Free Wish Upon a Christmas Cake by Darcie Boleyn Page B

horrid examiner I had the first two occasions though.’
    ‘Wasn’t he ex-army or something?’ Karl adjusted his mirror and I met his eyes.
    ‘Yeah.’ I shivered. Even now, after all those years, the thought of that driving examiner with his short, sharp bark and his incessant headshaking every time I did something wrong was the stuff of nightmares.
    Sam eyed me carefully. ‘You cold?’
    ‘Just recalling the horrors of the driving test.’
    ‘Well at least you never have to go through it again,’ Sam said and I nodded.
    ‘The third time was different though. I had a lovely examiner who put me completely at ease. I think that the second test was doomed the moment I saw that I had that military tyrant again.’
    Sam shook his head. ‘I can’t understand it, personally. You were such a sweet little thing—’
    ‘Believe me, she was bad!’ Karl interrupted. But his words drifted over my head like smoke on the breeze. Sam had said that I was a sweet little thing. I bit my lip as memories started emerging and my heart fluttered. I couldn’t go there, couldn’t allow all that pain to resurface. Emotion was just too draining.
    ‘So how long until we get to Tonbridge?’ I asked my brother.
    ‘It’s about ten minutes now. Are you two happy to get the tree while we pick up Mum’s list of groceries? It’s as long as my arm. What on earth does she want basil for? And arnica cream?’
    I glanced at Sam. Pick out a Christmas tree with him? Who knew Christmas Eve would be so exciting. We could walk around the market together, I would have him all to myself and it would be like we were a couple. Like the old times. My stomach flipped and I placed a hand over it. Sam was a widower with two kids now, not an eligible bachelor. He needed me to be a friend. I’d agreed with Karl that we’d give Sam and his children a good Christmas. If I didn’t stop drooling over him, I’d be unable to focus on our mission. Besides, after Harrison I’d sworn off men. I was focused on my career not on love. I eyed Sam’s big hand as it rested on his muscular thigh. Long, lean fingers with short clean nails. The forearm closest to me was exposed because he’d pushed his sleeves up, and I could see a dusting of black hair and freckles, freckles I’d traced with my finger thousands of times before. I had a sudden impulse to run my hand along his arm and to interlace my fingers with his. To find that familiar comfort and happiness.
    Pull yourself together, Katie! This is ridiculous.
    I hadn’t seen Sam in years and he’d matured like a fine wine. He was still every bit as polite, respectful and sweet as I remembered. He was evidently a good father. But he was also a grieving widower.
    The last modifier turned down the heat. Sam didn’t need me swooning all over him. He needed a friend and so did I. My attempt at a relationship with Harrison had done some damage to my confidence but Sam’s whole world had been turned upside down. So yes, I would choose a tree with Sam but I would keep my distance and banish all silly musings from my mind. It was the way it had to be and it would be easy enough to do that, right?

Chapter 5
    Karl parked in an open-air overflow car park, then we all made our way into Tonbridge town. The roads had been cleared by the steady flow of traffic but there was snow on the pavements and the buildings and the pretty old town looked as if someone had used a giant sieve to sprinkle icing sugar over everything. In the morning light, the snow sparkled and the buildings reminded me of those you see on Christmas cards when the manufacturers have been generous with the glitter.
    Please let us have more snow later.
I offered up a silent wish. A white Christmas would be perfect, although it wasn’t something I could control and I knew that I had to accept that and try not to be disappointed if the clouds didn’t dump down more of the white stuff. But I couldn’t help thinking:
Snowed in with Sam…mmm.
    ‘Shall we