Page 22 of Christmas Joy at the Cornish Bakery

‘Haha, you did.’ Repositioning himself as the tune ended and another began, he slowed the tempo in time to the music. ‘Can I ask you something?’

What could he possibly want to ask her? They’d hardly exchanged two words before being thrown onto the dance floor together. There was something playing on her mind though, one thing she wanted to ask him. ‘Uh-huh. If I can ask you something in return.’

A small smile fluttered at his lips before his expression became serious again. ‘Fair enough. You can go first. Ask away.’

She shook her head. ‘No, you go.’

He shrugged. ‘Okay. Do you truly hate Christmas?’

She laughed. ‘No, I don’t truly hate Christmas. I just don’t particularly like it, that’s all.’

‘You could have fooled me, the way you were talking back there. The other day you told everyone you thought people just pretended to enjoy themselves and now today you made it clear once again.’ He nodded towards the table as he swung her around.

She sighed. What was she supposed to say? Make some reason up? ‘My parents argued when I was growing up. Like, all the time and since their divorce, they still argue and bicker over everything whenever they’re in the same room as each other.’

‘And, I’m assuming you and your brothers and sisters, if you have any, still get together with them over Christmas? Hence, the hatred?’

‘I have a sister. And no. Quite the opposite, actually. They normally avoid each other like the plague.’ She bit down on her bottom lip as they side-stepped together. ‘No, that’s not entirely true. Cathy, my sister, and I go out of our way to make sure they don’t breathe the same air as each other.’

‘You don’t celebrate Christmas altogether, then?’

She shook her head vehemently. ‘Nope, we haven’t for years. Wherever we celebrate Christmas, usually at Cathy’s house, is like a revolving door. One in, one out, and making sure they don’t cross paths.’

‘That must be stressful.’ He frowned, his forehead creasing in what she could only decipher as pity.

She gulped. The last thing she wanted from him was pity. Yes, it was rubbish. Yes, both she and Cathy often spoke about how wonderful it must be to have parents, divorced or married, who were at least civil and tolerated each other, but it was what it was. ‘It’s not all bad. I mean, who else gets two Christmas dinners in one day?’

‘Ha.’ He let out a quick laugh at that. ‘It sounds like a positive to the situation, at least.’

‘Umm, but this year, we haven’t exactly been successful in our planning and I’m afraid it’s all my fault.’

‘Your fault?’ He tilted his head as the music changed again, and he led them at a slightly different tempo yet again.

Robyn glanced down at their feet, trying to work out what Jasper was doing and immediately regretted not following his advice about keeping her eyes on him as she messed up and they began to careen off course.

‘I’ve got this. I’ll lead you.’ Tucking his finger beneath her chin again, he waited until she was looking at him before taking another step.

After a few steps, she settled into the rhythm again. He really was good at this. ‘Yes, my fault. I normally stay at my dad’shouse on Christmas Eve, just so he’s not alone on Christmas morning as my mum has remarried.’

‘But you’re here.’

‘Yep, I escaped this year.’ She took a deep breath, anxiety clutching her stomach as she thought back to the conversation she’d had with Cathey. ‘And so he’s staying at Cathy’s house and then my mum and her new husband will be joining them for dinner. All of them, Dad included.’

‘Ah,’ Jasper raised an eyebrow. ‘They might surprise you.’

‘I doubt it, but I do feel guilty for leaving my sister to deal with it all.’

‘I’m sure she’ll cope.’ Jasper’s voice was firm, as though he had more faith in her parents than she herself did, despite him never having met them. ‘Plus, perhaps this Christmas, being away from what must be a difficult situation, will show you another side to the festivities. A side which brings family closer together rather them forcing them apart?’

Robyn scrunched up her nose. After all these years, how was spending one Christmas away from home, away from her parents, going to change her mind about a celebration she’d got into the habit of dreading decades ago? ‘I doubt it.’

Jasper smiled, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her. ‘You know what they say, never say never.’

‘Umm.’ She needed to change the subject. If she spent another second thinking about Cathy and how she’d left her in the lurch by running off to Cornwall, she’d probably run straight outside, jump in her car and head home. ‘Anyway, time for my question.’

Jasper nodded.

‘Why were you so cross when I returned Dasher?‘ She felt his grasp tighten hers ever so slightly, but she continued. ‘If I hadn’t run after him, he might not have been caught and returned to you. Not so quickly, anyway.’

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