Before You Say I Love You: An unforgettable, heartfelt romance of hope and healing (Unforgettable Love Stories Book 2) by Sarah Gate

Author:Sarah Gate [Gate, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Choc Lit Contemporary Romance: A Joffe Books Company
Published: 2025-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

It was Christmas Eve ‘Eve’, as Emma liked to call it, and there was a lot to be done. The Whittles didn’t give each other gifts, they bought presents only for Benjamin, preferring instead to spend money on sharing experiences with one another throughout the year, but they did still enjoy several Christmas traditions, including a very hearty lunch. There were many vegetables that needed to be prepped and, even though they were in the middle of renovations, Emma was insisting that the house must be spick and span, so Maddie agreed that she and James would focus on sorting out the upstairs rooms and let Emma and Ben tidy the downstairs rooms today.

“What are you doing on Christmas Day, James?” Emma asked, clearing away his breakfast plate.

“Not much.” He sounded perfectly normal when he said it, but Maddie thought she saw a shadow of sadness pass across his features. She squeezed his thigh under the table.

“Why don’t you come up here?” Emma suggested. “Stay tomorrow night and celebrate Christmas with us.”

“I feel bad leaving Mum,” he said. “It’s always been her and Nan at Christmas. This is her first Christmas without her.”

“Bring her!” Emma said. “There’s plenty of space! Autumn’s mum and sister are coming. They’re bringing Autumn’s new baby niece to meet us all. The more the merrier, honestly.”

James nodded gratefully. “I’ll ask her. Christmas is . . . a funny time in our house. I’m sure you understand.”

Emma nodded knowingly and sighed. “Oh yes,” she said. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Maddie and James made fresh coffees and took them upstairs to the back bedroom, which was the last room they needed to paint. Between Christmas and New Year, the first lot of new furniture would be arriving and it would all need putting together, so it was really important they finish the painting today. They were keeping some of the old stuff, the rest of it they were donating to charity. They still needed to fix the orangery after Pigglesworth had ruined it — some of the stone flower beds needed to be rebuilt. They had so much to do to the outside of the house, too. The porch needed sanding and painting, as did all of the wicker furniture. They needed to lay the groundwork for several outdoor areas and dig foundations for a pond. Maddie still had no idea what they were going to do with Bowie’s old room, while her bedroom remained a clutter-filled disaster. And then there was everything that needed doing for Marley and Autumn’s wedding. Her to-do list felt never-ending. She was stressed to say the least.

Luckily, James was on hand to distract her. He took her coffee and set it down on a paint pot, then closed the bedroom door and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. She groaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, her woes instantly fleeing her mind. She deserved a few minutes to indulge in the sweet torture that came with this feeling, she reasoned.

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