Page 50 of The Christmas Fayre on Holly Field

But lack of kiss aside, she had enjoyed his company and had been surprised to discover just how good a cook he was. She had guessed from the butternut squash casserole that he was competent in the kitchen, but those scones had been to die for!

Good-looking, sexy, thoughtful… and a fantastic cook – what was not to like?

Her feelings for Owen ran a little deeper than liking, though, and she had to admit it worried her somewhat. The last man she’d had deep feelings for had been Declan, and that hadn’t turned out too well.

Now she was being silly! She fancied Owen and she liked him, but that was as far as it went. She had no intention of falling for him.

‘There’s Sara!’ Bobby yelled, making her jump.

Harriet had driven most of the journey from their house to the school on automatic pilot, and she was shocked to discover she had just driven through the school gates and was currently trundling past the main building, heading towards the car park.

She found a space and pulled into it, feeling a little shaken. It was time she concentrated on the matter at hand, rather than daydreaming. Anything could have happened.

Sara was peering out of one of the downstairs windows and waving madly.

Harriet waved back, as Bobby leapt up and down.

‘Is that a classroom?’ he demanded as they went inside. ‘They’ve got a proper sports hall and a room where you can cook. And they have Bunsen burners with flames and everything.’

‘Someone’s happy to be here,’ Kelly observed. She was standing in the reception area, looking lost. ‘Do you know where we’re supposed to go?’

‘The main hall, I think.’

‘Sara!’ Bobby squealed, as his sister appeared.

‘Shh!’ Sara glanced around nervously.

‘It’s OK, we won’t show you up,’ Harriet assured her. ‘I promise I won’t say anything to embarrass you.’

‘Is Catrin around?’ Kelly asked.

‘She’s in the library. I’ll fetch her.’ Sara lowered her voice. ‘She’s worried you’re going to tell her off because she forgot her PE kit and she’s been given detention.’

Kelly smiled. ‘Thanks for the heads-up. I’m not going to tell her off – having detention is punishment enough.’

While they waited for their respective daughters, Kelly said, ‘A little bird told me that you’re on a mission not to buy anything new from now until Christmas. How’s it going?’

‘Pen?’

Kelly nodded. ‘I think it’s a marvellous idea. Got any tips?’

‘The boot sale on Holly Field is fab. I’ve got several nice things from there. But I’m not buying stuff just for the sake of buying it,’ Harriet added. ‘I’m only buying things that I need. Or that the kids need. Clothes, mostly. I can’t believe how fast Bobby is growing.’

Kelly was giving her a knowing look.

‘Spit it out,’ Harriet said.

‘Pen also mentioned a certain man who lives in a camper van? She said he was instrumental in this not-buying-new mission.’ Kelly smirked. ‘She also says you’ve got the hots for him.’

‘Pen says far too much,’ Harriet grumbled, blushing furiously.

‘What’sthe hots, Mammy?’

‘Oops.’ Kelly looked contrite. ‘It’s when you get too close to a fire, Bobby,’ she explained.

That was a good analogy, Harriet thought. Owen was the flame and she was the moth. She needed to be careful he didn’t burn her to a crisp.

Bobby seemed to accept the explanation and wandered over to a cabinet filled with trophies, running his hand across the glass.

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