Page 12 of Mistletoe Kisses at Cwtch Cove

‘Yes.’ Lucy took a sip of tea to wash the gingerbread down.

‘He’s lovely, right?’

‘Uhhh… I guess so. If you like Chris Hemsworth types.’

Ellen grinned. ‘Who doesn’t?’

‘Not everyone. Some people find all that brawn and swagger a bit much.’

‘Jack doesn’t swagger. He’s really gentle and sweet.’

‘OK then, some people don’t like men who look that good.’

‘Whyever not?’ Ellen cocked an eyebrow.

‘Well… no one wants a man who makes them look dowdy in comparison.’

‘Dowdy?’

‘Yes.’

‘Lucy, you’re not suggesting that a man like Jack would be too attractive for you, are you?’

Lucy shrugged.

‘Because that’s utter nonsense. You’re gorgeous and Jack’s gorgeous and you’d look really good together.’

Lucy snorted. ‘Cut it out.’

‘I’m just saying. He’s single and you’re single and it’s the season to mingle and… I’d just like to see you find a man who’d treat you well.’

‘I don’t want or need a man. The last relationship I had sucked at the end and I don’t ever want to go through that again.’

‘I know that, honey, but Jack’s not that type of man.’

‘I thought that about Heston. He seemed very nice, considerate, attractive and attentive, but the problem was that I wasn’t the only one he was showering with his attention.’

‘Heston was a knobhead but not all men are like that. Look at Billy… He’s away with models on this photoshoot and I’m here looking like I swallowed a bag of footballs, but I’m not worried. I trust him and I know he loves me. Even if one of the models threw herself at him, I don’t think he’d do anything.’

‘Billy loves you. Anyone can see that. I don’t think he’d do anything to hurt you or to ruin what you have.’

‘Do you see then? That proves my point. There are good men out there. I’m convinced that Jack’s one too.’

Lucy took a bite of gingerbread and chewed thoughtfully. She knew that Ellen meant well and she’d like to believe she’d one day find a man she could trust, but after what had happened with Heston, she didn’t know that she’d ever want to be with another man. Not right now, anyway. Besides which, she was here to spend time with Ellen and didn’t want to be distracted by a man. Dating and romance took a lot of energy and as well as looking after Ellen, she had a deadline to meet. It was the last one before Christmas thankfully, as she’d cleared her schedule ready to come here but even so… The last thing she needed was to be side-tracked by a hunky paramedic.

Unless it was just for a brief fling. Some Christmas cheer. Some mischief under the mistletoe…

‘What are you thinking about?’ Ellen leant forwards and frowned. ‘Are you daydreaming about kissing Jack under the mistletoe?’

Lucy shook her head and blinked quickly to try to clear the images of doing exactly that away. ‘No! Of course not.’

‘You were! You’ve gone bright red. You do fancy him.’

Lucy stood up and took her mug to the sink and looked out of the kitchen window at the garden. It was cold out there, a brisk wind whipped fallen leaves around in mini cyclones and shook the thin, bare branches of trees. A robin hopped around on the grass, its tiny head darting from one direction to another as it looked for food while keeping watch for possible predators. The large garden was surrounded by trees and would be perfect for a child to play in. Ellen and Billy could get one of those wooden playhouses, a swing and a slide and sit out there in the warmer weather while their child, or even children, played. Domestic bliss and all those things that she wanted for Ellen but didn’t expect to have herself.

Did she fancy Jack?

Perhaps.

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