Disappoint? The theme was Christmas?! But we only had an hour to get to the party. So instead of arguing or trying and failing to look as glam as Elle would, I decided to suck it up. Do things Nick’s way. Maybe it was because I was still on a high about the Alpine Peaks Christmas Tree and Furry Friends decorating competition I’d been asked to guest judge earlier (the tiny stuffed Father Christmas riding a patient-looking Labrador was a thing of beauty). Or maybe it was because everything was sorted to go to the Snow Ball on Christmas Eve. With Elle. Mum had been really sweet and told me that us two meeting would just be an extra present for her. She was the best.

But as we walked into the party, I knew, crossing off Elle’s challenges to me or not, that I’d made a huge mistake. A huge, meat-shaped mistake.

In a room full of sexy Santas, cute reindeer, and snowsuit-wearing Mariah lookalikes, I was a giant piece of bacon. Crispy, American bacon. An equally giant bacon strip waddling alongside me. We were only a couple of pieces of bread away from a sandwich.

The only good thing was that no one here knew me to tag me into any of the photos. Maybe I’d use a fake name to be on the safe side. Christine Petra Bacon. Chris P. Bacon.

“One cream soda.” Nick passed me a plastic red cup. He’d been gone ages getting it. “I know that trying one was in your notebook. And…” He wobbled the plate.

“Mac-and-cheese-flavored Christmas trees. Don’t say we don’t know how to do nutrition.”

A bit of his furry rind clipped my ear as he passed them over.

“So, is this what you expected?”

I looked around Dean’s packed house. I wasn’t sure how to reply. I mean, it was amazing. Everyone seemed really friendly, and the house and music and decorations and everything were exactly as I’d hoped. Maybe a tiny bit of me felt that standing on the edge of a party of people I didn’t know felt kind of the same whatever country you were in.

But that bit of me was an ungrateful Christmas parsnip, so it could shut up.

“It’s BETTER.” I looked up. “I mean, did Dean hire in those lights?!” There was a rig spinning around, projecting actual snowflake lights. Ruby and Fred would LOVE it.

Nick laughed. “You wait until you see the hot tub. Might be one to add to the list—Dean’s legendary for them.”