The Christmas List in Sunny Shore Bay (Sunny Shore Bay Book 6): A merry, heart-warming and festive Christmas tale about friendship, romance and a second chance at love by Payne Imogen

Author:Payne, Imogen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

I brush doggedly through my hair, wondering how on earth it always manages to get so tangled overnight. Perhaps I’m a secret sleepwalker and instead of snuggling up under my duvet, I’m dragging myself through hedges backwards all night long.

The brush tugs on a particularly stubborn knot, but instead of teasing it out, I yank harder, almost scalping myself in the process. I’m for sure taking my nerves out on my poor barnet because today I’m taking on another bucket list task - and this one is a biggie.

‘A tattoo?’ Claire gasped over the phone when I brought it up to her a couple of nights ago. ‘That’s what the next thing on the bucket list is?’

‘Yep. So, want to watch me squirm while they jab me with the needle?’

‘I’ll do more than that, I’ll get one too!’ she declares proudly. ‘That would certainly shock Jerry.’

‘Oh, you don’t have to actually get one with me, Claire. I just wanted the company, you know?’

‘Nonsense! If we’re doing this bucket list thing, we’re doing it properly.’

And that was that. There’s no saying no to Mrs Jenson-Knight, once her mind is set on something, that’s it. I, however, am approaching this with a lot more trepidation, especially now the day has arrived.

I’ve been mulling over what tattoo I should have for the last week now, and I’ve finally made my decision. I’ve chosen a monarch butterfly, symbolic of a new beginning. This whole thing is forcing me to step out of my comfort zone, and I mean literally as well as figuratively. The nearest tattoo parlour is about forty minutes away, a drive into the city. I haven’t left Sunny Shore Bay since I first unpacked my bags three years ago, and now I’m venturing out to a busy city for perhaps the most daring item on the list yet.

But weirdly, I’ve actually started to enjoy taking on the bucket list. It almost feels as though it’s my own, and each thing I cross off fulfils me just as much as I imagine it did Darren when he completed a task.

Just as I’m giving up on my hair and conceding to shove a bobble hat on, Claire phones me.

‘Change of plan,’ she mumbles furtively down the line, as if she doesn’t want anyone to hear her. ‘Can you pick me up from mine?’

I agree and within minutes, I’ve said goodbye to Hettie and I’m out the door, ready for today’s adventure.

Claire must have been watching out for me, because I don’t even have the chance to exit the car and walk up the garden path before she’s hurrying out the front door and clambering into the passenger seat. ‘Hi, sorry about the last minute shake-up.’

‘It’s not a problem.’ I turn the key in the ignition and my faithful old Ford splutters into life. ‘So what happened? I thought Jerry was going to drop you off at mine.’

With a loud groan, she leans back in the seat. ‘He was. But then of course

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