Page 110 of A Chef's Kiss for Christmas

To distract herself, she nipped out to finish her Christmas shopping, then took an inventory of her stock to make sure shehad everything she needed for the wreath-making workshop at the hotel the following day. That would involve seeing Warren and given his messages she wasn’t at all sure how to feel about that.

She focused on the workshop itself. But that got her thinking about speaking in front of a room full of people, which sent her anxiety levels through the roof.

To calm her nerves, she mentally rehearsed her talk about the history of wreaths. Not that she needed to practice it – she knew it by heart. If anything, going over it only intensified her nerves.

By the time she got into bed, she was too worked up about it to fall asleep.

Tiredness had her moving on autopilot the following morning. The stress of the workshop combined with Warren’s sudden coolness felt like too much.

By the time she walked into the hotel carrying a box of supplies, she was on high alert for any sign of him. Her eyes darted all around the reception and lounge area, then she scanned the dining room when she set the box down on one of the tables, which had already been arranged in a U-shape.

“I’m supposed to help you carry stuff,” Kate, one of the waitresses, said as she approached Anna. “Have you got much more to bring in?”

“Quite a bit.” Anna’s gaze flicked to the kitchen doors, wondering if he’d come out and say hello or if he’d stay out of the way while she was there.

“Should I get someone else to help us?” Kate asked, leading the way back through the hotel.

“I think we’ll manage,” Anna replied. “Is Lewis here?”

“Yes. In the office. He said he had a few things to deal with but would come and see you when he’s finished.”

“Right.” She supposed it was good that herbrother had got better at delegating tasks around the hotel, but she’d have felt better if he’d been there to help her unload and get everything set up.

There was still no sign of him when they’d carried everything inside. Warren hadn’t appeared either. It frustrated her to think that there was only a wall between them and he hadn’t even bothered to come out and say hello.

Stopping to take a breath, she cursed herself. Because she also hadn’t made any effort to say hello to him. She had the excuse of being stressed about the workshop, at least.

“Hello!” A well-dressed middle-aged woman appeared in front of Anna. Her perfume pervaded the air and made Anna’s nose twitch.

“Hi,” Anna said nervously. “Are you here for the wreath-making?”

“Yes.” She plucked a fir twig from the table, holding it under her nose and inhaling deeply. “I’m very excited. I’ve never made a wreath before.”

“I’m just finishing setting up,” Anna said. “We’ll get started in about ten minutes. You’re welcome to get a drink while you wait.”

“I’ll do that,” the woman said before wandering over to the bar.

Steadily, the room filled up. Anna’s nerves intensified at a rate that correlated with the increase of people in the room.

“It looks as though I’m in the right place for wreath-making,” an elderly lady remarked, hovering in front of Anna and eyeing the selection of fir twigs, holly leaves and baubles on the table.

“Yes,” Anna mumbled, feeling suddenly breathless. “If you could just excuse me for a minute. I just need to do something…”

With an insincere smile, she backed away and crossed the room while carefully avoiding making eye contact with anyone. Her lungs felt as though they weren’t taking inenough oxygen as she walked along the corridor to Lewis’s office.

She didn’t bother knocking, but flung the door open. “You’re going to have to say I’m ill or something,” she announced, then tried not to react when her eyes landed on Warren, sitting on the couch at the side of the room, leaning back with one ankle propped on the opposite knee.

“What’s wrong?” Lewis asked, leaning forward onto his desk.

“I can’t do it. I don’t know why I let you talk me into it again. Last year I didn’t want to do it, and you just bullied me into it. I shouldn’t have agreed to do it again this year.”

“I don’t understand.” Lewis tucked his chin. “You said you were happy to do it since it went so well last year.”

“Well I shouldn’t have!” She could hear just how irrational she sounded, but her heart was beating irregularly, and she felt lightheaded. “I’m terrible at this stuff, and I should have known better than to agree to it. Tell them I’m ill or something.”

Lewis rose slowly out of his chair, raising his hands as though dealing with a wild animal. “It’s supposed to start in a few minutes. Everyone will be waiting.”

“You’re just going to have to deal with that.”