Page 4 of A Winter Wish

Lexie glanced around for her mum as she sipped her wine—seriously, how long did it take to go to the bathroom? Her eyes skimmed over a woman with deliberately gray hair, cut into a sleek bob. She saw Lexie looking, even as Lexie tried to look away before that moment of eye contact. She was talking to a tall man with dark brown hair, but shoved her empty glass in his hand and made a beeline for Lexie.

Lexie felt panic rise. She’d so far done well to avoid the condolences, to avoid any real acknowledgment that she was a family member. When she’d overheard someone saying, “But didn’t he have two daughters?” she’d swiftly walked in the other direction. But now here was this woman, walking very purposefully toward her. And the room was small enough that she couldn’t get lost in a crowd, and there was no one here she wanted to jump into a conversation with, so despite a frantic glance around, Lexie was standing stock-still when the woman reached her. She had very distinct pale green eyes, eyes that gave Lexie an appraising look, scanning her from head to toe in a way that made her feel self-conscious, wondering if the tiny ladder in her tights was noticeable, if she should have tried to clean the mud off her heels. The woman was in a black dress—of course—and heeled boots that had somehow avoided the mud from the cemetery. She had on bright red lipstick, and her eyebrows were in a perfect arch that must have taken some time to perfect. Lexie cast around in her memory, trying to place her.

“You won’t know me,” she said by way of introduction.

“Ah…”

“You’re Lexie, though.” The woman smiled—a smile that managed somehow to be both efficient and warm.

She wasn’t sure what she could say to that other than “Yes.”

“I worked with your father.”

“Oh. OK.” She had on sailboat earrings, Lexie noticed. Amid all the black, this woman was wearing bright, big sailboat earrings.

“You’re a bit older than the photos he has of you, but I could spot you anywhere.” She gave Lexie another look up and down, as if double-checking. The sailboats bounced with the movement. “You age very well.”

“Um…Thanks.” Here it was—the condolences. Though—her dad had photos of her? She somehow doubted that, and with that doubt came an immediate suspicion of this woman.

“It’s not a compliment, it’s a fact. I was Richard’s PA. Have been since he started the company.”

Lexie nodded slowly, not sure where this was going. Shouldn’t there have been a “sorry for your loss” by now? She hoped she didn’t get asked any questions about the company her dad owned—this woman looked like she might be about to quiz her on something. But she knew nothing about it—other than the fact that there was a company, which her dad had started around five years ago, when he’d left his second family and moved to Bath. It had something to do with travel, but that was the extent of her knowledge.

“This is an awful time,” the woman continued. “I know that. And I know I’m this strange woman accosting you at your dad’s funeral, but I don’t really see a way around it.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t really—”

“You need to come to your dad’s office the day after tomorrow. There’s a meeting and you need to be there.”

Lexie stared at the woman, waiting for her to say something more. When she didn’t, Lexie spoke. “But why on earth would I need to be there?”

“I can’t explain now. It would take too long and it’s not the time or the place. But it will affect you and several others, so best to do it all together at once.”

Lexie waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. “I’m sorry,” she said, making sure her voice was polite, apologetic, “but I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No. I imagine not.” The woman’s face softened, those green eyes filling with such obvious sympathy, it made Lexie’s throat close. “I’m the one who’s sorry. Really, I am. But it will make a lot more sense when you come to the office. Do you know where it is?”

“Ah…”

“No matter, I have the address.” She fished in her handbag—a bright red one that, like the earrings, stood out against the black—and handed Lexie a card.

Angela Wilson

Personal Assistant

R&L Travel

See the world through celebration.

So that was the name of her dad’s company, then. She frowned. It was a bland name, she decided. And the slogan—it didn’t make any sense. Then she looked at the first line. Angela. It was only then that Lexie realized that the woman hadn’t actually introduced herself by name.

“You’ll be there?” Angela prompted. “The day after tomorrow, eleven a.m.”

“I really don’t—”

“Everything will become clear in the meeting, I promise you.” Angela offered her another warm smile, her eyes creasing at the corners. “See you there. And it was nice to finally meet you, Lexie.”

Lexie watched Angela walk away, not really sure how she’d ended up agreeing to something without actually agreeing. She would just have to make an excuse. Feign a contagious illness or something. She finished her wine, put the glass down on the bar, and saw her mum finally heading over to her.