Page 57 of The Christmas Highland Lodge

My hand, toasty in gloves, reached up. I lowered my arm to see a couple of snowflakes sitting on my coat sleeve, before they vanished.

‘Snow!’ I gasped aloud, snapping my head to gaze up at the sky.

The bank of moody grey clouds of moments ago had given way to a swathe of snowflakes floating down, shrouding everything in a veil of white.

I shot out both hands now, marvelling at the diamond flakes. They were like white feathers, delicate and fluttery.

I threw my head back, closed my eyes for a few seconds and opened my mouth. The chilly flakes shimmied in, momentarily taking my breath away.

I let out a short laugh, as the snow continued to tickle my tongue. They tasted sparkly, like I imagined diamonds or stars would.

‘What are you doing?’

I jumped at the voice and whirled round.

Blake was standing there watching me, looking confused.

‘Enjoying the snow,’ I gulped, the flakes tickling my lashes as I blinked across at him. ‘What are you doing up here? Bumping into you seems to be becoming a bit of a habit.’

His face was impassive. ‘Getting details of who is arriving on Christmas Eve and who has booked themselves on one of my festive rambles.’ He arched a brow. ‘Nice to see you’re busy.’

I pulled a sarcastic face at him. ‘Sometimes it’s good to just savour the moment.’ The snow continued to spin down, flakes clotting in my ponytail. ‘You should try it sometime.’

‘Try what?’

I flung my head back and stuck out my tongue. ‘Having fun. It’s catching.’

‘What, like the flu?’

More flakes swayed down and landed on it, zinging and chilly. I straightened up. ‘Try this. Go on. Catch snowflakes in your mouth. I used to do this with my dad when I was little.’

‘So, he’s Christmas obsessed too, is he? What is it about this town? It must be catching.’

My smile withered. I swallowed a lump in my throat. ‘He was. We lost him suddenly eighteen months ago now.’

Blake’s sarcastic expression collapsed. ‘Shit. Oh God. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s ok. My mum and I are still trying to adjust to life without him and get on with things.’

‘Lottie, I would never have—’

‘I know. There’s no need to apologise.’

There was an awkward silence, except for the crisp snow carpeting everything around us.

Blake flashed me a look, before jerking one thumb over his shoulder. It looked like he was busy trying to find the right words. ‘I can’t believe I’m about to say this and as much as it pains me to do so, those cabins are looking good.’

I performed an exaggerated blink. ‘Good grief. Just give me a second to process this. Was that a compliment?’

Blake’s black brows flexed under his woolly hat. His lips twitched. ‘Don’t get used to it. There won’t be another one for three years.’

‘Now that I can believe.’

He glanced down at his feet for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyes to mine. ‘Look, Lottie, the truth is, I was hoping I’d find you here.’

‘Oh?’

He flashed me a look from under his thrusting black lashes. There it was again: that slightly discomfited glint in his eyes. ‘I should never have gone to Max like that, complaining about your plans for the cabins. I don’t know what I was thinking.’ He shook his head. ‘That wasn’t my finest hour.’