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‘Make sure you are,’ was her parting shot as she left him to get changed.
Suitably attired in his own clothes once more, he gathered his courage and went to find Seren.
She was handing the last of the wreaths to a man standing inside the former ice cream van, but when she saw him, she said, ‘Can you finish up, Dad? I just want to have a quick word with Daniel.’
‘So that’s Daniel, is it?’ The man peered down at him, and Daniel squirmed, wondering what Seren might have said about him and hoping it wasn’t too bad.
‘Look, I’m sorry if you felt obliged to go out with me just so I’d play Santa today,’ he began, moving away from the van so her dad couldn’t hear.
‘I don’t feel obliged,’ she retorted. ‘I’d have gone to dinner with you regardless, if you’d asked.’
‘You would?’
She beamed at him. ‘I would.’
‘You don’t feel browbeaten into it?’ He had to make sure.
‘Absolutely not.’
‘Phew!’ He pretended to mop his brow. ‘That’s a relief. So, Friday…?’
‘Friday it is. We’d better swap phone numbers, just in case.’
‘Good idea.’ He told her his mobile number and watched her key it into her phone. A second later his phone rang and he saved her number. ‘I’ll give you a call when I’ve booked somewhere,’ he said. ‘Any preference? Or are there any foods you don’t eat, such as meat?’
‘I’ll eat most things,’ she said. ‘Although, I don’t like sprouts.’
‘I’ll try not to book us a table in a sprout restaurant,’ he joked, then said, ‘I’ll let you get off home. See you Friday, but I’ll be in touch before then.’
‘Great. See you— Oh, before you go, have you got any idea what’ll happen to all that ivy?’
‘Um, I expect it will either be composted or burnt.’
‘Do you think they can spare any? I could do with some to make more garlands and wreaths.’
‘I’m coming back tomorrow to finish up, so I’ll ask if you can have some if you like?’
‘Would you? That would be fantastic.’ And with that, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then hurried back to her van, but not before she threw a smile over her shoulder at him.
Daniel, his pulse pounding, put his fingers to the spot where her lips had connected with his skin and felt like cheering. The thought of going on a proper date with her was sending his heart rate into overdrive, and he had the most wonderful feeling that she might like him.
He hoped so, because he liked her more than he’d liked any woman for a very long time – and that included Gina!
