The Christmas That Changed Everything by Faye Acheampong

Author:Faye Acheampong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-08-15T15:37:42+00:00

* * *

Naomi scrutinised her reflection in the staff toilet mirror for what she promised herself would be the final time as she screwed the lid back on her lip gloss tube. The carefully drawn eyeliner and quick coat of mascara on her lashes would have to do.

Stuffing her make-up back into its compact bag, she cursed the jittery nervousness bubbling and fizzing in her stomach.

It’s a mild karaoke night with the team. Will just happens to be tagging along. No biggie.

‘In theory, a day spent behind one of the cashier tills is ten times scarier than the night ahead,’ she rationalised out loud.

The twenty-something woman in the reflective glass didn’t look wholly convinced.

‘The night that won’t officially start until you get your behind out of here and on the train to the bar.’

Naomi could practically hear Shavell sing-songing in her head.

Shavell would probably already be tipsy on pre-drinks if she were present. Unfortunately, Naomi was lacking in any liquid courage. She was also lacking in any cute clothing. The sensible pair of jeans and trainers she travelled to and from work in didn’t exactly scream ‘fun and flirty and ready to party’.

‘You’re fine. You look fine!’

She tried to hype herself up, admiring how her hoop nose ring glinted whenever she tilted her head. Briefly, she reminisced about the day Shavell had helped her shave all her hair off. In the wake of The Big Chop, Naomi had been left rocking short-cropped, natural curls that accentuated her facial features.

‘You’re a fine babe.’

Enough said.

Ready to face the music, Naomi exited the toilet, making sure to lock the room behind her with the manager’s key.

She’d expected to come out to an empty staff room, so seeing Will hovering by her locker was a pleasant surprise.

Gosh, I really, really hope he didn’t hear me talking to myself.

Obviously hearing the decelerating taps of her footsteps, he speedily whipped around to greet her perturbed expression.

‘I thought I told you to go ahead with the others...’

Those instructions had been given so that she could close the shop by herself. She didn’t want to cause any more delay to the after-hours festivities that the emporium employees were so eager to start.

Will shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and shrugged. ‘What can I say? I’m a man of routine. I don’t take kindly to change.’

The end-of-day procedure had sort of become their thing.

‘I see,’ Naomi muttered softly, grabbing her own coat from where it was laid over the arm of one of the sofas and putting it on.

Despite the addition of another layer of clothing, Will seemed to be tracking her movements so closely that she was beginning to feel as if she was wearing nothing at all. Her pulse skipped. The cotton material of her plain white long-sleeved T-shirt and the denim of her jeans suddenly felt irritating against her skin.

‘Not gonna lie... I missed having to save you from the toys tonight.’

That earned her another smile from him. Naomi was losing count of

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