Page 49 of The Merry Christmas Project

He nodded. ‘Cosy, I think you asked for.’

I smiled. ‘I did. I think if you have to spend all day working, you might as well be comfortable.’

‘Don’t ever think about becoming a builder,’ he said wryly.

‘Or a market trader. Here, on the house.’ Nell handed him a brown paper bag, twisted over at the ends. ‘For being such a sweetie to my best friend. She deserves a bit of looking after.’

‘Oh.’ Cole looked touched. ‘That’s very kind of you.’

I felt colour rise to my cheeks. ‘Cole is being a responsible landlord, that’s all. I don’t need looking after, I’m not a delicate houseplant.’

‘More like a cactus,’ Nell muttered, just loud enough to make Cole laugh.

‘Merry is right,’ said Cole, ‘it’s in our contract to provide alternative accommodation if necessary. Anyone would do the same.’

Did he have to make it sound like such an onerous duty, I thought, trying not to look too deflated.

‘You’d be surprised,’ said Nell. ‘Merry and I shared a flat once and the owner put it up for sale without telling us. We came home one day and found an estate agent in the bathroom demonstrating the thermostatic valve on the shower to three men from Barnsley.’

‘He was clothed,’ I pointed out.

Cole laughed and peered in the bag. ‘It’s not more wasabi, is it ? Because my sinuses are still recovering from the last lot.’

‘Pine nuts,’ said Nell. ‘Used for centuries by Native Americans for—’

‘Making pesto,’ I jumped in quickly before she could finish the sentence.

‘Great,’ he said, looking baffled at my sudden interruption, but tucked the bag in his pocket. ‘Very useful.’

I gave Nell a long-suffering look and she grinned, lifting one shoulder insouciantly. I’d heard her tell customers before that pine nuts were the original Viagra. That was not something either Cole or I needed to hear right now.

‘Shall we get going ?’ I suggested. ‘I’m sure you’re a very busy man.’

He gave a wry smile. ‘I am. Even more so than usual thanks to my landscaping contractor, who, by the way will be financing the repairs to Holly Cottage.’

He gave Nell and me a potted explanation of what had caused the flood and then the two of us set off.

‘It’s not far,’ said Cole, leading the way.

He wasn’t joking. We stopped seconds later outside the old bank. I supposed it was obvious now I thought about it ; Nell and I had seen him going in there, so he clearly had something to do with it and how many other spaces was he likely to have free for me to use without much notice ?

‘Is this yours ?’ I asked, ‘or are you in charge of renovating it ?’

‘I bought it earlier this year along with other members of my family ; well, with them and a hefty loan,’ he said getting a bunch of keys out of his pocket. ‘It’s still in a bit of a state I’m afraid, but there’s plenty of space to do whatever it is you do. It’s got running water and electricity.’

‘It’s huge,’ I said with a gasp as I stepped inside after him. I looked at the beams and the windows and the old wooden floor. It looked quite small from the outside. ‘And beautiful.’

It was also completely empty and our voices echoed off the walls. There was no form of heating in this downstairs room and our breath formed clouds in front of our faces as we talked. I made a mental note to get myself an electric heater. At the times I’d be melting wax, I’d be warm enough, but it would quickly get cold in here when I was packing or labelling or doing the sales invoices.

‘It will be,’ he said, following my gaze. ‘It’s a work in progress, but with one thing or another, I haven’t managed to make much progress at all. But that’s going to change. By spring, this place will be unrecognisable. And in the meantime, it’s yours for as long as you need it.’

‘I’m very grateful,’ I said. ‘But I might need you to help me bring the kitchen table from the cottage to work at.’

‘I’m hoping what I’d arranged is better than that.’ He looked pleased with himself. ‘It’s entirely up to you, but I thought you might feel a bit on show downstairs, especially when the lights are on here and everyone can see in through with the windows from the pavement. I’ve made a workspace for you upstairs on the first floor instead. Come and take a look.’

‘Listen, Cole,’ I shook my head in amazement. ‘I haven’t even seen it yet, but I’m already flattered that you’ve gone to all this trouble.’

‘Well,’ he said, ‘it took me all night, but it’s amazing what you can do with some old pallets and a few camping chairs.’