“Not really, he gives me the same thing every year. Doesn’t go to a lot of trouble, just steals one from the laundry basket.”
“Cute.”
“Here,” he handed her a small parcel.
“What is it?”
“Traditionally, I think you’re meant to unwrap it to find out rather than ask the giver.”
She ran a fingernail under the tape and peeled back the paper to reveal an unmistakable small jewellery box.
“Oh,” she said. “I couldn’t possibly accept this.”
“How do you know when you haven’t even opened it? It might be a walnut for all you know.”
“A walnut?”
“First thing I could think of.”
“So it’s not a walnut? Now I’ll be disappointed.”
“Hopefully when you do eventually open it, you won’t be.”
She lifted the lid and frowned. It was a sterling silver necklace with a pendant in the shape of a witch on a broom. “A witch?” She didn’t grasp the significance.
“Don’t you like it? I thought with you being so magical yourself you would.”
“You think I’m a witch?”
He smiled. “How else could you have cast such a spell over me?”
She smiled, touched. It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever bought her. She wasn’t about to tell him that though. “You get away with corny lines like that back where you come from?”
“Oh yes. City girls lap up stuff like that.”
“Just how many girls are we talking about here, for interests’ sake?”
“Not too many. The usual amount. May I?” He gestured towards the case and she handed it over. He took the necklace out, placing the case down on the banister beside him.
Maggie turned her back to him and lifted her hair with one hand while he threaded the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp. His fingers lightly tickled the fine hairs on the back of her neck and she felt them stand up involuntarily. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of being so close to him again.
Jack was also enjoying the lack of space between them, and without a thought he leant forward and touched his lips to the back of her neck. He felt her shiver.
“Mmm,” he murmured. “You smell delicious, what is that intoxicating smell?”
“Lilac soap,” she told him, turning back to face him. She wondered if he would remember handing her the soap that day in her shop and the meaning on the card.
His eyebrows shot up, which indicated to her that he did. She blushed slightly.
“Wait here,” she told him, and hurried inside to fetch her own present for him. When she returned she seemed almost reluctant to pass him the parcel.
“I’m sorry but it’s nothing as fancy as a necklace,” she apologised. She’d bought it as a tongue in cheek gift but now she was regretting her choice.
“I’m sure whatever it is I’ll love it.” He opened the paper and then it was his turn to frown at her quizzically.
She reached over and pulled out the heavy duty green rubber gardening gloves.
“They’re for next time Bruno comes in to see you, so you don’t get scratched again.”
He laughed. “What a thoughtful gift. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. I know you don’t share my special animal whispering talent, so I thought these might help you deal with him.”
“I’m sure they’ll come in very handy.”
“Merry Christmas Jack.”
“And Merry Christmas to you too, beautiful Maggie Tanner.” He replied softly, reaching out a hand to brush some hair from her face. “May I?”
She nodded.
He leant forward and kissed her, softly at first then hungrily. The only thing that stopped Maggie pushing him back against the wall of the house and ravishing him right there was the sound of groans and fake vomiting from Willow and Nick. She pushed Jack away and put a hand to her mouth.
“Oh god I forgot they were there,” she said, horrified. This wasn’t how she planned on Willow finding out, but when she looked at her daughter there was no shock on her face. Instead she smiled at her mother and gave her the thumbs up to signify her approval.
“Get a room!” Nick called and Willow punched him hard on the upper arm.
Dot’s head appeared in the doorframe. “Grubs up!” she called. “Oh hi Jack, I didn’t know you’d arrived,” she said, her face a picture of innocence. “Merry Christmas to you.”
“Merry Christmas to you too Dot.”
“You hungry? There’s a feast laid out inside. Ray is chomping to get started, despite already inhaling his body weight in bacon at breakfast. I swear, that man does this every year. He’ll eat himself fit to burst then complain all the night long how sick he is. Then he’ll get up tomorrow and start eating all the leftovers. He hates to waste any food you see.”
“Let me see if I can help him out with that. I’m pretty hungry myself and the smells you’ve bought out with you are causing my taste buds to leap right off my tongue.”
“Good boy,” Dot nodded. “I do like a man with an appetite. So does Maggie by the way, she’s an excellent cook.”
“Mum!”
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
Jack hid a smile. “Lead the way.”
“Oi! You two! Get in here now or I’ll lock this door and you’ll miss out altogether,” Dot called to Willow and Nick.
“Yeah right!” Willow hollered back.
The adults were seated around the table when Willow and Nick finally came running inside, tripping and elbowing each other to be the first to get to the table. They fought over the same chair but a swift kick from Willow won out and Nick collapsed into the other one, hurt and nursing his pride.
‘Lift it, don’t scrape it.”
“No you don’t, you two,” Dot scowled.
“What?”
“Didn’t we raise you better than that? Scram and wash your hands, the pair of you.”
Nick and Willow took off out of the room, jostling to see who could get to the stairs first.
Dot watched them go and nodded to herself happily.
“Oh yes,” she said to no one in particular, “it’s fairly obvious what’s going to happen with those two.” Then she caught sight of Maggie’s expression and hastily added, “Oh far, far in the future. Obviously.”
A Roast on Sunday Page 21
