If I hadn’t heard that music box, I would have never have known any of this. And if I hadn’t just been discussing it with Celia, I wouldn’t have brought it up with Granny. I might never have found out why my mother had been so upset to lose that music box.
I might never have known how treasured I’d been as a child. How much love might still be waiting for me, if only I’d let go of the past and grab hold of it.
I finished up my tea and set down my cup. “Thanks for the chat, Granny.” I stood and kissed her on her head. “I’m off to greet the journalists. I’ll let you know how it goes.” I had a stop to make before I led a tour around the market. I’d have just enough time.
She patted me on the cheek like she’d been doing my entire life. “Make sure you introduce Celia. They’re bound to feel her infectious joy and translate that into their articles. No one can help but fall in love with her enthusiasm.”
I ignored her comment and headed to the door.
Twenty
Sebastian
As I wandered up to the green, I glanced up at a helicopter overhead that had everyone working the Snowsly Christmas market staring into the sky. In a few seconds, it disappeared. It must have landed.
Celia was in front of me, her phone in the air, video calling someone. “Isn’t it pretty?” she asked.
“Who’s that behind you?” whoever was on the phone asked. Celia snapped her head around, her grin widening when she saw me. There was something about the woman that meant I couldn’t not smile when she was around. What had she done to me?
“That’s Sebastian,” she said.
I dipped my head. “Hi, whoever you are.”
“I’m Lemon,” she replied. “It sounds like you’ve saved Christmas this year.”
“Nice to meet you—I’ve heard only good things. But if you’re really Celia’s best friend, you know that can’t possibly be true. We make a good team—a team led by Celia.”
Celia and I locked eyes and she scrunched up her nose as if I’d given her a false compliment. If only she saw how capable she was.
“Oh, aren’t you just charming.” Celia pulled down her phone, presumably in case her friend said too much. “I hope you’re around next year because I’m coming to the UK to experience my first Snowsly Christmas,” her friend called from where she was facing Celia’s coat.
“Gotta go,” Celia said and cancelled the call. “She wanted to come this year but she’s in New York. I think I told you. Anyway, I’m sure you think that’s no big deal because, you know, Christmas is no big deal to you, but I hate that she’s not here. I want everyone who’s important to me around me at Christmas.”
“That makes sense,” I said. People mattered. Perfection didn’t. “Take lots of photos to send her because the village looks amazing—like something you’d see on a Christmas jigsaw puzzle.”
“It always does. I think we’re all prepared,” she continued. “Howard’s going to collect the journalists from the station. All the stallholders have restocked and all the decorations have been checked. We’re ready for anything.” She winced. “I shouldn’t have said that. With our luck, the green will burn to the ground before it’s dark.”
I laughed. “There will be no fires. I won’t allow it.”
A group of people on the other side of the green started shouting and waving. “Sebastian,” I heard someone call.
I squinted at the group of people barreling toward me. “Griffin!” I’d told him what I was up to and asked him to rustle up some social media influencers. He’d never let me down before. I just hadn’t expected he’d bring them himself. By helicopter.
“I wanted to see the place that pulled you away from the Caribbean.” He took my arm and gave me a half hand shake, half hug.
“You were in the helicopter?” Of course he was. I don’t know why I bothered to ask.
“Gotta get my use out of it. And it only took us thirty minutes from London. There’s so much space out here.” Spot the Londoner who never leaves the city.
“Very different from Mayfair,” I said. Griffin usually liked London. And sun-soaked beaches. And nothing in between.
“Celia, this is Griffin. Griffin, Celia. Griffin’s my oldest friend,” I explained. “Who’s apparently flown from London to experience Snowsly’s Christmas Market.”
“There’s no better place at Christmas,” Celia said, her eyes reflecting the lights of the Christmas tree at the center of the green.
“Good to meet you, Celia.” Griffin glanced at me, then at Celia, then back at me. I could tell he was having a conversation with himself, noting how attractive Celia was, speculating as to whether there was anything between us. He was undoubtedly wondering if she found him attractive.
He was nothing if not predictable.
“You’ve been having fun,” Griffin said. He winked at me, having worked out my bond with Celia. We’d known each other a long time.
“Oh, and I brought one or two friends,” Griffin said, his hand waving in the direction of the other four members of his group. “You said you were trying to get some social media coverage. These guys are . . . you know. They’re on Instagram.”
A smile unfurled on my face. Griffin was a master of the understatement. “They’re on Instagram?”
“And one’s on TikTok, whatever the hell that is. But they love this kind of thing. Figured I might as well fill the helicopter.”
I punched Griffin on the arm. “Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for. I’m here to do my Christmas shopping. It’s busy,” he said, surveying the green, “but not as bad as bloody Bond Street this time of year.” He turned, waved his hand in the air, and headed to the first stall.
“Well, if he gets his credit card out, we can about guarantee Snowsly will have their best year ever. He makes me look like I’m living paycheck to paycheck.” Griffin might just be the richest man in England. But what I liked about him is that he underplayed everything—his wealth, his loyalty, and his kindness.
“How do you know him?”
I turned to Celia. “Funny story. I met him on Christmas Day, on a beach in the northern part of Western Australia. We were both eighteen and away from home. Haven’t been able to get rid of him since.”
“You don’t mean that.”
I smiled. Celia always believed the best about everyone. I wondered for a second what that would be like. “No, I don’t. Speaking of exaggerations, I can guarantee you when Griffin says the people he’s brought ‘have Instagram,’ they’re some of the most powerful influencers in the British Isles.”
Celia bounced on her toes, though whether she was excited or trying to keep warm, I couldn’t quite tell. “So, barring flood or fire, it looks like we’re all set to have a great rest of the season.”
I glanced up at the sky as snow began to fall. “It’s not looking like rain. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed about the fire.”
I grabbed her hand, threading my fingers through hers as she grinned up at me. Yes, the tree looked festive and the market stalls had their lights perfectly positioned. But there was nothing more beautiful than seeing Celia happy.