Willow Cottage – Part Two: Christmas Cheer. Bella Osborne

      Carly wobbled on unsteady legs, grinned inanely at Jack and was towed away.

      They stumbled into the sunshine and the mêlée of the Summer Fete quickly surrounded them.

      ‘Ooooh, coconuts!’ squealed Carly, veering off.

      Now that the flash of temper had subsided Beth wasn’t entirely sure where she was heading. Having separated Carly and Jack she wasn’t certain why she’d interfered but in that moment it had seemed like the only thing to do.

      ‘Beth, hang on!’ called out Jack, jogging up to them and catching Carly mid-sway.

      Beth raised her eyebrows. ‘Shall I leave you to it?’ she asked, her question aimed pointedly at Jack.

      ‘I’m fine, really fine. Oh, hello, it’s you again!’ Carly grinned broadly, full of surprise at the sight of Jack keeping her upright.

      ‘She needs to sober up. Help me take her back to my place, will you?’ asked Jack.

      ‘And how safe will she be there?’

      ‘Bloody hell, Beth, I’m trying to help here.’

      Beth didn’t really have another option. She couldn’t see Carly being able to crawl into her tent even though it purported to be a three-man version; she and Leo hadn’t had enough space.

      ‘You always have the answer, don’t you, Jack Selby?’ Beth was indignant.

      ‘You got a better one?’ He was frowning at her.

      ‘That’s not the point.’ People were slowing down and stopping to listen. ‘Right, fine. Come on, then.’ She stood on the other side of Carly, put an arm round her and began to frogmarch her towards Jack’s.

      ‘Carly, walk straight!’ Beth ordered.

      ‘She can’t, she’s drunk!’ said Jack. Then he leaned across to try to catch Beth’s eye. ‘Does she have a problem?’ he asked, his voice softer.

      Beth halted and Carly swung forward precariously. ‘Are you calling my friend an alcoholic?’

      ‘No, I’m asking if she …’

      ‘Ooooh, shops,’ said Carly as they were waiting to cross the road at the far end of the village.

      ‘A butcher’s, a gift shop and a dress shop for anyone that wants to look like a pantomime dame. Come on,’ said Beth, surging ahead.

      ‘A bit harsh,’ said Jack, evidently trying to lighten the somewhat frosty mood.

      ‘Ooooh, I like panto,’ slurred Carly swaying unsteadily.

      ‘Oh no you don’t,’ Jack replied, which set Carly off into a fit of giggles. Was he still flirting with her?

      Beth stopped in the middle of the road and leaned round a wobbling Carly to speak to Jack. ‘Look, in case you hadn’t realized, this is my best friend Carly Wilson. She is almost engaged to a wonderful man called Fergus. I do not want you sticking your oar in or anything else come to that!’ Beth held Jack’s glare.

      ‘Traffic!’ he said, forcing Carly and Beth onto the pavement as a stream of cars trundled towards them. It was difficult to have a conversation with someone swaying in the middle so Beth focused on moving Carly along as quickly as possible.

      ‘It’s like a three-legged race,’ said Carly, ‘but with, one, two, four … lots of legs!’

      Once inside Jack’s cottage, an overexcited Doris greeted them with slobbery kisses so Jack left Beth to cope with Carly while he escorted Doris into the garden.

      ‘Have a lie-down and see if you can sleep it off,’ said Beth, guiding Carly onto the sofa.

      ‘Ooooh, look, pretty shelf,’ said Carly, reaching out a hand towards the driftwood and sideswiping a small wooden box that was nestled there, sending it clattering onto the floor. ‘Whoopsie,’ she said with a giggle, as Beth dashed to rescue the item.

      Beth crouched down and retrieved the box, which had an intricate inlaid design on its lid, and as she picked it up a metal disc fell out. ‘Bugger,’ said Beth, picking that up too and trying to work out how to fit it back into the recess in the lid.

      ‘Why doesn’t this stereo work?’ complained Carly from the other side of the room, where she was pressing all the buttons on a black box.

      ‘Because it’s a printer,’ announced Jack as he came in from the garden, leaving a disgruntled Doris barking behind him.

      ‘But we need moooosic!’ whined Carly, swaying precariously as Jack expertly steered her onto the sofa.

      ‘Great idea. You lie down there and I’ll sort out some music.’

      Beth was frantically shaking her head at Jack. The last thing they needed was an uncoordinated Carly pogoing around the living room; nothing would be safe.

      ‘I think I’ve got “Is This The Way To Amarillo” somewhere,’ he said, raising an eyebrow in Beth’s direction. Beth felt her cheeks instantly colour up – so he had seen her the day he left the barbecue. He joined Beth and took the small box from her.

      ‘I’m sorry, is it broken?’ she asked, screwing up her face and hoping the box wasn’t as expensive as it looked.

      Jack shook his head. ‘Completely ruined.’

      ‘Oh dear, is it?’ Beth bit her lip as she took a closer look.

      ‘No, the humidifier has popped out, that’s all,’ he said flatly, expertly replacing the disc and returning the box to the shelf. ‘It’s a cigar box.’ Beth looked suitably surprised. ‘It was my grandfather’s.’ They stood and looked at the box for a moment until they were interrupted by a large snore from Carly.

      ‘Come on, let’s leave Sleeping Beauty and get a coffee,’ said Jack, leaving the room.

      Beth sent a quick text to Fergus to let him know where Carly was and that she was okay, which was stretching the truth slightly. He replied immediately.

      Thanks B. You’re a . Was worried.

      Jack was busying himself with his coffee maker when Beth came into the kitchen. ‘I only have decaff. Is that okay?’ he asked, holding up a pod.

      ‘Yeah, fine. I’m sorry if I was a bit overprotective before but I meant what I said about Carly and her boyfriend,’ said Beth.

      ‘About them being almost engaged? What is that exactly?’ asked Jack.

      Beth was finding Jack particularly irritating today. ‘Her long-term boyfriend is about to propose.’

      ‘Right. Is this the same guy who she’s been waiting to ask her for three years?’

      ‘She told you?’

      Jack turned round and rested against the worktop, a hint of a smile on his lips. ‘She told me a lot of things.’

      Beth tilted her head in interest but she was not going to ask, even if the curiosity proved fatal. She hoped Carly hadn’t revealed anything about her. For some reason it mattered to her what Jack thought.

      ‘Then you’ll know that she loves him and she’s not looking for a one-night stand with … with someone like you.’

      Jack chuckled. ‘Hell, who made you her mother?’

      ‘So, that was your plan then. Get her drunk and …’

      ‘Hey, not so fast. She was at the bottom of wine bottle number two when I found her. She asked me if I knew you and we started chatting. I was only being friendly.’

      They shared looks of mutual contempt.

      ‘Where’s Leo?’ asked Jack.

      Beth