Page 44 of A Festive Surprise

Chapter Fourteen

Holly

Holly leaned on the breakfast bar and tapped it with her fingernail. Her heart urged her to jump in the pickup and go with Farid, but no. He still needed space; she could tell. And she had work to do. Messages from Gavin had popped into her inbox. No matter how much she pretended they didn’t exist, they wouldn’t go away. Her brain was conditioned to avoid anything with his name on it. But it was four thirty and if she wanted to resolve this today, she had to bite the bullet.

‘It’s just work.’ She poured boiling water into her mug. Strong coffee was a necessity when facing Gavin – even his words in an email.

Now she’d thrown her concentration out of the window, she could barely focus on the screen. Her brain wanted to pull up images of Farid and scroll through virtual screens filled with his gorgeous smiles and warm glances. ‘Why am I so infatuated?’ Tension rippled through her shoulders. She suspended her hand in front of her and it seemed to vibrate. ‘It’s like I’ve got the bloody shakes.’

She pulled up Gavin’s email and curled an eyebrow as she read his business jargon. The man was a plank in a suit. What had she ever seen in him? With a dry laugh, she shook her head. He was still single too – as far as she knew. He hadn’t replaced her. Would he ever? Or would he die a lonely old man? Why did she care? ‘Ha!’ What was she thinking? She was just as bad. There was every likelihood she’d be the same. Maybe they’d been made for each other after all. But in fifty years’ time, it wasn’t the dull man in a suit she saw sitting by her on the old sofa. No, no… It was Farid, of course.

‘I’m off my head.’ She jumped to her feet and scooted for the shower. I should put it on cold. It might shock her back to sense. But feelings were creeping in, swirling around like mist and invading her soul when she wasn’t looking. Beyond the lust, Farid existed as someone she liked, cared for, and was invested in.

She braved the cold water for a few seconds before pushing up the temperature and sweating it out on the hottest setting. Her skin was red and sensitive when she came out. Steam filled the room. She perched on the loo seat, rubbing herself dry, not wanting to leave the heat. The house was warm enough but her room was on the chilly side when she entered it. She pulled on her leggings and a loose top. Her whole life was one long jammy-fest at the moment, but if Farid was coming for dinner, she should make herself slightly more respectable.

She lifted her laptop onto the sofa and carried on working. Some time later, Farid’s door thumped shut and she guessed he was showering before he came round. Time ticked on. Maybe it had only slowed inside her brain but her concentration was wavering again. Where was he? Should she put on some food? Had he changed his mind?

A thunderous knock on her door had her almost drop her laptop. ‘What the hell?’

‘Holly, come quick.’ Farid’s voice called from the hall. ‘Really quick.’

She slammed the laptop shut, leapt to her feet and ran into the hall.

‘Get your coat. You need to come now.’

‘What’s going on?’ She grabbed her coat from the hook, threw it over her shoulders and followed Farid out of the house. Instead of moving to the gate, he skirted around the side towards the back garden. Holly’s eyes widened. ‘Holy shit!’ The sky was alight with lasers and beams of green and blue. ‘Is that the aurora borealis?’

‘It’s a sign; a message from my family. They saw the lights.’

‘Oh, Farid.’ Holly slipped her arms around him.

‘I know it’s crazy.’

‘Who cares? If it gives you hope.’

He squeezed her tight.

‘I should message Georgia about this. She’ll kill me if I don’t. She’s always wanted a photograph of the aurora. Two secs.’ She nipped inside, thumbed out a quick message telling Georgia to get into the garden and look outside, then grabbed a furry blanket from the bedroom and headed back out.

Farid had taken a seat on a bench at the end of the back garden close to the edge of the headland. Holly parked herself beside him and slung the blanket over them both. His arm snaked around her shoulder and she cuddled up.

The lights blazed, reflecting in the sea like swirling ribbons of colour. Farid moved away for a few minutes, trying to capture the scene on his phone, then scooted back beside her. Slowly, the colours faded until only a hazy glow on the horizon remained.

‘Holly.’ Farid’s voice was husky.

‘Yes.’

‘I’m sorry for yesterday.’

‘Why?’

‘Because everything moved so fast, then that lady. I did not treat you with the magic you deserve.’

Holly rubbed her temple against his shoulder. ‘It seemed pretty magical to me. Annoying that we got caught in the middle of things, but so what?’

‘I turn into a crazy madman around you. I can’t control myself.’

‘I’m not sure I want you to.’ She smoothed her hand inside his open jacket and up his chest. In the hasty, desperate kiss of the day before, she’d missed the finer points of his hot bod. ‘I like the idea of you losing control.’

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