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Doris winked. ‘I think Santa’s been looking for you.You’d better watch out. . .’ she sang.
Amelia looked at her quizzically. How much gin had she drunk? That was just wrong on so many levels and she tried not to shudder. Davey, the lollipop man, who was about eighty, was Santa, and it was just totally inappropriate to think she’d caught his attention in that way. As she made her way through the crowds, she giggled. Wasn’t it ironic that she could attract the attention of pensioners but not guys her own age?
She cast her eyes around looking for Edie and waved when she realised she was chatting to Cano. Edie’s eyes lit up and she smiled back. Amelia hadn’t seen Fergus at all, and she wondered if he was even here. Then she realised she was disappointed she hadn’t seen him. She actually missed him. There was a lovely scent of cinnamon and ginger in the air and Amelia paused to look at Grant, who was juggling Christmas baubles and had attracted quite a gathering.
She stopped at Thea’s shop and stuck her head inside. ‘Is it okay if I use your loo, please?’
‘Of course.’ She waved her in. ‘Off you go through the back.’ Thea, who wore flashing robin earrings, turned to talk to her customer.
Amelia caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised. Her cheeks were smudged with colour and her eyes were bright, which was perhaps a result of the festive gin she’d been sampling. Her hair was piled into a ponytail and she had dusted some glitter powder across her eyelids and cheeks.
‘Thanks for that,’ she said to Thea. ‘I was desperate.’
‘No problem at all.’ Thea’s eyes were twinkling. ‘Are you having fun?’
‘It’s been amazing. What a brilliant atmosphere,’ she said. ‘It really has been great.’
‘Wait until Doris starts the dancing . . . that is a sight worth seeing.’ Thea laughed.
Amelia tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. ‘Should I be worried?’
‘A bit . . .’
‘Well, I’d better head back to bar duties and let her get on with it.’
‘Oh, don’t worry too much. Things tend to look after themselves.’
‘See you later,’ she said.
‘Yes, I’ll pop down to the bar soon. I could do with a drink.’
‘Great, I’ll look out for you.’
‘Oh, and Amelia . . .’ Thea said mischievously, ‘Santa has been looking for you.’
‘Super,’ said Amelia, starting to feel slightly worried.
‘You’ve definitely got an admirer there.’
Chapter Forty-Six
Amelia made her way back down the High Street to the bar, smiling at all the proud and happy faces of people in the community who had made the day such a success.
But her grin soon turned into a grimace when she realised Santa, clearly on a mission, was making his way towards her quite determinedly. Oh dear. She frowned as she tried to hotfoot it in another direction. But Santa was gaining speed. Who knew pensioners moved so fast? As she began to weave her way through the crowds, her mind raced. How on earth did she handle this? How did you politely but firmly turn down an octogenarian? She appreciated Thea and Doris giving her a heads-up. Butseriously?Wait until she told Jack, who would find it all completely hilarious. She quickened her pace and was about to make a beeline into a shop when a hand rested on her shoulder.
‘Ho-ho-ho.’
Her stomach sank and she plastered on a smile as she turned to face the man himself. Santa Davey.
‘There you are. I’ve been looking for you for ages. Didn’t anyone tell you?’
‘Um, yes.’ Her voice started rising in indignation. ‘They said Santa was looking for me.’
Fergus grinned.
‘Really?’ She managed to stifle a giggle.
‘Oh, you think this is funny, do you?’ He gestured at his outfit. ‘Ho-ho-ho.’
