Page 83 of The Merry Christmas Project

‘Sorry, we’re interrogating you,’ said Cesca. ‘It’s just that my sister and I, we were going to buy houses next door to each other on Orchard Gardens and then the flood put us off and we pulled out of the sale.’

Cole’s houses. It sounded like he’d been more affected by the damage than he’d let on. But it hadn’t prevented him from getting straight on with the remedial work on Holly Cottage. I made a mental note to thank him for all his efforts ; the cottage was even nicer now than when I’d moved in and the new kitchen was absolutely gorgeous. Christening the shiny new hob this morning with a double fried egg sandwich had been a very special moment.

‘Oh, you’d love it there ! There are going to be fruit trees planted in every garden, so it’ll be like a real orchard. The children would especially,’ I said and turned to the little boy, ‘I had two rabbits and a real deer in my garden this morning, can you believe it !’

‘A big one ?’ The little boy’s eyes were like saucers. ‘Did it have a red nose ?’

‘It was little and cute and its nose was sort of red,’ I said, massaging the truth a little. The little muntjac deer had been nibbling on foliage at the end of the garden and had skittered off through the trees when I got close to the window. But for one happy moment I’d felt like Snow White ; all that had been missing was a handsome prince to share the sight with.

‘The woodland setting was what drew us,’ Fliss admitted.

‘We did really like the houses,’ Cesca added. ‘But I’m quite risk-averse.’

‘I totally get that,’ I replied. ‘But according to my landlord, that was the first time in Holly Cottage’s five-hundred-year history that there’s been a flood. So I’m not worried.’

The sisters looked at each other again.

‘Your call, obviously,’ I said, aware that their hearts were pulling them in one direction and their heads another. ‘But it was a one-off thing. A contractor who should have known better dumped a load of tree trunks in the river which made a dam. It would be a shame if that meant you didn’t get your dream homes together.’

‘Perhaps we should reconsider,’ Fliss murmured to her sister. ‘We haven’t found anything else as nice.’

Cesca stroked the baby’s head absent-mindedly. ‘It wouldn’t hurt to take another look.’

‘Just think,’ I said brightly, ‘next summer you could be sitting in your garden looking out at the rabbits and deer like me.’

‘Thanks,’ said Fliss, tucking her purse back in her bag. ‘I’m so glad we bumped into you.’

As the women walked away clutching gift-wrapped candles and chatting excitedly, I felt a rush of pride that I might just have sold two houses for Cole. I picked up my phone and turned it over in my hands, wondering if it was a legitimate reason to send him a text. Before I’d come to a conclusion, Daniel arrived with a book of raffle tickets and shook a biscuit tin full of money at me.

He was wearing the most enormous hat, a knitted Christmas tree complete with pompom decorations and a knitted gold star perched on the top.

‘I like your hat,’ I teased.

‘So did I at first, but I’m ready to self-combust under here,’ he said, sitting down heavily on my spare chair. ‘Tasha made me wear it, seeing as I hadn’t dressed up in Christmas attire.’ He glanced at my outfit. ‘How come you got away with it ?’

‘Baubles,’ I replied, pointing to my earrings.

‘Smart move. Oh well, it’s all for a good cause I suppose.’ He pulled off the hat and ruffled his hair. ‘Glad you came ?’

‘Definitely,’ I said. ‘I’ve sold loads and I’ve really enjoyed being with the children.’

‘It’s great isn’t it ?’ He cast his eyes around the room, his gaze soft. ‘I’d forgotten how exciting it is for kids. I remember being just like them, being so enthralled with the magic of it all. Makes you realise, doesn’t it ; how precious it is to have children around. It’s what Christmas is about.’

I stared at him in complete disbelief. ‘I thought you were anti-children ?’

He grinned at the look on my face. ‘I’m quite surprised myself. Tasha said that just because someone didn’t want children of their own, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t enjoy spending time with them, and she was right.’

I smiled at him. ‘I’m pleased you’re not a child-hater. Because being here has definitely made me broody and if we’re going to stay friends …’

His bright blue eyes twinkled at me. ‘Don’t you worry. When you have kids, I’ll be the uncle who turns up just before bedtime causing mayhem with bags of sweets and plastic trumpets.’

‘You’d do that ?’ My jaw dropped as he nodded.

I rubbed my arms. ‘Daniel, that’s given me goosebumps.’

‘Sorry.’ He raised his hands. ‘OK, fair enough, maybe not the trumpets.’

‘No, I mean you wanting to be their uncle.’ I started to laugh. ‘I realise we’re discussing hypothetical children here, so I won’t hold you to anything. But, seriously, you’d do that even though we’re not family ?’