Page 1 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

Chapter One

Lucy and Jack were both singing ‘Ruby’ at the tops of their voices as the vintage campervan swung along the coastal lanes in the autumn night.

Jack’s impromptu suggestion – ‘Let’s head for the beach …’ – had set them off on their way after a cosy supper of fish and chips at the local pub. Lucy couldn’t help but get caught up in Jack’s spirit of adventure; though she was now back-tracking slightly, thinking that it’d be pretty damn chilly out there on the sands tonight in Northumberland.

‘Umm, are we really going to do this? You do realise it’s October, it’s past ten at night … and it’s pitch black,’ Lucy said, suddenly hesitant as they finished their song. Her sensible shell couldn’t be kicked off quite that easily. It had been a lifetime in the making, after all.

‘Hey, no worries, there’s a full moon, plenty of light … And just look, it’s one of those still, beautiful nights, Luce. There’s no backing out now.’ He was grinning at her from the driver’s seat.

He pulled the deep-red, chianti-coloured campervan into an off-road area beside the dunes. They were the only ones there, unsurprisingly. Stepping out into the cool night air, Jack took Lucy’s hand and guided her along the track between the tickling shafts of marram grass. Her eyes began to adjust, and yes, there was an almost-full moon, gleaming pale-silver, pearlescent like the inside of a shell.

The rolling hush of the waves breaking on the shore could be heard as the dunes ended, revealing, in the half-light, an arc of sandy beach.

‘You coming in then?’ Jack was already removing his trainers, his socks.

‘You’re kidding? I thought we were just taking a stroll …?’ Lucy’s voice had a beat of panic. Her boyfriend of three months might be gorgeous but he was bloody crazy!

‘A stroll … a dip … whatever takes your fancy?’ A cheeky grin was plastered across Jack’s face.

Was he teasing her? She still wasn’t quite sure when he was quipping.

‘I will, if you will …’ he continued.

‘The sea’ll be freezing.’

‘Nah, it’s not that bad. It’s the time of year when the water temperature is actually warmer than the air.’

‘Okay, Mr Fount-of-All-Knowledge.’ Lucy pretended to be grumpy, but her lips were curving into an involuntary smile.

‘So,’ he quirked an eyebrow. ‘Are you in?’

‘Ahm … I’ll paddle. Up to my ankles only. And that’s it.’ What was she saying? How had a walk on the beach morphed into some kind of cold-water dip?!

Boots off, socks, okay and yep, jeans – no point getting them all wet. Jeez, the sand was bloody freezing, and she daren’t think about the water they were about to hit.

And they were off. Two sets of footprints running down to the shoreline. Jack’s hand warm around hers. All in the half-light of an October moon.

Holy cow! They were in, all in a dash before she could back out … and yep, it was f-f-freezing!

‘Wahey!’ whooped Jack.

‘Argh …!’ screeched Lucy. Icy droplets were splashing up around her shins, the current making a swirl around her ankles. This was crazy. Jack Anderson was bloody crazy. But you know what? She hadn’t felt so alive in a long, long time.

‘Come on. Jump aboard. We’ll go out a bit deeper.’

What was he on about now?

‘I’ll give you a piggy-back. Come on, I’ll take the strain. I’ll not go too far, I promise.’

So she clambered aboard. Hugging him tight, her arms around his shoulders. ‘You’re nuts, and that’s official.’ But still, she found herself giggling.

Jack suddenly dipped down, just a bit, to take the hit of the next wave. She screamed. The chilly waters swirling up in a froth around her legs, splashing her thighs. ‘Enough, enough. I’ll get bloody pneumonia at this rate.’

It should have felt scary, out there in the murky night waters. Yet, Jack felt strong, steady beneath her. And it was exhilarating. He stood up taller again, leaving just a lap of waves around her dangling feet. And then, he managed to angle her around so that she faced his front and they were chest to chest, with Lucy still clinging on. He pulled her in even tighter, and placed his lips against hers, salty fresh. A lingering taste of chips. And a kiss so deep, so tender, that in spite of the cold it actually managed to ignite her whole body.

A few minutes later, as he set her back down at the sandy shoreline, Lucy wasn’t quite sure if it had been the cold waters … or Jack … taking her breath away.

Chapter Two