‘Yes, I’m still here Freya.’
‘Beth, I don’t think it’s a good idea for anyone to be out. Please tell Callum. I know what he’s like. He’s probably got his jacket on already and is sitting in the car. Tell him that Daisy is safe with us. She’s tucked up in the spare room and cosy.’
Beth was now struggling to hear everything that Freya was saying — her voice was breaking up. ‘Okay. I hope you can hear me. But we will stay put. Thanks Freya. Take care.’ She ended the call.
‘I need to go,’ he said to Beth.
‘You can’t,’ she said, pleadingly. ‘You heard her. Freya said the road is flooded and that Daisy is tucked up in bed. It would be crazy to go out there. In fact just stupid.’
Callum sighed in frustration. He pulled off his wet sweater and threw it onto the ground. Ruby, sensing that something was amiss, barked and jumped up on him, placing both paws on his chest. ‘Down girl,’ he said sharply. Immediately her tail went between her legs and she started to whimper.
‘There,’ said Beth, ‘that’s her also trying to tell you that she thinks you’re a plonker for wanting to go out in the storm. She’s telling you that she doesn’t want you to leave. She’s trying to protect you. Stop being so stubborn.’
He looked at her incredulously. ‘Are you joking?’
‘Not at all.’ She realised that she had maybe said too much. Her comments clearly hadn’t landed well from the way he was now glaring at her. ‘Anyway, the main thing is that Daisy is okay.’
‘Yes,’ he said, his voice softening a bit. ‘That is true.’
‘Right,’ she said, feeling a shift in the energy of the room. ‘Now we know Daisy is okay, I would really like to get home. But I’m worried about the road. Is there another route?’
‘And you’ve just accused me of being stubborn? You heard Freya. It’s flooded. And going the long way round would be plain silly. I think you’re just going to have to sit this one out with me.’
Beth felt her heart skip a beat — she felt lightheaded. Was being stuck here with Callum a good idea? Especially as all she could now focus on were his muscles, outlined very clearly through the long-sleeved wet top that clung to him.
‘Are you warm enough?’ He threw another log on the fire. ‘Here, why don’t you take your coat off and I’ll lend you a dry jumper.’ A sweatshirt lay over the back of one of the kitchen chairs and he threw it to her. She pulled it on and breathed the scent of him on it.
‘I’ll go and get changed.’ He pointed at his wet clothes.
Beth had imagined them catching up over a drink or a coffee. Not holed up in his cottage in the middle of nowhere. It was a very lovely kitchen though, and she gazed at the lights on the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. She could smell the scent of the pine needles and felt incredibly relaxed. She smiled, a bit embarrassed, and felt her cheeks redden when he walked back into the kitchen wearing dry clothes and towelling his hair.
‘We’ve got lots to catch up on,’ he said.
‘I guess so. This isn’t quite how I imagined it though. I was imagining we might meet at the pub.’
‘No time like the present.’ His gaze was on her face. ‘Anyway, it’s not like we can go anywhere else, so we may as well make the most of this. Unless you fancy a game of Scrabble?’
Beth shrugged. ‘Or Monopoly?’ She’d suddenly remembered it was a game he’d always detested.
He chuckled. ‘I still hate that game.’
Beth sighed.
‘Shall I put the kettle on?’ Callum asked. And right at that moment all the lights went out.
Chapter Forty-One
‘I don’t believe this is happening,’ said Callum in exasperation.
‘Just as I was thinking that the day couldn’t get any better,’ said Beth. ‘I’m assuming you’re prepared for this though. I hope so.’ She laughed nervously.
Callum struck a match and began to light the candles that were already sitting in holders. ‘Daisy likes to light candles to create the rightambiencewhen she’s baking. We’ve got her to thank for being so organised and leaving these out for us. But no, it’s not the first time we’ve had a power cut. And it won’t be the last. It’s fair to say we’re prepared.’ His eyes adjusted, and he could see Beth looking slightly worried. ‘Don’t panic, just give me a minute and I’ll get the torches too. Are you warm enough Beth? You look like you’re shivering.’
‘I’m not going to lie. I am a bit cold.’ Then she sneezed and pulled a tissue from her pocket.
Now he was worried that she was coming down with something. When she had arrived at the door, she’d been fairly sodden. ‘Okay, aside from your jacket, is anything else wet?’
‘My jeans are a bit damp,’ she said hesitantly. ‘And my socks.’
