Page 41 of Mistletoe and Wishes at The Cornish Bakery

‘Are you all right, love?’ Ian took Elsie’s hands in his.

‘We won’t be able to get everyone over there. The snow is too deep to drive in it and we won’t all be able to make the walk. Think of poor Connor on his crutches and the children.’

Ian smiled. ‘That’s already been taken care of. Chris is on his way over with his tractor as we speak to take us and all the food back there now and then when it’s time, he’ll drive back to collect everyone else. Of course, it’ll be a bit of a bumpy ride in the tractor trailer, but it’ll be an experience.’

Elsie chuckled. ‘It will definitely be a Christmas we’ll never forget, that’s for sure. Thank you for organising it all.’

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‘MIND THIS ONE, JOE, it’s a heavy one.’ Ian held an orange crate up to Joe who was standing on the back of the tractor trailer, ready to take it from him.

‘Thanks.’ Taking it, Joe placed it down next to the other crates and bags of food they were taking to the sanctuary. ‘Anything else?’

‘Nope, that’s the last of them. Cheers.’ Ian waited for Elsie to lock the bakery door before holding out his hands and helping her into the trailer.

‘Okay, is everyone ready?’ Standing behind the trailer, Chris looked up at Holly, Joe, Elsie, and Ian.

‘We certainly are. Thank you so much for this, Chris.’ Elsie smiled at him.

‘My pleasure.’ Grinning, Chris secured the tailgate. ‘But I will apologise in advance for the bumpy ride.’

‘We’ll be just fine, thanks, Chris.’ Ian grinned as he settled onto the lower bench to the side of the trailer bed.

Holly watched the bay disappear as the tractor chugged slowly out of the bay. She could hear the freshly fallen snow crunching beneath the thick tires, the only sound surrounding them. Taking Joe’s hand, she grinned and leaned in towards him. ‘Does this count as making nee Christmas traditions?’

He squeezed her hand. ‘I think it most definitely does.’

‘Then box of crackers! I forgot to pack them. I’m sure I did.’ Gingerly standing up, Elsie slowly inched across towards the crates.

Holly widened her eyes. The engagement ring! Standing up, she carefully followed Else’s lead and began hunting through the crates.

‘Careful, you two, you don’t want to end up overboard. We’ll have a look when we get there. It’s not the end of the world if we don’t have crackers. we have everything else. The most important thing is that we’ll all be together and Harry will be able to propose to Diane.’

‘No, the ring is in the crackers.’

‘In the crackers?’ Ian rubbed his hand over his face.

‘Yes, Harry asked us to put the ring in a cracker so it’s a surprise for Diane when she pulls it.’ Elsie nodded.

‘Ah, I see.’ Ian slid from the bench and joined them as Joe did the same.

‘I’m sure I saw them in one of them.’ Joe carefully picked out tupperware boxes full of the vegetables Elsie and Ian had prepared last night before pulling out a couple of large boxes of red and green crackers. ‘Yep, here we are.’

‘Oh, thank goodness for that. I had visions of begging Chris to turn around.’ Elsie held her hand against her heart and grinned. ‘Thank you, Joe. thanks all of you.’

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