“Why didn’t you tell us?” she asked before I could say anything else.
I frowned, wondering what the woman was talking about. “Tell you what?”
Mum giggled. “You know exactly what.”
“No, Mum, I don’t.”
“I can’t believe we had to hear it from someone else. You could have phoned to tell us personally. Or better still, popped round.”
“Tell Holly I’m opening a bottle of champagne,” Dad called out from somewhere in the background, sounding as equally upbeat.
“Dad said he’s opening a bottle of champagne.”
I shook my head. Wondering if that was their second bottle as neither of my parents seemed to make any sense. “And he wants me to know this because?” I asked.
“To celebrate, of course. It was Joan who told me. She heard it from Sally’s mother-in-law’s sister.”
I rolled my eyes, wishing she’d explain herself better. “Heard what, Mum?”
“About you and Fin, silly.”
“Here you are, Maz,” Dad said.
“Cheers!” They both called out, to the sound of clinking glasses.
“What about me and Fin?” I asked. I began to wonder if my parents had taken something; something that had clearly impaired their mental capacities.
“Your engagement, of course.”
“My what?” My eyes widened in horror.
“For your upcoming wedding.”
“What upcoming wedding?” Mum and Dad really had lost the plot.
“The one you were talking about in the café today.”
My jaw dropped at the same time as the penny.
“Dad said you were probably saving the news for tomorrow, but sleeping on Christmas Eve is exciting enough. I had to ring to say congratulations.”
“I’ve gotta go, Mum,” I said, stunned.
“But…”
“I’ll call you later.”
Cutting the call, I sat there letting Mum’s words sink in, knowing Sally’s mother-in-law’s sister must have been in the café that afternoon. Having overheard Annie’s overzealous comments about hats and bridesmaids and maids and matrons of honour, the woman had put two and two together and got seven.
I put my glass to my lips and poured the whole of its contents down my throat, hoping it would quell the dread I was experiencing. However, it did nothing of the sort. Rising to my feet, I headed to the kitchen, with no clue as to how to explain to Fin that my parents were under the impression we were soon to be betrothed. I felt myself turn green.
Fin looked my way as I entered, his smile fast fading. “Holly?” he asked, clearly recognising the colour change in my face. “What’s happened?”
“I’m not sure how to put this,” I said. “But it’s Mum and Dad.”
Fin dropped his knife on the counter. “What about them?” He hastened towards me.
I swallowed hard. “They think we’re getting married.”
33
Christmas Day
“Merry Christmas,” Fin said, whispering in my ear.
I opened my eyes to see him standing there, with a great big smile and a tray. “Breakfast in bed. What have I done to deserve this?” I asked, smiling back. I stretched myself out before pulling myself up into a sitting position.
“I thought you deserved a special treat on Christmas morning.”
Fin placed the tray on my lap and kissed the top of my head.
“Yummy,” I said, looking down at a couple of slices of toast, a perfectly poached egg, and a mug of strong coffee. A little vase with a sprig of heather sat amongst everything, reminding me of our first breakfast together, the morning after he’d arrived. “Thank you.”
Fin opened the curtains and light streamed into the room. “What time do we need to be at your parents?” he asked, sitting down on the bed next to me.
I laughed. “If they had their way we’d be there now.” I looked at the clock to see it was 9am. “In fact, I’m surprised they haven’t rung to ask where we are.” I picked up my coffee and took a drink. “I’m dreading it to be honest. Goodness knows what we’re in for when we get there. They’ll never believe us when we tell them they’ve been misinformed and that we’re not getting married. Not when the news came from Sally’s mother-in-law’s sister.”
Fin chuckled, while I recalled Mum and Dad’s excitement as they talked on the phone. I couldn’t believe they’d popped a bottle of champagne in celebration when they’d heard the alleged news third-hand. My parents should have known it was nonsense if it hadn’t come from me. “I am sorry,” I said, already picturing them throwing theirs arms around Fin, welcoming him to the family.
“Why? It’s not your fault.”
The man might have had a point, but his response was still impressive. While I felt mortified at being the centre of local gossip, he didn’t seem bothered at all. “How do you do it?” I asked. “Take something like this in your stride?”
“I just think everything has a way of working itself out,” Fin replied. “Besides, you have to admit it is pretty hilarious.”
My inner voice questioned what he meant by that. Hilarious, as in funny? Or hilarious, as in a man like him, with the whole planet at his feet, marrying a woman like me? “For you maybe,” I said. I took a deep breath and exhaled. “I can imagine the fallout when you’re gone.”
Fin reached out and put a hand up to my cheek. “Hey, I thought we weren’t going to think about that yet?”
I took in his soft yet serious expression, wondering if it was telling me he found the prospect of his departure as difficult as I did. “You’re right,” I said, determined to enjoy the time we did have. So what if the gossipmongers thought I’d been dumped, because the Fins of the world didn’t seriously get involved with the Hollys. Fin had been mine for seven glorious days and counting and no amount of outside pity or gloating or whatever approach people took with regards to our situation, could change that. “It’s all about the now.”
Fin looked at me, an eyebrow raised. “It certainly is,” he said. Taking my cup, he silently placed it down next to the breakfast plate, before removing the tray out of the way altogether. He pulled off his T-shirt, revealing his broad chest and taut muscles.
Merry Christmas to me, I thought to myself.
I giggled as Fin unzipped his jeans and took them off, before whipping back the duvet and straddling me. As I laid back against my pillow, my gaze inviting him to come and take me, I ran my hands up and down his thighs making sure to get dangerously close to his penis. My skin tingled and my nether regions stirred as he slowly began unbuttoning my pyjama top, all the while keeping his eyes on mine. Boy, was that man sexy.
“God you’re beautiful,” he said. He leaned forward and brought his face level with mine, pecking my lips with kiss after kiss.
I ran my fingers through his hair as our kisses became more passionate, before his mouth moved towards my ear, his lips at once tender against my neck. His tongue gently moved downwards towards my breasts and I let out a little moan as it began circling one of my nipples. As he expertly repositioned himself, Fin pulled at the drawstring on my bottoms until the waistband loosened enough to let him in. His hand slid down my tummy and I gasped as his hand slipped between my thighs.