Page 53 of The Christmas Highland Lodge

Blake shuffled forward in his throne. He looked pensive. ‘Sweetheart, Santa can’t make people do things. I wish I could. It’s not the same as wishing for a bike or a doll’s house.’

Natalie nodded, making her thick, straight fringe shake.

Blake shuffled round on this throne and shot me a cautious look, before turning all his attention back to Natalie. ‘But I’m sure that once your mummy has her holiday, she will come straight home. And I bet she’s been thinking about you and your daddy a lot.’

The girl’s serious face eased into a small, pleased smile.

I leant forward and plucked a present, wrapped in lilac and silver paper, from inside Santa’s sack and knelt down in front of her. ‘Here you are. Merry Christmas.’

Miss Turner offered us both awkward but appreciative smiles and ushered Natalie back out of the grotto to join her classmates in the hall, who were bouncing around to ‘Nellie the Elephant’.

‘You were lovely with that little girl,’ I admitted to Blake.

He twisted round, surprised, as he sat on Santa’s grand throne. ‘Well, don’t sound so shocked. Anyone would think I was some sort of ogre.’

I flexed both my brows.

It was the turn of one of the rowdy blond boys next. He came bounding up to Blake, breaking the emotional hush. He informed him that his name was Caleb and proceeded to reel off a dizzying list of everything from a new football and goal posts to the latest mobile, that he wanted for Christmas.

* * *

At the end of the party, Blake and I gratefully gulped down a cup of strong coffee each, supplied by Mrs Stritch, together with generous slices of Christmas cake. We were both rather frazzled around the edges.

We had ended up having to contend with two girls arguing over the same gift, a boy who interrogated Blake/Santa about what he fed his reindeer and another little boy who insisted that underneath his wig and beard, Blake was in fact his Uncle Keith.

We were both relieved to call it a day and get changed!

I emerged out of the ladies’ toilets, my hair still loose and hanging in light-brown waves past my shoulders. I was in my silky grey shirt and dark denim jeans again. The offending elf outfit was draped over one arm.

I rounded the corner and was back inside the school hall, with its splashes of children’s paintings, decorations and winking Christmas tree.

Blake had changed out of his Santa outfit and was now dressed back in his civvies of a chunky cable-knit cream jumper and black jeans.

He was also engaged in an animated conversation with Miss Turner, the pretty blonde teacher. I noticed him rooting around inside his back pocket and handing her one of his business cards.

She flushed a fetching shade of pink. Was Blake asking her out? Was she asking him out?

I pretended to fish about in my shoulder bag and reach for my phone. Not that I was at all bothered or interested in what Blake did. It was none of my business. Brave woman if she was entertaining romantic thoughts about him. Good luck to her.

Blake strode back over to me and we made our way out of the school and towards our respective cars.

I didn’t ask Blake about Miss Turner and he didn’t offer any explanation, as we got ready to drive off separately. He seemed preoccupied. He just muttered something about it being ‘one hell of an afternoon’ and then said bye and drove off.

I made my way back to the town, thinking of Natalie and wishing her and her father a lovely Christmas.

* * *

The next morning, I’d just finished breakfast and was about to hit social media to update the Magical Occasions Cabins accounts with photos I had taken of the made over cabins, when my mobile erupted with a number I didn’t recognise.

‘Hello?’

‘Hi. Is that Lottie Grant?’ asked a female voice.

‘Yes. Who is this?’

‘It’s Sarah Turner. Miss Turner from school?’

The call threw me for a few seconds. ‘Oh hi. Yes. Sorry. How are you?’