#*for abbi

“…And since there’s no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” you sing in chorus with the rest of the Storybrooke choir.

“Thank you,” you hear Ruby say next to you as another resident of the town slips a few coins into the collection bucket she was holding. She turns to you and smiles; you know she is trying to tell you again what a brilliant idea of yours this was. You grin back at her.

“…It doesn't show signs of stopping, and I've bought some corn for popping…” you continue, swaying to the tune. A few more people add to the donations, no doubt intimidated by Granny’s disapproving glare that they had not done so yet.

“…The lights are turned way down low, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”

“Dad, look! Carol Singers!” You can’t help but smile. You love kids and to know you have brought them joy just by singing a few songs warms your heart. You glance over to the entrance to the café where you heard the young girl speak.

“…When we finally kiss good-”

You stop mid-lyric. You hadn’t meant to, but your brain had completely ceased to function. Your mouth was open wide as you gazed at the man the child was tugging the sleeve of. He was absolutely stunning. Dark, dishevelled hair with unbelievable blue eyes, they looked even brighter because his eyelashes were so black. Was he wearing eyeliner? It looked good either way. You watched as he slipped of the dark blue trench coat to reveal a black shirt and waistcoat combination and black skinny jeans. Your heart leapt into your mouth.

“Beth!” Ruby nudged you with her elbow and you jump, joining in with the singing and trying not to blush.

“…The fire is slowly dying, and, my dear, we're still good-bying…”

She looks between you and the place that you were staring and catches sight of the man that caught your fancy. She makes an ‘o’ shape with her mouth and gives you a knowing look. You try to ignore it.

“…But as long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”

As everyone in the choir shuffle their pages to find the next song, you included, you hear the girl speak up again.

“They’re really good aren’t they dad?”

“Yes they are.”

Oh wow, you think, even his voice is sexy. You try and sneak another glance at him, but then turn away immediately when you notice that he is looking directly at you.

“Mum would have loved it.”

“Yeah, she would have.” The way he had said it makes you think that the mother had died or was at least out of the picture. He sounded sad, but like it was an old wound that had, perhaps not healed, but mended as best as it could leaving only a small mark behind, like a scar on the heart. Your affection for him grows. “Hot chocolate and whipped cream?” you hear him ask his daughter brightly, maybe a little forced but he clearly wanted to make his daughter happy.

“Don’t forget the marshmallows!”

“Oh,” he says, mockingly shocked, “how could I forget the marshmallows?!”

You smile, the girl was after your own heart in the hot drinks department, but you could not hot-guy-watch any longer, Granny was tapping her conductor stick and indicating that the next song was about to start.

Two songs later and Granny announced it was time for a break. Thankful, you and Ruby claim a booth with the comfy chairs by the wall. You take a seat and Ruby immediately hunches over the table in a conspiratorial way.

“His name,” she says in a hushed tone, “is Jefferson.” She looks very pleased with this information but you are a little confused.

“Who?” you ask.

“The guy you have been staring at since he came through the door. Don’t deny it,” she says quickly when you open your mouth to protest, “he actually made you stop singing, it was like a rom com moment.” You bury your face in your hands.

“I didn’t mean to, I was just…” you cannot find the words to finish the sentence. “He is gorgeous.” Ruby tilts her head to the side amused but sympathetic.

“I don’t know him that well, just seen him around. As far as I can tell he seems nice. He idolises his daughter and the mother isn’t around, and no girlfriend that I’ve ever seen,” she adds encouragingly.

“Oh shut up,” you say with a groan. There was no way in hell you could approach someone that beautiful, and you didn’t want to talk about it anymore. You smooth down the skirt of the dress you are wearing. Everyone in the choir was wearing the same thing – a red dress with white cotton trim. It was not your idea, but apparently normal clothes were not Christmassy enough.

“What can I get you?” says a waitress that has approached your table.

“Bailey’s with ice please,” says Ruby, “and let me guess,” she looks at you with a grin, “hot chocolate with whipped cream?” You nod with a smile and the waitress jots it down on her notepad.

“Don’t forget the marshmallows,” you say quickly before the waitress disappears. At the same time you feel a sharp pain in your leg where Ruby had just kicked you in the shin. But before you had the chance to make any kind of response, you hear a familiar and incredibly sexy voice coming from where the waitress had just been.

“Ah, a girl after my own heart. You can’t have hot chocolate and whipped cream without marshmallows.”

You look up and your heart skips a beat. The gorgeous man, Jefferson as Ruby had informed you, was smiling shyly at you. Being stunned by his good looking-ness made it very difficult to smile, but you did your best to look as charming as possible. His grin widens and he does not speak for a moment, but then he seems to snap out of whatever trance he was in and indicate his daughter who was attached to his right hand.

“Sorry to interrupt your conversation but Grace wanted to give you a donation.”

“Oh well thank you,” Ruby replies when she sees that you cannot physically speak, and picks up the bucket she had put down beside her so that it was within Grace’s reach. She slips in a folded £20 note.

“Oh that’s so generous, thank you,” you say without thinking, and then you blush when you realise how rude it is to know how much people are giving to charity. Jefferson doesn’t seem to notice this though, as he positively beams at you. A thousand butterflies wake inside your stomach.

“That’s okay,” he says, “you were amazing.”

“Thank you,” you duck your head, embarrassed. “I’m Beth and this is Ruby.” You indicate to yourself and then your friend, who he gives a quick nod to. It is then that you realise he has barely looked at Ruby during this whole conversation, which is unusual because it is usually her that gets all the men’s attention.

“I’m Jefferson and this is my daughter Grace.”

“Hello Grace,” you say as the drinks that you and Ruby ordered arrive. You offer her a marshmallow and she accepts.

“You’re really good at singing,” she says as she chews, “me and dad love carol singing.”

“Well that’s good,” you say, and out of the corner of your eye you notice Jefferson looking pleased that you are engaging with his daughter, “because we will be singing again soon, if you want to stay.”

“Of course we do,” Jefferson says, and you scream internally.

“Do you like singing carols Grace?” Ruby asks the girl, and she nods enthusiastically.

“We used to sing loads every Christmas before mum died.” So she had died, you were right, you think to yourself. “Dad would play piano and he would let me play some of the high bits.” The thought of Jefferson playing the piano was far too appealing so you took a sip of your hot chocolate to take your mind off it. It didn’t really work. “Hey dad!” Grace says suddenly, a thought popping into her head. “Why don’t you sing that song you would always do with mum?”

“I’ll do it with you on Christmas day if you like,” he says, kissing the top of her head. The adorableness of it all just makes you want to snog his face off.

“No, no, no, not with me, I don’t know the words. And I want to hear it now!”

Her father looked horrified.

“Erm, I don’t think so Gracey. I’m sure no one here wants to hear my stupid singing and I have no one to sing it with-”

“Nonsense,” Ruby snaps, putting her hand up so that Jefferson stops talking. “Everyone here has come for the concert, they will just assume you are part of the choir. What song is it?”

“Baby it’s cold outside,” he mumbles into his chest. You bite your lip, could he be any more perfect?

“I don’t know that song very well,” Ruby says and you frown to yourself because you know full well from all the karaoke nights you’ve been to with her that she knows the lyrics to that song like the back of her hand. “But Beth knows it inside out, you could do it with her!”

“What?!” There it was. Of course Ruby had some sort of alternative agenda. It was a stupid idea, what did she think, that you were going to fall in love over a song? You aren’t living in a musical!

“Yes! Yes! Go on please!” Grace presses her hands together in a pleading way and shakes them at you.

“I… er…” You look up at Jefferson. He was giving you the most irresistible puppy dog eyes you had ever seen. It was not fair, how could you say no to that? “Only if you want to,” you say at last.

“I can’t say no to my daughter,” he shrugs, but you suspect he is secretly pleased. Giving in, you get up from your seat.

“I hate you,” you say quietly so that only Ruby can hear, but she ignores you.

You follow Jefferson to the centre of the café where the choir had stood not long before. He gives you an awkward smile which you return before you hear an unmistakeable voice bellowing across the café.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Ruby shouts, “Granny’s presents Beth and Jefferson.” The intimate audience claps politely. With your heart hammering against your rib cage, you take a deep breath and dive.

“I really can't stay.”

“Baby it's cold outside.” You did your best to concentrate on your singing, but wow this guy’s voice was good.

“I've got to go away.”

“Baby it's cold outside.”

“This evening has been,”

“Been hoping that you'd drop in.” He placed his hand to his chest, he was really performing this song!

“So very nice,”

“I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice.” He took your hand and a part of your brain was telling you to take him there and then, but the other half of you was saying that if he was going to act along then so were you.

“My mother will start to worry.” You pulled your hand away and turned sideways away from him.

“Beautiful, what's your hurry?”

“My father will be pacing the floor.” 

“Listen to the fireplace roar.”

“So really I'd better scurry.”

“Beautiful, please don't hurry.” He came up right behind you and gently rested his hand on your arm.

“Maybe just a half a drink more.” He leads you to a stool which you sit on.

“Put some records on while I pour.” He hands you your hot chocolate drink.

“The neighbours might think.”

“Baby, it's bad out there.” He walks round you in a circle as he sings his lines to you.

“Say, what's in this drink?” You playfully inspect the cup and then place it on the counter.

“No cabs to be had out there.” He gestures in the direction of the door.

“I wish I knew how,”

“Your eyes are like starlight now.”

“To break this spell.”

“I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell.”

“I ought to say no, no, no.”

“Mind if I move in closer?” He takes a stool nearby and sits beside you, rubbing his shoulder against yours. Your heartbeat increases.

“At least I'm gonna say that I tried.”

“What's the sense in hurting my pride?” He places his hand on his heart.

“I really can't stay.” You get up and go to walk away, but he catches you by the wrist and pulls you back so that you end up sitting on his lap. After you kill Ruby for doing this to you, you decide to kiss her for doing this to you.

“Baby don't hold out.”

“Ah, but it's cold outside,” you sing together. Your voices sound amazing as they harmonise together. You would not believe you had not sung together before. Your faces are incredibly close and your lips are itching for you to close the gap.

“I've got to go home.” You jump up and he follows.

“Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there.”

“Say, lend me your coat.” You indicate the trench coat you saw him come in wearing and he picks it up and drapes it round your shoulders. It smells amazing.

“It's up to your knees out there.”

“You've really been grand.”

“Your eyes are like starlight now.”

“But don't you see?”

“How can you do this thing to me?”

“There's bound to be talk tomorrow.”

“Think of my life long sorrow.”

“At least there will be plenty implied.”

“If you caught pneumonia and died.”

“I really can't stay.”

“Get over that hold out.” He takes you by the hand and spins round with you as you sing the last line together.

“Ah, but it's cold outside. Oh, baby it's cold outside. Oh, baby it's cold outside!”

As the song ends, the small audience in the café get on their feet and applaud with vigour. A few cheers and wolf whistles, no doubt coming from Ruby, could also be heard.

But you do not hear it. You are still gazing into each other’s eyes, still in the dance hold position that you had ended the song in.

“You were amazing,” Jefferson says to you.

“I was nothing compared to you, you were incredible! You should join the choir, we’d love to have you.”

“I don’t think I would suit the costumes.” He indicates the red dress you are wearing and you pull a face, but smile all the same.

Granny is calling all the members of the choir back for the second half of the show and unwillingly you step back.

“I should probably…”

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” You stand awkwardly looking at your feet. When a few seconds past you decide he is not going to say anything more.

“Bye,” you say and disappointed you turn away and walk towards the choir.

“No, wait!” A hand wraps around your wrist, the same one that had done so during the duet, and you turn to see Jefferson biting his lip and pulling you back.

“Yes?” you ask hopefully.

“Look, I don’t suppose, I mean you don’t have to, at some point you might like to do this again? I don’t mean duet in front of a load of people, I just mean get together? Just the two of us. Like a date.” You try and resist the urge to look smug.

“I’d love to.” Jefferson gives a sigh of relief.

“Great, great.” He nods to himself. “Good. Okay then.” Guessing he needed a hand, you nudge him in the right direction.

“Are you free tomorrow at six? I hear Granny’s burgers are the talk of the town.”

“Um, yeah, yes.” He sounded so nervous; you wonder if this was the first time he had asked a girl out after the death of his wife.

“Perfect. Tomorrow at six then.”

You smile at each other, both looking shy and embarrassed all of a sudden, and then, to your surprise and pleasure, he leans forward and pecks you on the cheek. You are frozen momentarily as he gives you another nervous smile, wondering if he has crossed the line. You stroke the spot he kissed you absentmindedly, before a surge of adrenalin pulses through your veins and you decide to take a risk. You step forward and press your lips to his. It is only a quick and gentle peck, but the moment there is contact fireworks explode in more than one part of your body. His lips are so soft and he smells like aftershave. You can taste the hot chocolate you both have been drinking.

You pull away and bite your lip as you smile at his beautifully stunned face. You flirtily look down and then up again before finally turning to join the rest of the choir.

Ruby takes hold of you immediately her eyes and mouth wide.

“What was that?!” she exclaims.

“I just kissed Jefferson,” you reply proudly but slightly breathless. “Did all that really just happen?”

“You’re mad,” she laughs, handing you the music sheet of the next song. You grin.