She kissed him over and over. ‘I know and I should be angry with you for spending so much money on me. But how can I be when it’s just so perfect?’
‘Well, I spoke to Renee and she says we can either stay with her or if we don’t feel comfortable doing that she’ll book us into the hotel in Kingston, as her treat.’
She squealed and kissed him again. ‘It’s so wonderful! I love you Greg McBradden.’
*
The days following Christmas were filled with snowy walks in boots and scarves, mulled wine at the pub and lazy evenings of making love in front of the fire at home.
Josie and Brad arrived on December twenty-eighth for the preparations leading up to Hogmanay.
Greg had surreptitiously arranged to go shopping with Brad whilst Mallory and Josie headed off in search of suitable Hogmanay attire.
The girls’ first stop was a little designer boutique which had become Mallory’s favourite shop in Oban. Mallory made a beeline for a silver-grey dress peeping out from one of the rails. It was fitted and had a sweetheart neckline. The fabric had a slight shimmer when the light caught it and Mallory hoped it would suit her curvy frame. She gingerly stepped out of the changing room and Josie gawped at her open-mouthed.
‘Fu—… cra—… Blimey!’ she eventually fought and succeeded in her battle with the expletives. Well it was a rather posh place, after all.
Mallory scrunched her nose up at her stuttering friend. ‘Is that good?’
Josie made a strange snorting noise. ‘Well, put it this way, if I was a lesbian I’d be total in lust with you right now and trying to get you out of it.’
Mallory burst into hysterical laughter at her friend’s rather bizarre comment.
‘Buy it, buy it, buy it! Ooh, ooh and you’ve got to get these silver shoes to go with it!’ Josie grabbed the shoes from the display, much to the chagrin of the boutiques manager whose scrunched expression told that she was disgruntled at the way her display was being manhandled and dismantled.
Josie was right though. The shoes finished off the whole ensemble perfectly and a thrill of excitement travelled Mallory’s spine as she imagined Greg’s reaction to the new outfit.
Josie chose a fitted red dress which only served to reiterate how tiny she was. And as always, she was stunning until she opened her mouth.
The girls were all sorted and decided to get back to the men and find out what they had been up to with their cloak-and-dagger shenanigans. When they arrived back at the cottage, Brad and Greg were nowhere to be seen, so the girls opened a bottle of wine and chatted until the wanderers returned.
As soon as he walked through the door, Greg quickly took bags upstairs and Brad shrugged his shoulders in a ‘Don’t ask ’cause I can’t say anything’ kind of gesture. He grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and joined the girls as they chatted.
*
Hogmanay ~ New Year’s Eve
Greg and Mallory were so pleased to have Josie and Brad to share their first Hogmanay celebration as a couple. They weren’t doing anything too flashy. They had made arrangements to spend the celebrations at the pub. Stella had insisted Mallory spend the evening with her friends and assured her she would manage just fine behind the bar alone. Greg was playing up to just before the countdown to midnight but Mallory hoped she would get to kiss him at the stroke of twelve.
Josie and Mallory were getting ready in the master bedroom whilst their men drank beer together in the lounge. Looking through her jewellery box, Mallory came across the bracelet Sam had given her that first Christmas. She held it in her palm for a moment before placing it back in the box. Someday she would wear it again. Just not today.
Greg and Brad were getting on well. The sound of laughter permeated the floorboards up to where the preening and preparing was taking place and the two friends shared a knowing, happy look.
Mallory slipped on her beautiful silver-grey dress. She was glad Josie had convinced her to buy it, even if her methodology had been unorthodox. Josie squeezed her petite frame into the very sexy fitted red number then they both applied lip gloss and helped each other with their hair.
Once ready they teetered down to the lounge where the guys were waiting. Mallory’s jaw dropped open at the sight of her rugged man looking even sexier than ever in his kilt. Mallory had always liked to see men in kilts, but nothing had prepared her forthisman in one. She caught Greg’s expression and he too was agog at the vision of her in the dress which showed off her figure in the best possible way. They both realised they were staring; both blushed and then burst out laughing.
‘Do I need to get a bucket of water to douse the flames, eh?’ Brad chuckled in his broad Yorkshire twang as he watched the outward display of lust on his friends’ faces. They all laughed together and, after grabbing their coats, headed out for the pub.
Greg shivered. ‘Jeez, it’s nights like these when I wish I was from Eskimo heritage instead of bloody Scottish. Some fur undercrackers would be just the job right now.’ He laughed as he pulled his winter coat tighter around his exposed legs.
Thankfully the pub was a warm haven against the bitter icy chill. The snow had all but gone, but the clear sky meant the bite in the air was a vicious one. They set up by the fireplace with their drinks as the place began to fill up.
Eventually, Greg took his place ready to perform. ‘Evening all!’ he shouted his usual greeting over the PA system and the chatter subsided in readiness.
Ron heckled from somewhere near the back. ‘Hey Greg! What’s worn under your kilt?’
‘Hey, Ron, there’s nothingwornunder my kilt, matey! It’s all in perfect working order, thanks for asking!’ A ruckus of laughter rumbled around the room. Mallory, Josie and Brad were in hysterics and Josie was trying her best not to pee, as she’d so boldly added.
