One Kiss Before Christmas: The perfect heartwarming holiday romance to curl up with in 2020 Read online

  To you, the reader.

  Thank you so much for choosing my story. I hope it brings you some warmth and hope and happiness.

  One Kiss Before Christmas

  Emma Jackson

  Contents

  Dedication

  Title Page

  Chapter One Sunday 1st December

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six Monday 2nd December

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine Tuesday 3rd December

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven Wednesday 4th December

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen Thursday 5th December

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen Friday 6th December

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen Saturday 7th December

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen Sunday 8th December

  Chapter Twenty Monday 9th December

  Chapter Twenty-One Tuesday 10th December

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three Wednesday 11th December

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven Thursday 12th December

  Chapter Twenty-Eight Friday 13th December

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One Saturday 14th December

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three Sunday 15th December

  Chapter Thirty-Four Monday 16th December

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six Tuesday 17th December

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight Wednesday 18th December

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty Thursday 19th December

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two Friday 20th December

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Epilogue One Week Later

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Sunday 1st December

  Ashleigh – The Baxters’ Christmas Farm

  ‘I forgot about the bells,’ Ashleigh muttered as she pulled a thick green woollen sock over the top of her bright red leggings and the motion was accompanied by a delicate jingle.

  ‘Sorry?’ The other young woman in the staff changing room was trying to squeeze her large rucksack into one of the little lockers but ceased ramming her elbow into it at the sound of Ash’s voice.

  ‘Oh, just these interactive socks. They make me feel like a kitten whose dreams of hunting are being thwarted.’ She yanked on the other sock fast to minimise the sound effects.

  The woman’s eyebrows knit together over her big brown eyes as she looked at Ashleigh’s feet. ‘The socks have bells in them?’

  ‘Yep.’ Ashleigh lifted her leg up on the bench shoehorned into the middle of the small room and tugged at the doubled-over hem at the top of the sock. ‘They sew them in here.’ She let it twang back against her leg. It wasn’t a bad design – even if the rest of the one-size-fits-all costume was no better than what you’d expect from a primary school nativity. At least it meant the elves could still wear their boots and the bells wouldn’t dig into their ankles. If Ash hadn’t been able to wear her favourite pair of Doctor Martens this whole gig would have been intolerable. She needed their comfort and warmth to survive being outdoors for eight hours a day in December.

  ‘You’ve worked here before?’ The woman finally locked her bag away and turned to contemplate her own pile of elf attire, neatly folded on the end of the bench.

  ‘This will be my fourth year.’ The minute she said it, Ash realised she hadn’t needed to admit that. She didn’t know what made her always blurt out the unvarnished truth to whoever happened to ask her a question. She could’ve kicked herself – but that would have only made her jingle.

  ‘You’ll be an expert then. Head Elf.’

  Ash tightened the laces on her boots with a swift tug and knotted them before standing up. ‘No Head Elf. It’s the Big FC and his missus who call all the shots.’

  The other woman opened her mouth as though unsure whether Ash was joking or not and then seemed to think better of saying anything and continued getting dressed. Ash hadn’t actually been kidding her; the Baxters, the couple who owned the farm, took the title roles each year and thoroughly enjoyed it. They were lovely people, if a little Christmas-obsessed, and always called Ashleigh as soon as they began recruiting. She never had the heart to say no to them…and never had anything better to do, embarrassingly.

  As Ash headed for the door she had to hike her baggy leggings back up as they started the inevitable descent down her hips. Every year. It was a wonder no small children had been traumatised in an impromptu mooning incident.

  ‘Would you mind waiting for me?’ the woman called out behind her. ‘I got a map when I signed in but it’s in my bag somewhere. You’ll know where we need to go for the induction right, since this isn’t your first time?’

  Ashleigh stifled a sigh. And that was the reason a simple ‘yes’ would have been a better answer when asked if she’d worked here before. She didn’t want her new co-workers turning to her for advice about every little thing. Once the doors were officially opened and the families started flooding in, she’d have to repeat herself enough with explanations of when the sleigh rides were scheduled and where the toilets were; she didn’t need it from the other elves too.

  ‘Sure,’ she called back, because however much she didn’t want to babysit anyone, she wasn’t going to be a jerk.

  She stepped out of the meagre heat of the changing room into the chill winter air. The men’s changing room was in an identical porta-cabin opposite in the small clearing, which was surrounded by evergreen trees. The pine scent was heavy and the voices of the builders who were putting the final touches to the visitor buildings were muffled beneath the occasional sound of hammering and drills. These staffrooms were tucked away in the middle of the Christmas exhibit, hidden from view so that no kids could accidentally spot an elf wearing contemporary – well-fitting – clothes.

  A jingle behind her gave away the fact that Ash’s newbie elf colleague was exiting the changing room.

  ‘Thanks for waiting. I’m a bit nervous about this if I’m honest,’ she rambled as Ash led her down the path, past Santa’s cabin and onto the dirt track the sleigh would travel down every half hour. ‘I thought it would be a fun way to make a bit of extra money for Christmas, but this place is a lot bigger than I expected.’

  ‘Every year it grows a bit more and they put in a new attraction. The first Christmas I worked here, there wasn’t much more than the grotto, toy workshop and the gingerbread decorating.’ They reached the pick-up point, where the families would queue with their tickets for the sleigh ride, and Ash led the way through to the main thoroughfare. ‘The owners love seeing the kids getting all excited…and I expect it makes a killing.’

  The kids’ faces really were a picture as they set off on their trips to see Santa. Once the decorating was complete it would be lovely; with fairy lights twinkling against the thick green pine needles.

  Ash didn’t hate this job – despite the poor clothing and freezing cold – it w
as just a reminder that another year had passed and she was still unsure of what she should really be doing.

  Lining the hill were wooden huts of varying sizes for games, food and souvenirs, and set further back at intervals were the entrances to larger marquee areas. All of it would be festooned with fake snow soon. At the bottom was the puppet theatre where the ‘welcome’ part of the induction day would take place. Low, rough-hewn wooden benches faced a small stage, and already half a dozen elves were seated, facing the woman at the front who was wearing a business suit and welly boots, while clutching a clipboard.

  They slid onto their own bench and within an hour of the woman explaining about the health and safety training in the afternoon, the rotas and various jobs, the script rehearsals and clean-up procedures, there were glazed-over eyes and blue noses everywhere.

  ‘When the farm is open for visitors, you’ll get a token each day to redeem at the food huts during your lunch break, so you’ll get a good hot meal to keep you going. For the time being, you can pop into the café at the farm shop and grab something.’

  The young woman sitting next to Ashleigh raised her hand. ‘Will there be vegan options available?’

  ‘Erm…I expect so. We cater for all sorts of visitors. Perhaps best to bring along sandwiches for the first day in case.’

  The hand went up again. ‘But if there isn’t and I have to bring a lunch every day will that lunch money be redeemed to me?’

  ‘Oh. I…am not sure.’ The woman pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at her clipboard as though the answer would appear there.

  ‘It doesn’t seem fair otherwise.’

  A young man behind them coughed into his hand ‘princess’. Ash heard a titter of giggles from the two girls sat either side of him. She turned to look at them. How old were they, twelve?

  The young man – really he was barely older than a boy – gave her what she assumed was meant to be a winning smile. He wasn’t bad-looking but he was obviously an idiot. Probably Mr Popular at the drama school. Yawn. But then why was she surprised she was surrounded by students? No real grown-up would seriously be pretending to be an elf in order to pay their bills.

  She lifted her eyebrows a little and turned back, leaning towards the young vegan woman. ‘They always make sure there are options for vegetarians, so hopefully that covers vegans too.’

  Her bench mate nodded her head vigorously and smiled gratefully. Her curly brown hair made her elf hat look like it was going to pop off her head at any second.

  ‘Okay.’ The manager at the front, gave a decisive nod. ‘Thank you. I’ll look into it and let you know by the end of the day. Now, if you could each come up to the front, I’ll check how your costumes fit and give you the lunch token for the café. You’ll have one hour and then we’ll be meeting up in the cinema tent for the health and safety training.’

  One by one the people on the front benches went over to the stage and stood like scarecrows, while the woman tugged at their outfits and scribbled notes down. Mainly she nodded, like it was good enough.

  ‘Mine’s really baggy,’ Ash told her when it was her turn.

  ‘Oh yes, I see. Perhaps a smaller size,’ the woman said, as she tugged at the shoulder of the tunic, trying to right it.

  ‘It won’t be long enough if I have a smaller size,’ Ash pointed out. ‘It’s okay, I can alter it myself.’

  ‘Erm…I’m not sure that’s allowed.’

  ‘I’m very good with a needle. I have to be. Clothes rarely fit me properly.’ As soon as Ash hit puberty and it was clear that she was going to be “blessed” with being tall and slim, her nan had pragmatically set to work, teaching her how to use a sewing machine.

  ‘Well…’ The woman was still reluctant. What did she think? Ash was going to add a spangled belt and some shoulder pads? There was no rescuing this outfit and making it look good, the least it could do is fit. ‘No. I’ll get you the smaller size and we’ll see how you do in that.’

  Ash barely stifled her sigh. Perhaps this was her punishment for jumping in and giving a better answer to the other elf’s question?

  She tucked her hands under her arms as she left the puppet theatre and walked back up the hill again. The vegan girl fell into step beside her, hurrying a little to keep up with Ash’s long stride. ‘Thanks for backing me up there,’ she said breathlessly over the top of their jingling socks.

  ‘It’s okay.’ Ash lifted one shoulder but didn’t slow down. ‘It was a fair question.’

  ‘Some of the others didn’t seem to think so.’

  ‘Well, they look like they’re straight out of drama school or still studying. They have to reinforce their cliques somehow.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose. I’m not from drama school, I’m doing a degree in marine biology. What about you?’

  Ash turned left at the top of the hill, the exit in sight and her car, with its heater, just past that. ‘Oh. I did go to drama school. Years ago.’

  ‘How old are you then?’

  ‘Shouldn’t we exchange names before ages?’

  ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, you just look so young but act so grown up, I was curious – never know when to zip my lips. Terrible social skills.’ She laughed. ‘I’m Selina.’

  Ashleigh had to smile at that. She was hardly any better herself. She paused as they got to the unmanned gift shop, chock full of decorations and cuddly toys and sweets. ‘I’m Ash.’

  ‘Would you like to go the café together?’ Selina’s smile looked a little wobbly and Ash was torn.

  ‘I actually brought my lunch. Left it in my car to remind me to go get some petrol for the drive home.’

  ‘Oh. Okay. Maybe another day then?’

  ‘Maybe.’ Ash nodded and left Selina to cross the gravelly parking lot to her car. She wasn’t here to make friends. They were going to be working with each other for barely two months and then they’d all be off in different directions, like all the jobs Ash had. She’d learnt a while ago that the friendships were just a comfort blanket while people were in the job. As soon as they left, they forgot all about keeping contact the way they always said they would. Ash would prefer to be straight from the start and not waste any of her time off the job with pointless social engagements to ‘get to know each other’.

  She climbed inside her little car and started the engine up, sitting with it idling for a few minutes while she got some feeling back in her fingers. She didn’t really want to go and grab some petrol. She was starving and wearing an elf costume. She could probably make it home after the health and safety training bit and then go out to the supermarket in the evening. No doubt her nan would want her to get a few bits and pieces of shopping anyway.

  Her mobile phone started ringing and she grabbed it from the glove box. ‘Mum’ lit up on the screen, with the photo she’d assigned to her mother, a rare one of them together, taken a few of years ago, the last time Ash had visited her in LA. They were on the beach, holding cocktails and wearing big sun hats and smiling. It had been taken by her mother’s boyfriend at the time. He’d said they could be sisters and her mum had giggled and said no, or at least only because Ash was looking so tired from her jet lag. Thanks, Mum. She’d have picked another photo of her mother on her own, but they were all ridiculous poses, like she couldn’t just be normal in front of a camera now she was a television star.

  ‘Hi, Mum,’ Ash said, just getting to the call before it switched to voicemail.

  ‘Ashleigh, my love, I didn’t think you were going to answer.’

  ‘I’ve only just started my lunch break.’

  ‘Oh, what’s the job?’

  Her mum knew. Ash had told her a month ago. ‘You know, the hospitality gig at the Baxters’ farm. The same one I do every Christmas.’

  ‘Oh, that’s right.’ Her mother’s laughter pealed down the phone at her. ‘So sweet. You dress up as an elf don’t you? Do they give you little prosthetic ears? Send me a photo, please. I can show the rest of the cast. I bet they’d find it adorable – you know
how they go gaga for Christmas over here.’

  ‘No way. I’m not putting this out there on a digital record.’

  ‘It’s just a part. You’re paying your dues, sweetness. All actors have these embarrassing stories tucked away. Perfect to make you seem more relatable once you become famous.’

  Ash caught a glimpse of her face in her wing mirror. Her mouth was screwed up tight like a toddler being threatened with a spoonful of peas. She blinked and made a conscious effort to unclench.

  That was something Ash hadn’t told her mother. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but at some point over the last couple of years Ash had realised she had no desire to keep chasing acting jobs. But why tell her mother when she couldn’t say what she wanted to do instead? She was unqualified and directionless. Her mum would either dismiss it as a wobble or…well, Ash wasn’t sure how she would take it. Probably as an insult to her own choices – she had an amazing knack of making everything about her.

  ‘Regardless, it’s still a “no” to the photograph. You can see me in my full glory when you come over.’ Ash attempted to change the subject.

  ‘You’ll certainly be the most festive thing in that house. I don’t know how you can stand it, unless she’s indoctrinated you into her Scrooge-like ways.’

  ‘She’ being Nan and ‘that house’, the house her mother had grown up in. The house where she’d dumped Ash, aged eleven, before she went to LA.

  ‘Did you see my big scene with Hugo? It should have aired this week for you,’ she continued without leaving a space for Ash to respond.

  So, she wasn’t going to say any more about the fact she was supposed to be visiting for Christmas? Ash willed herself not to read too much into it. Her mum had said she’d be coming over in less than two weeks once her part of filming in the soap opera she starred in wrapped up for the year but as yet hadn’t made any noises about which flight she’d booked.

  ‘No. I haven’t had a chance yet,’ Ash admitted. ‘Nan’s recorded it though. I’ll catch up with it this weekend probably.’

  ‘Probably? Ashleigh, what’s the matter? Does my performance bore you? Have you noticed something lacking recently? You used to follow my storylines like an absolute fanatic.’