Page 76 of One Perfect Day in Lovely Bay
'Some kind of smoked salmon thing with caviar. Absolutely sinful.'
Eloise took one, bit into it, and closed her eyes in bliss. 'Oh my.'
Cally took another one and lowered her voice. 'It’s probably not ladylike to stuff these in your face, but I don't even care. When in Rome, and all that.'
Eloise laughed. 'It would be rude not to, really.'
Cally noticed Logan glancing over at them. She felt a flutter at the sight of him.
'He looks good,' Eloise observed, following Cally's gaze. 'Better than the last time I saw him.'
Cally nodded. 'He's doing better. This trip has been good for him, I think. It's helping him process everything.'
As they sipped their drinks, Cally looked back out the window where the snow had started to fall in big fat flakes swirling past the window pane. As she stood there, she felt as if she was looking directly into a snow globe that someone had just picked up and given a gentle shake.
Eloise put her finger on the glass. 'I can see why Logan's family loves it here so much.'
‘Yep.’
‘Though I have to say, I'm glad we're in here and not out there. I'm not built for the cold.'
'Says the woman in the backless dress,' Cally teased and nudged Eloise on the arm.
As they both stood looking at the snowflakes feathering past the window, Cally could hardly keep a beam from her face. Here she was, standing next to her best friend beside a vast Christmas tree in a beautiful setting with a glass of bubbles in her hand, a roaring fire, and heavy snow outside. She’d had worse festive occasions. Life was good. Would it ever really get any better? Oh indeed, it would.
47
There was no disputing that the estate was pretty in its veil of pure brilliant white. It looked as if someone had taken a paintbrush, dipped it in sparkly paint complete with glitter and iridescent particles, and dabbed it liberally over the whole scene. Snow sparkles glinted from just about everywhere. It wouldn’t be a lie to say that along with being astonishingly pretty, it was also absolutelyfreezing.
Cally strode along beside Eloise on a walk into the local town. Both Birdie and Nina had been emphatic in their responses, saying that they were staying tucked up by the fire in the warmth. Not only that, Birdie was in her element in the drawing room in the main house, soaking up the atmosphere and no doubt envisaging herself as lady of the manor.
Cally pulled her beanie further down over her ears, tucked her chin in her tartan scarf, and shoved her hands deep down in her pockets. 'Well, it’s certainly cold,' she noted.
Eloise signalled agreement. 'Yes. Didn’t you say Doreen said it would be a lot colder than the forecast said?’
'She did. How can the cold be colder up here? If you see what I mean?'
'No. What? What do you mean?'
'I don’t know, but it just seemsverycold. Like colder than Lovely cold. I think my toes are starting to go numb.’
‘I suppose that’s because it is.’
Cally swept her hand around at the woods doused in snow and pointed up to the snow-laden branches of the trees in front of them. ‘The branches take on a whole new look when they’re white, don’t they?’
'Yes and the bushes. I’m so pleased you invited me. I’ll be coming back.’ Eloise joked. ‘You really feel like you get away from it all on the estate. I didn’t quite understand what you meant when you told me before. Now I get it.’
'Yeah, it was a good idea of Logan’s to come here at this time of year. I suppose he knows what he’s doing. He’s been coming here long enough.'
'Definitely,' Eloise nodded. 'How nice to be able to just come up here whenever you want. Oh, to bestinkingrich. You have to keep hold of him.’
'I know,' Cally sighed. 'Just a little estate to go to whenever you want, fully staffed with food, and everything at your disposal. Homemade shortbread on tap.'
‘I’ll be ordering one for my next life.’
Cally smiled as she walked along, thinking about what a lovely weekend she’d had in Scotland. They’d not done much but loads at the same time. Mostly they’d stayed on the estate, hunkering down by the fires and going out for walks. They’d also been to the pub, had a beautiful dinner with Birdie, Robby, and Nina, and one night, they’d just sat around the fire, playing cards and then simply putting the world to rights late into the night fuelled by a whisky or two. All of it had done wonders for Cally’s soul.
As they trudged through the snow-covered woods, their boots crunching along, they chatted about what Cally had found at the Peaceton store and how she was putting her flat huntingon hold. Crisp winter air nipped at their cheeks and as they got deeper into the woods, the more magical the scenery became. The woods were still and quiet; the only sounds a soft crunch of snow beneath their feet and the occasional chirp of a bird braving the chill. Cally inhaled a sharp, clean scent of pine and icy air.
