A gigantic spider was chasing Fran. She went to scream, but nothing came out. She shuddered, then her eyelids sprang open. She blinked, heart racing. Her gaze landed on light grey blinds, then a desk. No spider, but where the hell was she?
Then she remembered. They were in the barn office, after a night of incredible sex. She rubbed her right eye with her hand, then tried to breathe without waking Ruby. Her mouth was open slightly, her head tilted on the pillow, her autumnal-coloured hair splayed down her skin.
Fran had broken her rules, hadn’t she? She’d slept with a singer. She took a breath. She’d do it again, too. Perhaps multiple times. Could she be considering a relationship with a singer? She was a glutton for punishment, wasn’t she?
However, Ruby was not on her books, as Delilah had been. Plus, she was way more sorted than Delilah. Keeping work and personal life separate was a lesson Fran had learned the hard way. Maybe it was fortunate that Ruby had turned her down all those months ago. She believed in fate. Everything happened for a reason.
A phone vibrated nearby. As slowly as she could, Fran leaned over the side of the sofa bed and reached down to her clothes. She had five messages from Damian: that was never good news. They were mostly about Fast Forward. The social media trolling had stepped up a gear. Tenny, in particular, was being targeted because she wasn’t as skinny as the rest of the group.
Fuck this shit. When were people going to get over the fact that pop stars could be whatever they wanted to be, and not purely stick-thin?
But it was the modern world they lived in. Fran would happily go back to the pre-social media days. However, it wasn’t going to happen this week, and Fast Forward needed more help than could be provided on the end of a phone.
Fran moved to get out of bed to give Damian a call. It was only 7.30am, but he was already up and working. However, her progress was stopped by a hand grabbing her waist.
Fran turned, then smiled at a sleepy Ruby. Damn, she was gorgeous. Fran dropped her phone back onto her clothes and gave Ruby her full attention. Damian could wait.
“Good morning to you.” She settled next to Ruby, kissing her lips. Ruby even tasted good in the morning.
“Hey,” Ruby replied, her voice sketchy. “I can’t quite believe we’re waking in my dad’s office after our first date. Hardly glamorous, is it?”
“Yesterday was a date?”
Ruby grinned. “Kinda. Then you turned it into an ambush with your silky sex ways.”
Fran threw her head back and laughed. “I think you gave as good as you got.”
“I have my own skills.”
“I’m well aware.” Fran kissed Ruby’s lips. The temptation to fuck her again was strong, but Fran had business to attend to. Even though she hated that, and knew Ruby would, too.
“Where were you sneaking off to, by the way?”
Fran sighed, then sat up. “I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is I’ve had some urgent messages, and I need to head back to London today. Fast Forward and Damian need me.” She glanced at Ruby. “But it’s a wrench leaving you.”
Ruby furrowed her brow. “Are you going to miss Saturday’s gig?”
Fran shook her head briskly. “No, I’ll get back for that.” At least, she hoped she would if everything went well. But Ruby didn’t need to hear that. Fran took Ruby’s hand in hers. “I wouldn’t miss you being heckled by Audrey for the world.”
Ruby laughed. “Don’t even joke.” She pulled the duvet up her body as she shivered.
Fran jumped up and put her pants back on, followed by her T-shirt. Then she sat back on the bed. With her naked shoulders and tussled hair, Ruby looked every bit the sex goddess. “Don’t you want to know the good news?”
“I’m still reeling from the fact you’re going to fuck me and leave me.”
Fran’s eyes widened. Shit, was that really what Ruby thought?
But then the edges of Ruby’s mouth softened. She got onto her hands and knees and crawled to Fran for a kiss. “That was a joke, by the way.”
Fran gulped. “I can never be sure. I know you think I’m all business first.”
Ruby shook her head. “Not true. I understand you’ve got work to do. I just think you need to make more time for family and friends. And potential new love interests.” She kissed her again.
A naked Ruby kneeling in front of Fran was somewhat distracting. “I totally agree with that.” Fran kissed Ruby’s breasts. “Don’t you want to know the good news?”
“Apart from you kissing my breasts? Hit me.”
Fran brought her head back level with Ruby. “Damian has got another band on-board to support you on Saturday. They’re called Troubadour, and they’re an up-and-coming folk/pop band who love Christmas and are happy to do it for the exposure. Also, they want to visit a Christmas tree farm.” Fran held out her hands and gave Ruby a wide grin. “So only four of the five messages said ‘get the fuck back to London’.”
“That is good news.” Ruby ran a hand through her hair. “Will you still be able to do all the designs for the gig?”
“Absolutely.” Fran picked up Ruby’s hand again. “But can I ask a favour? Can you call in on my parents, just check they’re okay? I know they’re big boys, but they both looked so frail at times this week.”
Ruby squeezed her hand. “Of course. Mum’s been doing it anyway since the accident, but I’ll check on them, too. They’re part of the village now. We look out for each other.”
“I know. Thank you.” Fran licked her lips, before holding up her phone. “I really need to call Damian. Do you mind if I do it here?”
Ruby shook her head. “Go ahead. I’ll pack up the bed and get dressed.” Ruby was true to her word, getting up right away, avoiding any more eye contact.
Yes, it was shit timing, but there was nothing Fran could do about it. She hoped Ruby wasn’t pissed off with her. She would do everything in her power to get back for Ruby’s big gig, but she loved her job, too. No matter how much she’d taken to Mistletoe, London was where her life was. It was where Ruby’s life was, too. How would they cope outside the Mistletoe bubble?
Only time would tell.