a white Christmas.'
'Tell me again later, after I've taken my painkillers.'
'Will do.' A silence, 'Holly?'
'Yeurgh?'
'Tell me your home address. You've been dozing for the last two minutes and we must be getting close.'
'Kay,' she murmured, clocking distantly that she sounded a bit like Jasper. Reciting the address, she let her head fall back against the chair in the cosy darkness, concentrating on not being sick.
Thirty seconds later, or at least that's what it felt like, although her watch said over five minutes had passed, she was back in Noel's arms, cold flakes of snow kissing her face.
He leaned on the doorbell, waiting several moments before pressing his elbow on it again.
She mumbled under her breath.
'What was that?'
'Said you still smell amazing!'
He laughed oddly. 'Pain has a strange effect on you by the look of things. Ah, um, hi!' he exclaimed as the door swung open. Light and noise, including seasonal music, spilled out into the front garden. 'I believe she belongs to you? She hurt her knee at the rink.'
'I ruddy knew it!' An exasperated voice said over her head. 'She never listens to me. She's so bloody stubborn.'
'Muuum,' Holly grimaced, and snuggled closer to Noel and comfort, and away from the fierce warmth emanating from the centrally heated terrace house which was making her feel sicker. 'Please, not now.'
'I can't think where she gets her stubbornness from,' another voice, this one amused, spoke over the top of her mum's.
'Hi, Dad,' her mouth curved.
Loud, rapid-fire barking joined in over the rabble and she waved a floppy hand in the air. 'Hi, Pudding. I love you too, but don't feel well, so please be quiet.'
Immediately the barking stopped.
Noel stood patiently as the large chocolate Labrador came out of the house, circled him and Holly three times, sniffed them both, gave Noel a half approving, half distrustful look then pranced into the house with his moist, dark brown nose in the air.
'He thinks he's a show pony, I swear.' Holly said, burrowing her face further into Noel's coat, making him smile.
'Come in, son,' Holly's dad ushered him into a narrow hallway, while his short, rounded wife made constant clucking sounds with her mouth, concern etched on her face. 'Second door on the right.' He told Noel. ‘I'm Tom, by the way. We'll take her out to the back room, away from this rabble,' he explained as they went past a front room packed with milling people and loaded plates of food and bottles of drink lined up everywhere. 'She'll feel better after some cold water and fresh air. There are patio doors in there. She'll be fine, love,' he said, turning to his fretting wife, 'go and find her tablets.'
Noel caught sight of the dog standing in the doorway to the room Tom had indicated. Hurry up for god's sakes, his big brown eyes seemed to say, we haven't got all night. Noel nodded, readjusting Holly's weight and carrying her into the back room. Then he realised he'd taken instruction from a dog. He must be tired. Or going mad.
Tom was already ahead of them, throwing open the double patio doors so a fresh breeze swept through the room, bringing mini snow flurries in with it.
Noel settled Holly in the middle of one of the sofas facing the doors, with a pang of regret, sorry to have to put her down. She came to a little, when he guided her head down between her knees, complaining about the position hurting her leg.
'I know Holly, but the pain is making you feel sick and dizzy, so it's a good idea to get some blood pumping to your head.'
The Labrador seemed to agree with him, padding over and holding Holly's arm still when she tried to move by gripping the fabric of her sleeve gently between his front teeth.
'Here you go.' Holly's mum bustled in, holding out two sugar-coated tablets and a glass of iced water to Noel.
He stared at her.
'She seems to listen to you, so you can do the honours,' she bossed, dropping the tablets into his hand.
He studied them, then looked at the dog, who was watching him expectantly. Okay then. 'All right. But I'm going to give her a few more minutes like this first.'
Holly's mum nodded and sat down on the edge of the sofa cushion beside her daughter, lifting her long hair off her neck to help cool her down.
'I'm Tina by the way,' she said. 'She always reacts to bad pain like this, ever since she was small.'
'I see. I'm Noel. Pleased to meet you.'
'How do you know our Holly?' she asked, flicking a glance at her husband, who was standing in the open doorway with his face lifted to the falling snow.
Noel fidgeted under Tina's scrutiny, then the dog's, who was next to his knee, practically sat on his feet. Honestly, who'd have thought an animal's face could be so expressive.
'Customer. Friend. I-' he shifted in his seat, 'I'm not sure yet,' he said honestly.
She nodded, looking entirely comfortable with his non-answer.
He cast his eyes around the room, hoping for a change of topic. 'I'm sorry, but can I just ask … what's with all the-?' Pointing at ruined wooden table legs, holes in the arms of the suite, upholstery hanging out, a large chunk of plaster missing from the far wall, like a little dip. 'Did you get burgled or something?'
Tina let out a long, pealing laugh, joined by a deep guffaw from her husband. 'No. That's all Pudding's doing. Labs eat a lot, and some of them eat everything. He's one of those, or he was when he was a puppy. He should know better by now.' She remarked disapprovingly, looking at the dog.
Pudding at least had the grace to look shamefaced, getting up and leaving the room but, Noel noticed, still with a slight air of disdain and a dainty picking up of the front legs.
'Holly.' He turned back to her. 'Holly.' She lifted her head and clear blue eyes met his. 'Feeling a bit better?'
She nodded, 'Leg still hurts like a bugger though.' But normal colour was starting to seep into her face. 'Tablets please,' she said, hand held out.
Within twenty minutes of taking the meds, and sitting quietly whilst sipping the water, Holly was feeling almost human, or so she said. 'I don't feel sick or dizzy any more. My knee is much better,' she assured him, 'a dull throb rather than shrieking agony.'
Her eyes widened when he stood up.
'Good.' He stated, 'Then I should go.'
'Why?' her bottom lip stuck out sexily. Did she want him to stay?
'It's after eleven,' Noel said, 'getting on for midnight.' He started along the hallway and they all followed him, Holly with her arm around her dad's shoulder at her insistence. 'It's almost Christmas.' He continued. 'I can't intrude.'
'You can't go back out in this weather on Christmas Eve after bringing our girl home. Stay with us, have some fun.' Tina grabbed his hand, smiling up at him.
'Come on Noel,' Tom said, 'I think you'll enjoy it. Our way of saying thanks.'
'What kind of fun?'
Holly, standing beside him, looked awkward.
He groaned inside, having reached the front room, overwhelmed by the sheer Christmassyness (was that a word?) of it all, including a pine tree rammed with a clashing assortment of baubles and miles of gold tinsel, shiny foil and paper chains hanging down the walls, a nativity scene, candles lit around the room, letting off the scent of berries. Festive cards were strung across the ceiling on coloured threads, making him feel like he was enmeshed in a giant spider's web. Panic kindled and began to catch fire. His breath twisted in his throat, hands clenching. Could he do this? He wasn't the family Christmas type.
'Christmas themed games?' he asked shakily.
'No!'