Christmas At The Café. Rebecca Raisin
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу Christmas At The Café - Rebecca Raisin страница 34
Название: Christmas At The Café
Автор: Rebecca Raisin
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
isbn: 9781474048491
isbn:
“We made it. Go on, see if you like it.”
I take my time unwrapping the egg, which is not like me at all but I figure if Charlie, a seven-year-old, can be delicate, I can certainly try.
Once the foil is off I see a smattering of letters embossed into the chocolate. “What does it say?” I peer closer.
They stand silently.
And then I see it. I feel my cheeks color, and I do the silly jump-clap dance again.
The teeny, tiny words spell: Will you marry me?
“Yes!” I scream and collapse into Damon’s arms. Charlie looks up, her smile dazzling as I pull her into the hug.
Damon’s face shines as he says, “Open the egg.”
I go to smash the egg in my palm as I normally do, when he grabs my hand to stop me. “Maybe just bite the top off first.”
Why can’t I be ladylike, just once? I take a small bite and the shell crumbles. Amidst the chocolate rubble lies an antique-looking diamond ring. It’s so feminine, and delicate I immediately love it. He reaches for the ring, and slides it on my finger. I hold my breath, hoping it’s not too small; he inches it over my knuckle — a perfect fit. In fact, it looks as if it’s always been there. I can’t help grinning at my finger, which I’m sure looks downright silly.
“I knew the very moment I met you, I was going to marry you,” Damon says softly.
I bite my lip as I think of all the things that spun through my mind when I first clapped eyes on Damon, and, if I’m honest, I thought he was as delectable as one of CeeCee’s pies, but wouldn’t have thought of telling a soul. “Is this why you’ve been leaving the house before daybreak?”
“Surely was. I had to enlist CeeCee’s help to make the egg, and then there was the matter of getting her approval on the right ring…”
Charlie toddles off to help herself to a snack. With one last look at the ring, I put my hands in Damon’s back jean pockets and pull him close. “I thought it was my bed hair that had you running scared in the mornings.”
“There’s not one thing I don’t love about you, Lil. Not even the way you choke over the coffee I make you in the mornings…”
“Oh, you noticed that?”
He throws his head back and laughs. “It’s like you’re forcing yourself to down a cup of poison.”
I feel myself color and I laugh. “OK, so I can go back to instant coffee now.” Damon’s coffee machine is like his other child; I didn’t have the heart to tell him how bad it tastes to me.
He nods. “I can’t wait to tell the world you said yes.”
“I can’t wait either.”
He leans down and kisses me, and I feel as though my life has just begun. I was only practising before. This is the real deal. We stand back gawping at each other, mirroring the same goofy look.
CeeCee pokes her head through the door. “Is there a Mrs Guthrie here?” she asks, pretending to be someone else. And that’s when I lose it. I’m a laughing, sobbing, shrieking mess of happiness.
I flick the bedside light off, and tiptoe from Charlie’s room. Back in our room, Damon’s propped up in bed reading a book.
“Hey,” he says, smiling. He closes the book and pats the bed. “You sure you’re OK reading to Charlie every night?”
I creep under the covers next to him, and slide up against his warm body. “I’m sure. How can I refuse those big blue eyes of hers?”
He laughs. “I know that feeling. But maybe we’ll take it in turns. Don’t want your wolf voice to burn out.”
“Oh, you heard? She said I had to sound gruffer, and more snarly when the wolf speaks.”
“Wait until you read the dinosaur one. She’ll make you act out their roars.”
We lay back on the pillows, facing each other. “I think I better get Sarah to order me some princess books, pronto.”
“Mmm.” Damon traces my lips with a finger. “Lil, do you believe in soulmates?”
I think back to when I met Damon at Christmas time. I had the strangest sensation, as if we already knew each other, and that he’d come back to Ashford just for me. “Do you?” I ask, not willing to be the first to say it.
“I didn’t before I met you. I know this is going to sound corny, but I get this whole body-melt sensation when I’m near you. It’s not just how pretty you are, or your gorgeous curves, or your goofiness, it’s something more than all of that combined. Like there’s an energy around you that pulls me in your orbit. It’s the strongest feeling, like my soul recognizes yours. Gosh, that sounds stupid.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Before a blubber-fest happens I cup his face, close my eyes, and kiss him as if we’re the last people on earth.
***
After the excitement of the weekend, there’s not much that can steal the smile from my lips. I tell Cee I have to run errands, so I can nip off to the bank, and withdraw the money for Joel. With my savings and the weekend takings I have almost six thousand. I’ll apply for the credit card, and do whatever I can to pay him and get his noxious presence out of my life.
Picking up my handbag, I see my engagement ring sparkling under the light. Excitement sweeps me over every time I think of marrying Damon. We stayed up late discussing what kind of wedding we’d like and both agree on something simple. I may even wear gloop, just that once.
I say goodbye to CeeCee and walk outside. It’s just after nine, and people mill lazily about on the streets. Everyone is probably pooped after yesterday’s celebrations. Funny how my weariness has been replaced with wonderment.
The bank is quiet as I walk to a teller.
“Hey,” Alyssa greets me. “We were just talking about you.”
“Oh, yeah? Good or bad?” I joke as I reach for my bank card.
“I was raving to Marlene here about the pie CeeCee brought in. She said it was a secret recipe…”
“A secret recipe? You must have had the orange-kissed strawberry and rhubarb pie, then. Tastes as good as summer holiday.”
“It surely does. Didn’t last too long, I can tell you.”
“They never do when it’s one of CeeCee’s.”
Alyssa smiles. “What’s going on with Cee? Is she moving or something?”
“No, why do СКАЧАТЬ