Page 56 of Not Just for Christmas

‘Someone put it on TikTok last year, now we can’t move for extra visitors,’ said Caroline. ‘Not that I’m complaining. I could have booked the rooms above the pub three times over.’

‘Anyone in Craggy Bay with a spare room should stick it on Airbnb, they’d make a fortune!’ said Ed, swinging Tilly up onto his shoulders like Sam. ‘You should give it a go, Lucy.’

Caroline grinned at me and rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t give the poor girl any more work to do, she’s got enough on her plate as it is.’

Ed scratched his chin. ‘Yeah, I didn’t think. Sorry.’

Dylan turned to me. ‘I can see you doing that, you know, Airbnb.’

‘Running my own hospitality business was the dream, once upon a time,’ I said.

‘A hotel by the ocean.’ He gave me a secret smile. ‘I remember you telling me.’

I nodded, remembering the night we’d had that conversation, the night that neither of us had mentioned since. The memory made my cheeks flame and I was glad we were outdoors in semi-darkness where no one would notice. ‘Although, I’ve changed a lot since then.’

‘I don’t think I’ve changed at all,’ he said, holding my gaze.

‘So what are you guys up to now?’ Caroline asked, breaking the moment.

‘Well, I need a word with Santa,’ said Dylan. ‘Check I’m on the nice list.’

‘Me too!’ Sam cried.

‘And I’ve been promised a mulled wine,’ I told her.

‘Because after much persuasion she let me drive.’ Dylan pulled a face.

‘He calls it driving,’ I said to Caroline, ‘I call it hurtling from one passing place to the next.’

‘To avoid meeting all the delivery trucks head-on,’ he protested.

‘One supermarket delivery van.’ I laughed, remembering the look of horror on Dylan’s face when confronted with the task of reversing down the narrow lane in the dark with the Sainsbury’s van inching ominously towards him.

‘Was quite enough, thanks,’ said Dylan, pretending to mop his brow. ‘I mean, wouldn’t it make sense to drive a smaller car on these toy-town roads?’

‘Toy town? Rude! Anyway, big is practical for—’ I began.

‘A farmer, yeah, I guess,’ Dylan finished.

And a surfer, I thought, recalling how Jack would keep all his stuff in the back, ready to head down to the beach. I pushed aside the memory. There was no surf paraphernalia in the back now. I’d cleared all of it out after Jack died. My own wetsuit included.

Caroline and Ed exchanged amused looks.

‘What’s funny?’ I asked.

‘You two finishing each other’s sentences like an old married couple,’ said Caroline.

‘Just old friends,’ said Dylan and I at the same time, making Caroline and Ed grin even more.

‘If you fancy a mulled wine, there’s a pop-up stall on the high street selling some,’ Ed added.

‘Let’s go,’ said Dylan, jiggling Sam up and down.

We’d join you, but sadly we need to make our way

back to work.’ Caroline pulled a face.

‘And I’m sure I don’t need to tell you anything about the weather,’ said Ed, ‘but we’ve turned our outside taps off. It’s set to hit minus five tonight.’