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‘Town,’ she decided ‘I want a properto have a very large glass of ith it’ Oliver raised his eyebrows, and she added, ‘Because you are driving the rest of the way I am done’

Sensibly, Oliver chose not to argue

Maybe it was thesoftly in the background that made Jack look evenof her kitchen, but Holly doubted it She had a feeling he’d always been this good looking and she just hadn’t let herself notice it

Or ed in his Christeous Especially when he was doing a good deed

‘So, she’s all alone for Christmas too?’ Holly asked, as Jack finished his sued the odd hello or how are you with Kathleen since she moved in, but that was about all The older wo about on errands or catching the bus soet to work during the week, so their paths rarely crossed forPlus there was always the fear that Kathleen Nordht be another curtain twitcher like Mrs Templeton

But from Jack’s description, Kathleen sounded far et to know And if she wasn’tjust that

‘Yeah Her daughter and son can’t make it over, and I think all her other friends are uess she’s a bit lonely, to be honest, from the way she welcohtly, obviously re the experience ‘More than a bit, in fact She wanted us to stay As it is, I proo back soon because she’s very, very alone’

‘It does sound like it’ Guilt gnawed at Holly’s insides Had she been so wrapped up in her own dramas that she’d totally failed to notice that the woman next door – the one she saw almost every day – needed a friend? Maybe even as h, and he was planning to do so about it The least she could do was help

‘Anyway, I just thought thatfor her? To brighten up her Christmas?’ Jack phrased it as a question, but to Holly it was already a definite plan They needed to do this

And if it gave her an excuse to spend rather more time in the company of the cute postman than she norht?

‘Like a surprise? We absolutely should,’ she said, fir of?’

Jack pulled a face and shrugged ‘To be honest, that’s pretty ht have some ideas?’ He waved a hand over her parade of Christ pretty much nailed’

Holly felt an e up inside her chest, one that she’d been avoiding all day ‘Christmas is my favourite time of the year,’ she admitted

‘I kind of got that’ Jack gave her a fond smile, not unlike the

one he’d given Claude when the little dog had dozed off right next to Perdita’s food bowl a few o Holly bristled a little inside She didn’t want hi But then, she’d not really given hi more, had she?

Maybe she needed to work on that

‘I’ot loads of Christmas plans already, and no time to help me out with this, and you’re just too polite to say’ He raised his glass of et out of your way’

‘No!’ Holly said, loud enough to make Claude stir in his sleep ‘No, really,’ she went on, a little quieter, her hand on his arested it It sounds like a really kind, thoughtful idea, and I’d love to be involved’

‘Really?’ Jack looked down at her hand, and Holly resisted the urge to pull it away in embarrassment If she wanted hiirl on his post round, she needed to show hi away for Christ?’

Holly winced at that, and sat back ‘No Not any more’

‘But, you had plans?’ Jack guessed ‘Sorry You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to’

‘It’s okay’ Holly shook her head ‘Actually … to day’

Jack’s expression settled into the pitying look she’d elicited from everyone she’d seen for weeks after Sebastian left Every tiue that the wedding was off, every tis or root that look That poor little Holly, all alone and abandoned However will she cope? look

Basically, the look she’d given Claude thatwhen she realised he was alone too

God, she was as pathetic as a lost French Bulldog with ridiculous ears What did that say about her life?

‘Honestly, I’m better off without him,’ she said, firmly She believed it She just wished other people would too