Page 59 of Confessions of a Christmasholic

There was no denying the logic of his statement.

Gus pulled Moira and Sutton away from the kids. Entranced by the jester on stilts, they didn’t notice. ‘Santa is a social worker. He says that kids in need often tell Santa they want food because they are hungry, or they need a coat or a blanket because they are cold. It’s a good way to identify kids, and families, in trouble.’

‘And he thought Felix might be in need?’ Moira asked, looking shocked.

Gus shook his head and grinned. ‘No. He just wanted to piss himself laughing for a minute. And then he wished me luck and told me I’d need it to raise Rosie.’

He ran a hand through his hair before pushing his jacket back and shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. ‘Like that’s news!’

An older man passed them, did a double take at Gus’s jersey and laughed. Gus looked down at his chest. ‘And why does everybody keep looking at my jersey?’ he asked, glaring at Moira. ‘What’s wrong with it?’

Moira patted his arm. ‘Nothing, darling. It’s just a picture of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh.’

Did he hear Sutton singing the words ‘and humping as they go’ or was that his imagination?

ChapterFourteen

The next morning, after a full English breakfast, cooked by Sutton and finished by Pig and Pepper, Gus suggested a walk for the twins to run off some energy. Sutton, who loved the twins but found their zero-to-hero enthusiasm exhausting, quickly agreed. Between them, they bundled the kids in jackets and boots, beanies and gloves, found Pig’s balls – the throwing kind – and left the house.

Their boots made crunchy sounds on the frosty grass as they crossed the garden to the gate leading to Conningworth Hall grounds. As soon as they reached the boundary, Pig headed straight for the pond, but a whistle from Gus, and a fast yellow ball heading in the opposite direction, had him braking and galloping away.

The twins and Pepper ran behind him, and when Pepper lagged too far behind, Rosie stopped and ran back to him, urging him on. Gus pushed his hand through his hair. ‘Sometimes I wonder how I’ll raise a wilful, opinionated child, then I see her kindness and I think she’ll be okay.’

Sutton slid her gloved hand into the back pocket of his jeans. ‘Of course she will. Rosie’s a boss girl, there’s no doubt about it, and that’s perfectly okay. The world needs more strong, kind women who take no shit.’

Gus sent her a sweet smile, one she didn’t often see. Thank God, because if she did, it would make leaving him hard. Or harder. She had just a week left in Conningworth, no time at all, and her heart plummeted to her toes. Not wanting to spiral, she changed the subject. ‘That’s a nice sweater you’re wearing today,’ she told him, her tongue firmly in her cheek. The jersey under his coat was a solid black crew neck, nothing special. ‘But I prefer your Christmas one. You know, the one with the picture of reindeer humping each other.’

He sent her a sour look and Sutton giggled. ‘Bloody Moira!’ he muttered.

‘I’m sure the lady who designed it meant to depict reindeer pulling a sleigh.’

‘That’ll teach me to pay better attention to what I wear, and not to trust my mother-in-law. I now know who has a dirty mind in this town.’ Pig dropped two balls at his feet and Gus lobbed them one after the other, double the distance she managed. Pig looked confused, sent Gus a WTH look and sat on his foot. Gus pulled a ball from his coat pocket and threw it and Pig took off.

‘So who has a dirty mind, Gus? Apart from Moira, Will and Eli?’

‘Pretty much everybody.’

Sutton laughed, enjoying the glint of humour in his eyes. He was strong enough to handle being teased and she liked that. ‘Next time, check the design before you pull it over your head.’

‘I will certainly be on the lookout for reindeer porn,’ Gus told her.

Sutton’s laugh carried across to the twins, who turned back to look at her. She waved at them and lifted her eyes to meet Gus’s. Her breath hitched when she saw his expression: part affection, part terror, part humour. He gripped her chin with his glove-free hand and lowered his mouth to hers, and she half closed her eyes, humming with anticipation. Then her phone vibrated in her back pocket, and she groaned, frustrated. It was a stunning winter’s day, she was with her favourite people, and her family only sent voice notes and text messages. And funny videos.

Layla. It could only be Layla finally, bloodyfinally,returning her calls. Sutton jerked, reached for the phone and looked at the screen.Best Bitchflashed across her screen in all caps. Maybe she should change that, maybe she should drop the ‘best’…

‘It’s Layla, I’ve got to take this,’ Sutton told Gus, who frowned. She pointed to a bench under a beech tree, her gloved fingers trying to answer the call but sliding off.

‘Shit, shit…’ If she missed her call, it might take another three weeks to get hold of her ex-best friend. She couldn’t miss it. ‘Dammit, why won’t it work?’

Gus snatched the phone from her fingers, hit the green answer button and held it up to her ear. Sutton released the air she’d been holding and closed her eyes. She opened them to mouth a thank you to Gus, but he was already walking away from her, giving her the privacy she needed. She walked over to the bench and sat, her heart thumping.

‘Sutton, are you there?’

Sutton nodded, realised Layla couldn’t see her, and didn’t bother with a ‘hello’. ‘Where the hell have you been, Layla? In bloody Mauritius? And God, where the hell is the money you owe me?’

‘Is that all you care about?’ Layla shot back. Her voice, always shrill, was at top volume. ‘Is that how you talk to me? After everything we’ve gone through? After everything I did for you?’

‘I’m sorry, I just…’ Wait! Why was she apologising? She was the one who might’ve landed in an untenable, could’ve-been-really-bad situation if Gus hadn’t offered her a place to stay. ‘You borrowed money from me, promising me you’d pay it back within two days. It’s been months! And then you ghosted me. Then you went on holiday!’

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