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“I don’t know,” I said with a sigh.“I don’t want to intrude on any more of your traditions like I did today.I don’t much care for Christmas since Santa stopped coming.”
She raised an eyebrow.“Maybe he’d come if you weren’t such a grump.”
For a moment, I wanted to tell her to mind her own damn business and stop judging me, but I’d done the same to her on our first meeting too.Plus, it was hard to be pissed off with her when she looked so fucking cute sitting there in her PJs with her hot chocolate, and her hair falling around her face.
“I’ll come to the market,” I said.“But I’m not participating in singing carols or wearing a Christmas jumper.”
“That’s fair.”She smiled triumphantly.“But I fully expect you to smile at least once during the day.”
“Is that a hard condition of me coming along?”My brow furrowed, and she laughed.
“I’m afraid so!”
With a dramatic sigh, even though I was only kidding, I said, “Fine.But you’re buying the mulled wine.”
Chapter5
Nova
“Is thereanything more festive than this?”I said, my arm linked through June’s as we began our walk down The Strand, the main street of Dawlish town centre.
Usually, the road was a line of slow-moving traffic, but for market day, it was closed and numerous stalls lined the street on both sides.In typical Christmas market weekend fashion, the weather was icy and the wind was whipping around, occasionally making traders’ wares wobble or fall over on their tables.Everyone was wrapped up in thick winter coats, sturdy boots, scarves, hats, and gloves, but the weather never dampened the spirits of the locals.Christmas songs blasted from an invisible speaker, and some of the people danced as they walked by or browsed the stalls.The Christmas lights on the lampposts illuminated the dark day, adding to the cheer.
“I think we need to find the nearest hot drinks stall and warm up,” June said with a laugh, shuffling a little closer to me, but there was a bright smile on her face.
Donovan trailed behind us, wearing a bigger coat than the denim jacket he’d worn when I met him.It was long, thick, and black—not entirely dissimilar to my own.A deep blue scarf was around his neck, blue jeans covered his legs, and he had brown Timberland boots on his feet.
“We can do that,” I said as we reached the first stall, which offered an array of handmade scented candles and wax melts.
June scrunched up her nose.“They’re a bit strong for me,” she said as the combining scents wafted in the air.
“Ooh, I don’t know,” I said, reaching for a pale pink candle labelled Winter Rose.I brought it to my nose and breathed in deeply, closing my eyes.“That’s gorgeous.”
The stall owner, a blonde-haired lady with sparkly green eyes, grinned.“That’s my favourite.”
“Can I have two, please?”I asked, inhaling another whiff.I knew my mum would love it as much as I did, and it was another small Christmas gift I could cross off my list.
“You know this is only the first stall, don’t you?”Donovan said over my shoulder, and I whipped my head around to look at him.He was slightly leaning over me to peer at the candles, then he turned his attention back to me with a smirk on his face.
“And?”
“What if there’s another stall further down with even better candles?”
I shrugged a shoulder.“You can never have too many candles.”
He rolled his eyes, and June gave him a light slap on the arm.“Leave her be,” she said while I turned back around to pay for my treats.
Once they had been wrapped and put in a bag, I thanked the trader and we continued our stroll.
The scents all around were making my mouth water.The aroma of mulled wine floated towards us, but I could also smell burgers and sausages cooking from a catering van brought along by a local farmer.I knew even more goodies would be available further on, so I tried to ignore the groan in my stomach until I knew for sure what I wanted.
“Are you looking for anything today?”I asked June, as Donovan walked beside her.
“No, not really,” she said, casting her eyes towards The Strand Centre, which was set in what was formerly the United Reformed Church.A small choir seemed to be preparing to sing some carols outside.“I give everyone money these days because nobody ever knows what they want.”
“And what do you want for Christmas, Donovan?”I asked, looking at him over June’s head.
A healthy dose of Christmas spirit?A bit of enthusiasm for spending time with your grandmother?Those were things he probably didn’t want but definitely needed.
