‘I’m not sure my heart can take any more of this,’ said Alice as she stood open-mouthed, taking in the scene outside.
Libby and Maisie raced outside and ran to the colour-changing fountain surrounded by the fairies.
Jess sorted some music and the drinks flowed as everyone gathered outside.
A little after ten, Alice was certain she would not make it until midnight as she was already feeling a little tired. Maybe shewould settle in her favourite wicker garden chair with a blanket near the patio heaters. It seemed her friends had thought of everything.
SEVENTY
DECLAN
A short while later and with the girls snoozing in the wigwam, Declan approached Jess with a drink.
‘You look beautiful tonight,’ he told her. ‘I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you.’
Their fingers touched when he passed her the glass of champagne, and once more she felt the tingles through her body.
‘You scrub up well too,’ she told him, feeling light-headed by his nearness. He smelt of woody cologne and wore his expensive-looking suit perfectly.
‘Thanks.’ He smiled. ‘Maybe we can have a dance later, if things slow down,’ he suggested.
‘I’d like that,’ said Jess.
A while later, everyone had drifted back inside, apart from Alice, who was snoozing gently in her chair. It seemed a shame to wake her, thought Declan, although maybe he would in a little while.
True to his word, he invited Jess outside and slid the patio door behind them. He searched for a slow number to dance to on Spotify and drew her close to him.
As they gently swayed to the music, Jess could feel her heart hammering inside her chest. When the music stopped, he pulledher even closer, and his lips came down on hers. It brought back memories of their kiss at the bar that evening, but it felt so much sweeter as they had waited so long to be together again.
When they finally pulled apart, they glanced across at Alice.
‘Seems a shame to wake her,’ said Declan as an early firework shot through the sky somewhere.
They hadn’t noticed Alice opening one eye and smiling when she saw them kissing. Seeing two of her favourite people finally together felt like being handed another birthday gift.
Carol and Mark were still going strong, and Carol was showing Mark how to jive. She told Jess she would be staying over at Mark’s ‘as friends’ as there would be no chance of a taxi after midnight, and Jess had given her a knowing look.
‘I think it’s time we got those two to bed,’ Jess said to Declan, after peeping in at the two girls asleep inside the wigwam. ‘Do you think we could lift them without disturbing them?’
‘Hopefully. They look cosy inside their sleeping bags. I could carry them up,’ he offered.
‘We can both do it,’ suggested Jess.
Everyone helped to do a quick tidy up, with the promise to return and do it properly in the morning.
In the end, hardly anyone made it to midnight, but Jess had a feeling that her mum and Mark might. With Alice settled in bed, everyone began to drift off.
‘Night, Mum. Night, Mark. Happy New Year, even though it is forty minutes away,’ said Jess, as Declan said the same, and Carol and Mark returned the greeting.
‘Are you any good at cards?’ Jess heard Mark ask her mum as they walked to his door and she wondered where they got their energy from.
With the children settled in bed, Declan said goodnight and headed for the front door of Jess’s apartment.
‘Do you have to be anywhere in the morning?’ asked Jess.
‘No, it’s New Year’s Day,’ he reminded her.
‘Then stay,’ she said as she led him to her bedroom.
