Page 28 of Christmas at the Home Farm Vets (Hartfell Village #2)
She glimpsed a sitting room on the left, another door into the dining room opposite.
At the far end of the hall she spied Jess in the kitchen, sparkling and gorgeous in scarlet palazzo pants and a black jumper emblazoned with a silver Christmas tree, heels adding to her natural height.
She caught Erin’s eye and waved as Gil emerged from the dining room, bottle in hand.
‘Erin, Oli, welcome. So happy you’re both here.’
‘Thank you.’ Erin gave her boss a grin. ‘Love the sweater.’
‘Cheers.’ Gil held up his bottle in mock salute.
His sweater was black, with rows of tiny Christmas puddings and festive lights framing an image of Homer Simpson clutching a drink and declaring it was the most wonderful time of the year for a beer.
‘Harriet looked like that too when she saw it, and wondered if it had been made with me in mind. Pippa chose it, and it seemed right to acknowledge a universal truth, as the saying goes.’
‘It was either that or the Grinch, and in the end I went for the beer.’ Pippa was smiling up at him, and he slid an arm around her waist to draw her close.
‘You know me so well.’ He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and tilted his bottle. ‘This is non-alcoholic though, in case I get called out.’
Erin and Oli shrugged out of their layers and Pippa draped their coats from a suit of armour beside the staircase.
She caught Erin’s eye and laughed. ‘It didn’t make the cut when we cleared the house, Gil’s strangely attached to it.
We haven’t done much else in here yet, apart from take up the carpets.
Thankfully, we’ve had planning permission granted for the extension now, but we won’t be starting before spring.
Gil’s got news to share about that. Let’s get you both a drink, as usual everyone’s crammed in the kitchen and Alfie’s managed to squeeze his decks in there as well.
He was thrilled when Gil asked him to do the music. ’
‘Where’s Jason? On his way?’ Gil was looking at Erin and she cringed, aware of Oli watching on. She hated having to make excuses for her date already.
‘He’s running late, he’s with a client. He sends his apologies, I know he’s looking forward to seeing everyone.
’ He hadn’t sounded sorry at all, but she really didn’t want Gil thinking badly of him as well.
It was enough to know that Oli didn’t approve.
‘It’s very good of you to include partners.
Not that we’re partners or anything,’ she went on hastily. ‘We’re just dating.’
Inviting Jason and exposing herself to the excuses required to explain away his lateness was her own fault.
She loved not having to balance her hours or commitment to her career against a partner’s demands, but for once she hadn’t wanted a space at her side.
If she was honest she’d also wanted to make Oli aware she had moved on, in every sense.
But tonight was already an uncomfortable reminder that he, who represented so much of her past, had been the only person she’d ever imagined in her future.
‘So no Raf, then?’ She’d heard that Pippa’s brother might be here tonight and squirmed.
She’d been hoping to change the subject away from Jason, but her clumsy question made her sound more like a desperate superfan.
Raf had a reputation as a charmer and she’d seen him drumming online with Jonny’s band and thought he was brilliant, as well as gorgeous.
She’d never met a rock star before and wouldn’t mind the chance if one came her way.
It wasn’t a bit of a crush on Raf, though. Definitely not.
‘Yes, he’s actually made it for once.’
‘Oh wow!’ Erin swiftly decided she’d better be careful what she wished for. She tugged at her sweater and tucked a loose curl behind her ear; she wouldn’t normally have chosen to display a Christmas pudding across her chest to meet a bone fide rock star.
Oli was chatting with Gil, and Pippa pointed to the kitchen so Erin could go first. ‘Just for the weekend, before he and my friend Cassie take her children to Lapland, then he’s heading to Australia for Christmas. My dad’s bought a place out there and he’s planning a big family gathering.’
‘That sounds lovely,’ Erin said wistfully. Much as she adored the Dales and couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Yorkshire, the thought of some proper sunshine in winter was very appealing.
In the kitchen she spotted Raf behind the decks with Alfie and Harriet.
He looked up and caught her eye, offering a lazy grin that made her cheeks flame with colour.
In the flesh he was even taller, his short nut-brown hair streaked with blond, and he was the only person not wearing a sweater.
Erin doubted there existed one ugly enough to detract from his looks and a charisma that seemed to carry right across the room to her pink face.
Harriet was sharing a set of headphones with Alfie, her dark hair a sharp contrast to his white-blond mop, and laughing at something on his phone.
Gil and Pippa had recently knocked through into the pantry to give them more space until the new kitchen and family room were built across the back of the house.
Through a mullioned window onto the terrace Erin glimpsed a hot tub, covered for now.
Maud and Lola were ignoring their beds to mingle amongst guests they knew well, accepting cuddles and hoping for more treats.
‘Drink, you two? Mulled cider, wine, beer, or something soft?’ Gil was alongside her and Oli.
‘The cider would be perfect, thanks.’ They accepted glasses from Gil a few moments later, and were soon caught up in the introductions.
Jess was here with Noah, and Erin’s discomfort returned when she had to refute Gabi’s wife Michelle’s assumption that Jason was also a vet and had been called to an emergency to explain his absence.
Steph’s husband was a builder, and he and Gil were soon deep in conversation as Steph chatted with Elaine, who had come on her own.
Erin would be loving every minute if she wasn’t feeling quite so publicly stood up.
Even the festive music and Gil’s expression when Alfie played ‘Last Christmas’ weren’t managing to distract her completely.
Oli had been drawn into conversation with Jess and Noah, and Erin’s dismay was rising at Jason’s lack of courtesy.
She pulled her phone from her handbag to check it, not even certain he’d let her know if he wasn’t going to turn up at all.
‘So you must be the brilliant new vet I’ve heard so much about.’
Erin’s head whipped round, and she found herself staring up into wicked brown eyes, which seemed to be smiling at her as much as Raf himself was. Her mouth had gone dry, and she didn’t need a mirror to know she was blushing like a teenager again.
‘I’m Raf, Pippa’s brother.’
‘I know who you are.’ She gulped a mouthful of cider to distract herself from that gaze. ‘Doesn’t everyone?’
‘I guess, but it doesn’t hurt not to assume.’ Raf had to hunch to drop the words in her ear over the din. ‘You’re Erin, right?’
‘Oh!’ In what world did a rock star drummer know who she was?
She really hoped her face wasn’t giving away that in some of the videos she’d seen of Raf he’d been drumming topless, messy hair wild, his body glistening with sweat.
She didn’t often listen to rock music, but she was as appreciative of his talents as much as the next person.
‘All good, I promise.’ He leaned against the wall; Erin hadn’t imagined he’d want to linger. ‘Gil thinks you’re brilliant.’
‘That’s very nice of him,’ she said loyally. ‘It works both ways. I’m so grateful to be here.’
‘And the boyfriend?’ Raf’s gaze flickered across the kitchen to Oli. ‘What does he do?’
‘Oh, Oli’s not my boyfriend,’ she rushed out, following Raf’s gaze and wanting to be clear. ‘He’s our locum, he’s just working with us until Christmas.’
‘Right.’ Raf let the syllables on that word linger and his eyes narrowed. ‘But you arrived together, and there’s obviously something.’
‘Something?’ What could he possibly know about her and Oli?
There was nothing to know, she’d been very careful at work to make sure of it.
‘He’s staying with me, that’s all. We were friends at university.
On the same course. Just friends. My boyfriend’s not here yet, he’s running late.
He’s on his way. Although we’re just dating, he’s not really my boyfriend.
Jason. That’s his name.’ She snapped her mouth shut, aware she was massively oversharing in front of the most gorgeous man she’d ever met.
‘I hear ya. Just friends. And for the record, Erin, if I were Jason I’d have more sense than to stand you up.’ Raf winked, straightening up as Pippa approached. ‘Hey, sis.’
‘I hope Raf’s behaving himself,’ Pippa said to Erin, who nodded hastily, her cheeks still burning. As if he’d ever misbehave with her – and she wouldn’t want him to anyway. Well, not much, and a girl could dream.
‘The food’s ready, we’ve piled everything in the dining room away from the dogs so you can help yourselves. The caterers have been wonderful, I couldn’t face cooking for us all in that prehistoric oven.’
‘Thanks, Pippa.’ Erin wasn’t expecting Raf to walk beside her into the dining room and everyone soon followed, tucking into gammon roasted with cider, apples and celery, perfectly crisp roast potatoes and red cabbage braised with blackberries.
Dessert was an indulgent and utterly delicious chocolate orange trifle, thick Baileys custard layered over orange and dark chocolate and smothered in a generous cream topping.
Most people drifted back to the kitchen to eat, and when they were done, Gil called for quiet once Alfie had turned down the music.
‘Thanks everyone. I’m not going to drone on like the office bore but I have got a couple of official duties to perform and something to share with you. So firstly, we’ll announce the winner of the mince pie tasting competition.’