A Christmas Tail: A heart-warming Christmas romance

Cat switched off the lights, leaving the living room in darkness and her black patent heels where she’d kicked them off, no longer needed now the party was over.

In the early May evening, Fairview beach looked like something out of a daydream. Small waves crested the sand and the sun was beginning to descend, a glowing, amber orb on the horizon, giving the sea a golden shimmer. The elegant houses on the seafront looked steadily on, and it gave Cat a glow of satisfaction knowing that her cosy home on Primrose Terrace was just beyond.

She strolled near the waves, her hands in the pockets of her military-style jacket, Valentino and Dior at her feet, Coco splashing in the water, yapping at the foam as it sprayed around him. She breathed in the strong, salty air, felt it sting her dry lips. It was a week after the party, Jessica was at a fellow author’s launch, and Cat could almost taste summer around the corner.

The beach was beginning to empty out. The sun’s heat was not yet strong enough to linger into the evenings, and the pull of warm houses and family dinners drew people away. Cat walked past the ice cream parlour, closing up for the evening, the lighthouse silhouetted ahead of her on its rocky outcrop. It was picture-postcard perfect, quieter than Brighton and much more peaceful, much more room to think. Cat could see herself staying in Fairview for a long time, whatever happened with Pooch Promenade.

There were several dog owners on the beach, and she watched as an Airedale raced into the sea, chasing nothing but the waves. Valentino and Dior were happy to keep their feet dry, and Coco kept edging up the beach, intrigued but scared by the encroaching water. They were definitely divas, but Cat wouldn’t have it any other way.

A tennis ball landed in the breakers ahead of them, and a glossy Border collie raced in and retrieved it before running back to its owner. Cat knew who it was before she’d laid eyes on him. She hid her nerves behind a smile and tugged gently at the leads, praying that, for once, the Westies would behave. Spotting her, Mark changed course, throwing the ball further along the beach so that Chips ran after it.

He was eating fish and chips from a cone of paper, the smell of vinegar wafting towards Cat, making her stomach rumble.

‘Lovely evening for it,’ he said, coming to a stop in front of her. ‘Chip?’

‘Thanks.’ She took one. It was hot and greasy and delicious and, glancing up at him, she took a second.

‘Nothing better than fish and chips on the beach.’

‘Agreed.’ The Westies settled at Cat’s feet, as if aware that this was an important conversation. It made her more nervous. ‘It was a good party, the other night.’

‘It was. Jessica has some great party-throwing skills, and it was good to meet more people from Fairview. You can’t meet everyone walking in the park.’

Cat nodded. ‘I’ve only been here since the beginning of the year, and Jessica’s been a good friend.’ It felt strange to think of her that way, but Cat saw her as more than just a client.

‘She’s very generous, very willing to help,’ Mark agreed. ‘I’ve been in touch with the producer she was telling me about, and we’re meeting in London next week.’

‘That’s great! Congratulations.’

‘And Dior’s looking better, after his scare that night.’

Cat examined her wellies, aware that Mark was scrutinizing her. ‘He is,’ she mumbled.

‘Not that there was ever anything wrong with him.’ He took a chip and chewed it thoughtfully.

‘No,’ Cat tried a laugh. ‘Just being a diva, like Jessica said.’

‘Or a helpful accessory.’

‘For what?’ Cat looked up, squinting against the setting sun.

‘For some spying. So you could come and find Jessica, or me, or both of us, and have a good excuse if you were found out. Which you were.’

‘I-I don’t know what you mean.’ It sounded lame even to Cat. How could she have imagined, for a second, that Mark hadn’t seen through her?

‘I think you do,’ he said. He took another chip and held it in front of her. Without thinking, Cat opened her mouth and he popped it in. ‘I think you came looking for us, and I think – though this could be due to my overconfidence – that you were pleased to discover our friendship was – is – platonic.’ He smiled at her, and Cat felt her cheeks redden, knowing she’d been beaten.

‘Maybe.’

‘Maybe?’ He laughed. ‘OK, I’ll have to go with maybe then.’

‘What do you mean?’

He turned towards the horizon, his dark eyes creased against the sun. Cat decided that, though his jawline was still very definitely smug, it was also incredibly attractive. Like the rest of him.

‘I mentioned that I have to go to London next week. I’ll hopefully only be away for one night, but in lots of meetings, and so…’ He turned back to Cat. ‘I was wondering, would you be able to look after Chips for me? I’ll leave a key. You could feed her, walk her, spend some time with her. Give her some of the endless love you have for everything with four legs and a wagging tail.’

Cat bit her bottom lip to stop herself from grinning. ‘Sure. I think I could fit Chips in.’

Mark scrunched the empty chip paper into a ball and stuffed it in his pocket. ‘Thanks, I’d appreciate it.’

‘Always happy to help a fellow Primrose Terrace resident.’

‘I thought you’d find my offer hard to resist.’ He started walking and Cat fell into step alongside him, the dogs happy to get going again, bounding along at her feet.

‘You did, did you?’

‘We’ve already established that I’m irresistible.’

Cat turned away, hiding her smile. ‘You established that a long time ago. I’m in it for the dogs. But I’d love to hear more about your films, if you can talk about them.’

‘They’re not secret projects, though the less said about the second one, the better.’

‘The flop?’

‘Exactly. Quite a spectacular flop. It took me to a bit of a dark place, made me reconsider…certain things. I’m not used to having my confidence dented. Anyway, I met Jessica at some lunch event, she told me about this place, about how much better it was living outside London, having space, fresh air, time to think. I made one visit here and the decision was easy. And of course Chips loves it, the freedom of the beach as well as the park. It’s better all round.’

‘So Jessica’s just a friend?’

She sensed rather than saw him look at her. ‘Just a friend. She’s helped me out, as I’ve said, and she’s fun to be around, but there’s nothing more between us. What made you so sure there was?’

‘You both called it Primrose Park. I guessed that you must know each other, because I don’t know anyone else who’s made that mistake.’

‘It’s not called Primrose Park?’

Cat shook her head. ‘It’s Fairview Park. It’s not even on Primrose Terrace.’

‘Well, I know that,’ Mark said. ‘I just took Jessica’s word for it. I wonder what other lies she’s told me. Maybe her friend’s not really a producer at all. Her whole life could be a fabrication. She could have earned all her money through drug trafficking or money laundering. She could be sending me off to London to be murdered.’

Cat laughed. ‘She got the name of the park wrong. It’s not exactly a crime.’

‘But look what it led to. At the very least, it’s delayed things between us. You thought I was unavailable.’

Cat stopped walking, her breath faltering. Valentino, sensing the change in atmosphere, started barking, and Cat automatically dropped to her knees to soothe the dog. She took her time, stroking each Westie in turn, then pushed herself back to standing. ‘You’re available?’

Mark grinned. ‘That depends.’

‘On what?’