In her mind’s eye she saw a tree with a mountain of presents underneath and pictured giving a gift to every house in the village. No one would be sad this Christmas if she had anything to do with it. Every family would wake on Christmas morning laughing and smiling, eager for the day to come.

Her heart had felt like a black, heavy weight in her chest since yesterday, but this would surely get her through the festive season. The less time she spent at home, the better, and between work, volunteering at Bluebell Park and running the giving tree, she’d barely have time to think about the life she’d had.

‘And, at Bluebell Park, the grotto’s going in front of a belt of fir trees to give a Christmassy feel and there’s a really large tree to the right that will be perfect for the giving tree. All we need to do is decorate it with some lights and laminate the tags so they don’t get wet.’

It must have been fate.

‘It sounds wonderful, darling,’ Cynthia said, beaming with pride. ‘Count me in for anything I can do.’

‘And me,’ Caro added, adjusting her position in the chair. ‘At least until I get so big I can’t actually walk and just waddle around like a duck.’

‘You’re doing that now,’ Bella teased and Caro feigned annoyance.

‘Watch it or I really will take my shoes off and kick you with my huge meat boat feet.’

Excitement bubbled up in her stomach and the few niggling doubts she’d had faded. This year, Meadowbank village would have a giving tree and everyone’s Christmas would be special and filled with joy, even if hers wasn’t.

Chapter 4

Nick watched Bella leave and stretched out his sleepy limbs. Behind him, Freddie was shooting his way around the living room, happy as anything, but a strange feeling settled in Nick’s stomach.

Poor Bella. He’d had no idea Evan had left. How awful for her. But then again, Evan was a fool. He always had been. Not in an offensive way – he was just one of those guys for whom the grass was always greener on the other side of the fence. The type who was perpetually dissatisfied. If he thought he’d found someone nicer than Bella Moore, then he was even more of an idiot than Nick had taken him to be with his slicked-back hair and expensively tailored suits. Bella was one of the kindest people in the village. Sweet-natured, pretty too, now he came to think about it. Her dark blonde hair had grown over the winter so it framed her face, tucking under her chin in a way that enhanced her features, and her greenish-blue eyes had a compelling warmth to them.