Page 85 of Winter Magic on Railway Lane

‘Well, take the business whilst you can,’ said Ethan, dodging the lamppost at the last minute. ‘Tonight is the last of the Christmas train runs.’

‘Can you believe it’s gone so quickly?’ asked Libby.

Ethan shook his head.

‘But you’re staying on until the wedding at the end of January?’ she asked.

Ethan nodded. ‘Everyone seems so keen that the train keeps running that we’ll have a service each weekend, as so many people have requested it.’

‘That’s great,’ replied Libby. ‘Then you’ll be onto Valentine’s and then Easter too. I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with demand!’

But Ethan had realised that he wouldn’t be there for those times. He had already agreed another work contract and would be heading abroad after Harriet and Joe’s wedding.

He felt sad, having missed out on so many family occasions by being away so often. But he knew that it was his choice to leave, although this time it felt harder and less appealing than before.

In the meantime, he had to make sure that the Christmas Eve train was the biggest and best of them all.

Running through his to-do list, he followed Libby down the small passage between the main station and Harriet’s lavender spa. However, he almost bumped into her when she stopped abruptly in front of him when they reached the station platform.

Looking around, he could immediately see why. Whereas the remainder of Cranfield was coated in a frost after a cold winter’s night, the station appeared to be foot deep in snow!

‘What the…?’ Ethan’s voice trailed off as he stared around before he caught sight of an enormous industrial-sized snow machine. Then he roared, ‘Del!’

Libby burst into shocked laughter. ‘I don’t believe it,’ she said, giggling.

‘I do!’ snapped Ethan. ‘I’ll kill him!’

‘Why?’ she said, still laughing. ‘It looks wonderful!’

‘Yes, but he’s covered the railway tracks!’ Ethan told her, pointing down to where the snow had spilled over onto the line. ‘It’s going to take me all day to clear this so we can actually move the train later!’

‘Walking in a winter wonderland,’ she hummed, still smiling broadly as she picked up a handful of snow and threw it in his face.

Before she could shower him in more snow, he grabbed both her hands and drew her to him. There were snowflakes in her hair, her cheeks were bright pink in the cold and her eyes had never been more blue. If the snow didn’t take his breath away, her beauty at that moment did. And he bent forward to break every promise to himself that he would make sure they stayed as just friends. Because nothing was going to stop him from kissing her at that moment.

It was just as sweet as it had ever been and it took every strength of his will to pull away from her.

‘Why can’t you move on?’ she whispered, hanging onto the lapels of his coat and not letting go. ‘Your mum has. So has your dad with Maggie.’

‘I don’t know. I just can’t,’ he blurted out.

At that moment, they were interrupted by Ryan and Katy coming out to ooh and aah at the fake snow fall on the station.

Ethan took the opportunity to walk away from Libby, whilst he still could. Even though it felt so right to be kissing her. Even if he only felt complete when he was holding her in his arms.

The snow on Cranfield station might have been a Christmas miracle, but Ethan knew that they didn’t really exist in real life. Not for him anyway.

51

Libby could still feel Ethan’s lips on hers as he walked away from her on the snowy platform. She knew he cared for her. She knew it, deep in her heart. And yet she couldn’t seem to break through the protective shell that he had built around himself.

So she busied herself with another manic day trying to keep up with demand for her chocolate. She was absolutely thrilled with the success that the chocolate shop had brought her. Each evening, the passengers would gather around her stall, buying hot chocolate as well as her truffles. But the chocolate trains were her bestseller.

After readying the stall, she picked up a couple of coffees and took them back to her cottage as a treat for her and her dad. He was also enjoying a sort-of success as the stroke club had become a bi-weekly meeting due to its popularity. He was so much happier in himself and Libby was pleased by how much closer they had become.

‘I got us both a mince pie for later,’ she told him when she headed into the kitchen.

‘Well, what a treat,’ her dad replied, his eyes lighting up as she took the pastries out of the takeout bag.