A Kiss in the Snow - Rosie Green Page 0,3

put out his arm to steady me. Laughing, I turned towards him to apologise for sprawling against him, and our eyes locked. For a heart-stopping moment, all the commotion in the busy bar seemed to disappear. It was just me and Adam, the man I’d had a crush on for so long, in our own little world.

The space between us disappeared. He moved towards me and touched his lips to mine.

And then…I ruined it.

I pulled away in a panic and started talking really quickly about having another drink because it was my round. Adam just looked bemused.

Analysing it later, I realised it was nerves, pure and simple, that had made me pull away like that. But every time I thought about it, despair flooded through me. Adam would have interpreted my reaction as rejection, and I knew all about rejection. I hated myself for ruining the moment.

What would have happened if, instead of evading his lips, I’d kissed him right back?

Thankfully, the awkwardness between us vanished almost instantly. Adam started telling me about something that had happened in the workshop that day, and soon we were laughing together as if the half-kiss had never happened.

But that night left me feeling more hopeful than ever before that maybe Adam was attracted to me, after all. And when he suggested dinner here, my hopes rose even higher.

I stare over at the door to the Gents, waiting for him to emerge.

I won’t pull back next time. I’ll do what I should have done that night. I’ll let him know exactly how I feel about him…

The breath flutters in my chest, making my head spin. Is it my turn, at last, for a dream-come-true?

Ever since that moment on Wednesday night, I’ve dreamed of kissing Adam properly, felt my eyes well with tears when I imagine him telling me that he’s crazy about me, too. I’ve even imagined us spending a joyful Christmas together.

I stare out at the festive scene beyond the window. Will I look back on this night as the one that changed my life? Or is it just the wine and the special magic of Christmas that’s sprinkling tonight with stardust?

The waiter brings over the soup, and at last Adam is back, sitting down opposite and sneaking a sheepish look at me. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘So tell me what you were going to say. I promise I won’t bite.’

‘Okay, Miss Carrington-Harrington-Barrington.’

I grin at him. He’s always poking gentle fun at my name, adding fake extensions, making it triple-barrelled. He reckons my first name, Carrington, is really posh and I should probably live in Knightsbridge or Chelsea, or somewhere equally fancy. Even though I keep reminding him that the only reason I was given the name was because Mum’s always been a big Dynasty fan and my twin is called Krystle.

‘Well.’ He takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair. ‘I suppose I haven’t mentioned it before now because – well, I just didn’t know how you’d react. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.’

He reaches for my hand, enclosing it in his. It feels rough but warm and a shiver of excitement runs through me.

‘We are good friends, aren’t we, Carrie?’ he asks, an intense look in his eyes.

‘Yes, of course we are.’

He nods. ‘I think you’re amazing and I feel I can talk to you about anything. I’ve never felt like that about anyone before.’

‘Me, too,’ I murmur.

‘The thing is …’ He sighs and looks down at the tablecloth, and my heart flips over. ‘The thing is, I’ve had a bit of a crush on a certain girl for a while now, but I’ve been too afraid to let her know.’

‘Right.’ I try to swallow but my throat has gone bone dry. ‘Do I know her?’

His face breaks into a broad smile. ‘Oh, yes. You know her very well indeed.’

‘So who is she?’ I manage to croak. ‘This girl.’

He shakes his head. ‘I can’t believe you haven’t guessed. With us spending all this time together, I suppose I thought you’d be able to read me like a book.’

I laugh, as my heart takes flight. ‘Come on, Adam. You can’t keep me in suspense like this. Tell me who she is.’

‘Okay.’ He looks into my eyes, and I hold my breath, half-expecting to hear his latest daft version of my name. Miss Carrington-Barrington-Smythe, or something equally ridiculous.

A goofy smile spreads over his face.

‘It’s Krystle.’

CHAPTER TWO

I stare at him. There’s a strange whining in my ears and for a