“Yes, I think so.” Olivia gave him a quick smile. “But I’d love to see you afterwards, if you don’t mind me downloading everything onto you.”

“Of course I don’t.” He reached over and squeezed her hand, and Olivia’s heart expanded so it was hard to breathe, but in an entirely good way. How had they got here so quickly, so wonderfully? Her natural caution and innate fear kept creeping up but more and more she was pushing them firmly back and simply enjoying this time of getting to know each other. Liking each other.

She was tired of living life on the sidelines, the supporting role to everyone else’s star. This was her story, her life. Her love.

Not, of course, that either of them had said those important words, but Olivia could envision saying them one day...perhaps even one day soon.

Now, alone in her cheerful and decorated flat, she checked the fish pie bubbling away in the oven—she and her mum had always had fish pie, as a tradition, on Christmas Eve. Olivia was going to pick Tina up from Witney, and then they’d head over to the Christmas Eve church service where Simon was playing, before all having dinner together. Tina would spend the night and Simon would return in the morning to spend Christmas with them. Really, it was all perfect.

A text pinged on her phone from Harriet. How’s it all going?

That was quite restrained for Harriet, but Olivia had been sparing with the details. She’d told her friends Simon was spending Christmas with her and Tina, but that was all. She hadn’t gone into all the other time they’d spent together, or how hard and fast she was falling for him. She wasn’t ready to share those things, didn’t want them exclaimed over and inevitably assessed and dissected.

She was relieved, in a way, that her friends were all away or busy with their own lives because for once she just wanted to enjoy her own.

With a smile, she turned off the lights and headed downstairs. An hour later she was heading into Wychwood’s parish church with Tina, the familiar smell of dust and candle wax, mixed with fresh holly and evergreen, bringing a rush of childhood memories.

“How lovely,” Tina murmured as they took their seats in a pew near the front. “They decorate the church so beautifully.”

Olivia glanced around the church as the rest of the pews began to fill up, and several people whom she’d met through the tea shop events smiled or waved at her. She did the same back, heartened that after two years she was finally feeling more part of the village. Perhaps some things just took time.

Then the service started, and the orchestra music to accompany the carol singing soared to the rafters, breath-taking and beautiful. Olivia let the music flow over her as a deep peace settled in her soul. She was thankful for so much—not just Simon coming into her life, but for her friends, her shop, her lovely, loving mum. Yes, life could be hard, and she knew there were some definite challenges ahead. But it was also good, and she savoured each moment like the gift she knew it was.