Bella found her key and opened the door for him. ‘This way.’ She led him through to the living room where she’d already positioned the bright red base. Freddie had opted for a gold one, which he’d insisted on holding all the way home. Nick then positioned the tree and Bella and Freddie held it steady while he tightened the screws of the base. Once it was solid and square, she cut off the netting and Freddie stared open-mouthed when the branches fell, splaying out around the thick trunk.

‘It looks amazing.’

His eyes were bright and his smile so wide she laughed. ‘It looks lovely just like this, doesn’t it, but I’ve got that whole box of decorations to put on it. And I need to water it.’

‘I’ll do that if you get me a jug,’ Nick said, kneeling down on the floor. Bella quickly fetched it for him.

‘Do we have to water our tree, Daddy?’

‘Yep, every day. So you’ll have to remind me.’

‘I will. I can do it before school.’

‘That’d be really helpful, mate. Thanks. I’m sure together we’ll look after it.’

‘Who are you going to decorate your tree with, Bella?’

She’d expected his innocent question to send a pain into her heart, but all it did was remind her that at least this time she wouldn’t have Evan coming along behind her and moving things up or down a branch. He’d always been a bit pernickety with the tree.

‘I’m going to do it on my own,’ she replied, cheerfully.

‘Because your boyfriend left?’

‘Freddie!’ Nick exclaimed, his cheeks colouring in embarrassment. ‘Bella, I’m sorry.’

‘It’s fine,’ she replied with a chuckle. ‘Yes, Freddie, my boyfriend and I split up, so I’ll be doing it on my own this year, but I don’t mind. I like decorating the tree.’

‘We could do it with you.’

Nick glanced at her tentatively. ‘Freddie—’

‘We could help her so she doesn’t feel sad.’

‘Oh, Freddie.’ Bella’s heart filled with affection for the kind little boy in front of her. It had been five weeks now since the split: a week for each year she and Evan had been together. Perhaps Caro was right and the heart didn’t work to a timetable. She did want them to stay and the idea of decorating the tree together, drinking hot chocolates and eating the mince pies she’d bought for the occasion would be lovely. Nick hadn’t said that they couldn’t. And though it was difficult to be sure what his expression meant, she took a chance.

‘I’d like that very much, Freddie, but only if you and your dad would like to. I thought you’d want to do your own tree.’

‘We can do it after,’ Freddie declared. ‘Then I get to decorate two trees. This is the best Christmas ever.’