Page 19 of Mistletoe Kisses at Cwtch Cove

‘Ages yet.’

‘Well…’ Lucy chewed at a fingernail. ‘You’d think so, but I have about twenty thousand words left to add and I’ve hit a wall.’

‘How so?’

‘I can’t think where it should go next. I know how it ends but it’s the saggy middle that’s bugging me.’

‘How do you normally deal with that?’

‘It doesn’t happen with all books but with this one… I’m a bit stuck. It’ll come though, I’m sure. I just need to let my mind work on it. Sometimes, a plot walk helps, sometimes a shower, sometimes doing something completely different—’

‘Oooh!’ Ellen looked up at the ceiling. ‘That’s my phone vibrating.’

‘You want me to go and get it?’

‘Do you mind?’

Lucy rushed upstairs to Ellen’s bedroom and grabbed the phone from the bedside table. She saw that it was Billy calling and swiped the screen.

‘Hello there hotstuff!’ He blew a kiss at the camera.

‘Billy, it’s me! Lucy.’

‘Ah…’ He grimaced. ‘Sorry. Thought it was my lovely girl.’

‘She’s downstairs. I’ll just take the phone down to her.’

‘Thanks, Lucy. How’s it going there?’

‘Everything’s fine. I’m taking good care of her, don’t worry.’

‘I’m really grateful.’ He rubbed at his bristly chin. ‘I’m missing her madly.’

‘She’s missing you too.’ Lucy reached the bottom step and paused in the hallway. ‘What’s it like out there?’

‘Amazing. I wish Ellen was here with me. If I get another job out here in the future, maybe she can come and bring the baby.’

‘I’m sure she’d love that. I’ll take you through to her now.’

‘Thanks.’

In the kitchen, Lucy held out Ellen’s phone. ‘It’s Billy. I’m going to go for a walk, clear my head a bit and see if I can work out this plot point. OK?’

Ellen nodded then accepted the phone and smiled at Billy. ‘No problem, Luce. See you later.’

‘I’ve got my phone if you need me,’ Lucy whispered but Ellen was already blowing kisses at her partner.

Lucy went upstairs to get her walking boots. A good dose of fresh air would be just what she needed. She was making sure that Ellen got out every day, but they had to go slow then, so she’d enjoy going at a faster pace and really stretching her legs.

Ten minutes later, Lucy was walking through the village and she came to The Anchor, one of the village pubs. Seeing the coffee sign in the carpark, she decided to grab a drink to take with her. She pushed open the door and went inside, finding it quiet for a Saturday lunchtime, apart from a few elderly men sitting at a table playing cards. The pub was clearly very old with thick stone walls, small paned windows and dark wooden beams on the low ceiling. A fire crackled in the grate to one side of the bar and lights twinkled on a prettily decorated Christmas tree. The air was laced with aromas of coffee, beer, cinnamon and —faintly — with the smell of chips. It was cosy and homely and she could imagine sitting near the fire and enjoying a coffee on a winter’s morning. If she lived in the village, she could even bring her laptop and write there, get some inspiration from observing the staff and patrons.

At the bar, a handsome man with thick blond hair, a strong jawline dusted with stubble and sparkling blue eyes smiled at her.

‘Hello there, I’m Will. What can I get for you?’ He made her think of surfers she’d seen on movies with his dazzling good looks and the easy confidence of his tone.

‘Do you do takeaway coffee?’

‘We do indeed and in recyclable cups too… unless you have your own that you’d like me to fill?’ he asked.

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