Page 62 of Only for Christmas

For the next five minutes, he watched the three of them bouncing around, hitting the inflatable sides, and crashing into people. They fell over more times than they stayed upright. Max and Elliot could barely stand for laughing. Their cheeks were bright red, and their efforts to overcome gravity were hilarious. Sarah chased them, making them scream. When they fell over, she pulled them up. When they tried to catch her, she ran away. It was mayhem.

Lucas laughed when she looked over and pulled a face. She was running out of steam.

After taking an age to get up from her latest fall, she crawled over to the side and climbed off.

‘I’m so unfit,’ she said, panting heavily as she came over to where Lucas was standing.

‘You lasted longer than most adults.’ He caught her when she slumped against him. ‘How’s your wrist?’

‘Sore,’ she said, with a nonchalant shrug. ‘It was totally worth it.’

He lifted her hand and checked for swelling. ‘I had no idea you were hiding such a playful side.’

‘Underneath all the bitterness, you mean?’ She winced when he pressed her wrist. ‘Ouch.’

‘Sorry. We’ll need to ice that when we get back. No more activities for you today.’ He removed her glove and gently massaged her forearm, trying to ease the pain.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, Doctor. I’ll be a good girl.’

He lifted an eyebrow. ‘You do realise the irony in making fun of me for being parental, when you’ve just been bouncing around like a five-year-old?’

‘What can I say? There’s something about being with kids that allows you to regress. No one bats an eyelid. Of course, if I behaved like that in Lidl it’d be a different matter. I’d be escorted off the premises.’

He rubbed her cold fingers. ‘Better?’

‘Much.’ She rested her forehead against his chest. ‘You have very soothing hands. Must be all that moisturiser.’

He laughed. ‘Would you prefer I had callouses?’

‘Heavens no, you have the loveliest hands of anyone I know.’ And then she lifted her head. ‘For a man, I mean.’

He grinned. ‘Men can’t have nice hands?’

‘Of course they can.’ She stepped away, flustered. ‘Ignore me. I’m exhausted from bouncing; I’m talking nonsense.’

He smiled at her flushed face. ‘Did you ever want kids of your own?’

She didn’t immediately answer.

When she did, her expression was sad. ‘I guess,’ she said, dropping down to pet Fred. ‘It’s something I try not to think about these days.’ She stroked Fred’s fur, a faraway look on her face. ‘I did consider having a child a while back. You know, on my own.’ She glanced up at him. ‘But I know from my friends who are single parents it’s not always easy. It can be hard work and utterly exhausting, so I decided against it. I was worried something would suffer, either my career, or the kid, so it seemed best not to pursue that route.’ She stood up, accepting her glove and putting it back on. ‘And as I’m not looking for a relationship, I’ve resigned myself to being childless.’

She feigned acceptance, but he could tell it was another mask, covering her sadness. ‘It’s not what you’d choose, though?’

She shrugged. ‘It’s not what I’d choose. Can’t always have what we want, though, can we?’

‘Shame, you’re a natural. You’d make a great mom.’ When she looked uncomfortable, he pointed to the dog. ‘As Fred here can testify. Thoroughly spoilt.’

They were interrupted by his nephews bundling into them, exhausted and laughing, panting more than Fred after a run. Sarah put their trainers on for them, allowing them to catch their breath.

For some unfathomable reason, even though they hadn’t known each other that long, Sarah was someone Lucas could visualise spending his life with. Which was totally illogical. But their brief interactions had given him a snapshot of what life with her might be like. Teasing. Laughing. Arguing. Pressing each other’s buttons. She was fun to be around. Stimulating.

Ironic that when he’d finally met someone he could see himself settling down with, she lived in a different country. She also wasn’t interested in dating. He’d managed to fall for a woman he couldn’t have.

Sarah jumped up and clapped her hands. ‘Who’s ready to meet Father Christmas?’

The boys scrambled to their feet.

‘Let’s get over there; there’s hardly any queue.’

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