Her expression had relaxed the moment he’d reassured her about Daisy and now she picked up her coffee mug, the forget-me-not blue eyes twinkling over the rim. ‘Who gets the twenty?’

‘The village hall.’ He smiled because she could almost be the Laurel he remembered, the sweet, funny one, always ready to laugh.

She shrugged. ‘Not too bad. Galleries take fifty.’

It sounded as if she wasn’t discounting exhibiting a piece of work. He could imagine Carola cartwheeling with joy at a potential twenty percent of what a Laurel Hill original brought in. He kept his tone light. ‘Art December runs throughout the month but the Middledip Christmas Fair in the village hall is on the 18th and 19th of December.’

She nodded. ‘Daisy told me about her brilliant idea of a Google map for the Art December display windows so people can locate what they’re looking for. It sounds as if Middledip has a big art community.’

‘Growing, anyway,’ he agreed. ‘Sites like Etsy and ecommerce platforms like Shopify make it possible for makers to find customers without slogging around the country to fairs and shows. Being a maker’s become hip as well as fun.’ He took up his coffee cup. ‘Expecting anyone in the village to offer the kind of price you’re used to might be optimistic but having your name attached to the show would be great.’

Laurel opened her mouth, as if to answer, but then her gaze switched to a point over his shoulder. Before he could turn to follow her gaze, arms slid around his neck. ‘Hiya,’ a familiar female voice crooned. ‘Too much caffeine’s bad for you, you know.’ She giggled. ‘We’re eating shortbread angels in the corner if you want to join us.’

He’d known it was Pippa from the first word and her unconcern that her scarf was dangling in his face was typical. She lifted her head to address Laurel, arms still looped around Grady. ‘You looking after my man here?’ She giggled again, swished her feathery long hair, then, without giving either of them a chance to answer, she cooed, ‘Laters!’ and tripped off in the other direction. Grady turned and spotted Pippa’s sister Zelda waiting at another table. Zelda raised a friendly hand, regarding her sister with bemusement.

He returned the salute and turned back to Laurel, face hot, mystified that Pippa, after moving out of Mistletoe Cottage nine months ago, should act so proprietarily.

‘Feel free to join your girlfriend,’ Laurel said politely.