Page 19 of The Secret Holiday Kiss

‘Does all that mean you can’t have a lunch break? Is that why you’re internationally successful?’

‘I was internationally successful,’ Daisy said ruefully. ‘But when you’re married to a well-established hotel consultant and end up having an acrimonious divorce, that success can be badly impacted.’ She smiled, because she didn’t want to seem bitter.

Sophie’s gaze softened. ‘That’s such bullshit. But if you’re not maintaining a reputation, you can have a long lunch with us. I’m working at the shop until one but then Jazz is covering. We can talk balls – Christmas ones, rather than … y’know.’

‘Even though May’s technically on the other side?’

Sophie laughed. ‘I would say you shouldn’t treat it as a competition, but I’m totally up for making our ball a hundred times better than Avery’s treasure hunt. Even if he does have handcrafted Christmas sculptures.’

‘He doesn’t have any yet.’ Daisy assumed this from the way he’d initially blown off May’s suggestion that he’d even come up with the idea.

‘Then we’re winning already.’ Sophie turned in the doorway, then paused. ‘Did you know Avery, when you were all growing up here?’

Daisy folded her arms. ‘I vaguely remember him as a skinny kid, irritating simply because he was Harry’s friend, but I didn’t even recognize him when I bumped into him the other day.’

‘So you’ve gone from strangers to competitors in a few days?’ Sophie narrowed her eyes. ‘Interesting.’

Daisy’s heart thudded. ‘There’s nothing interesting about it. What time shall I meet you?’

‘One fifteen?’

‘Looking forward to it. I’ll bring my competitive plotting hat.’

‘I’ll bring a notebook,’ Sophie said with a grin, then she was gone.

Mistingham Hotel was already getting into the Christmas spirit when Daisy arrived. Two hefty-looking young men were wrangling a huge fir tree into the corner of the foyer, the scent of pine overwhelming and unmistakably festive. Garlands were draped along the wooden mantelpiece over the fireplace, twinkling red and gold like an extra set of flames, and strings of lights had been wound around the mounted pictures, adding a jaunty edge to the seascapes and landscapes, and one particularly elaborate hunting scene.

‘Hello,’ she said to the woman with wild grey curls sitting behind the reception desk. ‘Winnie, isn’t it? I don’t know if you remember me, but—’

‘Daisy Anderly,’ Winnie said, in a way that made Daisy feel instantly chastised. ‘In Mistingham again after all this time. You’ve followed your brother back, then?’

‘I haven’t followed him. I’m staying with him and Sophie temporarily while my London place is getting fixed.’

‘And muscling your way into the Christmas events plan.’

‘You don’t like the idea of a ball, then? You’re Team Avery?’

Winnie smiled, the lines around her eyes crinkling. ‘Oh, it’s a competition, is it? Very good. Avery is building my and Mary’s house, so I don’t think it would be wise to go against him.’

‘But you will come to the ball, won’t you?’ She had a sudden panic that they would put all the work in, and it would end up being her, Sophie and Harry, three dogs and a goat and a load of fancy canapés.

‘A swanky event at the manor? All the villagers pitching in with drinks and delectable treats?’ Winnie shook her head. ‘You’d have to drag me away.’

‘Excellent.’ Daisy hefted her handbag onto her shoulder. ‘I wanted to ask, when your house is finished, who’s doing the interior design? Is that built into the project?’

Winnie rested her elbows on the desk. ‘What do you mean, Daisy love? We’ll paint it, cart most of our furniture over, buy a couple of new bits.’

Daisy pressed her lips together. ‘It’s going to be such a beautiful house. It’s a stunning design, and I’m itching to see it close up. If you wanted, I could take a proper look around – with Avery’s permission, all the necessary safety precautions – and give you some ideas about how to make the interior really work for you. The right balance of elegance and practicality. A lavish coastal home built in the traditional style. It would be—’

‘So you do that, then? All the fancy light fixtures and colour swatches and whatnot?’

‘That’s me,’ Daisy said. ‘I’ve got a couple of clients, but I also have some time. So.’

‘So indeed.’ Winnie narrowed her eyes. ‘Let me talk to my sister, and I’ll get back to you.’

‘Wonderful!’ Her pulse skittered at the thought of another project to get her teeth into, and at the prospect of being on site with Avery, not intentionally pissing him off, but … she shook her head. She always stood up for herself; she spoke her mind and wasn’t afraid to challenge people when she disagreed with them. But she wasn’t generally a confrontational person. What was wrong with her? ‘I’d better …’

‘Sophie and May are already in there,’ Winnie said.