‘I’ve learned to live with it,’ he said solemnly, ‘but I realise it’s tough on those who struggle around me.’
‘You can say that again,’ she muttered darkly, dragging off her hat and scraping her hair back from her face. ‘One of these days I’m probably going to shoot you.’
‘Is that before or after I save you from falling over a cliff?’
She groaned. ‘You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?’
‘Probably not.’ He pulled up outside her house and switched the engine off. ‘So are you going to invite me to supper tomorrow night?’
There was a gleam in his eyes and she felt butterflies flicker inside her stomach. ‘I have a date with Toby,’ she croaked, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
‘Of course you have.’ He was silent for a moment and then he smiled. ‘Another time, then.’
He leaned across to open the car door for her and she fought against the temptation to lean forward and hug him. He was so close—and so male…
Suddenly she wished she didn’t have the date with Toby. She would rather have spent an evening with Jack.
But then she remembered Lizzie’s Christmas list. She shouldn’t be spending her evenings with Jack. It was a waste of time.
‘Lizzie and I are going to choose our Christmas tree tomorrow,’ she said, telling herself that spending time with Jack during the day didn’t count. ‘Do you want to come? She’d love you to join us, I know she would.’
Jack grinned. ‘Will I have to play Weddings?’
‘Probably, but you’re getting very good at it now so I don’t see the problem.’
‘All right, I’d like to come.’
‘Goodnight, then, Jack,’ she said softly, undoing her seat belt and gathering up her stuff. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
And she scrambled out of the car without looking back.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I WANT the biggest tree in the forest.’ Lizzie clapped her hands together and beamed at Jack, her breath clouding the freezing air. She was wearing pink fleecy trousers tucked into pink fleecy boots, a bright, stripy scarf wrapped round her neck, and she was bursting with excitement. ‘The tree has to be big if Santa is going to fit my present under it.’
Bryony chewed her lip and exchanged glances with Jack. ‘You know, sweetheart,’ she said anxiously, ‘I’m not sure we gave Santa enough notice to find a daddy. That’s a pretty big present.’
‘He’ll manage it,’ Lizzie said happily, stamping her feet to keep warm, ‘because I’ve been extra good. Sally stole my gloves in the playground and I didn’t even tell.’
Jack frowned. ‘Someone stole your gloves?’
‘They were new and she liked them.’
Jack looked at Bryony. ‘Another child stole her gloves?’
‘It’s fine, Jack,’ Bryony said hastily, knowing just how protective Jack could be of Lizzie. ‘She’ll sort it out.’
‘You should speak to her teacher.’
‘It’s fine, Jack!’ Bryony shot him a warning look. ‘Now, let’s go and choose this tree, shall we?’
Jack sucked in a breath and smiled. ‘Good idea.’ He took Lizzie’s hand in his. ‘We’ll get you some new gloves, peanut. Any pair you want. We’ll choose them together.’
They walked amongst the trees and Lizzie sprinted up to one and tilted her head back, gazing up in awe.
‘I like this one.’
Bryony looked at it in dismay. ‘Lizzie, it’s the tallest tree here!’