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melancholy that she had nobody to share Christmas Eve with – or, indeed, Christmas Day.
    ‘Listen, I’d love to stay and chat. But I’ve loads of things to do,’ she lied, ‘and I’m sure you have too. So anyway … I hope you sell the rest of that stuff as easily as the first lot. Bye, then.’
    ‘Do drop by again, won’t you?’ Dylan said, offering his hand for Emily to shake. ‘I’d like to know the hunters haven’t got to you.’
    ‘What are you talking about?’ Sylvia said, mystified.
    ‘Nothing; it’s a secret,’ Dylan told her.
    Emily’s heart turned over as she placed her hand in his and felt his warm fingers close around hers. The skin on the back of Dylan’s hand felt incredibly soft, covered with a delicious layer of translucent blond hairs.
    ‘Maybe I will drop by sometime,’ Emily said.
    ‘Yes, you’ve got to see how we do this place up,’ he added.
    ‘Drop by any time,’ Sylvia said knowingly.
    Dylan reluctantly let go of Emily’s hand.
    ‘Okay, then. See you soon,’ Emily said as she left.
    ‘Merry Christmas,’ Dylan said.
    ‘Yes, merry Christmas,’ Emily replied.
    Sylvia and Dylan exchanged knowing glances. Sylvia winked at Dylan, and he laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
    Later that evening Emily lay on her sofa, wondering what Sylvia’s little wink had meant. Did every woman who came anywhere near Dylan end up falling hopelessly in love with him? Did Sylvia spend half her life talking Dylan’s ex-girlfriends down off various window sills? Or had Sylvia simply been aware of a little spark of mutual attraction in the air? Emily wasn’t sure. But she sensed they were good people, and that took away some of the niggling fear that Sylvia and Dylan had been laughing at her instead of with her.
    At nine o’clock Emily’s mobile phone rang.
    To her amazement it was Dylan.
    ‘Emily? I hope you don’t mind me calling you on Christmas Eve,’ he said quickly.
    ‘Dylan? Well, no, of course I don’t mind. But how did you find my number?’
    ‘Sylvia found your business card in one of those handbags you donated.’
    ‘I thought I’d emptied them all out.’
    ‘You did; it was in a side pocket.’
    ‘Sorry,’ Emily said, feeling embarrassed and yet hugely pleased at the same time.
    ‘No need to apologize. I was going to ask you for your number today, anyway. But you left the shop so quickly that I didn’t get the chance. I’m calling to ask if you’d like to have a drink with me sometime.’
    ‘Oh, now let me see,’ she said, feeling slightly flustered.
    ‘I mean, obviously, if you’re not already seeing somebody? And if you’re not interested … then I’m sorry for bothering you.’
    ‘No, it’s no bother.’
    ‘It’s just, I thought it would be nice to make some new friends.’
    ‘New friends … yes, that’d be … well, nice.’
    ‘I mean, I’m asking you out on a date. Yes? But if you’d rather not go on a date with me, then maybe we can still be friends – or, at least, acquaintances? I mean, I’d really like to stay in touch with you. If that’s okay?’
    ‘Well, that’d be lovely. I mean, yes … thanks.’
    ‘Why don’t you come to the shop for a coffee?’ Dylan said, detecting a hint of reticence in Emily’s voice. ‘Sylvia can chaperone us. As you can see, she’s a real no-nonsense sort. She won’t put up with any funny business, so I won’t be pouncing on you or anything. Not unless you want me to,’ he added playfully.
    For a moment Emily was terrified. She’d love to go on a date with Dylan. Of course she would. But what would happen if it turned out to be a proper falling-in-love date, and then a proper grown-up relationship? Emily wasn’t sure she was ready for that. Not after Alex had left her standing at the altar the year before. The humiliation of that day was still seared into her soul. Or would she make a fool of herself if it turned out that Dylan only wanted a casual sort of romance? Would she be able to think of a