Single (ARC) by K L Slater

Author:K L Slater [Slater, K L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786819277
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Thirty-Five

Harrison, Kane and Romy troop through from the television room.

‘The Simpsons has just finished,’ Harrison says. ‘Can we go outside?’

‘Perfect timing!’ George claps his hands. ‘Who’s up for going in the hot tub?’

‘Me!’ three excited voices chorus.

It’s a bit of an ordeal getting ready for the hot tub. The strap on Romy’s one-piece snaps, but I easily remedy that with a safety pin. Kane, possibly still a bit nervous, decides he doesn’t want to go outside after all and has to be persuaded by the rest of us.

I slip my own swimsuit on and look critically at myself in the full-length mirror in the bedroom. I wish I’d invested in a new one with better support and a flattering cut instead of recycling this old one. I bought it about ten years ago, when I was considerably younger and leaner around the hips; now, the high-cut legs aren’t doing me any favours.

George, however, raises an appreciative eyebrow as I lower myself self-consciously into the tub. The kids are bubbling with excitement, but I feel stiff and uptight as I scan the trees in front of us. The light is already starting to fade.

‘Hey.’

I look over at George.

‘Relax,’ he says. ‘Everything is fine.’

I nod and make a big effort to focus on the children instead of the awful possibility that someone is still out there. I’m yet to see a security officer patrolling around our lodge but I know George will object if I suggest he pays another visit to reception.

There’s an outdoor speaker on the patio, and George has set a jolly Christmas playlist going. ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘Santa Baby’ have us all singing along in no time.

The hot tub does what it says on the box. It’s relaxing, fun and lovely and warm. The kids gasp as all around us tiny fairy lights suddenly spring to life, illuminating the trees and patio. The fake snow glitters on the ground, and the scene is instantly transformed from slightly eerie to wonderfully festive.

George reaches down behind the tub and hands me a glass of mulled wine. As I sink lower in my seat and allow the jets to massage my tense neck and shoulders, I actually start to feel like this might not turn out to be such a bad Christmas after all.

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