Page 57 of All We Want for Christmas
‘Unfortunately.’ He grimaced, but in a charming way. Even so, Lara felt a chill spread from the roots of her hair to her toes. ‘Catch you later.’
Flynn never did catch her later, although he didn’t have much chance. Lara had gone back to the cottage, then gone for a costume fitting at the Penhaligons’ apartment. The linen toile Tessa had made for her to try fitted like a glove, and the fabric she’d chosen was so beautiful she wanted to cry. Even so, it was very hard to keep smiling and joking while Tessa pinned her and made tiny adjustments with Fiona hovering around like a mother hen.
She went home and called her parents. Then she got involved in a long exchange of messages in a WhatsApp group of uni friends from Birmingham days. She watched a Christmas special of a favourite comedy and then went to bed, at which point she finally had the opportunity to think about the reasons why Flynn would openly lie about his relationship with Molly.
It was the following evening, after she’d finished work, that he finally knocked on her door.
‘Hello,’ he said. There was no trace of the charming smile and his serious expression set alarm bells jangling immediately. ‘Are you busy?’
‘Erm. Not really.’
‘I – think we need to have a chat.’
Goosebumps popped out all over her body. Even though she’d known that something sudden and not at all good had happened between them, the realisation still made her legs feel weak. ‘You’d better come in,’ she said.
‘Thanks.’
She closed the door behind him and joined him in the sitting room.
‘You’ve put your Christmas tree up,’ he said, almost in wonder.
‘Yes. I thought it would be too late if I didn’t do it soon.’
‘I haven’t got round to mine. I don’t think I will now.’ He brushed his hand over his chin. ‘For all kinds of reasons.’
Of all the statements he could have made and all the ways of leading into a conversation that she knew would not end well, this was the one she’d never have guessed.
‘What do you mean? Why would you not have a tree up? Are you – are you leaving Ravendale?’
‘No! Nothing like that. No.’
She felt her shoulders slump in relief but then said, ‘But something’s wrong. I know it is, and I know that you didn’t meet Harvey at the White Hart the other night.’
‘You do?’ He raked his fingers through his hair. ‘Oh, shit. Damn. I am so sorry, Lara.’
‘For lying?’
‘Yes. I – I couldn’t think of anything else to say in the moment.’
‘I guessed that. But all you had to do was be honest. If you were meeting Molly from the café, all you had to do was say. If there’s something … between you, then you only had to tell me.’
‘Something between me and Molly?’ He had an expression of horror on his face. ‘No. No. It’s not that. It couldneverbe. Lara, I can’t believe you thought that.’
‘What else was I to think when you lied about seeing her and I saw her at your place with the baby. Is Esme yours?’
‘Oh my God. What a bloody mess …’ He sat down heavily on the sofa. ‘Esme isn’t my daughter. She’s my granddaughter and Molly is her mum.’
Lara steadied herself with a hand on the mantelpiece. Nothing he said made sense. At no point had she even dreamed of such a scenario. ‘You mean that Molly is yourdaughter?’ she managed, after a few seconds. ‘But … you don’t have any children. You’re too young. It can’t be …’
‘I thought I didn’t until last week. Molly presentedEsme to me and told me the truth and, believe me, I am old enough. Molly’s only nineteen and I’m thirty-nine.’
Lara sat down on the chair. ‘But you hadnoidea about them at all?’
‘No. I had a one-night stand with Molly’s mother, Imogen, which resulted in Molly. She didn’t have my contact details to tell me she was pregnant and then, once the baby was born, she decided not to try and find me.’
‘You mean she kept the fact you had a daughter from you for all this time?’ Lara could barely believe anyone would deprive a parent of knowing their child.
‘Yes.’
