Page 17 of A Very Crumbleton Christmas
The movie star at her side seemed to be missing the seriousness of the situation. Her little car was nothing more than a snowy white bump on the driveway.
‘How on earth am I meant to get home?’ she said. ‘Have you got anything I can use to dig it out with?’
‘Erm… I don’t know,’ said Jack. ‘Even if I did, you know that’s a terrible idea, right?’
‘I’m stronger than I look,’ said Caroline. ‘I can totally clear a path down to the road.’
‘And then what?’ demanded Jack. ‘Even if the main road is clear enough – which I doubt – there’s no way the road across the marshes is going to be passable… not if the stuff’s literally settling on the beach!’
‘But—’ said Caroline.
‘No buts!’ said Jack, suddenly sounding more than a little bit stubborn. ‘It’ll be feet deep by the time you get out of the driveway. You’re just going to have to stay put with me until it clears up.’
‘You…?’ Caroline turned away from the white mound that was her car to stare at Jack.
Jack Jones, Hollywood’s golden boy, had just invited her to stay safe with him at his house. Jack Jones, the guy she’d torn to shreds in the paper on multiple occasions.
No… not Jack Jones. Just Jack.
‘You don’t mind?’ she said, re-finding her voice with an effort.
Jack shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t have asked you if I did,’ he said. ‘And… I’m not sure I have that much choice in the matter. Nor do you, come to that.’
‘Well… okay, thanks,’ said Caroline.
‘Can we go back inside now?’ said Jack with an exaggerated shiver. ‘I think I’m starting to get frostbite.’
‘That’s your own idiotic fault for leaving a perfectly lovely, warm house to go swimming in the snow!’ laughed Caroline, following Jack back inside and breathing a sigh of relief as he closed the front door.
‘Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,’ said Jack, shooting her a wicked grin. ‘I’m going again in a mo, and this time you’re coming with me. I’ve got a guest wetsuit upstairs.’
‘You’re joking?!’ gasped Caroline. ‘Not on your nelly!’
For one thing, she had absolutely no desire to dive into the ice-cold waves while a snowstorm whipped around above her.For another… there wasno wayshe was going to show Jack Jones what she looked like in a skin-tight wetsuit. Not on their first date.
Notthat this was a date, of course!
‘Okay… you need to breathe,’ chuckled Jack. ‘I’m joking, so you don’t need to look like you’re going to pass out from shock!’
‘Don’t exaggerate,’ huffed Caroline.
‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ said Jack, shooting her a wink as he led the way back along the hall, this time heading for the living room. ‘I only speak the truth.’
Staring at the beautiful, tiled floor as she went, Caroline did her best to pull herself together. Part of herwishedshe could just make a break for it and head back to her little flat in Crumbleton. She’d said her piece and now she just had to wait for an answer… and she didn’t need to do that here. It looked like Jack had a bit of a knack for pressing her buttons, and she wasn’tentirelysure she wanted them pressed!
Who was she kidding?! Jack could press any button of hers he liked!
Nearly giggling out loud at the thought, Caroline quickly pulled in a deep breath and gave herself a little shake. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve it, but it looked like Christmas had come early. She was going to spend the afternoon with Jack Jones, for heaven’s sake! Jack Jones… who’d told her to call him just… Jack!
Weird!
This was basically a dream come true – an all-access pass to her monster crush!
No. She shouldn’t even think those words while she was in his house!
The poor guy probably had to put up with girls swooning all over him left, right and centre. She didn’t want to become oneof them. She’d keep control of herself and do her best to remain professional about the whole thing.
‘Feel free to curl back up on your favourite sofa!’ said Jack with a cheeky smile. ‘I’ll grab our drinks from the kitchen’.
