Freeze

Chapter Five

Gary walked back to his parents house with Honey by his side. He wasn't sure how he felt. It was a concoction of excitement and longing mixed with confusion and uncertainty. Like she'd said, what were the chances of their parents living in the same street? It had to be fate or something didn't it?

Holly was fuming. How dare Danny turn up on Christmas Eve, unannounced, especially when she'd finally got him out of her head.

She looked around for Gary but he was gone. That made her even angrier. Holly wanted to punch Danny but she wasn't sure that was setting a good example to Ella & Josh. Instead, Holly grabbed Danny's arm, gripping the material of his coat to avoid having to make actual contact with him.

She dragged him through the front door, past her sisters bewildered glance and up the stairs. Jess had met Danny once before; briefly when he'd dropped Holly off at a lunch he'd backed out of at the last minute. Neither of them greeted the other.

As Holly led him upstairs, Danny recalled the last time Holly had led him upstairs. He may not have been welcomed back with open arms but it looked like he was going to be welcomed with open legs. Danny was hard at the mere thought of it.

Holly's father made eye contact with Danny, who looked smug, cocky. Holly's mother put a restraining hand on her husbands arm as the pair reached the landing, Holly's face full of rage.

Holly threw Danny in to her old room shutting the door softly behind her. Holly took off her coat and placed it on the chair in the corner of the room, buying herself time before she had to look at him.

She turned to see Danny had already removed his coat and was unbuttoning his jeans. Holly looked at him in disgust.

"Come and give me a Christmas kiss" Danny encouraged, reaching for her.

"No." Holly said, the anger raising in her voice. Danny looked briefly taken aback.

"Oh you still haven't forgiven me for our argument yesterday" Danny said, his voice taking on a mock childish tone.

"I've forgiven you for that" she said softly, "it's the pink thong in your glove box I can't forgive." Holly spat back.

Danny looked quickly down at his feet and muttered "Shit!" before looking back up at Holly. The guilt was written all over his face, Holly wondered how she hadn't seen it before.

There was a soft knock at the door and Jess spoke tentatively from the other side of the door. "Hols, we're going to take the kids into town... You OK?"

Holly opened the door slightly "I'm OK" she said with a small smile.

Jess shot a deadly look at Danny as Holly shut the door. Holly turned back to Danny somewhat more defiantly than before. His jeans were still hanging open from when he'd undone them.

"Holly, I can explain..." Danny attempted as Holly rolled her eyes "Baby, come on. That was just one time..." Danny lied.

Holly remained silent until she heard the front door close and the roar of the car engine in the driveway as her family left her alone with him.

Honey lapped at her water bowl in his mothers large farmhouse kitchen as Gary took his coat off, discarding it on the back of the chair.

The house was silent. A note on the kitchen table informed him his mother had nipped to Waitrose for last minute veggies and his dad and brother were at the local pub.

Gary made himself a cup of tea, eager to warm himself up from the cold outside and the bitter chill seeing Holly with her boyfriend brought.

Leaning against the kitchen counter while he waited for the kettle to boil, Gary didn't like how much this woman was in his head. Holly was near enough a stranger, whatever he thought had passed between them was surely in his head but the feeling in his heart sure as hell felt real. Something he hadn't felt since Jennifer.