Chapter 1

      December was, without a doubt, Natalie Taylor’s favourite month. She didn’t care much for the cold, or the way the London pavements turned so slick and slippery that wearing heels was just as dangerous as taking a dip in the Thames. She wasn’t even a fan of the icy winds or the way the snow stained her favourite boots with hideous white rings she could never cover with leather polish, no matter how many bottles of the stuff she used.

      But the evenings were a different story. Tonight, she’d found the perfect way to kick off the month in style.

      Trudging up the steps, she pulled a piece of paper from her handbag, then reached for the door of her the flat she shared with her best friend. The smell of cinnamon swirls and baked apples filled her nose and her stomach growled. Just another reason she loved her flatmate. The woman had one of the best bakeries in the city and always let Natalie try her new cakes before she sold them in the shop.

      And if the saliva pooling in her mouth was any indication, Rose was switching to her Christmas recipes.

      Once inside she tried to ignore the rising growl in her stomach and ditched her keys in the bowl next to Rose’s. She headed straight for the kitchen, the piece of paper ready to be shoved into her best friend’s face, but froze at the alcove leading to the living room. Rose wasn’t alone, and was feeding what looked like a slab of a cinnamon swirl to her boyfriend of almost a year, Tom.

      ‘Hey Nat, there’s more in the kitchen if you’re hungry,’ Rose said, smiling.