Page 66 of Someone For Everyone

She smiled. ‘Personally, I’m in favour of anything unconventional. It makes me feel less insane.’ She popped the chocolate in her mouth. ‘You think he’s going to do a runner?’

‘I would, if I were him.’ He unwrapped his chocolate.

‘And yet you didn’t.’ She smiled at him. ‘Despite everything, you stayed.’

Their eyes met and he felt something warm trickle through him. ‘I can’t stay forever, though.’

‘Neither of us can.’ She looked momentarily sad. ‘Maybe we just have to view this as an interim step in our lives, a stepping stone we both needed to take to be able to find a new direction in life.’

A weight settled in his chest. ‘Maybe.’

‘You’re not looking very Christmassy,’ she said, glancing down at his feet. ‘I see you’ve removed the gold ribbons, spoilsport. I feel quite aggrieved, sat here in festive pyjamas while you’re looking all trendy and serious. At least put on a pair of antlers.’

He grinned. ‘Not happening.’ He ate his chocolate and was hit by a burst of alcohol. ‘Christ, what’s in these chocolates?’

‘Cointreau.’ She reached for another. ‘Not a fan?’

‘You could get drunk on these.’ He blinked back tears. ‘My eyes are watering.’

She reached for his hand. ‘Ah, don’t cry. It’ll be over soon.’

He laughed. ‘Nutter.’

Deciding it was time to leave, before he did something crazy – like settle down and watch the film with her, so he could hold her hand – he got up. Nelson was waiting, and despite feeling reluctant to walk away from Kate in her cute festive outfit, which gave him an uncontrollable urge to snuggle, he couldn’t give in to those feelings. That would be bad. For both of them.

‘Night-night, Katiekins.’ He squeezed her snowman slipper as he passed the end of the bed. ‘Night, Priya. Enjoy your film.’

‘We will, won’t we, Priya?’

He walked away, still puzzled by his feelings.

‘Cal…?’ When he turned back, she threw a chocolate at him. ‘Live dangerously,’ she said, with a wink. ‘You know you want to.’

He grinned, despite himself.

He would never have thought that Kate Lawrence was his type, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel better when she was around. Less morose and more like his old self. The idea that fairly soon they’d be living at opposite ends of the country, with absolutely no reason to be involved in each other’s lives, depressed the hell out of him.

Maybe it was just loneliness. He was missing his mates. Ainsley. His family. Kate was easy to be around – she was fun, entertaining and easy to talk to. Becoming attached was inevitable. It didn’t mean there was anything significant between them. Like she said herself, they were an interim solution to a bigger problem that needed solving.

He headed into the corridor and closed the door behind him, pleased to see Nelson and Natalie chatting away. He could always rely on her to make a good impression.

‘Natalie’s been telling me about the residents,’ Nelson said, grinning as he leant against the wall. ‘They sound like an eccentric group.’

Calvin rolled his eyes. ‘That’s one word for them.’

‘I’m looking forward to getting to know them.’

Calvin paused. ‘You mean, you’re staying?’

Nelson raised an eyebrow. ‘Any reason why I shouldn’t?’

‘Of course not, it’s just… I was worried you might be put off by our quirks.’

‘I like quirks.’ He pushed away from the wall. ‘Where am I sleeping?’

Calvin let out a long breath.

He’d never felt so relieved in his life.

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