“Meaning…” Ru paused. “They want anyone they can get – all hands on deck. I swear half of the college students here have all been roped in.” That made sense, the whole crew here had seemed strung out. But he sighed. Sighed?! I snorted. Hard life was it, being paid to travel round the country and meet celebs?

“I’m sorry. Can we talk again about how you hate your job?” The best I could get near me was working in a garden centre.

“It has its moments.” Ru smiled. “Running into you might be one of them.”

Erm.

What?

Was he being creepy? Or friendly?

I could be flattered, if my red-flag radar wasn’t sent to “high” and flashing, and I wasn’t imagining what his “better half” would say if they could hear and what was that ringing in my ears? Oh yes, my Jingle Lady alarm.

Time to make things clear.

“Yeah, it’s nice to see friends.” I picked at some icing on the biscuit, not able to look him in the eye as I said it. But after what Grace had been through I wasn’t just going to sit there quietly. “In fact, it’s a shame you missed my bestie, Grace.”

“I would have liked that.” Ru didn’t seem fazed. Good. “Is Simon here too then?”

“Eurgh, him!” I took an angry bite of Lebkuchen. “No. They split up. We caught him cheating on her. THE ABSOLUTE IDIOT.”

Ru looked genuinely shocked.

“But I thought they were super tight?”

“So did everyone.” I paused. “Well, except Simon.” But I didn’t want Ru feeling sorry for Grace – Grace was too good for that. “But she’s doing great. Way better without him. In fact, now we’re officially Jingle Ladies.” I shimmied my shoulders. “Staying single together.” Yes, it was cheesy but I wanted him to know Grace didn’t need a someone – a Simon – to enjoy Christmas. And nor did I.

“Just checking.” Ru looked over his shoulder. “Can you legally say that on the set of a romcom?”

“Well I did. And I am. Cos when your best mate asks, you say yes, right?”

“For sure. Especially if her ex was such a fool.”

I liked that Ru was #TeamGrace, but this all seemed a bit much coming from him. Even as friends, I couldn’t help but wonder if his girlfriend would mind him giving his number out to me like he did? Messaging me? Maybe it was all the sugar, or being a Jingle Lady, but I decided to find out.

“So, hypothetically, if you had a girlfriend, would you think it was OK to give your number out to other girls?”

He shook his head. “Hypothetically, and actually, no. Never.” He paused. “Although I’ve been single for so long, I can hardly remember.”

Single?!

“Single as in…?!” Mouth! You did not have the authority to say that!

“Single as in … like a Jingle Lady, I guess? Just with less” – he shook his shoulders like I had – “hashtag sleigh!”

But what about the “Better Half” thing?!

I pictured my phone and how Tess was saved in it as “Fun Sponge”.

Had I got things very wrong? Ru was single? And had given me his number? And I’d rubbed it out?

But if he was single then…

Nope. My brain spun in circles. And when I looked at him, it got worse. Especially as all there was at the end was a flashing big stop sign saying “Jingle Lady”.

Ru looked down, fiddling with his hands, suddenly as awkward as me.

I had to get this conversation back into some non-awkward territory.

“Great. Right. Good to know, just as, you know, a good fact for a friend to know.” Turns out non-awkward wasn’t one of my skills. “So, erm … cool.” I nodded.

“Cool.” He nodded.

Silence. Awkward silence.

“So, erm…” When in doubt … biscuit! “You want a Lebkuchen?”

As we chewed, I had a serious word with myself.

Molly! Jingle Ladies do not get flustered by single boys!

Not even very cute boys who write funny text messages.

It was just this film set making me be weird.

The fake snow probably had odd chemicals in it.

Ru sniffed the steam coming off my drink. “First these cookies. Now, whatever that drink is…” He sniffed again.

“Gingerbread latte. No coffee. Just oat milk. The. Best.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Has something … happened, Dash? Are you all advent calendars and festive sweaters since we met?” He pretended to gasp. “Wait! Is that why you couldn’t reply? Too busy moving those mini reindeer?”

He’d remembered my story about “our Christmas-obsessed neighbours” (that he had no idea were actually my family), but I rolled my eyes. “Says Mr Pickle tree. Nah. I was just thirsty. And this is tasty. Not festive, really.”

“I stand – well, sit – corrected.” Ru shuffled back on the bench. He looked so different to when I’d first met him. Big black puffy coat, smart trousers, scruffy Converse, but then this perfectly groomed face. Grace would have said a perfectly groomed very handsome face, but that’s not something a Jingle Lady would pick up on. “So you survived the rest of the premiere then?”

“In a way.” I wiped some foam off my nose. “How was the rest of your shift?”

“Well, Elijah threatened to move me on to bathroom cleaning, if that answers your question? Anyway, how’s all the Grotto prep going? Not long now, right?”

I rolled my eyes. “It would be way better if Simon hadn’t cancelled the venue. Honestly, what a wetwipe. And did I say he went to see Sleigh Another Day with another girl on his and Grace’s anniversary?” As I waved my arms about, crumbs flew everywhere. “He’s an emotional robot! Sorry, I think I have undealt-with rage. A lot of undealt-with rage.”

“Let it out, I say.” Ru discreetly brushed the crumbs off his cheek. “And tell Grace I’m sorry.”

“Will do.” Although I’d have to tell her you exist first. “So, are you going to Edinburgh next weekend?” Maybe, just maybe, the two of them could meet?