Page 55 of The Christmas Catch
Ali’s stomach floored. Oh shit. One bed again. One bed last night had been torturous. But one bed tonight might be impossible. Being that close to Morgan and not kissing her again was totally out of the question. Once the kissing started, she knew where that would lead. She blew out a breath as her mind filled in the blanks in a blur of skin and heat. She closed her eyes to get rid of the image. Really not helpful.
For now, she had to stay in this moment. Not worry about the future. Isn’t that what this trip had taught her? You could plan all you liked, but in the end, life would have the final say.
* * *
Once Helenand Morgan left the kitchen, Ali walked through to the lounge and pressed Home on her phone. It needed another charge soon, but she had just about enough juice left to call Tobias.
“Hello, Glasgow City Cat Adoption Centre. I’m afraid I just shipped the last cat out because it peed in my shoe, so we’re all out.”
“Very funny.” Ali collapsed on Helen’s super-squishy cream sofa. Thoroughly impractical colour choice, but cushions that meant she might fall asleep at any moment. That would be one way to deal with tonight.
“How’s Snowy doing, apart from fulfilling my brief to pee in your shoe?” Ali paused. “She didn’t really do that, did she? Now is not the time to be teaching her new tricks.”
“I swear she started to, but then I distracted her by vogueing. We all know how mesmerising I can be when I do that.”
“She does love a dance.” Ali could just imagine Snowy’s transfixed face. That her cat loved dance was a well-worn joke between the two friends. OnceStrictlywas on, there was no way anybody was distracting Snowy. “Everything good in the hood?”
“Gorgeous, darling. I bought a nut roast yesterday, along with some of those meat-free pigs in blankets. I daren’t look at the ingredients to see what they really are. I also bought a bottle of champers, and a bottle of red for a tenner. Splashing out this Christmas. Me and Snowy are going to have a great time. I even bought her a new toy. Santa is going to come to this part of Glasgow, even if he never does in the movies.” He paused. “How are things in Devon?”
Ali closed her eyes. She’d checked in last night to see how Snowy was, but not given him any other details. Of course he thought she was in Devon.
“We’re still not there.”
“Whaaaaaaaat?” Tobias was a fan of drama. It’s why he was addicted to theReal Housewivesfranchise.
“Remember I told you the plane was delayed? Then it became cancelled, then our train broke down—”
“Yes, and you were travelling with your first love and it was like the most romantic thing in the world!” He was screeching now.
“Lower your voice. You’ll scare Snowy.”
“I’ll just vogue a little more. She’ll be putty in my hands.” He paused. “Where are you now?”
“Were we in the services when we last spoke?”
“You were.”
“We hitched a lift, our train broke down, as did our hire car, and now we’re staying the night with my cousin before trying to get to Devon tomorrow.” When she said it out loud, it sounded even more ridiculous than it had been living through it. However, she knew that when she looked back on the past few days, she’d remember the ups and the downs. Getting to know Morgan again. Dave, the Christmas tree man. Hanging out in Snowton.
The Ferris wheel.
That kiss.
“Where exactly are you right now?”
“Sitting on one of the most comfortable sofas in the world at my cousin’s place in the Lakes.”
“You’ve only made it as far as the Lakes? You can drive that in three hours.”
“If you’ve got a car that works. Which we hopefully will have by tomorrow. Otherwise, we’re spending Christmas with my cousin.” Which wasn’t the absolute worst plan in the world. But then again, it really was. It was the whole point she’d said yes to going home this year, because it was the first Christmas without Dad. The first one her mum had actually closed the pub for the day. The first one where it was just going to be the family, and nobody else. Ali sat up. She had to get home tomorrow, there was no two ways about it. She knew Morgan was just as keen.
“And you’re still with the dreamboat that is Morgan Scott?”
Ali grinned like a cat of the Cheshire variety.
“You’re bloody grinning, aren’t you? I can hear it!” He let out another squeal of excitement. “Is she still gorgeous?”
Ali conjured Morgan in her mind. Then she thought about her right now, naked in the shower. Every hair on her body stood to attention.
