Bluebell's Christmas Magic: A perfect and heart-warming cosy Christmas romance for 2019 by Marie Laval

Author:Marie Laval [Laval, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, contemporary, romantic comedy, suspense, Holidays, christmas
Publisher: Choc Lit
Published: 2019-11-18T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Joseph Bell walked into the kitchen and pointed to the toaster. ‘Something’s burning. Are you two just going to stand there like lemons or are you going to do something about it?’

Stefan stared at the smoke billowing out of the sandwich maker, breathed in the acrid smell of burning bread and snapped out of his daze. ‘I’ll sort it…’

‘Let me do it.’ Cassie rushed past him and unplugged the toaster. She got hold of the knife, flipped the cover open and proceeded to scrape the charred bread and cheese off.

‘What were you two doing? Did you not notice it was burning?’ Joseph asked looking from Stefan to Cassie.

‘Obviously not,’ Cassie replied without turning round.

Joseph shrugged, poured a generous measure of brandy into a glass, drank a mouthful and let out a contented sigh. ‘Are you not having a drink?’

‘We had one already,’ Cassie said, still without turning round. She threw the charred bread in the bin, and started chopping some cheese – hacking at it, would be a more accurate description.

Joseph frowned. ‘What’s the matter with you, Trifle? You’re making a right mess with that cheese.’

Cassie stared at the mound of cheese crumbs in front of her. ‘Nothing’s the matter with me, and when I need advice on how to slice cheese I will make sure to ask you.’

The old man whistled between his teeth. ‘When you’re like that, you remind me of your grandma the time I forgot our wedding anniversary.’

Turning to Stefan, he added. ‘We’d better retreat to the living room with this excellent brandy. I have no intention of getting in the way of an angry woman with a knife.’

‘Good idea,’ Cassie snapped and she stabbed at the cheese again.

Joseph arched his eyebrows and gestured for Stefan to follow him. ‘Are you having another drink, son?’ he asked once they were in the living room.

‘I’ll pass, thank you. I’m driving.’

‘You’re right, of course.’ Joseph cocked his head to one side. ‘You wouldn’t have any idea why Cassie is in such a foul mood, by any chance? You two haven’t argued or anything?’

Stefan’s face heated. ‘Hmm… No.’

The rattling of the front door opening saved him from Joseph’s scrutiny.

‘I’m home!’ Tim called from the hallway, before popping his head into the living room. ‘Hi, Stefan. Hi, Joseph. I’m glad to be back. Where are Rachel and the boys?’

Joseph replied that the two younger children were asleep and that Rachel was putting Louis to bed, and Tim said he’d check on him.

As Joseph finished his brandy, he seemed to have forgotten all about his question about Cassie, which was lucky because Stefan would have been hard-pressed to give him an answer.

He knew what he was feeling right now – a mix of regret, frustration, and the bitter satisfaction of having done the right thing by pulling away from her before he succumbed to the burning desire to kiss her. However, he had no idea what Cassie was thinking. She had been warm and soft in his arms as she snuggled against him, and the feel of her lips had almost tipped him over the edge.

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