The snow had continued to fall since the day Bella and Freddie had delivered the presents. The day Nick had given her the most mind-blowing kiss of her life and declared he loved her. The ground was still covered in snow that was being topped up every now and again and there was every hope for another flurry tonight. It seemed a white Christmas was on the cards after all.

All around the park, the sounds of the community choir singing their favourite hymns filled the air. Mr Whittaker had come out from the information point and was singing along with some of the villagers, and Hazel and Matilda were gossiping over a hot drink. Over at the grotto, the sound of sleigh bells and classic Christmas pop rang out from the speakers outside.

Nina and Johnny were there too, hand in hand after he’d finally asked her out under the mistletoe hanging in the pub. Bella couldn’t have been happier for them. It seemed love, as well as snow, was in the air at Meadowbank lately.

Nick would shortly join Paige and Freddie to visit Santa, but for now, he and Bella were having a rare moment together. Nick had been busy working up until yesterday and Bella too had been finishing off her duties at the park and school. They’d had a couple of dinners with Freddie, holding hands under the table like lovestruck teenagers, but they’d held back on showing affection, mindful that Freddie was still adjusting to his dad dating and to his mum being back, though she was now living in Mrs Dalloway’s cottage until they could find something more permanent.

It was clear from Paige that none of this was what she wanted, and she’d much prefer it to be her who was stealing kisses with Nick, but she was responding to Bella’s efforts of politeness, which was all they could ask for. Bella knew that eventually they’d all get used to this new dynamic and the prospect of the future in front of her filled her with joy. She’d never anticipated when Evan left her that she could recover from her heartbreak so quickly, but now she thought about it, their relationship was nothing to what she and Nick had, and they were at the very beginning of their journey. She slipped her hand into his and he ran his thumb in gentle circles over her skin.

‘Your hands are cold.’

They were freezing, but she wanted to feel his skin on hers and a glove would have got in the way. Better to be cold. ‘I’ll warm up,’ she replied, angling her head so he could kiss her.

‘Will you two stop snogging for one minute?’ Caro waddled over, her huge bump barely held within her coat. ‘Honestly, you’re making me queasy.’

‘I think that’s more your weird thing about cinnamon.’

Caro harrumphed. ‘Honestly, this baby is ruining Christmas.’