Page 87 of Make You Mine This Christmas

Or she could push her down onto the floor, straddle her.

Truthfully, Haf wants to bottle this moment, along with their dancing in the kitchen. This freeness, this complete silliness between them. What would it be like to have a million moments like this? A quiet forever of domesticity and silly jokes. Of poorly assembled gingerbread houses, and of lovingly given painkillers washed down with mugs of tea. A lifetime of dancing in the kitchen.

Theycouldbe really good friends.

But is that all she wants?

Is it all Kit wants?

Their eyes lock, and her lips part, just slightly.

Kit is so close to her. All they do is breathe.

The fire crackles, and so does the tension between them.

Is this it? Is this the moment where she throws it all away, throws away all the lies and subterfuge just for a kiss?

Kit’s eyes dart to her lips, and Haf feels hypnotised, unable to move, and honestly, she does not want to.

It feels like if she doesn’t kiss Kit right now, the world might end.

And that’s when the front door slams shut.

The dogs leap to their feet, awoken from their slumber, and rush, barking, to the front door. The yaps are so loud in the quiet Kit and Haf had built, the quiet of their own private universe.

In a flash, Kit is on her feet and walking to the front door to greet Otto and Esther who have returned home.

Everything feels blurry. Not from the wine, but that isn’t helping. She feels whiplashed.

Haf gets to her feet awkwardly, but her mind is still swirling.

Was Kit thinking about kissing me?

Dazed, she walks to the hallway to greet Esther and Otto. Catching her eyes, Kit rushes off to the kitchen, calling back, ‘I’ll go make tea for you both.’

There’s a split second as she passes where their eyes meet, and Kit looks away quickly. It’s a message.You got the wrong idea. This isn’t happening. Move on.Haf feels sick.

‘How was the end of the fête?’ she asks, desperate to force her mind onto something else. Anything else.

‘Once the reindeer debacle was dealt with, everything went as planned. Naturally,’ says Esther, unwinding a scarf from her neck. She hangs it over the back of the chair by the hall telephone.

‘You did very well, my dear,’ says Otto, who kisses her on the cheek.

It’s such a tender, delicate moment that Haf feels like she’s intruded on their intimacy, on a lifetime of knowing each other and bending together.

‘How are you doing, dear? You must be tired after your death-defying adventures.’ Esther laughs, but it’s not unkind. Maybe Kit was right. Perhaps Esther does like her, at least a little bit.

‘Oh yes, I’m fine now. Just tired.’

‘Good, I’m glad Kit looked after you. Is Christopher not back yet?’

Her heart plummets into her stomach. She hasn’t even thought about him. Didn’t even text him to tell him what happened, or that she’s safe. He didn’t even cross her mind when she was about to kiss Kit. Fuck, she’s the worst person alive.

‘No, he’s still at Laurel’s, I think,’ she croaks.

‘I’m sure he’ll be back any moment.’

‘Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll give him a text to make sure he’s not stuck in the snow. But I’m just going to go off to bed,’ Haf says, giving a little wave of the hand. ‘Long day!’