Page 6 of A Festive Surprise

Chapter Four

Holly

Holly yanked her car into reverse and whipped around in the flat area in front of Monarch’s Lodge. The wheels spun. ‘Oh, it’s icy.’

‘Yeah, take care,’ said Georgia. ‘We don’t get gritters down here.’

‘Will I be able to see the sea from the cottage?’ Holly powered into first gear.

‘Sure.’ Georgia strapped herself into the passenger seat. ‘It’s an old workers’ cottage, so it doesn’t have huge windows, but we’re hoping to get planning permission for a conservatory. It’ll make such a difference.’

Farid raised his hand as they drove past. Both Holly and Georgia returned it. ‘Who is he?’ Holly asked.

‘Farid.’

‘I heard that much. But what’s he doing here?’

‘He’s a refugee.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. It took him four months to get to the UK, then he lived in hostels and on the streets.’

‘Maybe I’m completely ignorant but I didn’t expect to find refugees here. Weren’t they relocated in the cities?’

‘They’ve been rehoused all over Scotland. Farid’s family knew Archie from when he worked for the oil industry.’

‘I see. So, isn’t that something different? An economic migrant?’ Listen to me! Growing up with her dad, this kind of questioning was drilled into her. Did it even matter?

‘No. He was persecuted and escaped. He came here as an asylum seeker and it was pure luck he knew someone in this country. We’re both happy to help him out. It’s the least we can do.’

‘Totally.’ Holly ran her fingers through her long brown hair, shaking it out as she drove one-handed up the track. Farid’s plight sounded horrific but that thought got muddled with many more. How bloody distracting would it be with someone that gorgeous as a neighbour? ‘What age is he?’

‘Late twenties,’ said Georgia. ‘I’m not sure exactly. Why?’

‘Because he’s hot as sin and I need a good reason to keep my hands off him.’

Georgia laughed. ‘Wow. You’ve done my job for me.’

‘What job?’

‘I love setting people up together.’

‘Yeah. I’m not talking about marrying him. But having him just through a wall will be a struggle. He’s the best-looking man I’ve seen for a long time, so please tell me he’s married and has a wife waiting for him back home.’

‘No. He’s single.’

‘Oh Jesus. Wrong answer. Couldn’t you at least have pretended?’

‘Turn right up here.’ Georgia chuckled into her hand. ‘You only met him two minutes ago.’

Holly steered the car along another track close to the cliff edge with a low barrier.

‘Long enough to get an eyeful.’

‘You might not even like him. Maybe he’s gay.’

‘That’s better,’ said Holly. ‘You’re swinging it. Has he got some hidden nasties in his life? I mean, what did he do that he had to escape Syria?’

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