Free Wish Upon a Christmas Cake by Darcie Boleyn Page A

Sam right behind me. He moved forwards, his mouth just millimetres from my ear. His breath was hot on my neck. My skin tingled and I got that quivering sensation in my knees again.
    ‘Katie,’ he whispered. What was happening here? My brain went into overdrive.
    ‘Yes,’ I whispered in reply.
    ‘Creep across to the lounge.’ He pointed at an open doorway on the right. Why did we have to creep?
    I did as he asked and when I got there I stopped and peered into the room. And heard snoring. Very loud and comical snoring. Sam gestured at a large dog bed in front of the fireplace and said, ‘That’s Stephanie and Sportacus.’ Two huge red and white British bulldogs lay on the rectangular cushion, their heads hanging off the side, their bodies mirroring each other as the fire crackled behind a heavy iron fireguard. Their thick pink tongues hung from their mouths and their bodies rose and fell in perfect unison.
    ‘Yours?’ I asked.
    Sam nodded.
    ‘But why those names?’
    ‘Long story.’ He grinned.
    ‘I have time,’ I said. But my heart skipped a beat. What if it was painful for him to speak about? What if it was linked to his wife and he got upset and I ruined his Christmas because I’d prompted him?
    ‘Well basically, after I lost Maria, I…it was a very hard time and…’
    Oh no, I’d messed up and now he was sad.
    ‘It’s okay.’ I placed a finger on his lips, then realised what I’d done and hastily removed it.
    ‘It’s fine, Katie. I’m not about to burst into tears or anything.’ Looking at his face, I wasn’t sure. He wore the expression of a man who’d suffered but was trying to keep going for the sake of his children. ‘Anyway, the short version is that I got the dogs six months ago to give me and the kids another focus. I thought it would be good for us. They got their names because Holly was obsessed with a programme called
Lazytown
.’
    ‘And they were names of the characters?’
    He nodded. ‘I wanted to name them cool things after
Star Wars
characters or
Dexter
or even
Friends
at a push but Holly was insistent and it seemed silly to disappoint her. Of course, now that she doesn’t watch
Lazytown
any more…’ He shrugged.
    I laughed with him. ‘Well they’re really sweet.’
    ‘Just watch out when they wake up though. Sportacus has a tendency to slobber and they don’t mind sharing their fur.’
    And at that moment, the dogs stirred and noticed us and, boy, did I find out exactly how much damage two bulldogs can do to black leggings.
    ***
    Half an hour later, after I’d changed and given my boots a thorough brushing, Sam and I stood in the barn waiting for Karl to unlock his shiny silver Freelander. I admired the brand-new vehicle that made me feel tiny as I stood next to it.
    ‘I wouldn’t fancy trying to park something that size, Karl,’ I called as my brother approached the barn.
    He laughed. ‘Katie, with your lack of spatial awareness, I wouldn’t recommend it either.’
    ‘Hey!’ I frowned but giggled. Karl was right. I drove my treasured Beetle carefully, well aware of my own weaknesses but I loathed parking. Ann is amazing. She could park a lorry on a five-pence piece. But me? I had to find the empty spaces in supermarket car parks that were miles away from the store and as for parallel parking, forget it.
    I climbed into the back seat next to Sam and buckled up while Angelo sat up front with Karl. I’d hoped that Sam would be in the back as I wanted the chance to talk to him some more.
    ‘Do you know, Angelo, it took Katie three attempts to pass her driving test?’ Karl asked as he reversed out of the barn then turned the vehicle and made his way down the driveway.
    ‘Was it really three?’ Sam raised his eyebrows. ‘I only recall it being two.’
    I blushed. ‘I only told you about the first failure. It was so embarrassing. Everyone else in sixth form was sailing through in their lunchtimes and there I was going through it again and again. I blame that