‘You gave my parents a music playlist!’ she blurted, turning to glare at him now.
‘Ye-e-s,’ he said slowly, baffled by why that should incense her.
‘I gave them a big pile of designer clothes and they were more impressed with a CD you knocked up in ten minutes.’
He couldn’t help but laugh. ‘It’s not about how much money you spend on a present, you know.’
But his amusement only lasted briefly, draining away when he saw her face fall and hurt spark in her eyes.
‘Apparently the latest fashions in luxury fabrics stand no chance against a few old songs thrown together right before getting into the car.’
‘Actually it was the night before, but who cares,’ he replied, taking a quick step backwards when he saw the look of mock-murderous intent this quip provoked.
‘You’re such a kiss-ass,’ she grumbled, shooting him a wry grin to show she was only kidding around.
He grinned back. ‘I’m just trying to get into their good books. I’m very grateful for them agreeing to let me come here at the last minute.’
‘Well, I think we can safely say you’ve made it in there. My mum’s going to start dropping hints about wanting grandchildren soon, thanks to you.’
‘You don’t want kids?’ he asked.
‘Sure. One day. I guess I’ll think about it once I’ve got a steady partner. I’ve been too busy with my career to give it much thought.’
‘But you’d consider it?’
‘Yeah. If I had a partner who was willing to share the childcare and housekeeping. I wouldn’t want to give up work full-time to look after kids. It just wouldn’t be for me.’
‘Fair enough,’ he said.
There was a tense silence when they just looked at each other. The snow was coming thick and fast now, settling on the ground under their feet so it made a quiet crunching sound as they walked over it in their boots.
‘We should probably head back before we get snowed under,’ she said, clapping her hands together to try and warm them up.
‘Yeah, sure,’ he said, a little disappointed to be going back now. He was really enjoying being with her out in the winter wonderland. They turned towards the house, which was a vision of cosy comfort, its windows glowing with soft, welcoming light.
‘You know, they probably only reacted like that about the presents you gave them because they’d rather have something a bit more personal from you,’ he said, feeling a strong urge to change the subject back to the one that she clearly needed to talk about.
She gave him a confused and slightly irritated frown. ‘What do you mean?’
Holding up his hands, he leaned away from her in an exaggerated manner. ‘Hey, don’t shoot the messenger; I’m just making an observation. Your parents have surrounded themselves with things that mean something to them. There are photos of you and your sister everywhere and what looks like every piece of artwork you’ve ever produced covering all the surfaces in the dining room.’
She shot him a pained smile at this. ‘Yeah, there are some real beauties on public display.’
‘What I mean is, they’re probably not overly concerned with having a big pile of expensive stuff. They like things that speak to them. Things that make them feel.’
He saw her shoulders slump a little.
‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’ She took a shaky-sounding breath, as if steeling herself to say something difficult. ‘I guess I’ve always felt this desperate need to please that stems from my childhood. Violet was very clearly their favourite and I figured out that if I wanted to impress them I had to work really hard and get exceptional grades. Then, after uni, a really good job. So that’s what I did. I worked and worked and worked. I buy them impressive-looking presents to reiterate my success because I’m still trying to make them proud. Ugh!’ She rubbed a hand over her eyes. ‘It all sounds so pathetic when I say it out loud like that.’
‘It’s really not,’ he reassured her. ‘I understand why you’d act like that.’
Her expression looked pained. ‘Perhaps my obsession with status has got a bit out of control now though.’
She came to a stop as they reached the front door to the house and turned her head to peek at him and gauge his reaction.
Twisting his mouth a little, he nodded at her. ‘Yeah. It kind of seems that way.’
She let out a long-suffering sigh. ‘I know I should be grateful for having parents that care about me. But my hang-ups about being second best to my sister are just so ingrained in my psyche now.’
He nodded slowly. ‘Well, they certainly love you and they’re delighted you came today. That’s totally clear.’
‘Thanks for saying that. It means a lot to hear it.’
There was something in her voice that made him look harder at her. She gazed back, her eyes filled with warmth, and his insides did an almighty flip, sending little thrills racing along his nerve endings.
She really was an incredibly attractive woman, as well as one of the kindest, smartest people he’d ever met.
And she got him.
The low winter light played over her refined features and for those few suspended seconds while she gazed at him he imagined what his life would be like with Flora permanently in it.
Her lips parted, as if she was about to say something else, and he leaned forwards, his own lips tingling and parting as the strongest urge to kiss her took hold of him. The look in her eyes flared, as if her pupils had darkened, and he dragged in a stuttered breath, his heart suddenly racing a mile a minute.
Then, most frustratingly, the door swung open to reveal the ever-distracting vision of her sister, dragging them both out of the intensity of the moment and back into the cold reality of the present.
‘Hi, guys,’ Violet said chirpily.
‘Hi,’ Flora answered with a strange wobble in her voice.
Alex cleared his throat, experiencing a sudden need to have a few moments on his own, to get his head round the disconcerting sensations racing around his body right now. ‘I’m just going to nip up to my bedroom and change. I’m going to be too hot in all these layers,’ he said, gesturing to the extra clothes he’d put on for the walk.
‘Okay. I’ll be in the living room,’ Flora said, not looking at him as she pulled off her boots and outdoor wear, then walked off in that direction, her shoulders stiff once again.
When he came back downstairs after taking a few deep breaths to calm his raging pulse, Violet was standing at the bottom of staircase, watching him as he descended.
‘How was your walk?’ she asked, giving him an inquisitive smile.
‘Fresh,’ he said carefully.
His initial attraction to Violet had definitely worn off now. He found her need to be adored and admired tedious. Now it just came across as a glossy but utterly superficial kind of allure, unlike Flora’s subtle beauty that grew on you the more you got to know her.
‘You’ve got snow in your hair,’ she said, reaching up to brush it away with her fingers.
He took a small step back away from her, not wanting to give her any encouragement at all.
‘Oh, look. We seem to be standing right under the mistletoe,’ she said with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
He smiled thinly. ‘Sorry, I only kiss very special people.’
‘Like my sister,’ she said, raising a suggestive eyebrow.
‘I told you, Flora and I are just friends.’
‘Uh-huh,’ she said, sounding entirely unconvinced.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet your husband,’ he said pointedly.
‘Yes, me too.’ Her face fell. ‘Ugh! Why does life have to be so complicated? I’m sure Flora’s told you all about what a hussy I am, stealing her boyfriends. But you have to understand what it was like for me spending m
y whole childhood in the shadow of someone so smart and superb at pretty much everything she did. Yes, maybe I got the looks, but she definitely got the brains. Sometimes Evan looks at me like I’m completely stupid and I know he’s thinking he made a mistake choosing me over my brilliant sister.’
‘That’s not how she sees it,’ Alex pointed out.
Violet let out a loud sigh. ‘No, I know that.’ She gave him a pleading look. ‘I feel awful about hurting her, but I really, truly fell head over heels in love with Evan.’ Her eyes filled with tears now. ‘He’s my entire world. I don’t know what I’ll do without him.’
Alex took pity on her. Clearly she was in a panic about her marriage ending and just needed someone to listen and maybe point her in the right direction. Strangely, it seemed that person was to be him.
‘Look, why don’t you give him a call and ask him to come over and talk? He’s probably sitting alone at home feeling exactly the same way as you. Someone has to be the bigger person and break radio silence, otherwise it’s just going to drag on and get harder and harder to communicate.’
‘You think I should?’ Her voice shook now.
‘Yes. Better do it sooner than later, when he’s already worked his way through half a bottle of Scotch.’ He took a breath. ‘My sister dying so young has really brought home to me that we have to grab our chances when we can. Why waste time not being with the person you love?’
She took a deliberate step backwards, grim determination flashing in her eyes. ‘You’re right. I’m not giving up on this marriage. I’m going to call him and tell him I love him and say that we need to work this out.’
‘Good,’ Alex said, smiling as he saw her square her shoulders and tip up her chin.
But, before turning to go, she leaned in close to him, looking him dead in the eye, and whispered, ‘I don’t believe for a second there’s nothing between you and Flora. I saw the way you were looking at her when I opened the door, and how uptight she gets every time I get within touching distance of you. It’s clear you’re crazy about each other. So let me give you that advice right back. Don’t wait too long and lose her, because my sister is an incredible person and you’d be a fool to let her slip through your fingers.’
And with that parting shot she strode away.
CHAPTER EIGHT
FLORA STEPPED BACK from the living room door, her heart racing and her hands shaking as the conversation she’d just overheard between Alex and her sister raced around her brain.
Alex had refused to kiss Violet.
Now that she thought about it, Vi was the only woman she’d not seen him flirt with, which was surprising coming from a man who flirted with everyone—well, everyone except for her, of course, but then their relationship was complicated. He’d even been charming with her mother when they’d first arrived—but not Vi, even though she’d made a couple of deliberate plays for him.
Alex had to be the only man she’d brought home who had resisted her sister’s charms.
Her thoughts flew back to a few minutes ago when she could have sworn he was about to kiss her, just before Violet had swung the door open and broken the intense moment that had passed between them. Her insides had leapt in confusion and she’d not known quite how to deal with the idea of it. She’d been relieved when Alex excused himself so she could have a moment to get her head together away from his befuddling presence.
And now this had happened and she had no idea what to think about it.
‘Oh, Alex, you’re back.’ Her mother’s voice rang out in the hallway. ‘Perhaps you could play something on the piano now and we’ll have that sing-song,’ she suggested hopefully.
‘Sure. I’d be happy to,’ Flora heard Alex reply.
She quickly stepped back from the door and rushed to sit down on the sofa, her heart racing, not wanting to be found standing there eavesdropping.
Alex strolled in and sat down at the piano, turning to flash her a smile.
‘You don’t mind playing, do you?’ she asked quietly before the others came in.
‘Of course not. It’ll be fun. We’ll sing some Christmas songs—ones that everyone knows,’ he added.
‘Don’t you need the sheet music?’ she asked dubiously.
‘Nope, it’s all up here,’ he said, tapping his head.
‘Okay then.’
Alex began to play ‘White Christmas’ on the piano and she listened as music filled the room, feeling a sudden lift in her mood. It was funny, but music seemed to be having a much more intense effect on her since she’d met Alex.
Her mum came bustling in with a tray of tea and she helped herself to a mug, taking a quick sip to soothe her dry throat before putting it carefully onto the side table.
‘Ooh, Alex, that sounds wonderful!’ her mother cooed, going to stand next to him at the piano.
He turned to give her a smile and she beamed back at him.
‘Thank you,’ Alex said, still playing the tune, only a little more softly now so they could talk.
Her mother sighed. ‘I wish Flora had learned to play the piano too when she was younger but because Violet was learning she steadfastly refused. Sibling rivalry, I don’t know! They used to get on so well when they were little,’ she added sadly.
‘It was demoralising that she was so good at it when I could barely pick out a tune,’ Flora pointed out.
Her mother frowned, her expression clouding with confusion. ‘You would have been a great piano player, I’m sure, darling. You could always do anything you set your mind to.’
The affectionate look of pride she gave her now made Flora’s chest contract, but before she could reply her dad strolled in and parked himself next to her on the sofa, slapping his hands loudly on his thighs.
‘Right then. Are we going to have this sing-song now? I’ve warmed my voice up,’ he said, rubbing his hands together. The next thing she knew he began to sing along with the tune that Alex was playing.
Taking this as a cue, Alex began to play more loudly and joined in with her dad’s rather wonky rendition of ‘White Christmas.’
After a beat her mum joined them and Flora had no option but to sing along too.
At the end they all smiled round at each other and her mother asked, ‘Is Violet not joining us?’
‘She said she needed some time out,’ her father answered, exchanging a meaningful glance with her.
Flora wondered whether they knew about Alex’s suggestion that Vi call Evan.
Before she could ask, Alex began playing ‘Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!’ and she couldn’t help but join in. After that it was ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ followed by ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’
At the end of that one, they all fell about laughing and Flora realised to her absolute astonishment that she was starting to have a really good time at home with her family. And Alex. He was the crux of it, of course.
They took a short break to drink whisky cream, or sweet sherry in her mother’s case, and throw a couple more logs on the fire.
There was a loud knock on the door just as Flora and her mum were arguing about which song to sing next and they heard Violet shout, ‘I’ll get it. It’ll be for me,’ out in the hallway.
Flora saw her mother and father exchange looks of relief and, to her surprise, she found that she was actually pleased that there was a glimmer of hope for her sister and Evan. Being here with her family, and with Alex, had made her realise exactly what she’d been missing whilst away on her own in the States. She was determined to put the whole Evan debacle behind her now. It was definitely time to move on.
They heard the couple’s voices recede as they went upstairs and slammed a bedroom door shut behind them. Then Alex launched back into a variety of carols and popular Christmas songs which they all demanded he play in turn. About an hour after
he’d started playing again, Alex finally got up from the piano stool and came to sit next to her on the sofa.
Francis let out a loud yawn, then waved a hand in apology. ‘All this singing has worn me out. I think I’m going to retire to bed and let you youngsters enjoy the rest of your evening,’ he said.
Diana let out what seemed like a suspiciously fake yawn too. ‘You know, I think I’ll come with you, Francis.’ Bustling over to the sofa, she leaned down to give Flora a tight hug.
‘It’s been so lovely having you here today. I hope you’ll be able to make it back to see us again soon, my darling. You’re always welcome here, you know that, right?’
Flora nodded against her mum’s shoulder. ‘I do. It’s been lovely today.’ She actually meant it for once.
‘Alex,’ her mother said, letting Flora go and enveloping him in a big hug next. ‘It’s been wonderful to have you here for Christmas. Thank you for looking after Flora for us,’ she said, pulling back to look him directly in the eye. ‘I’ve never seen her looking quite so relaxed,’ she mock whispered. She winked, then flashed Flora a cheeky grin.
Flora dug her nails into her palms, but managed a wry smile in return.
‘It’s been lovely, Diana. Thanks again for having me,’ Alex said, grinning, as she drew away from him.
‘Well, goodnight, kids,’ Francis said, backing out of the room with a wave. ‘And Merry Christmas.’
‘Merry Christmas,’ Diana called too as she followed him out. ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’ She paused. ‘No, forget that! Do everything!’ she said, clearly very tiddly now on sweet sherry.
And then they were alone again.
‘Sorry about my mother, the Queen of Subtlety,’ she said, rolling her eyes.
Alex just smiled. ‘She’s great. Both your parents are. I feel really welcome here.’
‘Yeah, they’re okay, I suppose,’ she joked nervously as she suddenly became acutely aware of how close they were sitting in the otherwise empty room. She slapped her hands on her knees awkwardly. ‘Well, that was fun. Thanks so much for all the music. I think my parents really enjoyed it.’
His Mistletoe Proposal Page 11
