Christmas at Thistlecombe Cottage

Chapter 1

That Maya Darcy had other plans for Christmas was the understatement of the year.

She had not, for instance, expected to take a very full train to the Cotswolds on December 23. Her original plan was to be in the passenger seat of her boyfriend's convertible, jetting off to the quaint English countryside to escape London. Instead she was in a cramped car next to a mother and her irate toddler and across from a bickering old couple.

It had all started with a note stuck to her door the night prior, written in Nate's messy handwriting: "Gone to Ibiza with Paige. Sorry."

It was officially the worst way to get broken up with in the history of getting broken up with. Not only had Nate, her boyfriend of three years and three months, left her for his secretary and told her on a piece of paper taped to her door, but he'd done so the night before they were supposed to go out of town to spend Christmas together.

It was midday by the time she arrived at Thistlecombe Station. The listing said the cottage was only a ten-minute walk from there, but with luggage too big for her petite frame and the excess baggage of a scarred heart and a broken spirit, Maya knew it would take her at least twice as much time to get there. She gathered her short hair into a tiny ponytail, braced herself for the trek, and followed the directions on her phone.

Always get a trolley with four wheels. Her father's voice echoed in her mind as she dragged her two-wheeled trolley along what seemed like an endless road. Why had she chosen form over function? The trolley was the perfect shade of teal, and she had wanted it as soon as she saw it, even though she'd known it would be more difficult to lug around than a four-wheeler. The thing was, she hadn't thought she was going to have to lug it around in the first place. The trolley was supposed to sit pretty in the tiny trunk of Nate's car while they enjoyed the scenic drive from London to Thistlecombe. She hadn't known she was going to rough it out like this and hadn't packed accordingly.

You've gone through much worse, Maya, she thought with a huff. She had been an intrepid backpacker once upon a time, back when she was much younger and had significantly less money in her bank account. She'd traveled through most of Southeast Asia with just a backpack, staying in hostels and taking questionable modes of transportation. She hadn't cared because she'd gotten to visit amazing places, eat delicious food, and meet fascinating people. She had very fond memories from that time of her life. Every long and difficult road leads to an adventure, she used to say, and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

She'd seen everything as an adventure then. If only she could see this unintended solo holiday as an adventure now.

In truth, it would've been a scenic walk to Thistlecombe Cottage if she weren't so miserable. The street was lined with quaint cottages on either side, all beautifully decorated for Christmas, doors adorned with wreaths and windows lined with fairy lights. The village of Thistlecombe was popular for its holiday rentals, and they were always fully booked this time of year.

Lively chatter and laughter from inside some of the houses filtered out to the street, while fancy cars pulled into the driveways of others. More often than not, two people would step out of those cars to marvel at their beautiful holiday accommodations. Maya looked around and instantly knew they were everywhere. She was surrounded. Nearly every cottage in the village seemed to be rented by a couple.

Not only was Thistlecombe a popular destination for Christmas holidays, it had a reputation for being the proposal capital of the Cotswolds. Her friends had said as much when she'd told them about her Christmas plans with Nate.

"He is definitely going to propose! Why else would he invite you to spend Christmas with him, and at Thistlecombe no less?" they'd exclaimed. Maya had acted surprised and unbelieving then, but secretly she'd been hopeful too.