Ashleigh crept inside the house and up to her room. Changing her jeans for her leggings and reluctantly taking off Olivier’s fleece to put on a jumper of her own and the tunic on top. No one woke. Even Simon seemed to be exhausted from his long walk so she was able to sneak out again, pulling her elf hat down over her head.
Olivier was waiting outside for her, with a tub under one arm. He held out his hand to her and her heart tripped again. It was bursting from more than the thrill of the lights. She slipped her hand into his. She’d lost count of the number of times they’d done this now.
They walked the road in a big circle, turning left out of the gate, heading down the hill, crossing over and coming back up, along to the end before crossing over to their side again. It took them an hour. They stopped for a moment outside every house to see if there were any kids there to offer chocolates and “elfies” to. Ash didn’t think she’d ever spoken to so many of her neighbours. Olivier’s chocolates were the shape of little people, wearing colourful bobble hats, and the kids got excited trying to beat their siblings to their favourite colours. In turn they were offered treats too, from mince pies to mulled wine and hot chocolate in paper cups.
They stopped off at Thomas’s house, with its cascade of flashing lights swarming across the entire brick wall, and his inflatables in the garden.
‘Hello, Ashleigh, lovely to see you out and joining in this year.’ He offered her another mince pie and she took it, even though she was sure she wasn’t going to need to eat for the rest of December after tonight. ‘Christine not joining you?’
‘No. Nan’s not feeling very well today.’
‘Oh.’ The older man’s face fell. ‘Oh that is a shame. Tell her I hope she feels better. I know she loves to watch the lights. I always see her at her window admiring it. That’s what encouraged me to start building up the display really. I like to add something new each year for her as she likes to look at it so much.’
Ashleigh inhaled a big bite of mince pie in shock and began coughing. ‘I’m – so – sorry,’ she coughed, trying not to erupt into laughter. ‘I just—’cough, cough‘—need to get a drink.’
‘Oh, of course. Goodnight and merry Christmas. And tell your nan I hope she feels better.’
Olivier put his arm around Ashleigh’s shoulder and led her back across the road as she tried to breathe. He was laughing too.
‘I’m betting Christine isnota fan of Thomas’s Christmas lights.’
‘Oh my God.’ Ashleigh wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. ‘Shehatesit. He thinks she loves it.’ She took a gasping breath and the laughter racked her again. ‘He’s doing the whole thing to impress her. I can’t believe it.’
Olivier laughed and hugged her closer still as she struggled to walk in a straight line. ‘Do you think he likes her? He’s being a peacock. Showing her all his colourful plumage?’
‘Oh no, please, stop.’ Her full stomach was starting to hurt from laughing.
When they managed to get back to her front garden and she could breathe again, she felt cleansed. Everything was singing inside her. Olivier’s arm was still around her shoulder and Ash allowed herself to lean into him as they stood side by side and looked up at the houses they’d decorated, glowing.
‘Ashleigh?’
She turned her head and looked up at him. A small smile touched his lips and the flashing lights lit up his eyes.
‘Olivier?’
‘Would you like to go on a date with me?’
‘Yes. I would really like that.’ Ashleigh didn’t even think about it. Perhaps it was the mulled wine – on top of the rosé wine – or the magic of the evening, but she had already known that for all the time he was in England, she wanted to be part of it.
It was like he’d said the other day. Lighting up the darkness was joyful. Even if she knew it wasn’t going to last – he was going to go back to Paris, the lights were going to go back into their boxes once Christmas had passed – why sit in the darkness when there was another option? One that was full of sparkling light and laughter and the possibility of kisses with this gorgeous man?
He smiled and bent his head down closer towards hers and her heart squeezed up into her throat and—
And then her front door opened, and Nan was standing there, arms folded across her chest and a look on her face that told Ash she was not the least bit amused.
‘Ashleigh. I think we better have a word, don’t you?’ Nan bit out and turned and went back inside, leaving the door open. Ash glanced at Olivier.
‘Do you want me to come with you?’ he asked.
‘You probably don’t want to witness this. It’s going to be a real buzz kill.’
‘Yes, but I should be on the receiving end too. I helped you. I encouraged you even.’
Ash couldn’t help but smile again, even though all her good mood was rapidly draining away with each moment that passed between now and facing her nan’s inevitable wrath. He was so sweet.
‘Yes, you did. You bad influence,’ she teased him. ‘But I better do this alone.’ She tiptoed up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. ‘See you soon?’
‘Very soon,’ he promised, and they parted at their gates.
