here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elizabethhollandauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Untitled-design-3-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Chapter One<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cEve, I need to talk to you.\u201d Carlo\u2019s voice called from the other side of the restaurant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve rolled her eyes. She\u2019d just walked through the door. A glance at her watch told her she wasn\u2019t due to start work for another half an hour, and already her manager wanted to speak to her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019ll be right there,\u201d she called back. Eve dropped her bags on the closest table, careful to avoid the small fake pine trees wrapped in cheap tinsel. It was Carlo\u2019s budget attempt at making the backstreet Italian restaurant look Christmassy. Eve swept her hair back into a low bun and walked through the kitchen to Carlo\u2019s office. When she applied for the job at Carlo\u2019s Calzones, Eve had expected the role to involve cooking. Instead, she was a glorified waitress who stepped in when the chef was ill. Three years studying Food Science at Reading University and this was all she\u2019d amounted to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cMorning, Eve.\u201d Eric, the chef, called to her as she walked past. He had swapped his chef\u2019s hat for a red velvet Father Christmas one. Eve stopped herself from rolling her eyes again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe kitchen was already hot and stuffy, despite it only being ten in the morning. I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday <\/i>blared out from the radio and Eve fought the urge to throw it out of the front door and into the Thames. Since the first of December, Eric had tuned the radio into Christmas FM and festive tunes had echoed around the kitchen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cMorning, Eric.\u201d Eve waved but didn\u2019t stop to talk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEve, come in.\u201d Carlo was sitting behind his desk in the office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThere was no seat for her and so Eve stood in front of the desk, clasping her hands in front of her as she waited for Carlo to speak. It wasn\u2019t unusual for him to call staff into the office. He had a very particular way of running the restaurant and liked everyone to know he was in charge. Even if that meant he did very little himself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEve, I\u2019m afraid I have to let you go.\u201d He took a drag from the vape he held in his hand. Eve winced as the sickly sweetness filled the air. She\u2019d told him repeatedly that he shouldn\u2019t be vaping inside the premises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cLet me go?\u201d she gasped out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYes. The last couple of years have been financially challenging and I\u2019ve had to make cuts.\u201d He shrugged, refusing to meet her eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s three weeks before Christmas and you\u2019re firing me?\u201d Eve raised her voice. She\u2019d worked for Carlo since graduating from University five years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Eve.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWithout uttering another word, Eve stalked out of the office, back into the restaurant, and picked up her bags. This time she swung them at the stupid faux Christmas tree, knocking it onto the ground. She walked out of the restaurant and onto the icy street. Eve bit her lip to stop the tears which were forming in her eyes. It would do no good to cry. She went to pull her phone from her pocket, wanting to call her boyfriend. His comforting voice would help. Her fingers wrapped around the phone in her pocket just as it started vibrating. It was Rihanna, her neighbour and best friend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHi Rhi,\u201d Eve answered. She took in a deep breath of the icy London air to stop her voice from wobbling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEve, Michael\u2019s moving his stuff out of your flat.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe words echoed around Eve\u2019s brain as she tried to make sense of them. Moving his stuff out of the flat? The flat they shared? Rhi must have been wrong. Michael would be at work by now. Eve had waved him off earlier that morning, kissing him goodbye, and wishing him a good day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m coming,\u201d she replied and put the phone down before Rhi could say anything more. It would all be a silly mistake and they\u2019d laugh about it over a glass of wine and a takeaway tonight. The sickening feeling in her stomach knew the truth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe tube journey back to her flat in Stratford felt never-ending. Eve stared out the window, watching as they passed each station. Her mind was threatening to cave in, but she was forcing herself to keep going. Just a few more steps to her building. She took the lift to the fifth floor, where the door to her flat was wide open.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cMichael?\u201d she called. Her legs shook as she slowly entered the almost-empty flat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEve, what are you doing here?\u201d Michael whirled around to face her. His eyes were wide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Eve asked, ignoring his question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI thought it would be easier this way.\u201d He shrugged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat would be easier?\u201d she asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cLeaving you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve stood open-mouthed, not knowing what to say.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s best if I go.\u201d He pointed towards the door and Eve nodded, unable to get any words out. Without a goodbye or a last hug, Michael walked out of the door.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cEve?\u201d Rhi was standing in the doorway peering in at the desolate flat. Most of the furniture had been Michael\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHe\u2019s gone.\u201d Eve felt a sob rising in her throat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh, Eve. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d Her friend walked over and wrapped her arms around her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI lost my job, too.\u201d Eve needed to tell someone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCome back to mine. I\u2019ll make you a cup of tea.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve allowed herself to be guided into Rhi\u2019s flat across the hallway. She propped herself up against the kitchen cupboards whilst Rhi busied herself with making tea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Rhi asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCarlo\u2019s struggling financially, so he had to let me go.\u201d Eve\u2019s voice sounded detached.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat an ass.\u201d Rhi handed Eve a strong mug of tea and they made their way into the living room. \u201cHold on a minute. I saw something on Facebook this morning.\u201d Rhi grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and pulled up her internet history. \u201cHere. Look!\u201d She flung the laptop into Eve\u2019s lap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve squinted at the screen, trying to read the tiny writing. It was an advert for a private chef.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cRhi, I\u2019m not a chef.\u201d Eve went to hand the laptop back, but Rhi wouldn\u2019t accept it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cNo, but you can cook. We just need to tweak your CV.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve didn\u2019t have the energy to argue, and so, an hour later, Rhi had \u2018polished\u2019 Eve\u2019s CV for her and emailed it off with a cover letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI can\u2019t believe you sent it.\u201d Eve shook her head and took a sip of the coffee she\u2019d made while Rhi was drafting the letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s only two weeks\u2019 work. Do you want to spend Christmas alone? Or you could get this job and spend a wonderful Christmas up in the Scottish Highlands.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Scottish Highlands?\u201d screeched Eve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYes, didn\u2019t you read the advert?\u201d Rhi chuckled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cRhi, I didn\u2019t think you were serious when you first showed it to me!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh.\u201d At least Rhi had the good nature to look a little guilty before a huge grin spread across her face. \u201cYou\u2019re going to Scotland!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI haven\u2019t got the job!\u201d Eve argued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh, but you will. Your CV is very impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Eve narrowed her eyes. She should have read it before she allowed Rhi to hit send.<\/p>\n
\u201cI embellished your role at Carlo\u2019s.\u201d Rhi shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cRhi, what do you mean you embellished my role at Carlo\u2019s?\u201d Eve spoke slowly, enunciating each word.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI just tweaked your role at Carlo\u2019s slightly and possibly didn\u2019t mention that his restaurant is a backstreet Italian.\u201d Rhi shrugged her shoulders and poured a handful of skittles into her mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cRhi,\u201d Eve grumbled. \u201cTell me exactly what you put on my CV.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI said you were the head chef at an up-and-coming London restaurant which specialised in adding a modern twist to classic cuisine.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh, Rhi.\u201d Eve hid her face in her hands. \u201cMaybe we should email them and retract my application.\u201d Eve reached for the laptop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAbsolutely not. I will not allow you to spend the festive period sitting in that flat feeling sorry for yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m okay. If I\u2019m honest, I\u2019m more upset about losing my job than losing Michael.\u201d Eve had been thinking while Rhi was lying on her job application. She and Michael had been drifting apart for a while now, but neither of them had wanted to confront it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI never thought you two suited each other,\u201d confessed Rhi.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. It was just easy with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyway, enough about Michael. We should go shopping. It\u2019s going to be freezing in Scotland at this time of year.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019ve not even got the job. Besides, I can\u2019t afford to go shopping. I\u2019ve got no income and I\u2019ll have to cover Michael\u2019s half of the rent.\u201d Reality was dawning on Eve and she wanted to bury her head in the ground. Maybe escaping to Scotland was a good idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cGive your notice on the flat and move in with me. I\u2019ve got a spare bedroom.\u201d Rhi\u2019s tone suggested this was an instruction and not a suggestion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThat would be perfect. Thank you, Rhi.\u201d As much as Eve treasured her independence and having her own space, she could hardly afford her half of the rent, let alone Michael\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cShall we email the agents now to let them know?\u201d Rhi grabbed for the laptop again, and Eve agreed before she could change her mind and allow her pride to resurface.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh look, you\u2019ve got an email.\u201d Rhi had just hit send on the email to the letting agent. \u201cIt\u2019s from the job we applied to.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cRhi, I think we should email them and retract my application. My CV is a lie and I can\u2019t cook for someone. My cooking isn\u2019t good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it might be too late to retract it,\u201d Rhi whispered, squinting at the screen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Eve asked. It surprised her to find excitement bubbling away in the pit of her stomach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThey want you to call them to arrange your transport. Oh my gosh, Eve, you got the job!\u201d<\/p>\n
Eve stared blankly at the screen in front of her. This morning she\u2019d woken up ready for another day at work. With Christmas three weeks away, she had planned to nip out to the shop between lunch and dinner service to buy Michael\u2019s Christmas present. At least she hadn\u2019t wasted her money on a pointless gift. She glanced at the clock on Rhi\u2019s laptop. It was midday. Usually, she\u2019d be flitting from table-to-table taking orders and bringing food out to hungry patrons. Instead, she was single and sitting in Rhi\u2019s flat, contemplating taking a job in the Scottish Highlands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cLife can change in a matter of minutes,\u201d Eve muttered. She was still staring at the screen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cExactly. Do something a little crazy and accept this job. Eve, you\u2019re an amazing cook. It\u2019s two weeks cooking for a posh family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRhi, I can\u2019t do this. I\u2019ve only ever cooked for friends and family. You can hardly call making a few pizzas and pasta dishes at Carlo\u2019s cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Eve! Your food is amazing. Besides, what\u2019s the worst that could happen?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI could make a mess of it and be forever blacklisted in the food industry.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cYou\u2019re so dramatic. You\u2019ll be cooking for a family over Christmas. It\u2019ll just be lots of roast dinners and various cold meats.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBut I\u2019ve lied, Rhi! Well, you\u2019ve lied for me. They\u2019ll realise I can\u2019t cook and throw me out.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBut you can cook! Eve, remember last Christmas when my oven broke? Michael was away visiting his family so you were spending Christmas Day alone. Without a second thought, you took all my ingredients and told me to enjoy the morning with my parents and you\u2019d bring lunch over at midday. We all loved your food, Eve. I\u2019m not just saying this because you\u2019re my best friend. You\u2019re an amazing cook and I know you can do this!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve thought about it. She was no stranger to throwing together last-minute meals, but that didn\u2019t mean they were restaurant quality. But perhaps Rhi had a point. What was the worst that could happen? After all, she was already unemployed. Without allowing herself another second to think, Eve grabbed her mobile from the table and dialled the number of the agency that was arranging the job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHello, Peace, Joy and Love Catering Company. How may I help you?\u201d The sound of a bored voice floated down the phone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHello, It\u2019s Eve Merry. I applied for a role and I just received an email asking me to contact you to arrange transport.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh, yes. Let me just pull up the information.\u201d The woman\u2019s tone hadn\u2019t changed. Eve could hardly believe she was making such an enormous change so close to Christmas, and yet this woman was acting as though it was nothing. \u201cHere we go. The client has offered to pay for transport, so we can book you on a train on Friday. It\u2019ll be an overnight journey. You\u2019ll arrive Saturday lunchtime, staff will settle you in, and then you\u2019ll start work on Monday.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve reached out for a pen and paper. Thankfully, Rhi\u2019s job as a freelance writer meant there was an abundance of writing pads and pens scattered throughout her flat. The conversation only lasted ten minutes and by the time Eve put the phone down, they had booked her on the Caledonian Sleeper to Fort William. Once she disembarked in Fort William, a driver would meet her and take her to The McLeod\u2019s Castle. She had almost choked on air at the mention of a castle. However, her nerves settled when the woman told her there would only be a party of seven in residence. Eve had covered Eric in the restaurant many times. A party of seven would be easy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEve took a deep breath as she put the phone down. \u201cI\u2019m leaving on Friday,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cOh, my!\u201d Rhi gasped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019ve said yes to this.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI can. Carlo\u2019s Calzones was never enough for you, Eve. This is just the beginning for you. Perhaps this agency will keep you on. You could spend summer sailing around St-Tropez cooking on a luxury yacht!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThey were getting carried away, but Eve wondered whether it would be a possibility. She was single and unemployed, there was absolutely nothing stopping her from travelling the world and cooking. At eighteen, when she joined University, Eve had big plans to cook on every continent. However, life had got a little too real when she graduated and had to find a job. It was a field where experience was everything and Eve had spent three years studying, when it seemed everybody else in the industry had spent three years working. It had felt like an answer to all her problems when Carlo offered her the job of waitressing and asked if she would be open to being trained up as cover for when Eric was off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAre you listening to me?\u201d Rhi interrupted her thoughts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cSorry. What were you saying?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe need to pack!\u201d Rhi stood up, grabbing Eve\u2019s keys from the coffee table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cRhi, it\u2019s only Monday.\u201d Eve laughed. She\u2019d be in the kitchen for the entirety of her stay, so she wouldn\u2019t need to bring much with her. The agency had told her chef whites would be available for her at the property. She would work each day, but with breaks outside of mealtimes, so Eve only needed a few pairs of jeans and jumpers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRhi stood with her arms crossed and her steely gaze focused on Eve. \u201cI\u2019m not taking no for an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reluctantly, Eve followed Rhi back into her flat. She was shocked to discover Michael had even taken the chest of drawers, leaving all of her clothes on the mattress. He had bought the bed frame and so there was just a mattress left in the middle of the floor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHe must have been planning this for ages,\u201d Rhi commented, looking around at the sparse flat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI know.\u201d Eve gulped. She\u2019d been happily trundling on with life. Meanwhile, Michael was planning to leave. It was an eye-opener for her. She\u2019d got too comfortable, and it was time for a change. Twenty-six was far too young to settle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCome on, let\u2019s move your stuff into my spare room. There\u2019s no point in delaying.\u201d Rhi grabbed Eve\u2019s suitcase and started piling her clothes into it. It didn\u2019t take long and the entirety of Eve\u2019s clothes fit in one case. She spent most of her life in chef whites or her waitressing uniform and had little time for clothes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI might have to lend you a few pieces,\u201d commented Rhi. It horrified her to see just how little Eve owned. Eve cringed at the idea. Rhi\u2019s taste was very different from hers. Rhi was confident and had enviable curves. Eve was the polar opposite. She decided not to argue. So long as everything fit inside her suitcase, she didn\u2019t mind what Rhi put inside it. She glanced in the only mirror Michael had left behind and realised she didn\u2019t look like someone whose boyfriend had dumped them on the same day they\u2019d lost their job. Instead, she looked like she was excited about the future. There was a sparkle back in her eyes. Food had saved her once before. It could do it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you not own any makeup?\u201d The horrified voice of Rhi echoed in the bathroom. Eve laughed and rolled her eyes. She owed a lot to her friend. Without her, she\u2019d be sitting on the rug in the living room eating a gallon of ice cream, and contemplating how to pay the rent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hello! How’re you? Have you seen my recent release The Cornish Vintage Dress Shop? You can buy it here Or, read the first three chapters here Anyway, I’ve stupidly decided to release two books in two months, so I’m already thinking about the next one! Coming 12th November is A Merry Christmas at the Castle. You can read the first chapter below and pre-order the ebook here. Chapter One \u201cEve, I need to talk to you.\u201d Carlo\u2019s voice called from the other side of the restaurant.\u00a0 Eve rolled her eyes. She\u2019d just walked through the door. A glance at her watch told her she wasn\u2019t due to start work for another half an hour, and already her manager wanted to speak to her.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be right there,\u201d she called back. Eve dropped her bags on the closest table, careful to avoid the small fake pine trees wrapped in cheap tinsel. It was Carlo\u2019s budget attempt at making the backstreet Italian restaurant look Christmassy. Eve swept her hair back into a low bun and walked through the kitchen to Carlo\u2019s office. When she applied for the job at Carlo\u2019s Calzones, Eve had expected the role to involve cooking. Instead, she was a glorified waitress who stepped in when the chef was ill. Three years studying Food Science at Reading University and this was all she\u2019d amounted to.\u00a0 \u201cMorning, Eve.\u201d Eric, the chef, called to her as she walked past. He had swapped his chef\u2019s hat for a red velvet Father Christmas one. Eve stopped herself from rolling her eyes again.\u00a0 The kitchen was already hot and stuffy, despite it only being ten in the morning. I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday blared out from the radio and Eve fought the urge to throw it out of the front door and into the Thames. Since the first of December, Eric had tuned the radio into Christmas FM and festive tunes had echoed around the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cMorning, Eric.\u201d Eve waved but didn\u2019t stop to talk.\u00a0 \u201cEve, come in.\u201d Carlo was sitting behind his desk in the office.\u00a0 There was no seat for her and so Eve stood in front of the desk, clasping her hands in front of her as she waited for Carlo to speak. It wasn\u2019t unusual for him to call staff into the office. He had a very particular way of running the restaurant and liked everyone to know he was in charge. Even if that meant he did very little himself.\u00a0 \u201cEve, I\u2019m afraid I have to let you go.\u201d He took a drag from the vape he held in his hand. Eve winced as the sickly sweetness filled the air. She\u2019d told him repeatedly that he shouldn\u2019t be vaping inside the premises.\u00a0 \u201cLet me go?\u201d she gasped out.\u00a0 \u201cYes. The last couple of years have been financially challenging and I\u2019ve had to make cuts.\u201d He shrugged, refusing to meet her eye.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s three weeks before Christmas and you\u2019re firing me?\u201d Eve raised her voice. She\u2019d worked for Carlo since graduating from University five years ago.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Eve.\u201d\u00a0 Without uttering another word, Eve stalked out of the office, back into the restaurant, and picked up her bags. This time she swung them at the stupid faux Christmas tree, knocking it onto the ground. She walked out of the restaurant and onto the icy street. Eve bit her lip to stop the tears which were forming in her eyes. It would do no good to cry. She went to pull her phone from her pocket, wanting to call her boyfriend. His comforting voice would help. Her fingers wrapped around the phone in her pocket just as it started vibrating. It was Rihanna, her neighbour and best friend.\u00a0 \u201cHi Rhi,\u201d Eve answered. She took in a deep breath of the icy London air to stop her voice from wobbling.\u00a0 \u201cEve, Michael\u2019s moving his stuff out of your flat.\u201d\u00a0 The words echoed around Eve\u2019s brain as she tried to make sense of them. Moving his stuff out of the flat? The flat they shared? Rhi must have been wrong. Michael would be at work by now. Eve had waved him off earlier that morning, kissing him goodbye, and wishing him a good day.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m coming,\u201d she replied and put the phone down before Rhi could say anything more. It would all be a silly mistake and they\u2019d laugh about it over a glass of wine and a takeaway tonight. The sickening feeling in her stomach knew the truth.\u00a0 The tube journey back to her flat in Stratford felt never-ending. Eve stared out the window, watching as they passed each station. Her mind was threatening to cave in, but she was forcing herself to keep going. Just a few more steps to her building. She took the lift to the fifth floor, where the door to her flat was wide open.\u00a0 \u201cMichael?\u201d she called. Her legs shook as she slowly entered the almost-empty flat.\u00a0 \u201cEve, what are you doing here?\u201d Michael whirled around to face her. His eyes were wide.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Eve asked, ignoring his question.\u00a0 \u201cI thought it would be easier this way.\u201d He shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would be easier?\u201d she asked.\u00a0 \u201cLeaving you.\u201d\u00a0 Eve stood open-mouthed, not knowing what to say. \u201cI think it\u2019s best if I go.\u201d He pointed towards the door and Eve nodded, unable to get any words out. Without a goodbye or a last hug, Michael walked out of the door.\u00a0 \u201cEve?\u201d Rhi was standing in the doorway peering in at the desolate flat. Most of the furniture had been Michael\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s gone.\u201d Eve felt a sob rising in her throat.\u00a0 \u201cOh, Eve. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d Her friend walked over and wrapped her arms around her.\u00a0 \u201cI lost my job, too.\u201d Eve needed to tell someone.\u00a0 \u201cCome back to mine. I\u2019ll make you a cup of tea.\u201d\u00a0 Eve allowed herself to be guided into Rhi\u2019s flat across the hallway. She propped herself up against the kitchen cupboards whilst Rhi busied herself with making tea.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Rhi asked.\u00a0 \u201cCarlo\u2019s struggling financially, so he had to let me go.\u201d Eve\u2019s voice sounded detached.\u00a0 \u201cWhat an ass.\u201d Rhi handed Eve a strong mug of tea and they made their way into the living room. \u201cHold on a minute. I saw something on Facebook this morning.\u201d Rhi grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and pulled up her internet history. \u201cHere. Look!\u201d She flung the laptop into Eve\u2019s lap.\u00a0 Eve squinted at the screen, trying to read the tiny writing. It was an advert for a private chef.\u00a0 \u201cRhi, I\u2019m not a chef.\u201d Eve went to hand the laptop back, but Rhi wouldn\u2019t accept it.\u00a0 \u201cNo, but you can cook. We just need to tweak your CV.\u201d\u00a0 Eve didn\u2019t have the energy to argue, and so, an hour later, Rhi had \u2018polished\u2019 Eve\u2019s CV for her and emailed it off with a cover letter.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t believe you sent it.\u201d Eve shook her head and took a sip of the coffee she\u2019d made while Rhi was drafting the letter.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s only two weeks\u2019 work. Do you want to spend Christmas alone? Or you could get this job and spend a wonderful Christmas up in the Scottish Highlands.\u201d \u201cThe Scottish Highlands?\u201d screeched Eve.\u00a0 \u201cYes, didn\u2019t you read the advert?\u201d Rhi chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cRhi, I didn\u2019t think you were serious when you first showed it to me!\u201d\u00a0 \u201cOh.\u201d At least Rhi had the good nature to look a little guilty before a huge grin spread across her face. \u201cYou\u2019re going to Scotland!\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t got the job!\u201d Eve argued.\u00a0 \u201cOh, but you will. Your CV is very impressive.\u201d \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Eve narrowed her eyes. She should have read it before she allowed Rhi to hit send. \u201cI embellished your role at Carlo\u2019s.\u201d Rhi shrugged. \u201cRhi, what do you mean you embellished my role at Carlo\u2019s?\u201d Eve spoke slowly, enunciating each word.\u00a0 \u201cI just tweaked your role at Carlo\u2019s slightly and possibly didn\u2019t mention that his restaurant is a backstreet Italian.\u201d Rhi shrugged her shoulders and poured a handful of skittles into her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cRhi,\u201d Eve grumbled. \u201cTell me exactly what you put on my CV.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI said you were the head chef at an up-and-coming London restaurant which specialised in adding a modern twist to classic cuisine.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cOh, Rhi.\u201d Eve hid her face in her hands. \u201cMaybe we should email them and retract my application.\u201d Eve reached for the laptop.\u00a0 \u201cAbsolutely not. I will not allow you to spend the festive period sitting in that flat feeling sorry for yourself.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m okay. If I\u2019m honest, I\u2019m more upset about losing my job than losing Michael.\u201d Eve had been thinking while Rhi was lying on her job application. She and Michael had been drifting apart for a while now, but neither of them had wanted to confront it.\u00a0 \u201cI never thought you two suited each other,\u201d confessed Rhi. \u201cI know. It was just easy with him.\u201d \u201cAnyway, enough about Michael. We should go shopping. It\u2019s going to be freezing in Scotland at this time of year.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve not even got the job. Besides, I can\u2019t afford to go shopping. I\u2019ve got no income and I\u2019ll have to cover Michael\u2019s half of the rent.\u201d Reality was dawning on Eve and she wanted to bury her head in the ground. Maybe escaping to Scotland was a good idea.\u00a0 \u201cGive your notice on the flat and move in with me. I\u2019ve got a spare bedroom.\u201d Rhi\u2019s tone suggested this was an instruction and not a suggestion.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be perfect. Thank you, Rhi.\u201d As much as Eve treasured her independence and having her own space, she could hardly afford her half of the rent, let alone Michael\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cShall we email the agents now to let them know?\u201d Rhi grabbed for the laptop again, and Eve agreed before she could change her mind and allow her pride to resurface.\u00a0 \u201cOh look, you\u2019ve got an email.\u201d Rhi had just hit send on the email to the letting agent. \u201cIt\u2019s from the job we applied to.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cRhi, I think we should email them and retract my application. My CV is a lie and I can\u2019t cook for someone. My cooking isn\u2019t good enough.\u201d \u201cI think it might be too late to retract it,\u201d Rhi whispered, squinting at the screen.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Eve asked. It surprised her to find excitement bubbling away in the pit of her stomach.\u00a0 \u201cThey want you to call them to arrange your transport. Oh my gosh, Eve, you got the job!\u201d Eve stared blankly at the screen in front of her. This morning she\u2019d woken up ready for another day at work. With Christmas three weeks away, she had planned to nip out to the shop between lunch and dinner service to buy Michael\u2019s Christmas present. At least she hadn\u2019t wasted her money on a pointless gift. She glanced at the clock on Rhi\u2019s laptop. It was midday. Usually, she\u2019d be flitting from table-to-table taking orders and bringing food out to hungry patrons. Instead, she was single and sitting in Rhi\u2019s flat, contemplating taking a job in the Scottish Highlands.\u00a0 \u201cLife can change in a matter of minutes,\u201d Eve muttered. She was still staring at the screen.\u00a0 \u201cExactly. Do something a little crazy and accept this job. Eve, you\u2019re an amazing cook. It\u2019s two weeks cooking for a posh family.\u201d \u201cRhi, I can\u2019t do this. I\u2019ve only ever cooked for friends and family. You can hardly call making a few pizzas and pasta dishes at Carlo\u2019s cooking.\u201d \u201cCome on, Eve! Your food is amazing. Besides, what\u2019s the worst that could happen?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cI could make a mess of it and be forever blacklisted in the food industry.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re so dramatic. You\u2019ll be cooking for a family over Christmas. It\u2019ll just be lots of roast dinners and various cold meats.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cBut I\u2019ve lied, Rhi! Well, you\u2019ve lied for me. They\u2019ll realise I can\u2019t cook and throw me out.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cBut you can cook! Eve, remember last Christmas when my oven broke?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"I know, it's far too early to mention the C word on Twitter. 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