Chapter Text
“Are you sure you packed enough clean underwear?” Najia Khan fretted as she followed Yaz around the flat.
“Mum!” Yaz said exasperatedly. “Yes, I have enough clean underwear. I am capable of packing for a holiday, you know.”
“I know, darling. It’s just a mother’s job to worry,” Najia said as she started walking to the kitchen. “Now here, have a snack for the train ride.”
Yaz sighed. She knew her mother meant well, even if she was a bit overbearing at times. She took the banana her mother offered, nodding gratefully. “Thanks, Mum.”
“Finally leaving?” Yaz’s sister Sonya asked snarkily as she walked into the kitchen. “Thought you’d never get out of here.”
“Whatever, no mark,” Yaz said, rolling her eyes affectionately. “You know you’ll miss me.”
“Yeah, totally. Sure I can’t have your room while you’re gone?”
“Absolutely not,” Yaz said cheerily.
“Lame,” Sonya grumbled. “Not like you’ll be using it for the next six weeks.”
“Did you figure out where you’re staying, love?” Najia asked Yaz curiously.
“Yeah. Some little place called Blue Box Bed and Breakfast. Had some nice reviews, not too expensive,” Yaz said, her excitement growing as she spoke. “Looks really cute. Should be a nice place to stay. Seems small, so hopefully not too much holiday traffic there.”
“And you’re absolutely sure you’ve got everything you need?”
“Yes, Mum,” Yaz sighed. She looked at the clock. “Better go so I can catch the train.”
“Alright. Be safe, Yasmin,” Najia said, giving her daughter a hug.
Yaz looked at Sonya, who was furiously typing away on her phone. When Najia cleared her throat, she looked up. “Later, loser.”
With a smirk, Yaz reached over and ruffled her sister’s hair.
“Hey!” Sonya screeched.
“Later, loser,” Yaz mimicked as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. As soon as she reached it, the door swung open to reveal her dad in the doorway.
“Made it just in time!” Hakim said happily. “Couldn’t let my Yasmin leave without a proper hug.”
Yaz smiled as she returned his hug. “Bye, Dad.”
“Stay safe, beti. We’ll see you in the new year!” Hakim gave her one last hug before Yaz finally was able to leave the flat.
As soon as she stepped outside, she inhaled deeply. Six weeks ahead of her with no work to think of; six weeks to enjoy some time away from her family. She loved them, she did, but she was itching to have some space to herself. She was ready to simply enjoy whatever the small town she was heading to offered her.
A short cab ride later, she arrived at the train station and got settled into her seat, pulling out her well-loved copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. She quickly lost herself in the book, barely aware of the passage of time as the train sped on.
By the time she looked back up again, the train was fast approaching the small town she was visiting. She saw rolling hills in the distance, and hoped it would snow so she could get some sledding in. Cute little shops with colorful awnings dotted the main street, and people of all ages were walking around the plaza.
As she disembarked from the train, Yaz took in a deep breath, relishing the way the fresh countryside air felt in her lungs. Maybe she was being dramatic, but she swore she could feel something magical in the air—like something amazing was waiting for her in this town.
With a grin on her face, she checked her GPS and started walking towards the address provided to her when she booked her room.
After a few minutes, she came to a quaint little cottage, where a sign reading Blue Box B&B hung above the door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door and found herself in a half-decorated lobby, where a blonde woman was teetering on a ladder trying to hang up some lights.
“Careful!” Yaz cried out as she ran to the woman, abandoning her luggage.
The woman yelped as she lost her balance, falling into Yaz’s arms. For a moment, Yaz wasn’t sure if she’d be able to keep her own balance, but she managed to stay standing while holding the woman. She looked down, finding herself immediately entranced by widened hazel eyes that looked back up at her.
“Hello,” she breathed.
The woman swallowed. “Hiya.”
For a moment, they just stared at each other, and Yaz felt her heart starting to pound. Her eyes darted around the woman’s face, taking in her sharp jawline, the laugh lines around her eyes, the way her lip was just a bit wonky–
She only realized she had been staring at the woman’s mouth when her lips started to move.
“My knight in shining armour,” the woman said breathlessly. “Think I’m good to stand now, though.”
“Right! Yes. Sorry,” Yaz said, feeling herself blush as she set the woman down, brushing her hands on her pants nervously.
“I’m Jamie,” the blonde said, smiling brightly at Yaz. “You here for a room?”
Her smile was disarming; suddenly Yaz could barely remember how to speak. “Um, yes. Yep. Booked one for a few weeks. Yasmin. Yasmin Khan. Yaz, to my friends.”
She stunned herself for a moment, unsure why she had offered her nickname to this woman she had known for all of five minutes.
“Well then, Yaz–I’m calling you Yaz, cause we’re friends now–allow me to assist you,” the woman said grandly as she started walking to the front desk. “My name’s Jamie, by the way.”
“Jamie,” Yaz murmured the name, enjoying how it felt coming out of her mouth. “You alright? Didn’t realize hanging up lights were so dangerous.”
Jamie scrunched her nose. “Weren’t supposed to be. Just lost me balance, is all. I’m usually much better at hanging lights, really.”
Yaz raised an eyebrow teasingly. “Sure thing, Jamie.”
“Oi! I’ll have you know, Yaz, I am a champion light hanger. Just you wait till this place is finished. It’ll blow your mind.”
“Can’t wait,” Yaz said with a smile. Her eyes met Jamie’s, and she felt a strange flutter in her stomach. She felt her face warm as they looked at each other from across the desk, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the other woman’s gaze faltering to her mouth.
“Well, helloooooo there,” a woman with wildly curly hair bounded up beside Jamie, looking between the two women. “Am I interrupting something here?”
“No,” they both said at the same time, provoking a raised eyebrow from the other woman.
“Right,” Bill said, her tone clear she didn’t believe them for a second. Yaz looked at Jamie, feeling her cheeks darken.
“This is Bill,” Jamie said as she gestured to the other woman, her face pink. “She helps out around here. When she’s not driving me up a wall, that is.”
“You love me and you know it,” Bill replied cheekily. “Anyway, I know my shift starts now, but I’m sure you’d love to finish up with this lovely guest here first.”
“I–” Jamie started, glancing furtively at Yaz.
“Jamie’s a real good tour guide,” Bill ignored the blonde. “Both of this place and the town. Just so you know. I’m sure she’d love to show you around.”
“Right, thanks, that’s enough now,” Jamie said hurriedly as she started moving to grab Yaz’s forgotten bags. “Here, Yaz, let’s get you to your room.”
“See ya, Yaz!” Bill said cheerily as they walked past the front desk.
After they had gotten out of earshot, Jamie let out a sigh. “Sorry ‘bout that. Bill is…quite the character. Likes to mess around with me alot.”
“S’alright,” Yaz said with a small smile. “She seems fun.”
“That’s one word for it,” Jamie muttered. Shaking her head, she flashed Yaz a bright smile. “Anyway! Wanna see your new home for the next few weeks?”
Yaz nodded, and Jamie eagerly skipped down the rest of the hallway. Yaz followed with a smile, wondering where on earth this woman got all her energy from.
“Room number 13!” Jamie announced as she walked up to a dark blue door at the end of the hall. “This one’s my favorite. One of our fancier rooms, but don’t worry. Mate’s rates for you, Yaz.” Jamie’s smile made Yaz’s heart flutter.
Yaz stepped into the room, taking in her surroundings. Fairy lights in the shape of stars were strung all along the ceiling, and the bed was covered in a duvet with a galaxy design. The walls were a deep blue, just like the door.
“Have a thing for space?” Yaz asked with a grin as she turned to Jamie.
“Always wanted to visit the stars, me,” Jamie said wistfully. “Travel amongst them. See what else is out there. Must be loads to see.”
“Me too,” Yaz admitted. “Although I wouldn’t want to do it alone.”
She wasn’t sure why she had said it, nor why her breath caught in her throat as she met Jamie’s eyes.
“Wanna come pick out a Christmas tree with me?” Jamie said, the words practically tumbling out of her mouth. At Yaz’s confused expression, she started rambling. “I thought it might be cute to have one in the lobby, and set out a craft table where guests can make their own ornaments for the tree. And I’m terrible at picking things out, me. Making a decision? Having to choose only one thing? It’s just cruel. And what if I miss something important? You seem like you have a good eye for detail. I think you’d be an ace tree-chooser. But I know you’ve just gotten here and aren’t even settled–oh, I shouldn’t even have asked. Sorry. I’ll just let you get sorted and–”
“Jamie,” Yaz interrupted. Jamie’s mouth closed in an almost comical way as she stared wide-eyed at Yaz. “I’d love to help pick out a tree. Just give me a few minutes to shower and change?”
Jamie’s face lit up as she grinned. “Course! Oh, this is gonna be fun. Tree-picking with Yaz! Amazin’!” She headed to the door, turning back to smile at Yaz again. “Meet you out in the lobby?”
“Sure,” Yaz grinned back, watching as the blonde gently shut the door on her way out. What was it about her that made Yaz feel so fuzzy? She’d never felt so at ease with someone she’d just met before.
Shaking her head, she quickly took a shower and put on one of her favorite jumpers. Remembering how chilly her walk over was, she layered on another jacket and left her hair down, covering her ears.
When she walked out into the lobby, Jamie was talking to Bill in hushed tones, furiously waving her hands about. Bill noticed her approach first, a smirk appearing on her face. Jamie whipped around, her eyes widening as she stared at Yaz.
“Hiya,” Yaz said softly, giving her a little wave as she walked towards them. She gestured to her outfit. “This alright for tree-picking?”
“It’s good. Great, I mean! You look fantastic, Yaz,” Jamie said, tripping over her words. Yaz felt herself blushing again.
“Have fun, you two,” Bill said sweetly. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She winked at Yaz.
“And we’re off,” Jamie said quickly, shooting Bill a glare. “Try not to let this place burn to the ground while I’m out.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Bill said with a grin before turning her attention to some paperwork.
“So, Yaz,” Jamie said, starting to walk outside to what Yaz presumed was her car—a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle. Yaz nearly let out a laugh—it seemed so very Jamie, even judging from the short amount of time she’d known the woman. “What brings you to our little town?”
Yaz let them both get into the car before answering. “Well…guess I just needed a change of scenery for a bit. Had a bit of an incident at work, so they gave me six weeks off, and I couldn’t stay at home with me family the whole time. Would have gone insane.” She laughed. “Did a bit of research and found you. Your place, I mean. Didn’t go looking for you specifically, obviously.” Yaz felt her cheeks darken.
Jamie smiled at her. “Well. Must say, glad you did find me. Dunno what I would have done if you hadn’t been there to catch me today.”
Yaz smiled back at her. “Anytime.”
***
“Yaz, look at this one! It’s so tall!” Jamie said excitedly as she bounded ahead into the tree farm.
“Jamie, I don’t think that will fit through your front doors,” Yaz laughed.
Jamie’s nose scrunched. “Yeah, probably right. Oh! Look at this one!”
Yaz watched as the blonde raced from tree to tree, looking like a kid in a candy store. She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face; Jamie’s complete joy radiated from her like sunshine, and Yaz was powerless to do anything other than bask in it.
“What do you think, Yaz?” Jamie skidded to a stop next to her. “See anything you like?”
Yaz looked at the blonde, at the way her hazel eyes were sparkling, at the way her smile lit up her face.
Yeah, I do.
The thought took her by surprise, and she nearly choked on air.
“Yaz? You alright?” Jamie put a hand on her shoulder worriedly.
“Yep! Good! Fine,” Yaz managed to get out. “I think we should go with this one.” She pointed to a tree a couple inches taller than the blonde herself.
“Oh, that one’s ace,” Jamie said, taking in the tree. “Wait here; I’ll go get the person who works here. Guard our tree with your life, Yaz,” she said seriously.
“I will defend it to the death,” Yaz said solemnly before grinning as she watched the blonde run off.
Jamie was a whirlwind of energy, that much was for certain. And something about her seemed so familiar, somehow . She’d only spent a few hours with the blonde, and already Yaz felt like she’d known her all her life.
After a few minutes, Jamie returned, a worker following behind.
“This the one?” they gestured to the tree Yaz was guarding.
“Yep!” Jamie did a little hop that Yaz found quite adorable. “Yaz picked it out.”
The worker looked between them, a knowing smile spreading across their face.
“Ah. I see,” they said simply, not elaborating any further. Yaz felt her heart skip a beat, although she wasn’t quite sure why.
“You’re in luck today,” they continued. “We had a delivery scheduled for this afternoon, but the person rescheduled. So we can go ahead and take this tree to your place now, if you’d like.”
“Oh, that’d be ace,” Jamie grinned. “It’s going to the Blue Box Bed & Breakfast. We’ll meet you there?”
“Sure thing,” the worker replied. “I’ll just go get everything sorted, and it should be there within the hour.”
Jamie turned to Yaz, beaming. “Ready, Yaz? We’ve got some ornaments to make.”
“Ready,” Yaz said with a grin.
***
“Yaz, can you pass that green glitter over?”
Yaz immediately reached for the glitter, looking at Jamie’s already sparkling ornament as she handed it over. “ More glitter?” she asked teasingly.
“Gotta have all the colors, Yaz,” Jamie said solemnly. “This is a very fancy snowman. How’s yours coming along?”
Yaz held up her gingerbread man. “I think it’s going rather nicely.”
Jamie nodded. “It’s perfect.”
Yaz gave her a shy smile. “Thanks,” she said softly.
They worked in companionable silence for a minute, until Yaz held up her completed ornament. “All finished,” she said proudly.
“Perfect timing,” Jamie said excitedly, hopping out of her chair. “I’m done too!”
She ran over to the newly installed tree, skidding to a stop when she got there. She paused, turning to Yaz. “Care to do the honors of putting the first ornament on the tree?”
Yaz felt warmth flood through her at the blonde’s offer. “I’d love to.” She walked up near Jamie, placing her ornament on the tree. She turned, not realizing how close she was to Jamie. Her breath caught in her throat; the blonde’s face was mere inches away from her own. She saw the blonde’s tongue dart out, her eyes dropping to Yaz’s lips, and suddenly Yaz couldn’t manage to breathe at all.
“Oi, lovebirds,” Bill’s voice startled Yaz; both she and Jamie jumped back. She saw Jamie’s cheeks pinken, and knew her own were doing the same. “Shift change, Jamie. I got a hot date to get to.”
“We’re not—I’m—” Jamie started. Bill ignored her, grabbing her coat and walking towards the door.
Jamie watched as she left before turning her attention back to Yaz, a rueful smile on her face. “Sorry about that. Again.”
“It’s fine,” Yaz said, still feeling a little breathless. She nodded towards the front desk. “Guess you’d better get back to work, huh?”
“Oh. Yes. Right you are, Yasmin Khan,” Jamie said brightly. “But maybe I’ll see you soon? Bill was right, you know. I do make a pretty good tour guide, if you ever want someone to show you around.”
Yaz smiled. “I’d like that.”
As Yaz went back to her room, she threw herself onto the bed, grinning like an idiot.
She had a feeling the next few weeks would change her life.