Even Claude had found his family again.
Yes, things were very nearly perfect.
But not quite. Not yet, anyway.
From his chair by the Christmas tree, he watched Holly talking to the McCawleys, her hands animated as she spoke. Was she telling them the story of Claude’s adventures over the last couple of days? Probably. But he knew the woman he’d met two days ago wouldn’t have had the confidence to walk over there and do that.
Holly had changed – and he was so proud of her that he could burst. She’d found her place in the community and he knew, whatever came her way next, she could handle it. He hoped she knew that.
Now he just hoped that she had a place for him in her community, too.
As Holly stood, still smiling, and said goodbye to the McCawleys, Jack took his chance to find out. Moving swiftly around the long table, he intercepted her before she could get collared by anyone else wanting to ask her about her cakes, or her decorations.
In his hurry, he found himself diving directly into her path, so she almost crashed into his chest.
‘Hey,’ he said, softly, as she looked up at him in surprise.
‘Hey. I didn’t see you there.’
‘I’ve barely seen you all day,’ Jack said, smiling so she knew he wasn’t complaining. ‘You’re in high demand.’
Holly ducked her chin. ‘I don’t know why. You and Mrs Templeton did at least as much as I did – probably more!’
‘But you’re the one who made the idea come alive in the first place,’ he pointed out. ‘You knew what this community needed – what everyone here wanted. And you’re the only one who managed to make it happen.’
‘Well, me and Claude,’ Holly said, smiling up at him.
‘And Claude,’ he allowed. ‘Where is he, anyway?’
‘Passed out in a gingerbread stupor at Daisy’s feet,’ Holly said. ‘I’ve just been talking with them. They’re nice people, you know. I hoped that they would be. That they didn’t mean to leave Claude behind.’
‘I was sure they didn’t,’ Jack said. ‘Even before we found out about the whole Find Claude campaign. That little guy gets under your skin. It’s hard not to love him, once you’ve met him. A bit like someone else I know.’
Holly looked up sharply, meeting his gaze. ‘Oh?’
Jack took a deep breath. ‘I wanted to talk with you earlier.’
‘I remember.’ Holly’s shoulders tensed, and Jack tried to figure out why before he said anything else. Was she working up to letting him down gently? ‘Is it about your transfer?’ she asked, after a second. ‘Do you know when you’re leaving?’
‘No!’ Jack said, too loud, and people around them turned to look. Damn. Just what he didn’t need – an audience. He sighed. Well, he was doing this, whether people were watching or not. ‘That’s what I wanted to tell you. I’m not going anywhere.’
‘Yet,’ Holly added. ‘And that’s okay. I mean, yes, I’d love it if you’d stay. But really, we’ve only known each other a couple of days, really. I wouldn’t ask you to make such a big decision because of me. And it’s fine. I realised today … Maple Drive is my home. It’s where I want to be. And now, I think I can be. I think I can make a place here – even if you don’t stay. I’ll be fine.’
‘That’s good to know,’ Jack said, smiling. ‘But it doesn’t change the fact that I want to be here, with you – with your craft supplies, your sparkly cat leads, your incredible cakes … and just you. Exactly the way you are. Trust me. I’m not going anywhere.’
This time, Holly seemed to take the words in a little more, narrowing her eyes as she stared up at him. ‘You’re … not? Are you sure?’
‘Very.’ Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. ‘But I get that it might be hard for you to believe that. Especially on two days’ acquaintance. So I wanted to give you something, to show you I mean it.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box again.
Holly’s eyes widened dramatically. ‘Jack, really, it’s okay. I believe you. You don’t have to do anything extreme—’
‘Calm down,’ he told her, and flipped the lid open, revealing the necklace – a delicate silver chain with a tiny silver snowflake hanging from it, studded with specks of sparkling diamonds that looked like ice.
‘Oh …’ Holly reached out to touch it, then pulled her fingers away as a real snowflake landed on it. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘It was my mother’s,’ Jack explained, ignoring the flakes of snow as they started to fall again. ‘She loved winter more than any other season, and Christmas most of all, so one year my dad gave her this necklace. And now I’m giving it to you.’
Holly looked up at him, horrified, and Jack worried for a second that he’d done this all wrong. Was this morbid? Or just crazy? Or—
‘I can’t take something so precious, Jack! It was your mother’s.’
Ah. That made more sense. But fortunately he had the perfect answer.
‘Then how about you just look after it for me,’ he suggested. ‘I mean, it’s not like I’m going to wear it, right?’
He took the necklace from the box and fastened it around her neck, holding on a moment too long as he watched the snow fall around them, sparkling as it landed in her hair.
‘Look after it?’ Holly blinked away another snowflake. The snow was getting heavier, but Jack didn’t care. He’d rather freeze out here with Holly than move anywhere.
‘Yes. And if I ever leave, you can give it back to me,’ he suggested. ‘But I’m telling you now, there is nowhere I would rather see that necklace than around your neck.’
Holly’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink colour. ‘Yeah? Then I guess you’d better stick around to see it, then.’
‘I guess I better had.’ They smiled at each other for a long, long moment, and Jack could feel himself losing his mind in her blue eyes, until someone in the crowd yelled, ‘Kiss her, you idiot,’ and he realised that the snow hadn’t driven anyone else inside either. The whole of Maple Drive was watching, and Jack didn’t care at all. They were his new community, his new family, after all. Them and Holly, always. He’d found exactly what he’d been looking for all along.
As Jack bent his head to touch his lips to Holly’s, someone flipped the switch he’d set up earlier. And when they kissed, every light and decoration in Maple Drive lit up, illuminating the night, and the street party, and all their new friends and old neighbours.
And as he held Holly close, Jack knew that his life would never be dark again.
My home was just as I had left it.
As Daisy and Oliver put the children to bed, I curled up in my basket underneath the Christmas tree, enjoying all the familiar smells and sounds I’d missed over the last two days, and wondering what there might be for breakfast tomorrow.
Perhaps a really nice tin of dog food. To be honest, even I was getting a little sick of gingerbread.
But it didn’t much matter what breakfast was, just that I got to eat it here, in my home, with my family.
I heard Bella calling goodnight and, over the baby monitor, Daisy singing a lullaby to the twins. Something about a silent night, which seemed a little optimistic.
I snuggled down, ready to rest myself. It had been a long day. Outside, the snow was still falling, and the Christmas lights Holly and Jack had put up sparkled in the darkness. It made me happy, just knowing they were there – and that I was inside in the warm, where I belonged.
On the stairs, a floorboard creaked, and a moment later, I heard the door into the lounge open. I lifted one eyelid to check for intruders, and then opened the other one too, when I saw it was Jay.
Kneeling beside my basket, Jay tucked his soft toy French bulldog in beside me, and kissed me between my ears.
‘Goodnight, Claude,’ he whispered. ‘Merry Christmas.’