Page 34 of All I Want for Christmas

‘Darcy doesn’t care. Her love life is far more exciting. She’s got them lining up,’ Freja grinned.

‘Now that’s not exactly true is it, Freja?’ Darcy said in a wry tone, before looking over at Tristan. ‘Thanks for the referral to Raya by the way.’

He shrugged. ‘My pleasure. I’m glad it’s working out for you.’

‘That might be a stretch. All I have on my horizon so far is a date booked with a rather reluctant vet.’

‘So he finally asked?’ Freja gasped.

‘No,Idid. I couldn’t be bothered with waiting any longer.’ Sitting alone on Max Lorensen’s velvet sofa while he was out lunching with a model and opening a text from Aksel asking her if she could roll her tongue (it was a genetic quirk, supposedly) had been her tipping point. Just date me or dump me, she had thought as she texted back:‘Let’s meet and I can show you.’

‘Good on you, girl.’ Freja looked back at Tristan. ‘This guy’s been dragging out the conversation for days,’ she explained.

‘Days? Surely not,’ Tristan said, bemused. ‘You say that like it’s a bad thing.’

‘It is a bad thing. This is modern dating. There comes apoint when being endlessly polite is actually just rude. Does he want her or not?’

His smile grew. ‘Perhaps he’s one of those guys who doesn’t want to rush things. I’ve heard there’s still a few of them left out there.’

‘Yeah. Well, he hasn’t met me, but hereallyrespects me,’ Darcy said sardonically.

Tristan chuckled. ‘He could turn out to be a keeper. You never know.’

‘So when are you seeing him, and where?’ Freja demanded.

‘Tuesday night. At the Bastard cafe.’ It was a board games bar, perfectly suited to rainy Sunday afternoons – but he was on call this weekend.

‘Quirky.’

‘Yeah. I figured if the conversation was lacking, at least we’d have something to do.’

‘Good call,’ Freja agreed. ‘Are you excited?’

Darcy arched an eyebrow. ‘Come now – we know better than that. No expectations. No disappointment.’

‘This is a tragedy! You’re both so cynical,’ Tristan exclaimed.

‘You would be too if you had to date men,’ Freja replied.

He laughed.

‘I’m serious. Poor Darce got cheated on in her last relationship. And the one before decided that he was bi, but since then has only dated men.’

‘I turned him gay.Idid that,’ Darcy said, thumping her chest with a proud smile and making him laugh harder.

‘You’ve had a bad run,’ Freja consoled, patting her hand and also laughing. ‘Which is precisely why your luck is about to change. Aksel the Vet is everything those guys weren’t. Just you wait. Tuesday night is going to be transformative.’

Darcy rolled her eyes as she looked back at Tristan with a tut. ‘I don’t know what you’ve done to my friend, but could you give her back, please? I don’t recognize this lovesick puppy sitting beside me.’

‘Apologies,’ he grinned, looking delighted and not at all sorry.

Two waiters walked past carrying plates, and Darcy’s nose twitched at the tantalizing scent. ‘My God, what is that?’ she asked, unable to place it.

‘Reindeer brain jelly, if I’m not mistaken,’ Tristan replied.

She suppressed a guffaw of laughter.What?‘Of course. How silly of me not to recognize it.’

He grinned. ‘As I say, I come here any chance I can get.’

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