Page 13 of A Cornish Winter’s Kiss
‘Who said anything about Winter Wonderland?’ Emily couldn’t help smiling.
There was one part of Christmas in London she could admit to hating and Jude had zeroed in on it.
‘I still think Christmas is the perfect time to write about love, but it can be a great way to relive the magic from when you were a kid too. Why not reintroduce McGuigan to an old flame, someone he can share the memories of past Christmases with, before his career made him so jaded? You said the murders were linked to his past, didn’t you?
Why not link the love story to his past too.
That way those moments of light your editor wants can be intertwined with the rest of the story, and you won’t feel like you’re selling out. ’
Jude looked at her without saying anything for what felt like forever. She’d been about to apologise and tell him that he should just ignore her, as he clearly thought the idea was stupid, but then he suddenly smiled in a way that changed his whole face. ‘You’re a genius.’
‘I wouldn’t go that far, but?—’
He cut her off before she could make any more self-depreciating comments, looking more animated than she’d ever seen him before.
‘No, that’s it. I’ve been trying to think of a way of not making his relationship feel as if it’d been shoe-horned in there because I’ve been forced to write it, which is exactly what has happened.
I was trying to find a way of him building a relationship with a pathologist he works alongside, but it just felt so false.
Doing it your way, his relationship can actually raise the stakes when it comes to solving the crime.
As McGuigan realises the murders have a link to his past, and in turn to his rekindled relationship with a former girlfriend, his angst about the risk of getting close to someone can deepen too.
Especially if he has to consider compromising himself professionally to protect her.
It’s brilliant, although I’m still not sure about the tie in with Christmas. ’
‘There’s nothing more romantic than spending Christmas with the person you love. It’s why there are people out there already.’ Emily gestured towards the window. ‘Hunting around to find the perfect gift for the person they’ll wake up with on Christmas Day.’
‘Sounds like you’re speaking from experience I don’t have.
’ Jude shrugged, but there was an expression in his eyes that she couldn’t quantify.
Emily was tempted to tell him it wasn’t personal experience she was speaking from, just the lives she’d lived through the books she’d read and a hope that one day she would get to experience it for herself.
She might have told Jasmine she wasn’t looking for love, but she still wanted it to find her.
One day . She couldn’t admit any of that to Jude; he needed to believe she was an expert in love and romance, otherwise she’d be no good to him.
He’d probably think it was pathetic anyway, that even with a career she loved and so much else to be thankful for, she still wanted to find someone to love.
‘Look, even if you don’t believe Christmas is romantic, and you don’t want to build McGuigan’s relationship around it, all you have to do is watch couples spending time together at this time of year to understand what love looks like.’
‘But not in Winter Wonderland?’ He gave her a slightly crooked smile this time, which somehow made him even more handsome.
‘No, and not in crowded department stores either, or stressed out and jostling with the crowds on Oxford Street. I could take you to any number of places at this time of year that will help you see what romance looks like, whether or not you decide to make Christmas a feature of your characters’ relationship. ’
‘I want you to show me what love looks like.’ He held her gaze, and she couldn’t answer him, because in that moment she could barely remember her own name.
But suddenly the crooked smile was back.
‘You’ve already given me a way of creating a relationship for McGuigan that doesn’t seem like a total sellout, and if you can find a way for me to mention family and Christmas without it feeling totally false, my editor is going to love you even more than I will. When can you start?’
Emily hesitated, suddenly even less certain than before whether any of this was a good idea.
It might just be a business arrangement, but there was a fizz of something between her and Jude, and a line it felt might be dangerously easy to cross.
Except Emily would jump in with her heart on a platter the way she always did, and Jude had already made it clear he didn’t have a heart.
At least not the kind that believed in romantic love.
They were a match made in hell, but it was Emily who’d get burnt, and she’d promised Jasmine she wouldn’t get involved with someone like him.
‘I don’t know, it would mean evenings and weekends, and I’d have to charge considerably more than the rate we initially agreed. ’
‘Name your price.’ He was regarding her now with a hint of amusement in his eyes, making her all the more determined to walk away. But the last thing she wanted was for him to know the real reason why.
‘Three hundred pounds an hour.’ Just saying the amount out loud made Emily’s face go hot, and not just because it made her sound like a high-class escort.
‘Great.’ He held out his hand and she found herself shaking it, because she had no idea how to get out of this without telling him why she’d changed her mind.
She just had to keep things businesslike and remind herself why crossing a line with Jude would be such bad news.
It shouldn’t be that hard; she’d only be spending all her spare time with a man she found incredibly attractive, teaching him about love and romance. What could possibly go wrong?