Once Upon A Christmas. Jennifer Joyce

found herself giggling. ‘Funnily enough, that raven-haired beauty suggested something very similar about you the other day.’

      He raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. ‘Really? Is that what you think?’ The atmosphere intensified around the kitchen table.

      Holly shook her head. ‘Funnily enough, I don’t.’

      There was silence between them for a full minute, during which Holly clearly felt her heart beating more rapidly, wondering if the next step would be for Jack to prove the veracity of his sexual orientation. She knew that she would have no intention of stopping him if he did. She dropped her eyes to her water glass and waited. Finally, he drained his remaining wine and stood up.

      ‘I’d better get off home. You’re looking tired.’

      Holly got up as well, conscious of the tension in the room and rather fearful that she had been the cause of it. She went across to the door with him. When they got there, he stopped and turned back. ‘Thanks a lot for a very nice impromptu dinner. I enjoyed our chat, Holly. I really did. And I’m always happy to meet this old fellow.’ The dog had followed them to the door and was standing back, waiting to see if he was going to go out for a walk.

      ‘Thank you for coming and for the wine, Jack. But I bought that for you. You should drink it yourself. But, do come round any time. I’ll be very pleased to see you.’

      He opened the door and left. No kiss, no hug, no handshake even. Nothing. Holly watched as he walked to the gate and then closed the door softly. She rested her back against the coats hanging there and shook her befuddled head to clear it. Of course he wasn’t gay. She had sensed a sexual tension in the room a few minutes earlier with origins that were most certainly heterosexual. But, at the same time, she was woman enough to sense his hesitation. Something was wrong, but what? And what about her? Now that her lumberjack had magically morphed into a Hollywood great, did this now make him more attractive? Did it matter if she found him attractive? Was he destined to just be a friend? She just couldn’t work him out.

      Holly looked down into the two big brown eyes staring at her from the floor. ‘I think a breath of air will do us both good, Stirling. Coming for a walk?’

      At least the dog’s response was utterly predictable.