Christmas shoppers laden with bags and brightly-colored gift boxes filled the coffee shop, their excited chattering and laughter making the whole scene one of happiness and eager anticipation.

Saffron surveyed them over her cup of tea, sipping as she checked her watch.

Where was Tony? They'd set up this shopping date well over two weeks ago and…

Saff mentally corrected herself; it wasn't a date. It was a trip. A shopping trip.

Just then, a gaggle of teenagers at a nearby table looked towards Saffron and began laughing and pointing. Right at her.

She flushed red with a mix of anger, odd embarrassment and hurt. Apparently, she'd done or was doing something they found hilarious. The situation set her off and she thought of how she'd confront them.

Then she saw the prettiest girl in the bunch stick out her tongue and make a silly face while waggling her fingers as she hitched her thumbs in her ears. The others in her group coughed and laughed, spitting up their drinks at her bold cheekiness.

Now Saffron had the sense that something else was afoot. Something not necessarily involving her at all.

Turning around, Saff was startled to see Tony pressed up against the glass fronting the shop, Father Christmas hat on his head. The teenagers were howling with laughter, enjoying the show Tony had been putting on. His face was contorted into a grotesque grin, eyes rolled back, tongue lolling out. Now Saffron understood that this had been going on right behind her for minutes and she'd been totally oblivious.

She shot Tony a mild scowl through the window and, still plastered against the plate glass, he winked back at her, his face going from grotesque to grinning in no time flat.

As he made his way inside, Saffron snickered at the whole thing. But she forced herself to put on a stern face when Tony got close enough to see her.

"Cheer up, girl! Father Christmas is coming!"

Saff's expression remained stony and humorless. She cut her eyes at Tony, taking another sip of her tea.

"Looks like his deranged son is already here," she sniped, trying her best to keep a straight face.

"Saffy! Come on, now… Where's your sense of 'umor?"

Still no change in her countenance. Tony looked uncomfortable, shifting in his seat. Whenever Saffron fixed him with such a glare, he felt like she was staring right through to his soul.

Then, unable to keep up the ruse, she burst out laughing, a bright smile breaking through the false front. She could put on a show herself, she wanted him to know. Tony returned the teasing scowl she'd shot him earlier.

"Don't ever play poker, Saffy," Tony cautioned. "You'll lose your shirt."

"I'd have thought that would work to my advantage," Saff teased, knowing she was treading on dangerous double entendre ground. And yet she was totally loving every minute of it.

Tony raised an eyebrow at her. But he didn't rise to the bait. For whatever reason, that bothered Saffron.

"Goin' to snag a coffee," he said instead. "Want anything?"

"No," she told him, the jovial mood of the moment apparently now just a memory. She suddenly felt unaccountably crestfallen. She'd given him an opening a mile wide for one of his usual stingers and… nothing.

Checking her watch, she noticed that it was nearly time for the two of them to head over to the department store so they could meet the youngsters from the local children's home. The yearly shopping trip with the children seeking permanent homes was a highlight for the Social Outreach office and Saffron always marked it on her calendar far in advance, excited to spend an evening picking out toys with the kids or taking them to see Father Christmas so they could tell him everything they hoped to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

This year, she'd asked Tony if he might like to come along. He'd eagerly said yes, which left Saffy imagining how the night would possibly play out. She secretly hoped the two of them could do some Christmas shopping of their own — together.

Tony glanced over at her and she pointed to her watch, holding it up to signal him that they needed to leave. He flashed her an "OK" sign with his fingers and, since he was about to place his coffee order, Saff gave him a thumbs-up in response.

As Saffron gathered her purse and tidied up the table where she'd been waiting, the pretty girl capable of utterly crazy faces came over to her.

"Miss?" she said politely, getting Saff's attention with a little touch on the arm, "I hope I didn't weird you out just now. I couldn't help myself but have a bit of fun with your man. He's a cute one, he is. I wish my guy would show a bit of cheek when we're out and about. Well done! You're so lucky! Enjoy shopping. And Merry Christmas!"

"Thank you," Saffy told her, grinning a bit sheepishly at the thought of Tony being "her man." In a confidential tone, she told the girl, "I certainly am lucky. Merry Christmas to you, too."

Returning the girl's effervescent smile, Saffron studied Tony as he settled up at the counter. He already had the cashier and the line of customers behind him in stitches over something.

Well done, indeed.

Tony quickly rejoined Saff and his teenage fan blushed, giggled and hid her face from him.

"Not so brave now, eh, Young Miss?" Tony joked, pointing a jestful finger of accusation at her.

The girl laughed and Tony high-fived her when he and Saff started for the exit. Saffron marveled at how he was so comfortable with people — with complete strangers, even.

Tony's openness and good-natured humor were qualities Saffron wished she had but, try as she might, she was never totally able to let herself be anything but politely reserved around those she didn't know or wasn't close to. And, truth be told, she was still ever-so-slightly standoffish with the people closest to her. Except for Gran and her Dad. With them, she could laugh and joke easily.

That sense of comfort had come naturally to her, after a while, with Jack all those years ago.

Now she was finding that Tony had the knack for bringing it out whenever they were together. They enjoyed each other's company, which was a fine thing. When she wasn't with Tony, she missed him. And when she was with him, she hated the thought of having to leave him.

Falling in love with him, which was what, deep down, she knew was happening, was truly magnificent.

But it also meant being vulnerable. And that scared her.