Page 15 of Under the Mistletoe with You

And now he has to tell Nash that ...what?That he can’t stay here after all?There is no script for this and Christopher feels so desperately lost.

‘I ...you’re here.’

‘Yeah, you said.’

‘No, I mean.It’s the flat upstairs.Sorry, I was expecting a Tessa.’

‘That could be my name,’ Nash says airily, which makes it Christopher’s turn to look embarrassed.‘I’m just razzing you – I’m Nash.’He holds out his hand to shake, which Christopher takes in his.‘Nash Nadeau.’

Christopher does his absolute best not to react.That was the plan, right?Pretend you don’t know who he is.This is the moment where his path could diverge; he could sayoh yeah, are you that guy from the Christmas filmsor he could keep up this ruse that he definitely does not owe his mental health to Nash’s IMDb credits.

In the end, he chooses the original plan.

‘Christopher Calloway.’

‘Nice to meet you.So… can you show me up to the place?’

Christopher shuts his eyes, bites his lip and takes a deep breath.‘I’m afraid there’s a problem.’

‘A problem?’

‘Yes.’

‘With the flat?’

‘Well, not just the flat.’

‘Okay ...are you going to tell me what it is or are we going to continue this cryptic back and forth?’

‘The flat is no longer empty, as it was going to be when advertised, due to a change of circumstances.’

‘But I booked it?So, I should be able to stay here?’

‘Yes, but as you’re well aware, there’s been an enormous snowstorm.’

‘My guy,’ Nash says, wiping his face with his hands, ‘I am so exhausted.Can you drop the very British politeness, and just straight up tell me what’s going on?Please.’

Christopher takes a deep breath.‘I own the flat, yes, and I also usuallylivein the flat.And I was supposed to go to stay with family in Yorkshire while you were staying here.’

Realisation dawns on Nash’s face.‘But you couldn’t get there because of the weather.’

‘Precisely.’

‘Right.’Nash runs his fingers through his hair.‘Crap, I really should have thought this through.’

All of a sudden, Nash looks much smaller than he did a few moments ago.The brash swagger has all melted away.He looks desperate.

‘Is there anywhere else to stay in this town?I mean, could you help me find somewhere?I really, truly do not know where I am and I can’t get hold of Tessa and you’re literally the only person I know in possibly the whole country so ...’

In his heart of hearts, Christopher knows the answer is no.Didn’t Shaz say yesterday that the pub is totally out of action?None of the other holiday flats will be empty at thistime of year, and even if they are, how will they even get Nash there?He doesn’t know anyone well enough to ask them to put Nash up apart from Shaz, who has her mother-in-law staying in the spare room.

At least for tonight, there really is nowhere else.

As if in confirmation, the wind howls outside, battering the windows in their frames.Since Nash arrived, the snow has resumed falling with such vigour that Christopher suspects he might have to dig them out when they do try to leave.They’re going nowhere today.Not unless either of them has survival skills and a death wish.

And Christopher can’t leave Nash without somewhere to stay.Turning him away would be pretty counter to the whole Nativity story aspect of Christmas.If he hadn’t rented his flat out, Nash wouldn’t be here.As weird as it is, he’s Christopher’s responsibility now.

And it’s going to beextremelyweird.