Christmas Ever After (Puffin Island 3)

This time it was Brittany, and she excused herself and took the call into the living room.

“What’s going on, Sky? Where are you?”

Sky stared out of the window across a landscape of snowy white and then looked back at the Christmas tree. It had slightly uneven branches, was thinner on one side and leaned slightly to the right. The less than geometric perfection warmed her. She could happily stay here forever. “I’m at Alec’s house in the Cotswolds.”

“He has a house in the Cotswolds?”

“It’s his parents’ house. His family home.”

“Wait a minute—you’re telling me Alec took you home with him?”

“He didn’t want to leave me in a hotel room on my own with a head injury. He’s chivalrous.” And he was a lot of other things, too.

Things she didn’t trust herself to think about.

“Alec? We are talking about the same Alec? Shipwreck Hunter, proof-that-it’s-possible-to-be-smart-as-well-as-sexy Alec? Mr. Dark, Brooding and Silent Alec.”

“Yes.”

“He took you home with him. Well, that’s—” Brittany cleared her throat. “Good for him. So you’re with his family? What are they like?”

“Adorable. You know that dream family Christmas I always wanted? This is it.” She glanced at the tree with the gifts stacked haphazardly beneath it. “They’re just so normal.”

“Where are you sleeping?”

“His granny and his uncle are here so they’re short on space.” Skylar hesitated. “I’m sleeping in his room.”

“And he’s downstairs on the sofa, right?”

“No. He’s in the room, too.”

“Holy crap.”

“Yeah, it’s been kind of tense, particularly as his family assumed we were romantically involved.”

“You two?” Brittany was laughing. “Sorry, but the thought of the two of you—”

“Yeah, I know. Crazy.” Except that after the past couple of days it didn’t seem so crazy anymore. And it certainly hadn’t seemed crazy when she’d kissed him. “Are you about done laughing?”

“Nowhere near. So are you keeping each other warm at night?”

“No. And if you can’t at least pretend to listen, this will be the last time I call you.”

“I called you.” Brittany chortled and then cleared her throat. “Okay, I’m under control. And you know I’d love to see you having a rebound relationship, I just hadn’t thought about Alec when I was drawing up a list of suitable candidates.”

She hadn’t thought about Alec, either, but since that moment he’d walked out of the shower, she’d thought about nothing else.

“He wouldn’t be interested. He’s very guarded.”

“Yeah, well, from what I can gather the divorce wasn’t a whole load of fun. Ryan’s the only one who knows the details.”

You didn’t need details, Sky thought, you only needed to see the result.

“So how is everything with you and Zach?”

“It’s good. How is your poor head? When are you coming home?”

Brittany’s choice of words warmed her. It was true that Puffin Island was the place that felt most like home. “I don’t know. My flight to New York is next Sunday. I’ll try to squeeze in a visit to the island before Christmas.” She hadn’t thought that far ahead.