Page 27 of Christmas for the Village Midwife (The Village Midwife #2)

‘I thought we’d never get away.’ Zoe closed the garden gate carefully behind her.

‘I know what you mean. So much for mingling and winning people over. I didn’t have to worry about that – they won’t leave me alone!’

‘At least we know they like you.’

‘Or they like the free booze they’re knocking back.’

Zoe grinned. ‘That too. Is it me or is it colder than ever?’

‘Maybe Magnus has summoned the weather of his ancestors so he feels at home.’

‘That’ll be it,’ Zoe said with a light laugh as she searched her pockets for the gloves she’d left in there earlier. Once she’d put them on, Alex reached for her hand.

‘Don’t you have any gloves?’ she asked.

‘No, they’ve gone missing. Maybe you can get me some for Christmas.’

‘I think I can do better than that.’

‘You’re not going to go crazy, are you?’

Zoe frowned up at him. ‘What does that mean? Don’t you want to do Christmas presents?’

‘Of course, but I don’t want you spending all your money on me. Something small will do.’

‘Something small…hmm, we’ll see. Anyway, I’m organised, and I’ve already got yours.’

‘Is it small?’

‘Not telling you.’

‘I’ve already got yours too.’

‘And is that small?’

‘I’m not telling you either.’

Zoe faced forward, biting back a grin. There had been a little white lie because she hadn’t got his gift yet and she was struggling to settle on the perfect thing.

She also realised she was running out of time.

She could get gloves, she supposed, but it seemed rubbish.

Unless she got super expensive gloves, but it seemed like a boring gift to her.

Far too practical and not sexy at all. She’d ask Billie for some pointers, next time she had a chance.

Their footsteps crunched on patches of ice that had formed over puddles on the lane, and despite their banter, a sense of purpose bound them together.

Zoe couldn’t decide whether she hoped Brett was still in his spot or not.

If he was, she could take the opportunity to try and find out what was going on.

But if he wasn’t, then perhaps it had only been a blip, he was back at home and all was well again.

Some people had spectacular arguments, after all.

Some people had blazing rows that saw one of them storm out and sulk, didn’t they?

It had never been Zoe’s way, but she’d known plenty for whom it was.

Perhaps that was Georgia and Brett – tempestuous and volatile, but ultimately still in love.

They were quite a few feet from the old red phone box that stood in the heart of the village, now equipped with a defibrillator and the public phone long gone, when it became clear that Brett was no longer there.

They seemed to heave a joint sigh of relief as they halted at the same time, looking at the bench.

‘That’s that then,’ Alex said. ‘Unless you want to call at the house and check on things?’

‘I’m not sure.’ Zoe pulled out her phone. ‘Maybe I should text. They didn’t seem as if they wanted me there earlier.’

‘If you think that’s best.’

‘I have no clue what’s best, but it’s all I can think of right now.’ She paused, one glove off ready to type. ‘Do you think we’re overreacting?’

‘Maybe. Do you?’

‘My gut’s saying no, but my brain is saying we might be. They’re adults, and it’s probably none of our business.’

‘I don’t think that’s really the point. I get it; you’re afraid of overstepping. But a man sitting out here in the cold on a bench with no coat on and a big cut on his forehead and looking a bit drunk – well, that’s not normal, is it?’

‘No, you’re right. The funny thing is, if this was a stranger, I’d leap in to help, but because it’s Georgia…

That’s why I’m nervous. I don’t want her to think I’m sticking my nose in – she might decide it’s not worth being friends after all.

It’s been nice reconnecting, and I don’t want to lose that. ’

‘If she reacts that way, you really have to ask if she was such a good friend after all. If she’s like anyone else, she might not want your help, but she’d appreciate the reasons you were offering it.’

Zoe hesitated before nodding and starting to type.

‘You’re right. It doesn’t have to be intrusive.

I’ll just send a quick…yes, I’ll update her on the competition, tell her there’s a party at Magnus and Geoff’s and pretend that’s the reason I’m messaging.

And then she might tell me something, or I might be able to guess from her reply how she is. ’

‘I’d say be direct.’

‘Too late – it’s sent now.’ Zoe locked her phone and tried not to be concerned at the vague frown on Alex’s face.

‘Right then…’ Alex blew into his hands. ‘What now? Do we wait here for a reply? Go back to the party?’

‘Maybe we should give it a minute,’ Zoe said.

She held up her phone as if she could invite Georgia’s reply to fly into it. But after a couple of minutes of Alex stomping his feet and rubbing his hands together, it was clear she wasn’t going to get one any time soon. ‘We ought to go back. I can keep an eye on my phone just as well there.’

‘What if she says she does need you?’

‘I’ll have to sneak off again. Or make an excuse to leave…I can always say I’m tired. Nobody will miss me.’

‘I think they will, but it sounds like the best plan for now. There’s no point in standing here freezing to death if nothing is happening.’

‘Come on then – let’s get back to the party. You’re right, at least it will be warm. Thanks for coming out with me,’ she added as they started to walk.

‘You’re worried about your friend – why wouldn’t I come?’

‘I don’t know…’ She shrugged. She wanted to say that her doubt came from the marriage she’d recently walked away from, because Ritchie, her ex, wouldn’t have come with her.

He’d have told her to ignore it, that it wasn’t her problem, that she shouldn’t get involved in other people’s lives.

She’d have been persuaded to step away too because he had a way of making her feel he was right, even when she knew he wasn’t.

That was the thing about Ritchie – everything was good as long as his world was good.

Alex was nothing like that, but she wasn’t used to being with a man who cared as much as he did.

She couldn’t say it, though, because she didn’t want to remind herself of Ritchie, and she didn’t want Alex to think she was comparing them in any way because he might not understand it.

‘Uh-oh,’ he said, holding out his palm to catch a flake of snow. ‘Looks like we’re going to get another dose. The forecast said it was coming.’

‘Do you think we ought to go back up the hill in case it gets bad?’

‘We’ll give it an hour, eh? If we go back now and Georgia texts you, wanting you to go over, we might struggle to come back down.

At least if we’re close by, it won’t be so bad.

We’ll keep an eye on it, eh? If the snow gets heavier and she hasn’t messaged you in an hour or so, we’ll make a decision then. ’

‘OK,’ Zoe said, reaching for his hand and glad of the warmth there.

She wished she could tell him her thoughts about Ritchie and how different they were, because she wanted to tell him how much his support meant to her.

Instead, she simply repeated those three words, the ones they’d shared for the first time that day, and then he smiled down at her with snow in his hair and said them too, and that was enough.