Tinsel and Terriers. Cressida McLaughlin

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СКАЧАТЬ come to take you for lunch. I have news.’

      Polly glanced behind her. ‘I can’t. I only have half an hour, then I need to be back here. I was going to grab a sandwich.’

      ‘OK, so how about this evening?’

      ‘I thought you’d be at Mark’s. Owen’s coming over.’

      ‘Ah.’ Cat grinned. ‘Well, how do you both fancy coming round to Jessica’s to help us work on the plan for Christmas at Primrose Terrace?’

      ‘Why do we need a plan?’ Polly sounded wary, but Cat could see the excitement in her eyes.

      ‘To make this the best Christmas ever. Are you in?’

      ‘I’ll have to make sure Owen doesn’t mind.’

      ‘Brilliant! Seven o’clock.’

      ‘But, Cat, I need to ask Owen first.’

      ‘When has Owen ever said no to anything?’

      Cat left Polly rolling her eyes and, with an extra spring in her step, returned to Primrose Terrace.

      ‘You know you’re welcome to come,’ Cat said, following Mark from the kitchen to the living room. ‘The more heads the better.’

      ‘I’m not sure my head’s tuned to Christmas yet. It’s not even November.’ He sat down and scribbled something on a printed letter, still doing the paperwork.

      ‘November’s two days away, and the shops are bursting with Christmas stuff already.’ Cat peered over his shoulder but could only make out part of the logo – something Lawyers.

      ‘That’s not necessarily a good thing.’ He gave her a quick smile and turned back to his work.

      ‘I can see I’m going to have to do some de-Scrooging here,’ Cat said, ‘Christmas is the best time of the year.’ She tried to ignore the voice in her head that was reminding her how much Joe loved Christmas, the picture he had painted of hibernating from the cold with the people he cared about. She sat on the sofa beside Mark and reached her hand up, running it through his hair, but her nail caught on his scalp and he moved his head away, turning to her with an irritated expression.

      ‘Look, Cat – ’ His face softened. ‘Sorry, I just – I’m a bit busy. But I can’t wait to hear what ideas you come up with. It’s you and Jessica and Polly?’

      Cat nodded. ‘Owen too, I think. And Elsie, because it would be impossible to do anything worthwhile without her input.’

      ‘It sounds like you’ve got everyone you need – I’m sure I’d just get in the way anyway.’

      ‘Oh no,’ Cat said weakly, shaking her head. ‘Of course you wouldn’t.’ But it wasn’t Mark’s absence she was concerned about. Cat thought of the ideas that had been jumbling in her head for the last few days, and knew that Joe would have been able to organise them and better them, and come up with a final, perfect plan. She didn’t know how they would cope without his creative input, and she didn’t want to think too hard about the fact that he wasn’t back yet, or how acutely aware she was of his absence at number nine Primrose Terrace. She was sure Shed was pining too.

      ‘I have to go, or I’ll be late.’ She kissed Mark on the cheek, raced to the door and turned, but he was already engrossed in the documents again, his script or lawyer contracts. Feeling a flush of relief that he found whatever it was more worthwhile than Christmas, she headed out into the cold night.

      Cat, Elsie, Polly and Owen sat around the huge table in Jessica’s luxurious kitchen. The bank of windows looked out over the back garden, which was in darkness save for white fairy lights woven through the branches of an ash tree. In soft lamplight, and with bottles of spiced red wine and a cinnamon-flavoured candle, Jessica had instantly got them in the festive spirit, and was putting the Michael Bublé Christmas album on to complete the effect.

      ‘So,’ Elsie said, ‘Christmas at Primrose Terrace. What are the options?’

      ‘I’m having a party,’ Jessica said. ‘The spring “do” was so successful that I couldn’t imagine not holding another one.’

      ‘That was a great party,’ Polly sighed. ‘I had so much fun.’

      ‘So did I,’ Jessica said, smiling. ‘I hope your delicious brother’s going to hotfoot it back from America in time for this one. He sounds like he’s having far too much fun!’

      ‘Sounds like?’ Polly asked, frowning.

      Cat stifled her gasp and stared at Jessica.

      Jessica gave Polly a cat-like grin. ‘I’m redesigning my website, my whole brand. A fresh look for a new year, and you know me, I’d much rather support local businesses. I emailed Magic Mouse Designs and Joe told me he was in Portland. Some of the photos he’s been sending me – it looks gorgeous.’

      ‘He’s sent you photos?’ Polly asked. ‘I’ve only had two.’

      Jessica preened. ‘We’re going to meet up when he’s back, but for now the email exchange is working well. I think he can see what page I’m on.’

      Cat doodled a picture of a Christmas tree on her notepad and tried not to think about Jessica’s flirtatious emails to Joe.

      ‘Well, I —’ Polly shook her head. ‘It’s fantastic that you’ve asked him. He’ll be so busy he won’t know what to do with himself!’

      ‘I’d better get some mistletoe in,’ Jessica said. ‘An essential element of any Christmas party. And Joe will be a great person to manoeuvre underneath it.’

      ‘I’ll tell him you said that,’ Polly said, laughing. ‘I’m sure he’ll be flattered.’

      ‘I hope he’ll be more than just flattered,’ Jessica said, running her polished nails up the stem of her wine glass.

      Cat felt her cheeks burning, her mouth drying out.

      ‘So,’ Owen said, rubbing his hands together. ‘What are your thoughts, Cat? You said you wanted something that could work with Jessica’s party.’

      Cat swallowed, nodded and turned to her notes. ‘I was thinking of organizing some kind of game or competition that the whole of Primrose Terrace can take part in. Offices have Secret Santas and Christmas buffets, and there are always family games at Christmas – charades and quizzes. I thought about a quiz, but I’m not sure it would bring the street together in the way I want to.’

      ‘A treasure hunt?’ Owen suggested. ‘Taking people all over Fairview, with a Christmas theme and the prizes given out at Jessica’s party.’

      They pondered this, Polly chewing her pen. ‘But if everyone knew it was ending at the party, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose?’

      ‘And it’s only going to get colder between now and Christmas,’ Elsie added, ‘so I’m not sure it would play to everyone’s strengths.’

      ‘True,’ Owen said, his head on one side, СКАЧАТЬ