‘Santa’s little helpers,’ I muse with a laugh, realising they’ve even come dressed the part.
‘They’ve taken their role very seriously,’ Brett nods sternly before his face cracks into a smile.
As the song continues, landlord Ian and Becky come out from hiding behind the bar with trays laden with glasses filled with celebratory bubbles.
‘Totally in on it,’ mumbles Brett into my ear when he spots me looking.
‘I knew you’d been acting weird,’ I say, shaking my head.
‘I couldn’t help it. You’re a hard girl to keep things from – I had the jewellers calling me about picking up the ring one night, I had my Santa costume to collect one morning before work – which, by the way, has been hanging up in my flat for the last few days,’ he says, shaking his head as though the whole thing has been chaos.
‘So that’s why I couldn’t come over,’ I say, as the events of the last week start to piece together.
‘Exactly. Are you aware how difficult it is to hire one of these bad boys in December?’ he says, as though the high demand is unusual for this time of year. ‘And this is what you were doing on Sunday when you couldn’t come to my parents?’ I ask, feeling relieved.
‘Yes, they already knew what was happening so they understood that I needed time to prepare.’
‘No wonder Mum was so nice to me,’ I laugh as I spot her sipping on her drink at the bar, tapping her foot to the musical number.
‘You must’ve been so worried.’
‘I was!’
‘Well, Sunday was tough. It wasn’t easy writing a quiz that I was sure you’d know all the answers to.’
‘You mean, that was all fixed?’ I squeak, pouting my lips to show my utter disappointment. ‘I thought I was on a roll.’
‘Oh, baby,’ he laughs, pulling my head into his chest.
‘Well that sucks,’ I joke, finding it pretty hard to feel sad about anything right now.
‘I was also with Josh picking up the ring and getting this lot sorted out with their involvement on Saturday when you were with the girls,’ he says, nodding towards the all-singing, all-dancing troupe in front of us.
‘But I thought you were with your friends,’ I say, astounded that my mind veered towards thinking I was getting dumped rather than having some flipping amazing frosting added to my wedding finger.
‘Mark, Gary and Rob?’ Brett laughs mischievously, his arms gripping me tightly around the waist. ‘That’s only two members away from another Take That reunion.’
‘What?’
‘Totally fabricated.’
‘And you completely avoided my chat about the future!’ I say, remembering how I first became completely bummed out when I approached the subject the week before.
‘Because I already had this planned and didn’t want to spoil it. I thought about just doing it on the spot that night, that’s why it took me a second or two to reply,’ he laughs. ‘I’m so glad I didn’t.’
‘I’ve been going crazy wondering what’s been up with you,’ I sigh, playing with his red faux velvet jacket.
‘I know you have and I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how I could keep you happy, keep the secret a secret and still get everything done. But you know now and I promise there’s going to be no more secrets.’
‘You sure about that?’
‘Absolutely. I’m madly in love with you,’ he whispers, giving me a kiss on the lips before looking into my eyes. ‘I want the whole shebang – marriage, the two point four kids, the growing old and wrinkly … everything. As long as it’s with you.’
‘I can’t fucking wait,’ I giggle, putting my hands on his cheeks and pulling his lips towards mine as the song comes to an end and the room breaks into another round of applause and cheers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
THE BEGINNING
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First published 2015
Copyright © Giovanna Fletcher, 2015
The moral right of the author has been asserted
ISBN: 978-0-718-18005-8
Giovanna Fletcher, Dream a Little Christmas Dream
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