Page 67 of A Scottish Highland Surprise

She focused on her present, her fingers fumbling and pulling at the ribbon. She eased open the lid.

Nestled against the cream cushion inside was a hand-crafted brooch in the shape of a teacup and saucer, made of porcelain and decorated with the daintiest pink tea roses. Helena couldn’t pull her eyes away from the dainty beauty of it. “Chris,” she breathed after what seemed like an age. “It’s … it’s stunning.”

“You like it?”

“I love it. Thank you so much.” She allowed her fingers to trace its flower decoration again and again.

She snapped her head up. “Right. Your turn now.”

There was so much intimacy captured between them at that moment. The two of them together, alone in Cup of Joy, with the Christmas weather swirling outside, shoppers huddled against the elements and clutching their purchases as they made their way home.

Chris smiled again at her as he tugged off the wrapping paper and deposited it on the counter beside her scarf. He slid open the oblong white box and admired the black marble and gold pen Helena had bought him.

“You’re always losing them,” she said in a rush, feeling gawky and self-conscious.

Chris’s expression melted with appreciation. “Well, I can assure you that I won’t be losing this one. Thank you. It’s lovely.”

Helena’s throat constricted as she watched Chris’s fingertips run up and down the pen. “So, how about that Christmas drink?”

The lights winking all around her, Chris’s golden good looks, and the knowledge that Marnie was safe and having fun round at her school friend Joanne’s – no doubt munching her way through platefuls of tuna paste sandwiches and watching Scooby-Doo – made Helena agonise over what to do.

One drink. One drink with this gorgeous man to celebrate Cup of Joy and the impending Christmas holidays and then she could catch a taxi home. “All right,” she breathed, before she allowed herself to scrutinise what she was doing. “Just give me a moment.”

Chris broke into a delighted grin. “Great. I’ll just switch everything off.”

Helena darted past him to the staff bathroom located at the rear of the shop. She closed the door behind her, before slumping against it. Adrenalin and longing rocketed through her.

Refusing to analyse what she was doing, she scrambled about in her fringed shoulder bag and retrieved her frosted pink lipstick. She slicked it on, her wide light blue eyes asking questions she was intent on ignoring.

She blew out a cloud of air, flicked her straight hair back over her shoulders and reached for the door handle. She was clipping her way back towards the shop floor, when muffled voices travelled towards her.

Helena drew up, gathering her belted winter coat tighter about her. Was that a last-minute customer? It was when the other person spoke again that realisation struck her in the chest. No. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be Donald.

Helena pressed her rigid spine against the nearest wall. Her shoulder bag was digging into her side.

“So… I just wondered if you could reserve the… oh, hang on a second…” There was the noise of scrabbling around and crinkling paper. “It’s the J&G Meakin Poppy tea set.”

What? What was Donald doing here in Cup of Joy and why was he asking about that tea set? Helena’s head was whirring with guilt and confusion. She forced herself to take a deep breath.

From the shop floor, the conversation continued, much to Helena’s horror and swirling guilt. “Sorry,” followed up Donald, “I should have introduced myself. I’m Helena’s husband.”

Helena forced her eyes shut, willing this crazy, awkward situation away. What did he think he was doing? Why was he here? Was he suspicious that something was going on between her and Chris?

Chris’s silence was tearing into Helena.

“You’re her husband?” Chris managed after a pause. “Oh. Right. It’s good to meet you at last. I’m Chris Auld. I own this place.”

Helena forced herself away from the wall and risked a peek around the corner. The two men were exchanging polite smiles and handshakes.

“Helena is such an asset to this shop,” said Chris. “She really has worked wonders.”

Donald took in the shelves of crockery and the swathes of Christmas decorations fringing everywhere. “Helena has always been obsessed with crockery. Never understood it myself, but…” As though detecting Chris examining him, he corrected himself. “Sorry, it’s just she has mentioned this particular tea set so many times at home since it arrived, I would like to buy it for her for Christmas.”

Helena felt like she was watching the events play out through some sort of enveloping mist. She gripped her handbag tighter to her side.

Donald cast his ghostly grey gaze around. “Is she still here? Only that’s her scarf and I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“She’s through the back,” answered Chris. “She won’t be long.”