Page 57 of Full Court Crush
“I’ve never been,” Amelia admitted.
“Well, then we have to go!” She brightened. She heard the living room television click back on. Her dad must have woken up again. “Right. I need to go. Text me when and where you want to meet?” Keira asked.
“Sure,” Amelia agreed. “And, Keira, promise me, if you ever can’t top up the metre, or are struggling with anything else in that regard, you’ll let me help?”
She sighed, her pride already climbing out of its box, ready for battle.
“Please?”
She fought to squash her pride back down.
“Okay, I promise.”
“Thank you. I’ll text you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
She hung up the phone and sighed. Part of her wanted to throw it against the wall, but that would only have made her money troubles worse. Being suave with the person you liked, while they simultaneously offered you pity money, was impossible.
Keira put her phone back on the counter, partly to remove temptation and partly to finish cleaning up the kitchen, not that much needed doing. Keeping the entire house clean and tidy had been a useful distraction for her when her brain was running away with itself, like a train whose brakes had failed. By the time she returned to the living room, the kitchen was spotless.
“Who was that?” her dad asked.
“Amelia.”
“Mm-hmm.” He sounded bemused by the information.
“We’re going to go to the Christmas market next weekend. Do you want me to get you anything?” she asked, hoping to fend off any probing questions.
“No, I’m good. You girls have fun.”
“We’re hardly girls, Dad.”
“You’ll always be my little girl,” he mumbled, smiling at her.
She pulled the coffee table towards herself and set up a chess game. It would help keep her hands busy and distract her from thinking too much about Amelia. Had they just arranged a date, or was it just two friends, who happened to have recently slept together, hanging out? They’d barely spoken since that night. Amelia had work, and Keira feared the feelings she was having and what they meant. Perhaps they could talk at the Christmas market. Maybe the awkwardness would disappear once they saw each other in person.
Chapter 17
Amelia
Cardiffcitycentrehadbeen transformed into a Christmas postcard. Various coloured lights illuminated the church in the centre of town, making it the centrepiece of a Christmas scene, with wooden huts lined up neatly around it. Pretty moving snowflake shapes were projected onto the large castle walls, and the air was rich with the smell of doughnuts and other traditional Christmas foods.
Amelia stood on the corner of Queen Street and St John’s Street, blowing on her hands and rubbing them together to fight off the cold. At least it wasn’t raining. It was only early evening, but the dark had drawn in hours ago. Hundreds of people bustled around, from children carrying candyfloss to students experiencing the magic of the market for the first time, like Amelia. It was hard to take it all in. Sure, she’d driven past it a few times in the years she’d lived in the city, but she’d never had a reason to visit before. She usually spent the holidays covering for those who needed them off. By the time she even thought about going, the market had finished.
Keira walked down Queen Street towards her. She was smiling, but her hands clutched at the hem of her own coat, and there was a certain bounce in her step that made Amelia think she wasn’t completely comfortable. She couldn’t blame her; she’d basically blown her off for the last few weeks. It hadn’t been intentional, but that didn’t really matter.
“Hi.” Amelia grinned once Keira was close enough.
“Hi.” Keira’s return smile lit up her entire face.
“So, where shall we start?” she asked. Keira shrugged.
“We could check out some of the huts? They’re all run by small businesses and local crafts people. You can find some really unique things.”
“Lead the way.”
Why does this feel so awkward.