The Twelve Dates of Christmas

People confused nostalgia with love and end up getting divorces or having affairs and all sorts. No, I think if you haven't kept in touch for twenty years there's probably a good reason.

A bigger pool doesn't necessarily mean a better swim.

He brings out your sparkle,” said Mac. “That’s not sparkle,” Kate corrected. “It’s rage-glitter.

A man is like an optional extra; you should only take one on when it is beneficial to do so. It's like refraining from the fourth plate at the all-you-can-eat curry buffet. Just because it's there, doesn't mean you have to have it.

I don’t want to waste any more time, Kate,’ said Matt. ‘We’ve wasted enough already. I love you. And you bloody well love me too, I know you do. So, stop being such a stubborn arse and—’ Kate leaned over and kissed the words right out of his mouth.

Just for a moment she let herself imagine: This is what it would be like to be loved by Matt. Another voice in her head whispered a warning: Stop it, Kate, this path isn’t for you.

Life’s too short to not tell the people who matter that you love them.

You prickle when someone tries to pay you a compliment, but you equally prickle when someone understates your worth. Spiky.

You're spikey. You prickle when someone tries to pay you a compliment, but you equally prickle when someone understates your worth. Spikey." -Matt

Because sharing your life with someone will always mean compromise.

Do you think this is the first time some bloke’s pushed his luck with me?” Kate asked. “I’m a woman, Matt. Ask any woman you like; every one of us has had practice in dealing with unwanted sexual advances or expectations.

On the fifth date of Shagmas my true love gave to me, One gay man dancing, One date of drinking, One fireman skating, One vegan weeping And a no-show outside the Pear Tree!

Kate could no longer deny that she loved him. As impossible and implausible as that love might be, it was love and there was nothing to be done about it.

And whal abou’ you?” asked Oliver. “Why are you always the brisemaid and never the brise?” “Because I’m picky,” said Kate. “And spiky! Like a cactus!

The scarlet women are always the most alluring!

There is only a hairsbreadth between adoration and animosity and when the gap closes it is rarely pretty.

All was silent but for the sound of the lovers breathing and the beating of their two hearts made whole.

And here is where I want to be, with you.

Home wasn’t her house, or this tiny village. Home was inside of her, in her heart, where Matt lived.

Kate sighed. No matter how much distance she put between herself and Matt, the roots of that pear tree would always be tugging at her soul, pulling her back to him.

She’d kissed a lot of boys since then. Hell, she’d kissed a lot of boys this month. But still, nothing ever quite matched that first stolen kiss behind the pear tree.

her? She found herself haunted by ghosts of a life that could have been.

because that’s what people in love do: they protect the hearts of those they love, even if that love will never be returned.

And Kate could no longer deny that she loved him. As impossible and implausible as that love might be, it was love and there was nothing to be done about it.

But here, next to him in the warm dark, she felt suddenly and inexplicably self-conscious, as if her body language might divulge a secret she’d fought to keep even from herself.

Despite herself, Kate’s heart leapt at the sight of him. She told herself she was just pleased to see a friendly face after her disastrous date but the ache of longing in her chest was becoming harder to ignore.

Memories of kissing Matt at another point in her history burst behind her eyes and her heart hammered as though it wanted to be heard.

But all she kept hearing in her head were the words, it’s time to move forward. What did he mean? Was he trying to tell her something? Was it code for, I’m going to propose to Sarah? And why did she care?