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Chapter Twenty One
Holly looked up anddown the long makeshift table and grinned. Everyone who had been at the pub quiz was here, as well as Wendy, Connor and all of the children. Plates were piled high and the tinsel in Pippa’s hair kept catching the sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the wooden walls of the large barn. After arriving at the farm, Elsie and Ian had set to work cooking the delicious meal they were now enjoying whilst she, Joe, Chris and Freya had rushed around clearing the barn at the back of the sanctuary and propping large sheets of wood on top of logs. They’d made a good job of it, too.
It was cold, of course it was. But the barn roof was keeping the snow off them and with everyone wearing their coats and the general excitement of having Christmas dinner in a barn, no one seemed to notice the low temperatures.
‘This is delicious.’ Joe nodded toward his fork, heaped high with stuffing and bread sauce. ‘I don’t know how they do it, but Elsie and Ian have made the best Christmas dinner I’ve ever tasted.’
Holly grinned. ‘It is good, isn’t it?’
Leaning closer, he lowered his voice. ‘I’m so glad you didn’t send me packing when I first turned up in the bay.’
‘Me too.’ She looked at him. ‘I can’t believe how close I was to telling you to go home, though.’
‘But you didn’t.’
‘Nope.’ She met his gaze. Whatever the future held for them, she knew they’d get through it together. ‘I meant what I said earlier. I do love you.’
‘Me too.’ Joe kissed her quickly.
‘Nana Elsie, Grampy Ian, can we pull our crackers now? Please?’ Pippa held her cracker above her head and waved it in the air, trying to get Elsie and Ian’s attention.
‘Umm...’ Elsie glanced at Ian before looking down the table, trying to catch Harry’s attention before answering Pippa.
‘Well? Can we? Please?’ Pippa waved the cracker above her head again. ‘I want to wear my party hat.’
‘I think that’s a great idea, Pippa.’ Harry called from the opposite end of the table before picking up the cracker in front of Diane and holding it out to her.
‘I really hope I put the right cracker in the right place.’ Holly leaned across to Joe and whispered. ‘The name cards for the table were left back at the bakery, so I just had to place the crackers down everyone had sat down. I just hope no one swapped places with Diane.’
Joe smiled. ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine. I don’t think they did.’
Grasping her fingers under the table, Holly watched as Diane took one end of the cracker. She looked across at Elsie, who caught her eye and smiled.
As people pulled their crackers, tiny snaps filled the air and party hats and small gifts rained down onto the table. Holly and Joe, Elsie and Ian waited, their crackers in their hands and their attention focused on Diane and Harry.
‘Eek!’ Diane squealed as everyone turned to look at her. ‘Are you being serious? Is this what I think it is?’ She held the engagement ring between her thumb and forefinger as the table silenced and Harry got down onto one knee.
‘Diane...’
‘No way!’ Covering her face, Diane laughed.
Chuckling, Harry reached up and gently pulled her hands from her face before kneeling down again. ‘Diane, I love you more than I thought it was ever possible to love someone, so would you do me the honour of marrying me?’
‘No, I can’t...’ Diane grinned. ‘I can’t believe this. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.’ Standing up, she pulled Harry to his feet and flung her arms around him. ‘I’m going to be your wife!’
A loud applause erupted around the table followed by shouts and screams of ‘Congratulations’.
Lauren stood up and ran across to her sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law and pulled them both into a hug. ‘Congratulations!’
‘Thanks.’ Diane grinned. ‘I need to go and tell Mum and Dad.’
