recently made friends and now she would be leaving him behind which, considering they hadn’t got off to the best start, and she wasn’t even a cat person, saddened her. ‘I’ve had such a great time. It will be a wrench,’ she admitted. ‘Anyway, you’re here to stay? You’ve put down roots here by the sounds of things.’

‘I have. It was about time. I’m getting on. I’m thirty-four now.’