Page 33 of Christmas at the Home Farm Vets (Hartfell Village #2)

‘No, she looks happy.’ They shared a smile at the image of Marnie asleep on her bed in the cottage before the fire.

Noah was joining Jess later and they were planning a takeaway; a rare night off from renovating the house they’d just bought.

Oli was at the boot removing their bags when the front door opened, and Imogen rushed outside.

‘Guys, I’m so happy you’re here! You made great time, come in and have a drink to celebrate. There’s a taxi picking us up later so no one has to drive.’

Imogen hurried down the path and flung her arms around Oli, who grinned as he hugged her back, a bag slung over each shoulder. She turned to Erin and hugged her too, murmuring a ‘thank you for coming.’

‘Alex sends his apologies, by the way. He had to go into work, and he’s been delayed on site.

’ Imogen pointed so Oli and Erin, who had a garment bag with Oli’s suit and her dress draped over one arm, could go first. ‘His company are renovating a hotel and there’s a crisis with a crane. He shouldn’t be too long.’

‘It’s beautiful, Immi,’ Oli remarked as they stepped into a narrow hall, and he caught his sister’s eye. ‘What?’

‘Nothing.’ She bumped into him on purpose, nudging his arm with hers. ‘You haven’t called me Immi for ages, that’s all.’

‘Yeah, well,’ he retorted, giving her a brotherly shove. ‘Mum always said…’

‘What?’ There was a questioning note in her voice, urging him to continue.

‘Nothing.’ He glanced down. ‘Do we have to take our shoes off?’

‘With these carpets? You betcha!’

Erin slipped her boots off and Oli did the same, leaving their bags in the hall for now and being careful not to rest them against the white walls.

A compact, sleek white and grey kitchen was on their left, the window looking onto the courtyard.

For a moment she almost envied its orderliness and clean lines, and then she was reminded of her cottage’s comforts and cosiness, the stories of people who’d lived in it long before she had.

She was just a chapter in its history, a guardian readying it for the next person who would come along after her.

‘Sitting room and dining area.’ Imogen threw open a door at the end and they were in another white room with a pale grey carpet matching the one in the hall.

The furniture, apart from a cream sofa and an armchair, was dark and contemporary, a huge flatscreen TV sat on a low cabinet, and French doors led to a narrow garden planted with evergreens, gravel in place of a lawn and bordered by metal railings.

Everything was glossy and gorgeous, and Erin was checking her jeans for signs of mud just in case; sometimes it seemed to get everywhere, especially at this time of year.

A tiny Christmas tree sparkled in a corner, the only nod to the season.

‘It’s gorgeous, Imogen. Congratulations,’ Erin said.

She’d never lived anywhere so tidy and couldn’t imagine curling up on this perfect sofa without worrying she’d mark it in some way.

She’d felt at home in the cottage from the first day, and mud falling from boots or dog hair from patients was easy to clean from stone-flagged floors, even if they were freezing beneath her feet.

This house was a contemporary home for contemporary lives, and she didn’t picture Oli living in such pristine surroundings either.

‘Yeah, it’s stunning, Immi, congrats.’ He lowered himself onto the sofa and Erin chose the armchair. She could attempt to maintain a physical distance from him at least, even if the emotional one was retreating with every day they spent together.

‘Thanks, guys, so happy you like it.’ Imogen turned back to the door. ‘Glass of bubbly to get you started before the party? The taxi’s picking us up at six thirty, so we’ve got plenty of time.’

‘Why not?’ Oli looked at Erin. ‘We don’t often get to relax and spoil ourselves, do we?’

‘You need to up your game, bro, if you think that’s spoiling someone,’ Imogen retorted. ‘No wonder you’re still single. Sorry, forget I said that.’

‘It’s fine,’ Erin assured her. ‘Oli and I are just friends.’

‘Yeah, about that.’ Imogen threw out a grin. ‘Before I open the bottle, let me show you to your room.’

Room? Erin subdued a moment of alarm. She hadn’t known exactly what to expect but the house was tiny, much smaller than she’d imagined. Surely, though, there were more than two bedrooms? They followed Imogen upstairs and she opened one of only three doors on the landing.

‘You two are sharing,’ she said bluntly. Erin caught Oli’s eye. He appeared as startled as she did, and his gaze slid to his sister as Imogen carried on. ‘The bathroom’s between your room and ours.’

‘Imogen…’

‘What?’ She jammed her hands on her hips and glared at him. ‘Don’t even think it, that sofa is velvet, and you are not spending the night on it. You two just need to get on with it or get over it, you decide which. Come down when you’re ready but don’t leave it too long.’

She backed away and running footsteps on the stairs disappeared.

Erin took a hesitant couple of steps into their room.

It was just as beautiful as the rest of the house: white walls offset by pale grey furniture, a narrow mirror above each of the bedside tables, and wardrobe space that was a rail with hangers.

A wraparound suede headboard made the bed look very inviting.

‘It’s not much bigger than your spare room.’ Oli grinned and she laughed nervously.

‘No. But I bet the bed’s a lot comfier.’ And a double, at least.

‘It’ll be fine, I’ll sleep on the floor,’ he said decisively.

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Her laugh this time was more of a protest. ‘There wouldn’t be enough room for that if you slept bent double. I’ll do it, I’m smaller than you.’

‘If you think I’m letting you sleep on the floor whilst I take the bed then you’re crazy.’ Oli fixed her with a look and she made herself hold it, trying not to turn away from the determination in his gaze.

‘So we have to share then.’ Erin attempted to land her thoughts on staying professional but even that didn’t work as well as it usually did.

She was thinking instead about what it would be like to fall asleep beside him, to wake up together in the morning and see him smiling across at her.

And about how she was going to make herself maintain the distance they needed to keep as colleagues.

‘I guess.’ He was at the window overlooking the courtyard, and he turned. ‘It’s only for one night and we won’t be back from the party until late. We’ll both be ready to crash by then, we’ll probably fall asleep the minute our heads hit the pillows.’

‘Absolutely.’ She edged towards the door. ‘So shall we get that drink then?’

Oli nodded and they returned to the sitting room.

Alex came home while Imogen was opening the wine, and she made the introductions.

He and Oli shared a hug, his dark hair and olive skin a contrast to Oli’s auburn colouring, and he hugged Erin too, telling them how happy he and Imogen were that they’d come all this way to celebrate with them.

One bottle of bubbly turned into two and when it was time to change for the party, Oli went up first so Erin could have a little more time and the room to herself.

She was in the bathroom freshening up when she heard him go down and she closed the door to their room once inside, nerves fluttering in her stomach as she unpacked.

She sat on the bed to do her make-up, trying to recall the instructions about blusher Jess had imparted earlier in the week.

Erin didn’t often wear make-up; there seemed little point when she was battered by the elements outdoors most days.

She was happy with the results and the slightly different face staring back at her in the mirror when she’d finished, hair fastened into a knot at the nape of her neck.

At least she’d found the time to have her nails done.

The taxi was due in half an hour and Imogen wanted them to be ready fifteen minutes before so they could take a few selfies.

Erin had found her dress online during the week and had sent a link to Jess for her opinion before she clicked ‘buy’ in case her friend thought it wouldn’t suit her.

But Jess had loved it as much as Erin did, and bluntly informed her to buy it or else.

She’d never worn anything so elegant or dramatic in her life and the navy silk felt amazing when she stepped into the dress.

The skirt fell to her ankles and the split to her left thigh was evident every time she moved, the silk sighing against her bare skin.

A cowl neckline was just high enough and spaghetti straps on her back crossed to fasten in corset style, which she’d found very tricky to tie just above her waist. She quashed a flare of panic that perhaps her outfit was too dressy.

But she knew Oli was wearing black tie as it was a formal event, and hoped very much the dress would do.

Black ankle-strap heels were unfamiliar as she descended the stairs, and the second Oli’s astounded gaze landed on her Erin knew she’d got it exactly right.

She couldn’t help but think of Catz and the May Ball, and the missed opportunity to be his date that night.

To be on his arm and wear a dress like this, to have him look at her in exactly the way he was doing now.

She didn’t need him to utter a word to let her know what he thought, every single syllable was written in his eyes.

‘Erin, your dress! I adore it.’ Imogen’s colouring was perfectly complimented by a strapless green grown with a fitted bodice and flared skirt. ‘Oli, doesn’t Erin look stunning?’

‘You do. You look perfect.’ His quiet murmur was for Erin alone and for once she wasn’t going to subdue the butterflies dancing in her stomach or the faint flush on her skin.

She felt amazing and his hand on her back, as Imogen assembled them for the selfies, felt like a promise for the evening ahead.

She wasn’t going to think of having to share a bed with him and pretend it was fine, before tomorrow arrived and they returned to their normal lives.

This evening she was his date, and she wanted to hold on to every single second of the next few hours together.