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Mack smiled, relief sweeping over his face. ‘I’d like that. Thank you. What with the uncertainty of my dad coming back into our lives, I’d rather wait to see where this goes before telling them. Are you sure you’re happy with that?’
‘Of course.’
And she was. Those two boys didn’t need any more upheaval in their lives. This way she and Mack could see where things led without any outside pressure.
‘Although, I’m not so sure we can keep it a secret from everyone else.’
‘No?’
‘No.’ He raised his eyebrows and nodded towards Wagging Tails.
Following his gaze, she opened her mouth. Flora, Ginny and Alex were standing in the window watching them. As soon as he realised Poppy and Mack had seen them, Alex began clapping, with Flora and Ginny soon copying beside him.
Laughing, Poppy buried her face in Mack’s chest, holding on to his coat to hide herself.
‘Are they still clapping?’
‘Oh, yes. Do you think we should take a bow?’ He chuckled.
‘Maybe.’
And with a little flourish, Poppy took Mack’s hand, and they turned towards the window and bowed.
26
‘Oh, I really don’t know if I can do this. I don’t think I’ve ever been skating.’
Poppy looked across the large ice rink. Skaters were weaving in and out of each other, some criss-crossing and making patterns on the ice. A huge Christmas tree sat in the middle of the rink, its coloured lights illuminating the ice below, the branches dancing as skaters passed close by. Fairy lights were strung up around the outside of the ice rink too, hot chocolate and mince pie stalls encircling the rink.
‘You’ve never been skating?’ Poppy asked.
‘Not that I can remember, anyway.’ Mack shook his head.
‘But you love Christmas and it’s a super Christmassy thing to do. Look at everyone.’ She pointed at skaters swooshing past, wearing jumpers emblazoned with bright woollen baubles or reindeer.
‘The question that begs an answer more is why in the world do you love ice skating? You haven’t hidden what you think of Christmas.’ Mack shook his head and chuckled.
Poppy shrugged. ‘I remember Aunt Flora taking me one year. This is going back when I was a lot younger, five, six, maybe, when we still used to come down here and visit over Christmas.’ Umm, maybe she did remember more about those early Christmases than she’d first admitted to Aunt Flora. She smiled. ‘And I just fell in love with it. When I was a teenager and got my first weekend job, I began going again.’
‘And you’ve been skating ever since?’
‘I’ve had a break for a few years.’ She hadn’t been since she’d started dating Ben. He’d hated it. ‘But apart from that, yes. I guess when I was a teenager, I was trying to recreate that happiness I’d felt when Aunt Flora had taken me and, if I’m completely honest, it makes me feel as though I have something in my life I can control. And besides, it’s the best feeling in the world. Freeing.’
‘So, there are parts of the traditions of Christmas you like?’ Mack raised an eyebrow.
‘Well…’ Poppy laughed and bent to lace up her skate. ‘I used to avoid the rink at Christmas. Too busy. It’s awintersport, not a Christmas sport.’
‘Fair enough.’ Mack took a deep breath. ‘How about we get a mince pie and a hot chocolate and watch everyone else skate instead?’
Poppy looked up from where she was tying her lace and laughed. ‘Nice try.’
‘Or you can skate, and I can munch on Christmas cake while I wave at you?’
Straightening her back, she glanced towards the ice. ‘Yes, okay.’
‘Really?’
‘Of course.’ She grinned.
