Page 115 of Not Just for Christmas

‘Wow,’ I said, catching my breath, ‘that’s one way to end a song.’

‘Told you,’ he murmured, brushing his thumb along my jaw. ‘Not just for Christmas.’

‘Forever,’ I whispered back. ‘Play me the chorus one more time.’

‘Not Just for Christmas’ by Dylan Wilde

Chorus:

Cause this love isn’t wrapped in tinsel,

It’s the kind that’s here to stay.

Through every winter, spring, and fall,

I’ve waited every single day.

Those beautiful eyes are shining

Like the lights on the Christmas tree.

No, this love’s not just for Christmas—

You and I for eternity.

When he finished, the last note hung in the air like a heartbeat.

‘So,’ he said softly, watching me. ‘Think it’s got a chance of hitting the charts?’

‘It’s already topped mine,’ I said, smiling through the lump in my throat.

And when he leaned in to kiss me again, warm and sure, tasting of Christmas and forever, I got the distinct feeling that somehow, somewhere Jack was cheering us on, happy to see his two favourite people in love.

Maybe this was what moving forward looked like; not replacing, not forgetting, but like turning the page. One chapter may have ended, but a new one had begun, and our love story was waiting to be written.

Chapter 50

Four Months Later

I still couldn’t quite believe it, the three of us at Heathrow, heading to Adelaide, being ushered privately through security.

‘I feel like royalty,’ I whispered to Dylan.

No queues, no frantic shuffling of passports, no wrestling with plastic trays. One moment we were handing over our suitcases, the next we were gliding through to the lounge, all calm lighting, thick carpets and the occasional hushed pop of a Champagne cork.

‘Janet booked us into first class,’ Dylan murmured, his hand resting lightly at the small of my back as we walked. ‘She says we need to arrive rested. I think she might have a point. I could sleep for a week.’

It had been an early start from Devon, and we’d been racing around for the last few days getting the farm ready to leave for our three-week trip.

‘I’m not complaining,’ I said, eyeing the mountain of pastries on the buffet. ‘I might just have to try one of those, purely for research purposes, of course. For when we start offering breakfast. Although don’t judge me when I have a second breakfast on the plane.’

‘If ever there was a time you deserve two breakfasts,’ he said, grinning. ‘It’s now – fill your boots, darling.’

I gave him a cheeky smile. ‘Challenge accepted.’

By the time our flight was ready to board, Sam was practically buzzing with excitement. He’d been counting down the days to our visit to see his grandparents and was so determined to enjoy every minute of the flight that he’d written out an itinerary for the journey, take off, breakfast, movie, snacks, cloud-watching, games, lunch, landing; each stage accompanied by a drawing.

‘Welcome aboard. Just the three of you travelling today?’ the flight attendant asked as we stepped onto the aircraft.