Page 113 of A Chef's Kiss for Christmas

“Yes,” he said with a weariness that made her feel as though she was some kind of nuisance.

“Why do you sound as though you’d rather not? No one is forcing you – I only want to know if you’d like to.”

“I want to see you, but I need to speak to you properly, and things are going to be crazy here over the next few days.”

“And you can’t even find an hour to grab a coffee?” She glanced pointedly at Ivy. “It seems as though if there’s something you really want to do, you’ll find time for it.”

He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I promised Poppy ages ago.”

“And that’s really nice of you,” she said, but the bitterness was clear in her tone. “Why don’t we just leave things for now,and when you figure out if you want to make time for me, we can talk again. For now, I won’t hold my breath for that date you said you were going to take me on.”

Ignoring the lump that formed in her throat, she gave Poppy a quick squeeze while she continued to roll out the dough. “I hope Santa brings you everything you want,” she told her, then gritted her teeth as she wished Warren a Happy Christmas.

“Anna!” he called, but sounded half-hearted, as though he didn’t have anything more to say even if she turned back.

Which she had no intention of doing.

Chapter Forty-Five

With the workshop at the hotel out of the way, and all her Christmas orders for her online shop sent out, Anna had little to keep her occupied over the following two days. She expected Warren to get in touch and apologise, but there was no word from him, and the more she thought about it, the more annoyed she was with him.

On Christmas Eve, she dutifully went along to the Midnight Mass with her family. Squeezed between her mum and her sister on the pew, the service didn’t fill her with Christmas cheer as it usually did. Even the carols – and Carla’s out of tune and overly loud voice – did little to lift her spirits.

Waking on Christmas Day, her first instinct was to check her phone. Disappointment at the lack of contact from Warren made her pull the duvet over her head, and it was an effort to drag herself out of bed and get ready for the day. When she got in the car to drive over to her parents’ house, she had the fleeting idea of calling in at the hotel.

The desire to see Warren was an ache in her chest, and she was desperate to know what was really going on with him.

She didn’t believe his excuse about being busy with work.He couldn’t possibly be so busy that he couldn’t send her a message or call her. Putting the car into gear, she swallowed her emotions.

The truth, as far as she could tell, was that he just didn’t want to be with her.

She let herself dwell on that for the fifteen-minute drive to Bourton-on-the-Water. That was all the self-pity she’d allowed herself, though. She wouldn’t let him ruin Christmas Day for her.

With that sentiment ringing in her head as she pulled up in front of her parents’ house, she lifted her bag of gifts from the back seat and forced a smile. She didn’t have to fake it for long – the sight of her parents stepping out of the house to greet her in their matching Christmas jumpers – complete with flashing lights – made her laugh out loud.

“You’re the last to arrive,” her mum said, burying her in a hug. “Lewis was just threatening to start lunch without you.”

Molly, Lewis’s border collie, came rushing out of the house to bounce around Anna, and she felt herself relax as she patted her down.

“Come in,” her dad said, waving her through the doorway. “Let’s get the party started.”

“Finally!” Lewis chimed when she walked into the kitchen. “We’re starving!”

She gave him a hug, then moved to greet Erin and Carla.

“It’s only just midday,” Anna said. “I’m not even late.”

“Lewis is just overly excited about Christmas dinner,” Erin said. “He’s been talking about it for a week.”

“It’s the best meal of the year,” he said happily as he took a seat, then waved a blue Christmas cracker at Anna.

She pulled it and made a show of teasing him when she got the bigger half.

The usual round of Christmas cracker jokes ensued, and tenminutes later they were all tucking into the turkey dinner with colourful party hats on their heads.

“When do you leave for London?” Anna asked, knowing that Lewis and Erin had plans with her family between Christmas and New Year.

“Tomorrow,” Erin replied. “We’ll have a big family dinner tomorrow evening with my sister and lots of extended family. After that, it should be very chilled out.”