Page 22 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

Life had changed so much in these past eighteen months. Stepping out on her own, taking the plunge with All Fired Up … meeting Jack. And though she was loving every exciting minute with her new flame right now, could she and Jack really work out? His free spirit, his sense of adventure, they were inspiring, enticing … And yes, he was gorgeous and funny and sexy and handsome, but was he ever going to be the kind of person who could truly settle down? And – after Liam – was that what she wanted?

Lucy gave a soft sigh in the dark of her room. It was all very discombobulating.

Chapter Eleven

Two days later, and Lucy’s head was spinning once more – there was no rest for the wicked with Jack around.

‘Come on. We’re heading out!’

‘No way! Leave me alone, you, I’m all cosy here.’

Lucy felt a dig to her ribs. She was lying snug as a bug in her comfy double bed, hoping for a lie-in next to Jack, who’d stayed over last night. It had been a restless couple of nights after the wedding event and the drama of seeing Liam and, boy, did she need a bit of extra sleep.

‘Come on, lazy bones. I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ve just looked out of the window, and this morning is going to be glorious.’

Silence from under the duvet. It was definitely some crazy early morning hour.

‘It’s going to be amazing out there,’ Jack coaxed.

‘It’s fine in here …’

‘We need to catch the winter sunrise,’ Jack persisted.

‘We really don’t …’ Lucy felt Daisy snuggle in even closer too.

Daisy? What the hell was she doing up here? Yes, she often sneaked up and slept with Lucy when she was solo, and of course last year, she was always there when Lucy was on her own during those hard, lonely, post-break-up months. But she’d only once come up on the bed whilst Jack stayed over, the night they’d all crashed out in a bit of a daze after Lucy’s pizza party. And well, Lucy had thought that would be taking things a step too far … a new lover and a Dachshund.

‘Get up, lazy bones,’ Jack said, sounding frustrated now. ‘We’ll miss the dawn at this rate.’

‘Do I have to, really?’ She tried opening one bleary eye at a time.

‘Yes, really. You’ll thank me for it later.’ And with that, the covers were pulled back brusquely.

‘Ugh.’ Lucy’s eyes blinked wide with the shock.

Daisy was most affronted too, giving a huffy snort, which summed up Lucy’s mood perfectly.

‘No time to shower, we’ll head straight for the beach. We should just about make it.’

‘Okay, okay …’ Lucy swung her legs round reluctantly. Then grabbed some fresh underwear, teaming it with yesterday’s jeans and a fleece top. All the while, thinking that this was crazy. She had a crazy boyfriend. She trailed down the stairs after Jack, who was bouncing like bloody Tigger – how dare he be so fresh at this hour in the morning?

‘Do we have to walk all the way?’ She was aware she was sounding like a stroppy teenager, but fatigue was still washing over her.

‘Yep.’ Then, he took a glance out of the window and down at his watch. ‘Ah, okay, so why don’t we take Ruby down so far and then walk from there? I don’t suppose you’re in the mood to jog, are you?’

Lucy didn’t need to say a word, merely raising her eyebrows.

‘Alright, so we’re set.’ He picked up the campervan’s keys. ‘Let’s go.’

Lucy crawled into the passenger side, fighting off a yawn.

They’d left Daisy in the house, still snoozing in the heap of bedclothes. Lucky thing.

It was a strange half-light outside, but the clouds that had gathered in the November morning sky had a beautiful, moody, soft glow about them, with gold and dusky pink hues amongst the silvery greys.

Jack parked Ruby up down the lane to the golf course, and they got out to trek the last half mile across the rough grass walkway over the golf course and to the dunes. The unusual winter light gave a muted golden hue to the landscape.

‘Are we there yet?’ Lucy well knew the route, but couldn’t help but tease Jack as well as mocking her grumpy earlier self.