Page 103 of Merrily Ever After
Emily turned to Will. ‘Fancy getting a takeaway and heading to mine?’
Will’s eyes lit up. ‘Sounds great.’
‘She can pay,’ Merry piped up. ‘With her pocket money.’
‘As long it doesn’t cost more than a pound,’ replied Emily.
And to the amusement of the men, the sisters started to laugh again. Because already they had a shared private joke, and it was never not going to warm their hearts.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Emily
18 DECEMBER
‘One tiny twist clockwise, I think.’ Emily tilted her head to one side as she studied the Christmas tree, trying to work out its best side.
‘OK,’ Will said with a grunt from beneath the tree, his hands around the base. He gave it a slight turn and looked back at her over his shoulder. ‘Like that?’
‘Perfect,’ she declared, clasping her hands together. ‘I love it, I think it’s the best tree I’ve ever had! Oh, I’m so happy.’
Will emerged commando-style from underneath the branches. ‘If only everyone in the world was as easily pleased.’
The school term was officially over, and Emily was feeling euphoric. Darley Academy had finished at lunchtime today after the sixth form’s well-received pantomime, with the best-dressed bears Goldilocks would ever have seen.
Now it was Friday night, she had had a new job offer to consider, no more work for two and a half weeks and so much to look forward to: Merry and Cole’s dinner party later; their wedding next week and plenty of time to get to know Will better too. Bliss.
She was still going to have to clear out Ray’s flat and it was unlikely that she’d make it to Izzy’s New Year’s Eve party because Merry would be away on her honeymoon and she didn’t want to leave her dad. But those things weren’t the end of the world and, on balance, she was more excited about this Christmas than she could ever remember.
‘I can’t help it.’ She held her hand out to Will and he laced his fingers through hers. ‘Only two months ago, I’d been dreading the Christmas holidays because I was so worried about Dad and now everything seems to be falling into place.’
‘You deserve it,’ he said, squeezing her hand. ‘And I agree with you, that is one good-looking tree.’
‘That’s when it’s naked,’ she replied, smiling up at him. ‘Imagine how beautiful it will look by the time we’ve decorated it.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he said, with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Some of the best things are better when they’re naked.’
‘Is that right?’ She turned and kissed him.
‘It is.’ He grinned and pulled her close.
‘Maybe that’s a theory we can put to the test later,’ she said, looping her arms around his neck.
Things were heating up between them; he was tactile and tender, and his kisses set her on fire. And tonight, after the party, he was staying over for the first time, the thought gave her a delicious thrill. She was excited but nervous too. She wasn’t the sort of girl to rush into things; one-night stands held no appeal for her. She wasn’t interested in a no-strings good time. It was strings or nothing for Emily.
‘Unless …?’ He waggled his eyebrows as his hands slid lower down her back.
She laughed and wriggled away from him. ‘I know your game, mister. But you promised to help me trim the tree before we go out.’
‘I just can’t keep my hands off your baubles.’ He dodged out of the way as Emily swiped at him playfully.
‘You’re a bad influence,’ she said, grinning at him. ‘Come on, let’s get decorating.’
Emily made them both mugs of tea while Will retrieved a large wooden crate from under the stairs and set it on the coffee table.
She knelt in front of the table and sipped her tea as Will slid off the lid. Inside, nestled in packing straw and individually wrapped in tissue paper, were her prized vintage glass ornaments bought at a car-boot sale.
Will took out a star carefully. ‘Oh surprise, it’s pink.’ He gave a sideways look at the walls of the cottage, ‘You do like pink.’
