Page 71 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘You can indeed. How about you try cooking the Christmaslunch tomorrow?’
‘What?’ She looks at me as if I’m completely mad.
I shrug. ‘Just a thought. You wouldn’t need to cook turkey.We could have whatever you decided to make.’
‘Anything?’
‘Anything.’
‘What, so you wouldn’t mind if we had fish fingers and chipsfollowed by ice-cream and chocolate sauce?’
‘Nope.’
A grin spreads over her face as she thinks about this.‘Sick. Okay, I’ll do Christmas lunch. But you’ve got to promise to eat it.Whatever it is.’
‘I promise.’ Then a thought occurs. ‘Oh, wait a minute. Flomight be coming for Christmas lunch. She’s going to let me know later. I’m notsure she’d appreciate festive fish fingers.’
Tavie’s face falls. ‘So that means we have to eat boring oldturkey as usual?’
‘Afraid so. How about you do your thing on Boxing Dayinstead?’
She shrugs. ‘Maybe.’
‘Anyway, eat up! We’ve got a tree to decorate.’
*****
Tavie’s adding the final touch to our ancient butwell-loved tree – popping the angel she made in primary school on the top andmurdering ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ – when my mobile rings and it’s Flo.
‘Hi, how was it?’ I turn away and subtly block one ear witha finger to stop Tavie’s excruciating high notes bursting an ear drum.
‘You mean my blind date that you organised without warningme first?’
She sounds annoyed and I wince. Maybe I’d got it all wrong.
‘Sorry. It was done with the best of intentions.’
‘I realise that. And…I was about to suggest you give up thecooking and go into the dating business.’
‘Oh. It worked out okay, then?’
She laughs. ‘More than okay. I haven’t laughed so much witha blokeever.’
‘Laughter is the best aphrodisiac.’
‘It is. He’s also very cute. We’re going out on Boxing Day,and he’s promised to wear his hard hat for me with just a sprig of hollyelsewhere.’
I snort with laughter. ‘Crikey. Now, there’s an image toconjure with.’
‘I’m joking about that bit. I’d never go in for horizontalrefreshment on the first date.’
‘Horizontal refreshment?’ I squeak. ‘Is that a sayingfrom your generation, then?’
‘Don’t be cheeky. I’m only twelve years older than you.’
Tavie is looking over questioningly. I clear my throat andpaste on a smile. ‘So you had a nice time, then, Flo.’
‘Flo has a boyfriend,’ I mouth at her, and she grins andshakes her head. Then she points at the fairy-lights and mimes switching themon.
