‘Maybe I could cook it for you sometime,’ he said. ‘Then you can decide if it’s something you’d like to learn how to cook yourself.’
‘Maybe.’
He suddenly pushed off the barrel. ‘Dance?’
‘Sorry?’
‘Dance. It’s when people move their bodies in time to music.’ He demonstrated.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Yes, I know what dance is.’
He held out his hand. ‘Good, then you can keep me company while I tear up the dance floor.’
‘I’d prefer to watch.’
‘Where’s the fun in that?’
I stared over his shoulder at people dancing on the wooden boardwalk behind him, the snow piled up around the edges, the fairy lights strung overhead. There were all sorts of people dancing. The elderly, young couples, teenagers, small children. One guy had a walking stick but he was doing a pretty decent job of following the beat. There was one thing they all had in common, and that was that they all looked like they were having the time of their lives.Isn’t this the sort of thing you moved here for?I reminded myself. This scene was exactly like something from one of the movies I loved. And it was real. People actually did this in real life.
‘OK, go on then,’ I told Jonah, putting my hand in his.
‘Steady on with the enthusiasm.’ He grinned, closing his fingers around mine and twirling me out on to the makeshift dance space. I squealed when he spun me out, then spun me back in, landing against his chest, encircled within his arms.
Holy crap, I thought, coming up against the solid rock that was his body. He grinned down at me, his eyes sparkling and mischievous.
16
JONAH
I burst out laughing when she opened the cottage door to my knock at 7.56a.m. on Saturday morning. She glared at me and closed the door in my face without saying a word.
‘I’m sorry,’ I called out, still laughing but trying to muffle it.
‘Go away.’
I leaned against the wooden porch pole and crossed my arms. ‘No.’
‘You laughed at me.’
‘I know, and I’m sorry. You just took me by surprise. But I promise I won’t laugh again if you open the door.’
There were a few moments of silence, and then the sound of the handle being slowly turned. The door opened a crack, just enough for me to see her face.
‘You promise?’
I nodded solemnly. ‘Cross my heart.’
She opened the door further and stood there, fully revealed. I tried my hardest, I really did. Kept my eyes at eye level with hers, but it was no use.
‘You’re laughing,’ she said. ‘I can see your shoulders shaking.’
I shook my head and murmured, desperately attempting to keep a straight face. ‘I’m not, I promise.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘What if I do this?’
She struck an exaggerated modelling pose, which given what she was currently wearing looked absolutely ridiculous. But also, completely adorable. With great effort, I shrugged, managing to contain myself.
She smiled. ‘You haven’t even seen the worst of it.’
