Page 43 of Christmas in Mistletoe
“Yes, but those are people that usually have opposite-sex parents.” Dad gave her a shrug. “Whereas you won the gay parent jackpot. So if you are after another girl — or even a man, we're not close minded — we’re here for you.”
Pop reached over and put his hand on her arm. “We are, even though I can't help you get up and run after Ruby. I'm here for you for all other needs, though.”
Fran gave him a puzzled face. “I’ve told you before, I can run my own matters of the heart. But there is no matter of the heart here. I can't get involved with another singer after Delilah, you know that.”
Her parents exchanged looks over their pancakes.
“Ruby’s hardly Delilah, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. We never met Delilah as that would have made everything too real for her. But Ruby is a real person and she seems lovely. Plus, I prefer her music, too.”
“You haven’t heard it.”
“I have,” Pop said, pulling back his shoulders. “I know how to work Spotify just like you do.” He paused. “Plus, Ruby’s from a lovely family, whereas Delilah’s sounded like a nightmare. These things make a difference when choosing a partner. My parents never accepted us and it leaves a dent.”
Fran knew that. But at least they had Dad’s family who were lovely.
“I know Ruby’s from a good family. But that doesn’t mean I’m after her.”
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Pop told her.
“Methinks you're talking nonsense.” But Fran knew shewasprotesting too much. She clapped her hands together. “Anyway, let’s eat these delicious pancakes, then I need to make one phone call. After that, I’m all yours. I’m making curry, and I thought we could watch a film this afternoon?”
Pop’s face lit up. “A Christmas film?”
Fran nodded, happy to move the subject along. “I was thinkingElf, or whatever you fancy.”
“Elfsounds perfect,” Dad replied.
Fran glanced out the window again. “Have you thought about getting another dog now you’re settled? It’s been three years since Rhubarb, and Mistletoe is the perfect place for one.”
Pop nodded. “We have. We were thinking of getting a couple of rescue dogs. Older ones that take it easy, and need a place to spend their final years.”
“I love that. Two old dogs for two silver foxes.”
Chapter 18
Ruby stoodat the door of one of the barns, gazing out at the Christmas tree fields behind it. She took a deep breath in. The smell of fir trees was the smell of home.
The barn was one of the more insulated buildings they had. However, it was still freezing on this December Monday morning. It had been stacked high with Christmas trees, but was now two-thirds empty: proof that sales had picked up over the last couple of days. Maybe this year really would signal a change of fortunes for the farm. Hopefully, Ruby’s concert would move the needle, too.
She jogged on the spot for a few moments, then did star jumps to get her blood flowing. She’d done her main vocal warm-up in the house, but decamped to the barn when Mum kept interrupting and commenting on her voice. To finish off her rehearsal, she needed a bit more warmth. She walked over to the barn office in the corner, shut the door, pulled the blinds and turned on the radiators.
Ruby liked to come here when she needed a little time away from the family to play, sing, or just be. The office housed two desks and a comfortable red sofa underneath a wall of Christmas tree photos. On the opposite side of the room was a hospitality station with a kettle, Nespresso machine, and a fridge below. This was where her dad and Scott brought their bigger corporate clients when they’d walked them around the fields and sprinkled them with Christmas magic. Ruby did a few more warm-up exercises, taking slugs of hot water and lemon from her steel-cased flask to ease her voice back into action.
She cleared her throat, pushing thoughts of Fran and how they’d kissed on Friday night from her mind. She could still feel how Fran had grasped her waist with her strong fingers. Still remember how she tasted. Ruby wanted to taste her again. That thought sent a scuttle of heat down her body. Ruby shivered. They’d exchanged a couple of messages since, but Fran had spent the weekend with her parents.
Ruby picked up her folder of song lyrics and got on with the job at hand. Being in the moment and singing. It was her speciality. She called up the backing tracks on her phone, and hit play. She’d just run through ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’ when there was a knock on the office door, and Victoria walked in. It was just like their childhood: Victoria knocked, but then always walked straight in.
“All right, karaoke queen?”
“I hope I'm better than somebody having a go at karaoke.” Ruby folded her arms and frowned. “Otherwise it's going to be a very short and grumbly concert.”
“You’re going to be just fine.” Victoria gave her a hug. “Are you singing your own songs, too? Not just Christmas tunes?”
Ruby nodded. “I will be. But I have to sing the classics as well. You don’t get Robbie Williams or Michael Bublé doing a gig at Christmas without some festive songs, do you?”
“They are Christmas cabaret, though.”
“What am I?”
