James returns with a tray, setting it on the table. “Who’s for coffee?”
Richard shudders. “Not for me James.”
“You can share mine,” offers Mitch, reaching for her teapot.
Richard scowls at the peppermint-scented steam.
James pours into a cup and saucer then offers it up. “Ryan?”
“Thank you, yes.” Ryan sips at the coffee then freezes, staring at the tablecloth. “Fuck me. Is this what he drinks?”
“’fraid so.”
He glares. “You could have warned me. It’s like fucking refrigerator coolant.”
Across the table, Mitch looks up to the mistletoe above the hearth. “Larry?”
“Yes?” He looks in the right general direction, but nothing registers in his expression.
Clueless…
She casts eyes upward again, this time definitely eye-pointing.
He shuffles in his seat. “Mitch, this isn't really...”
Mitch stands, placing herself squarely under the mistletoe, pats her lips with a forefinger. “I'm going to insist.”
Larry’s mouth works and a flush rises up his neck…
Way outside his comfort zone…
… nonetheless, he stands, loops an arm around the lovely woman and kisses her lightly on the lips…
on like a limpet and pulls
he surrenders to the inevitable, and opens his mouth over hers in a real kiss. His
Rhett and Scarlet…
They had nothing.
them,
table, I slip fingers into his. “It’s something special they have,
nods slowly. He’s holding something in his other hand, turning it
misheard him.
In his outstretched hand is the ring from Mitch’s cracker. “I’ll get you a real one, but for
I swallow hard.
please take it.” He offers the ring to
fallen. Every face is staring my
get
I… think about
presses the ring into my palm,
cheerful. Gratefully, I turn to him. “Kirstie, what would you like?” He holds
*****
you, Charlotte?” He speaks cheerfully, but it sounds forced. “I don’t see any new jewellery. I don’t smell
I don’t think…” But she’s cut short by Michael’s grin. Her
soon. Charlotte, if you would like to release your
Her forehead crinkles.
of us, Babe. Go put
widen.
woollens, scarf and gloves and
“But Cara…”
her arms. “I’ll take her,” she says. She grins too, impishly. “It will
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I would prefer
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!