Page 90 of The Twelve Dates of Christmas
“Do you think this is the first time some bloke’s pushed his luckwith me?” Kate asked. “I’m a woman, Matt. Ask any woman you like; every one of us has had practice in dealing with unwanted sexual advances or expectations.”
Matt put his arm round her and kissed the top of her head.
“That’s really depressing,” he said.
“You’re telling me,” said Kate. “Come on, you big dork. Take me to Christmas tree heaven.”
Matt kept his arm protectively around her shoulder as they walked across to the flower market, and Kate let him. She leaned into him. She liked it. Just for a moment she let herself imagine:This is what it would be like to be loved by Matt.Another voice in her head whispered a warning:Stop it, Kate, this path isn’t for you.
“So, you’re saying even my great-granny Peggy would have experienced unwanted sexual advances?” said Matt.
“Undoubtedly,” said Kate. “Granny Peg was a hot mama.”
“It must have been those floral pinnies,” said Matt.
“Thanks for worrying about me,” said Kate.
“You’re welcome,” said Matt.
•••••
Heaven was an understatement. The flower market was a full-scale attack on the senses. The perfume of so many blooms in one place was intoxicating;if they could bottle this scent,Kate thought,they would make a fortune.
Kate’s arty-fingers were twitching; she was glad she’d brought her camera. She sighed with resignation; she was going to spend a lot of money here tonight.
And she did.
“Leave room for the Christmas trees,” said Matt as Kate passed him with her loaded trolley.
Kate pulled a face at him and walked on; she wouldn’t dignify that with an answer, she thought, as she nestled a large silver stag between two garlands of cypress, holly, and spruce, coiled like sleeping pythons and surrounded by bunches of frosted ruby berries.
Twenty-five Christmas trees and a veritable festive bounty later, Matt forced the doors of the van shut and the three of them clambered into the front seats, homeward bound.
“I need the window seat,” said Evelyn.
“You’re at the front of the van,” said Matt. “They’re all window seats.”
“But I like to look out of the side window,” said Evelyn. “And I don’t want to be squished between you two bickering all the way home.”
“I don’t bicker,” said Kate. “Matt is wrong a lot of the time and it’s my duty to tell him so.”
“Kate is a fantasist,” said Matt. “She thinks she’s always right.”
“Get in the van,” said Evelyn.
Evelyn was asleep with her face pressed against the side window, almost before they’d made it out of the car park. She snored quietly. Kate laid her coat over Evelyn, pulling it up around her shoulders and tucking it under her chin. Evelyn stirred but didn’t wake.
“She’s nice when she’s asleep,” said Matt. Kate stifled a giggle. “Come on, then,” he said. “I’ve heard the condensed version, now tell me what actually happened with jump-yer-bones Jim.”
There was no way to escape, so Kate gave in and told Matt what happened. She looked up at him occasionally as she talked and saw that his jaw was set; she could tell he was clamping his teeth together.
“It just worries me, Kate,” Matt said when she had finished.
“But it shouldn’t,” said Kate. “Share my outrage by all means, but there’s no need for you to worry.”
“You’re my friend,” said Matt. “And you’re out night after night with a different bloke; of course I’m going to worry.”
“You make me sound like a hooker,” said Kate.
