dressing-up shoes, clearly hermother’s daughter in that respect, and the bright pink scooter got her approval.
Cal was back to being distantly polite with Angel and she with him. She wanted to pretend the kiss had never happened. It was just because it was the first time they had been alone together and Christmas was always an emotional workout, she tried to tell herself. It didn’t mean anything.
Michelle and Frank were busy preparing Christmas lunch. Honey was desperate to go out on her new scooter, and Cal suggested that he and Angel took her down to the seafront. After last night Angel wasn’t sure it was such a good idea to be alone with Cal, but when Honey found out she might not go with them, she was so upset that Angel had to change her mind.
Both she and Cal were quiet as he drove them down to the seafront in his sleek black BMW. They walked along the promenade towards the brightly coloured children’s playground by the old pier, Honey whizzing ahead on her scooter, seemingly oblivious to the biting wind coming off the sea. Cal kept all his comments strictly on the level of small talk. Wasn’t it funny seeing all the children on their new bikes/skateboards/rollerblades? Did she think Honey needed to wear a helmet? Would Honey be warm enough in her coat? And Angel returned with small talk of her own.
But every now and then she couldn’t resist glancing at Cal. He was wearing a black cashmere military-style coat with the collar turned up, and looked so handsome. She couldn’t deny the old pull of desire she felt for him. But this had to stop. Just as Angel thought she had got away without talking about their kiss, he turned and looked at her and said softly, ‘That was quite some kiss last night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.’
Angel was completely floored. She looked out at theiron-grey sea and pulled her chestnut aviator UGG hat further down over her face, both to keep herself warm against the bitter wind blowing off to the sea and as if to fend off the question.
‘It was a mistake,’ she said quickly. ‘Please don’t talk about it.’ She thought about how devastated Ethan would be if he knew, and felt ashamed. All her reassurances to him that there was nothing more between her and Cal suddenly seemed hollow. She had thought she was immune to Cal now, had spent the last months building up her defences against him, but just seeing him again was destroying them, piece by piece, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable.
Cal shook his head. ‘Nothing that felt that good could be a mistake. But if that’s how you want to play it.’
‘It’s not how I want to
play
it! It’s not some game. I made a mistake. We all make mistakes.’ She paused, colour rushing into her face as she realised what she was saying.
‘Perhaps it’s time you finally forgave me for mine?’ Cal said, an undeniable edge of hope in his voice.
Angel couldn’t believe that they were having this conversation. ‘I’m with Ethan, I told you.’ She made her voice as hard and cold as she could, to try and hide the turmoil she felt, and Cal seemed to realise he wouldn’t be able to get through to her and withdrew once again, making it impossible for Angel to read what he was thinking. He was always so good at that.
Back at her parents’ house it was the full-on family Christmas experience – champagne, crackers, dinner – where everyone ate too much, except Angel who was too preoccupied with thoughts of Cal. Then the obligatory TV-fest until Gemma and Tony came round in the evening and they played Trivial Pursuit and ate more food. This was exactly how Angel had spent thelast five Christmases with Cal when they were together, and today was such a strange experience because everything was at once the same yet completely different. At one moment during the game, Cal received a phone call and went out of the room to take it which immediately put Angel on high alert – who was he speaking to? Was it a
Cal was back to being distantly polite with Angel and she with him. She wanted to pretend the kiss had never happened. It was just because it was the first time they had been alone together and Christmas was always an emotional workout, she tried to tell herself. It didn’t mean anything.
Michelle and Frank were busy preparing Christmas lunch. Honey was desperate to go out on her new scooter, and Cal suggested that he and Angel took her down to the seafront. After last night Angel wasn’t sure it was such a good idea to be alone with Cal, but when Honey found out she might not go with them, she was so upset that Angel had to change her mind.
Both she and Cal were quiet as he drove them down to the seafront in his sleek black BMW. They walked along the promenade towards the brightly coloured children’s playground by the old pier, Honey whizzing ahead on her scooter, seemingly oblivious to the biting wind coming off the sea. Cal kept all his comments strictly on the level of small talk. Wasn’t it funny seeing all the children on their new bikes/skateboards/rollerblades? Did she think Honey needed to wear a helmet? Would Honey be warm enough in her coat? And Angel returned with small talk of her own.
But every now and then she couldn’t resist glancing at Cal. He was wearing a black cashmere military-style coat with the collar turned up, and looked so handsome. She couldn’t deny the old pull of desire she felt for him. But this had to stop. Just as Angel thought she had got away without talking about their kiss, he turned and looked at her and said softly, ‘That was quite some kiss last night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.’
Angel was completely floored. She looked out at theiron-grey sea and pulled her chestnut aviator UGG hat further down over her face, both to keep herself warm against the bitter wind blowing off to the sea and as if to fend off the question.
‘It was a mistake,’ she said quickly. ‘Please don’t talk about it.’ She thought about how devastated Ethan would be if he knew, and felt ashamed. All her reassurances to him that there was nothing more between her and Cal suddenly seemed hollow. She had thought she was immune to Cal now, had spent the last months building up her defences against him, but just seeing him again was destroying them, piece by piece, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable.
Cal shook his head. ‘Nothing that felt that good could be a mistake. But if that’s how you want to play it.’
‘It’s not how I want to
play
it! It’s not some game. I made a mistake. We all make mistakes.’ She paused, colour rushing into her face as she realised what she was saying.
‘Perhaps it’s time you finally forgave me for mine?’ Cal said, an undeniable edge of hope in his voice.
Angel couldn’t believe that they were having this conversation. ‘I’m with Ethan, I told you.’ She made her voice as hard and cold as she could, to try and hide the turmoil she felt, and Cal seemed to realise he wouldn’t be able to get through to her and withdrew once again, making it impossible for Angel to read what he was thinking. He was always so good at that.
Back at her parents’ house it was the full-on family Christmas experience – champagne, crackers, dinner – where everyone ate too much, except Angel who was too preoccupied with thoughts of Cal. Then the obligatory TV-fest until Gemma and Tony came round in the evening and they played Trivial Pursuit and ate more food. This was exactly how Angel had spent thelast five Christmases with Cal when they were together, and today was such a strange experience because everything was at once the same yet completely different. At one moment during the game, Cal received a phone call and went out of the room to take it which immediately put Angel on high alert – who was he speaking to? Was it a
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