Nick smiled as he shrugged. ‘Then I guess that’s settled.’

Bella unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and unzipped her coat. ‘You’d better take those layers off then and I’ll get a fire started.’

‘I’ll do that if you like,’ said Nick, moving to the large wood burner. ‘Freddie can help me. Can’t you, mate?’

‘Shall I make some hot chocolates and get some mince pies or are you both still full from breakfast?’

‘I could manage a snack.’

‘I don’t like mince pies, though,’ Freddie said, sneering.

‘Do you like snowballs?’

‘What are snowballs?’

‘What are snowballs? What are snowballs? They’re only the most delicious things in the world. They’re marshmallows covered in chocolate and sprinkled with coconut, so they look like little snowballs. Haven’t you had one before?’

Freddie shook his head and abandoned his dad to follow Bella into the kitchen.

With more Christmas music playing, the three of them decorated the tree. Bella let Freddie place things wherever he wanted, grateful for his help, and too quickly the tree was done. It shone with the pale gold lights she loved. Ones that twinkled so beautifully at night with the fire burning beside it. The rest of the decorations were a mixture of red and gold and the star on top nearly touched the ceiling.

‘Bella, can I use your toilet, please?’ asked Freddie.

‘Of course you can. It’s up the stairs and to your left.’

‘Is that this one?’ He waved his right hand in the air.

‘No, your other left.’

‘Cool.’ He ran off and Bella stared at the tree once more.

‘Beautiful,’ said Nick and when she turned to see him looking straight at her, she wondered if he was talking about her.

Nerves fizzed and sparked in her stomach, and she moved to the fire. Though her body had come over extraordinarily warm, her hands were cold, and she held them in front of the flickering orange flames. Nick did the same and when his broad hands were level with hers, their fingers touched. Excitement ran up her arm and through her veins as Nick wrapped his hand around hers. Before she knew what was happening, he was turning her towards him, edging closer. The fizzing in her stomach erupted into her chest, filling her lungs with dancing butterflies. She stepped closer. Without saying a word, his lips gently swept hers. It was the softest, most tentative and tender kiss she’d ever experienced. Vulnerable and nervous, gentle and enquiring. They separated by a millimetre, only for her to return the kiss again.