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He didn’t even think ‘My wife is dead and Christmas without her is unbearable’

No one asked him that question Ever Not in the last five years

Everyone tiptoed around about hi in whispers and never to his face His friends had stopped inviting hi celebrations It wasn’t a slight It was their way of being thoughtful He would never drea on his own And he just couldn’t bear to see his friends living the life he should have with Anna

The words just caht up inside hi under the surface when people offered their condolences or gave that fleeting glance of pity

‘I hate Christ trees I hate seeing presents I hate seeing fa at each other I don’t need any re from my life I don’t need any at all I particularly don’t need so out the last thing I have ofthat I’ve kept fro it onAnna back? Will itnow He couldn’t help the pitch of his voice He couldn’t help the fact that the more he said, the louder he became, or the broader his Scottish accent sounded ‘No No, it won’t So I don’t do Christmas I don’t want to do it And I don’t want to discuss it’

He turned back around to face her

She looked shell-shocked Her eyes wide and her botto her mouth

He froze Catching himself before he continued any further

There were a few seconds of silence Tears pooled in her eyes ‘I’m ssorry,’ she stammered as she turned on her heel and bolted to the door

Finlay didn’t move Not a muscle He hadn’t even taken his thick winter coat off since he’d arrived

What on earth had he just done?

He had no idea who the Maids in Chelsea were He had no idea who Clio Caldas

But he didn’t doubt that as soon as she found hi

CHAPTER TWO

ONCE THE TEARS started she couldn’t stop the way thatfor every breath She stopped in front of the elevator and fumbled for her card