A Mommy for Christmas by Caroline Anderson

Author:Caroline Anderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

That was it?

She didn’t even bother to ask if they had plans, just laid the table and settled them all down like a mother hen with her chicks under her wings while Andrew carved up the loaf, and James felt the lump in his throat growing ever bigger.

‘I don’t like soup,’ Rory told Kate doubtfully, but she just laughed and leant over, her dark head next to his.

‘You’ll like my mother’s Saturday soup. It’s got bacon and beans and all sorts of stuff. Everybody likes Saturday soup,’ she told him confidently, and, sure enough, he did. Not only liked it, he went back for more.

Twice.

So did James, and even Freya had a respectable helping. Then Sue put an apple pie down in the middle of the table, and a steaming jug of custard, and it just got better.

‘So what are you wearing for the wedding party tonight?’ Sue asked Kate as she passed her a bowl, and for a second James thought she was going to drop it. And the look in her eyes was—

‘Oh, damn. I’d forgotten. Is it really tonight?’

‘Yes—oh, Kate, you can’t have forgotten! You bought the present weeks ago.’

‘I know. Um—the red dress, I suppose? It’s sort of Christmassy and dressy enough. Fiddle. I’d really forgotten about it.’

Her mother gave her a keen look. ‘Will you be all right?’ she asked softly, and Kate lifted her shoulders a fraction.

‘I suppose so. I’ll have to be, won’t I? I just—’

‘Hate going alone?’

Her smile was wry. ‘Absolutely.’ And then she turned to James and said, ‘My brother’s brother-in-law is getting married to my ex’s sister. And he’ll be there.’

‘Ouch.’

‘What’s an ex?’

‘A has-been,’ she said to Rory without looking at him.

‘What’s a has-been?’

‘Someone who was a friend a long time ago,’ James said, modifying the truth just a little and watching Kate out of the corner of his eye. ‘Somebody who’s not a friend any more.’

‘Why? Did you do something wrong so he doesn’t like you?’

‘Rory, stop asking questions and eat your apple pie,’ he said, watching Kate carefully, then, before he had time to think about it too much, he said very softly, ‘Would it help if you weren’t alone?’

Her eyes flew to his, and her lips parted in surprise, then soft colour warmed her cheeks and she looked away, pressing her lips together.

‘You don’t need to do that.’

‘Would you like me to?’

‘It’s an imposition.’

‘Kate, yes or no?’

She looked across at her mother. ‘Are you free to babysit?’

Sue didn’t hesitate. In fact, if anything she looked quite enthusiastic. ‘Of course,’ she said.

‘Then—yes, please. If you really don’t mind, I’d be very grateful.’

‘Of course I don’t mind.’

‘It’s black tie—is that a problem?’

He shook his head. ‘No. No problem.’ Or he didn’t think it was. He just had to find his suit.

‘And that’ll make us quits.’

‘Quits?’

‘On the favour front.’

She must be mad if she thought that taking her out for the evening could in any way be counted as a favour, but he let it go. For now.

When he finally

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