‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ I open the gingerbread biscuit and nibble a wheel off, trying to keep a straight face and not give anything away, because just the thought of Noel makes me grin uncontrollably.

‘I was having a lovely chat with Glenna earlier,’ Fiona says. ‘She happened to mention that he didn’t come in until very late last night, and that she heard him talking to someone – a female someone – when the snow started falling, and that he was singing to himself as he got ready this morning.’

If gingerbread and bathbombs fail, they can definitely turn to a career in surveillance. ‘We were both up late working. He was telling me to make sure I set my alarm because we needed to be on time this morning, and he knew I’d have brained him with a pumpkin if he’d honked his blasted truck horn outside my window one more time.’

‘I suppose that’s why neither of you can get the smiles off your faces, no matter how hard you try,’ Fiona says.

‘That’s just because he’s won the competition.’ I bite another gingerbread wheel off to stop myself smiling.

‘You look happy in a way that you didn’t when you first got here.’ Fergus shares a glance with Fiona. ‘And he seems happy in a way that he never has before. He’s been protecting himself so hard since his last relationship that I didn’t think he’d ever trust anyone again, but I’ve never seen him as relaxed around someone as he is with you. We were just trying to say that we think those two things are probably related. And we’re really happy for you both. It’s so nice that you get on so well after everything that’s happened between you.’

I cock my head to the side in confusion. What exactly does he think has happened between us? Fergus must’ve eaten too many gingerbread Hoovers today because he’s not making any sense.

‘After all what?’ As I say the words, a stone of dread immediately settles in my stomach. Things never go right for me, and so far, everything has been wonderful with Peppermint Branches, and meeting Noel has been a gorgeous, sexy bonus. Something has to go wrong at some point, and I suddenly have a crushing and irrevocable feeling that I’m about to find out what.

‘After losing Peppermint Branches, of course,’ Fiona says. ‘He put on a brave face and said he wasn’t bothered, of course, but he was devastated. You could see it in his whole demeanour. I don’t think he smiled again until he brought you along to the market. We were so pleased that you two liked each other and were able to put it all behind you or it would’ve been so awkward.’