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‘Mostly,’ Holly ad busy Christmas is sort of the season for homemade stuff, don’t you think?’

‘I’d never really thought about it’ Jack tilted his head slightly as he looked at her, and Holly got the unco this new infor it to what he already knew about her She just wished she knehat conclusions he was drawing Talented amateur crafts-person or crazy Pinterest addict? Was it too much to want to knohich? ‘So, as today’s order? Fabric? Sequins? At least I knoasn’t more of that incredibly heavy stuff you had last week’

‘Air drying clay Sorry’ Holly felt her cheeks war ‘Actually, today’s wasn’t craft stuff I suspect it’s Perdita’s Christmas jumper’

‘Perdita?’ Jack’s eyebroere raised so high they’d al to curl over his forehead

‘My cat’ Great With tords she’d crystallised his opinion of her as a crazy cat lady So h Holly opened the package and held up the fluffy red outfit, with brown pos

‘Ah’ Jack stared at the juaze, apparently horrified ‘And does she, uh, like dressing up?’

‘Not particularly’ Holly looked down at Claude, olfing his way through Perdita’s cat food She wondered if he ht like a Christ with my whims’

‘Fair enough,’ Jack said ‘I don’t suppose Perdita is a big dog fan?’

‘Not at all, I’ the attention, sat back from the now empty bowl and stared back ‘I don’t think she’d ht be a bit Goldilocks for her You know, “Who’s that eating my cat food?’’’

Jack sighed ‘In that case, it looks like you’re co withlooked even s ar They looked strong And they’dclay no problem

Sheabout his arms a little bit

‘I can ask around the neighbourhood while I’ my rounds, see if anyone has a number for the McCawleys,’ Jack went on ‘I just wish I had a lead for him Maybe I could borrow some ribbon?’

Holly stopped staring at Jack’s arms and lurched towards Perdita’s cupboard instead ‘Even better You can borrow Perdita’s lead It just clips onto the collar’ She turned to hand it to hie

‘You have a lead for your … cat?’

Blood hit her cheeks again Dammit, she’d blushed more this afternoon than in the past five years ‘Yes When we moved here, she was a bit skittish And Sebastian said … anyway, it doesn’t o’ No need to explain that Sebastian had said that if she couldn’t control the daet rid of it Holly had chosen the lead as a way to try and keep Perdita comfortable and close until she settled in

She proffered the lead again, and this time Jack took it

‘Sebastian?’ he asked, as he clipped it onto Claude’s collar

‘My ex,’ Holly said shortly

‘Ah Right’ Was that pity in his eyes now? Or …else?

Holly really hoped so She was sick of pity And perhaps it was past ti else

‘Good luck,’ she said, as Jack headed for the door ‘I mean, with Claude’

‘Thanks’ Jack flashed her a set on? And return the lead, of course’

‘Of course’ Holly returned the grin ‘That would be … nice’

‘Nice,’ Jack echoed