Page 45 of The Cotswolds Christmas Fair

Jen dropped her hands from Ted’s face as though it was burning her.

He leapt to his feet. ‘Hey! I didn’t know you were coming.’ He strode over to Sarah and pecked her on the cheek.

‘I thought I’d give you a hand, but if you’re busy . . .’ Her gaze turned back to Jen.

‘No, no, I’m leaving now anyway,’ Jen said, scrabbling to get her coat off the back of the chair and untangle the strap of her bag from the table leg. ‘Time I picked up Amy, anyway. I – I’m Jen,’ she said, flustered. ‘You must be Sarah, nice to meet you.’

Sarah smiled as she shook Jen’s outstretched hand. ‘You too,’ she said.

Ted had his arm around her now, and was already talking about the fair. He waved as Jen left, thanking her, and Jen hurried away.

As she walked out she heard Sarah say, ‘So that’s the famous Jen.’

She didn’t wait to hear Ted’s reply.

The next evening they were in the café for the grand gingerbread village revelation. Jen checked her phone for the hundredth time.

Still no message.

‘What’s with this guy?’ Ted asked as they huddled in the crowded café, while Marnie collected the decorated gingerbread houses everyone had brought. ‘Is he playing you, or something?’

Jen shook her head. He looked annoyed, and her instinct was to defend Anthony. ‘I mean, he’s probably just busy, right? It’s only been a few days, so . . .’

Miserably, she picked at the edge of a paper tablecloth that had holly and berries printed on it. Ted placed his hand gently over hers, stopping her.

‘Maybe he saw through me at the gallery,’ she said. The café smelled of butter and syrup and spices. And the rich mulled wine that was heating in the back. Jen could do with a glass of that right now. ‘He probably realised I have no idea what I’m talking about and—’

‘Hey, what is this?’ Ted took her by the shoulders, turning her so that she was forced to meet his eye. ‘You have nothing to prove, you’re smart and funny and kind. Any guy who can’t see that without you having to jump through hoops for him isn’t worth your time. Even this Train Guy.’

She smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. ‘Thanks. You have to say that, though, you’re my bestie.’

He shrugged. ‘True. But in this case, I mean it.’

‘I’m probably reading too much into it, anyway. Right?’ She looked at him, desperate for reassurance that there was nothing to worry about.

‘Definitely.’ He nodded, his dark eyes soft. ‘It’s like the kettle, isn’t it, as soon as you stop watching your phone it will boil.’ He glanced down at her amused expression. ‘Or whatever. You know what I mean.’

Jen nodded, and resisted the temptation to get her phone out of her pocket and check for the hundredth time that hour. She had it on vibrate, she’d have known if he messaged.

Amy, standing in front of her and clutching the gingerbread house they’d made as they queued to put theirs in its place in the café window, turned to face her. ‘How much is Father Christmas watching?’

She wore a guilty look and a chocolate stain on her mouth. Glancing at the house, Jen spotted a couple of spaces where chocolate buttons had been. She suppressed a smile.

‘Well, he’s very busy at this time of year, isn’t he? I think he only worries about the really naughty things, like being unkind, not the little things. Like eating sweets.’ She winked at her niece, and the little girl grinned back. ‘And you’re never unkind, are you?’

Amy shook her head, and happily went back to waiting her turn, glancing regularly at the remaining sweets and licking her lips.

‘At least I’ve still got the art class next week,’ Jen said. ‘Maybe that’ll help.’

Ted laughed. ‘I don’t really know what you’re expecting to learn. But if anyone can teach you, Sarah can.’

‘Just – you know, I just want to be able to have a conversation with him about the stuff he’s interested in.’

‘What about the stuff you’re interested in?’

‘Nothing wrong with bettering myself, is there?’

They shuffled forwards as the person at the front placed their house in the window and moved away.