Page 3 of Escape for Christmas
Considering they’d been aghast that she’d had her long chestnut curls transformed into a choppy bob after Ben had left, she’d expected her decision to sell up and move north to horrify them. She knew the haircut was the classic ‘break-up’ behaviour, but didn’t care. She’d wanted to try a new style for ages, but Ben had often begged her not to change it. Cutting her hair had felt symbolic of breaking away from him.
Vee returned with two mugs.
‘Thanks,’ Sophie said, accepting her coffee. ‘Don’t know what I’d do without you.’ She really meant it because it had been a steep learning curve moving from retail to hospitality. She was glad she’d taken advice on running a guest house from her friend, Lyra, who had her own B&B back in Stratford.
Vee laughed. ‘Glad we found each other.’
‘It was my friend, Lyra, who told me, “Above all else, lovely, find a great cleaner and get some help servingbreakfast. Oh, and send the laundry out or you’ll be in trouble.”’ Sophie did a passable imitation of Lyra’s Cardiff accent.
Vee laughed. ‘I like this Lyra even though I’ve never met her, and I’m so pleased that Brody’s mum told me you were looking for someone to help with the changeovers.’
Brody was Sophie’s next-door neighbour, and his mother, Louise, was a stalwart of the local Bannerdale community. While Louise McKenna could be a bit domineering, she kneweveryone. It was when Sophie visited the guest house for an inspection that she’d bumped into Brody and Louise and had been interrogated – politely, of course – on her plans for Sunnyside.
On hearing that Sophie intended to take it on, Louise had put her in touch with Vee and a number of local suppliers. Sophie had also managed to hire a morose but efficient student called Ricky to help with the breakfasts.
The chimes of the grandfather clock in reception startled them both.
Vee glanced at her watch with a gasp. ‘Look at the time! I must go and see how Ricky’s getting on with the breakfast room. Oh, and I hate to mention it, but the cats have been sleeping in the window seat of the guest lounge again. We’ve hoovered and got up most of the fur with that special roller-thing, but …’
Sophie groaned. ‘Argh, I’m sorry. The door must have been left open again, and you know how they love that sunny spot in the window. I’ll stick a notice on the lounge door, asking guests to keep it shut at all times, and I’ll try tomake sure the cats don’t come into the public part of the house.’
Vee crossed her fingers. ‘That should work.’
Sophie hoped so. Keeping her duo of mischievous cats in her part of Sunnyside had proved quite a challenge. Her modest flat occupied one side of the ground floor of the property. It had a sitting room, a kitchenette and a bedroom with a tiny en suite. The cats occasionally sneaked into the reception area and guest lounge and, while some visitors adored her pets, others were less keen.
Vee bustled off and Sophie heard her break into a humming of ‘Fairytale of New York’ before she hastily changed it to ‘Summer Nights’.
Now that Sophie was alone in the office, she felt guilty for not being totally honest with Vee. Shedidhate Christmas these days. She hated all the associations of it: like the hurtful memories that flooded back when she heard Mariah Carey telling some loser that all she wanted for Christmas was him … Or when she thought of the supermarket shelves and shop windows bedecked with glittery tat, even though she had once been the purveyor of glittery tat and Christmas had been her livelihood.
Any enjoyment of the upcoming festive season had been destroyed by Bloody Ben and by Naomi, the ‘best’ friend who was meant to be the bridesmaid at their wedding, yet had turned out to be a treacherous snake in the grass. This would be Sophie’s first Christmas since the split happened and it was bound to be the most difficult one.
She hadn’t always got things right at Sunnyside so farand she was still learning. But she was sure that hosting an ‘Escape for Christmas’ break wouldn’t be the biggest mistake of her life, because that had been falling for her Ben and trusting him with her heart.
She dreaded the thought of spending this Christmas on her own, yet somehow it felt worse to imagine being surrounded by merrymaking family and friends, whose well-meaning pity would just about finish her off. This really was going to be for the best – hopefully it would give her a nice flurry of business to end the year before she planned to close in January for a break; secondly, it would be something completely different this year, which would be exactly what she needed to help her continue to move on.
Sophie refreshed the website and read back the ad she’d spent time crafting. She hoped that somewhere out there were other souls who felt the same as she did. People with bruised hearts, hiding losses behind a forced smile as they sat around the festive dinner table, pulling crackers and trying not to cry or scream.
DESPERATE TOESCAPE FORCHRISTMAS?
Do you long to flee the festive season? Can’t face another plate of mince pies or rerun ofIt’s a Wonderful Life? Want to get away from the glitter and the giant snowmen?
You’re in luck!
At the Sunnyside Hotel it might be winter, but it’sneverChristmas!
We can promise you:
Books in cosy nooks, winter walks and convivial company.
No tinsel, no turkey and definitelynoLove Actually!
If you want to get away from Christmas, if you’re a self-confessed Grinch but love a good time, book now!
Places strictly limited.
To book or to find out moreclick here
PS No Santa hats allowed on the premises.
