Christmas at The Heartbreak Cafe (Lakeview Christmas Novel) (Lakeview Contemporary Romance Book 7) Read Online Free PDF

it in her own gorgeous house in front of the whole town.
    Heidi lived for opportunities like these.

6
    E lla had spent the following week listening to Heidi’s plans for what she proclaimed to be the “The Lakeview social outing of the century!”
    Reluctant at first to let go of some of the reins to someone as disconnected from the essence of the community as Heidi (despite being born and bred here and the daughter of one of Ella’s closest friends) she had nevertheless been impressed with just how devoted Heidi seemed to be. Truth be told she was actually a little relieved to have someone deal with the finer details other than food and music.
    During the first meeting, Betty Clancy’s youngest rambled on about tableware choices (pin tuck, red silk, extra long runners, etc.) while pouring through sample books from party planning companies. The joy she seemed to take from hosting this party was infectious as Ella grew more and more excited for the big day to arrive.
    They ended the meeting agreeing on invitation layouts and the best way to distribute them. Debbie from Amazing Days Design, owner of the local stationery designer business, would be asked to design a specially commissioned invite incorporating Christmas and the café’s thirty-year anniversary celebrations. Heidi would also ask her to create matching fliers for Ella to hang in the café and to distribute around to make sure everyone in the village knew about the party.
    It seemed as if no stone would be left unturned when it came to this ‘collaboration’.

    T he second meeting felt vastly different by comparison. Heidi had been distracted and, dare Ella say, a bit dishevelled for her usually high standards?
    Her nail polish was a little chipped, her hair appeared uncoiffed, and she looked as though she hadn’t been sleeping very well.
    Did this have something to do with the declined credit card from before? Ella wondered.
    Despite herself, she felt a little sorry for Heidi. It had to be hard to keep up appearances all the time. While Ella couldn’t care less about things like jewellery, Mummy clubs, or professional garden maintenance, she did understand that Heidi’s self-created reputation was constantly at stake when she stepped out in public.
    Nonetheless, Heidi ploughed through the meeting with few breaks for chit-chat. She made a couple of notes about changes she had made, and occasionally snuck in a remark about the price of items like lighting or the silk napkins. Ella could easily pick up that Heidi seemed to be avoiding a much bigger topic, but Ella wouldn’t be the one to bring it up.
    Instead, Ella had spent the meeting mentally planning out the menu. There would be café favourites from down through the years, mince pies as well as cupcakes decorated as Christmas presents, cookies in the shape of toys, traditional Irish Christmas fruitcake and pudding, and a mulled wine recipe that would make her father-in-law proud. Then in the evening, as the party wound down and music began, they would bring out mini burners so that the children and hungry adults could roast marshmallows to dip in chocolate.
    While Heidi ended their second meeting with a long face, Ella felt practically euphoric. The thought of all the cooking ahead of her didn’t break her spirit. Instead, it gave her life and purpose that she had not felt in years. She couldn’t help but rush into the kitchen to chat with Colm about her plans.
    Before she could make it to the back of the café, one of her staff members handed her the post that had come in earlier that morning. Mainly junk, she quickly sorted through it with fine eye for bills and important notes.
    But a letter from the estate agent who handled her lease quickly caught her eye. The letter, official and to the point felt heavy in her hands and a feeling of dread came over her as she read:
    Dear Tenant,
    We regret to inform you that following a repossession order in favour of Allied Trust Bank in Wicklow, the property