The Billionaire's Christmas Cinderella by Carol Marinelli

Author:Carol Marinelli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-09-05T15:24:07+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

THAT NICE GIRL sat feeling blue and alone in a packed theatre.

Well, not alone. The seat had been available because, after all, few people go to the theatre alone, so Naomi found herself on the end seat beside one huge, happy family, and Naomi listened to their plans for Christmas and New Year. And, yes, this one she’d be spending with her dear friend and the person she was closest to in the world.

Yet it was Merida and Ethan’s first family Christmas and Ava’s first.

Naomi knew that, no matter how kind and welcoming they were, she’d feel a bit of a spare part.

Oh, Merida would do her best to make sure that Naomi was included but tonight that was how Naomi felt—like a spare part in a two by two, loved-up world.

It was a relief when the lights finally dimmed and she could lose herself in another world.

The production was breath-taking, so much so that Naomi forgot that the birds were actors, but when Belladonna came on, Naomi knew this had been Merida’s part. When she heard Sabine singing and realised the complexity of the role it hit home just how talented and accomplished Merida truly was.

And she was so proud of Merida, but tonight, as she stood next to the very large family for the standing ovation and applauded the cast, Naomi felt very small.

Well, not-small Naomi was well aware that she could lose the equivalent weight of three Avas and still have more to go, but tonight she felt insignificant and more than a little alone in this world.

It took for ever to get a cab, and Naomi had to walk for ages until the theatre crowd thinned out. It was cold with an icy wind, which didn’t help matters much, and she wasn’t assertive enough with her flagging, but finally she was sitting in the back of a warm cab and would soon be home.

The Christmas lights were amazing and the drive was a night-time version of the walk she had taken with Abe.

But this time as they passed the Rockefeller Center she was alone.

And the sight of the lights in the stores along Fifth Avenue reminded her of teardrops and suddenly Naomi let her own fall.

Oh, she loathed feeling sorry for herself, but tonight she did.

It was her own fault, Naomi knew.

She could have been with Abe tonight.

Naomi knew it in her heart.

The right thing to do really was the hardest thing.

But then the nicest thing happened. Whoever had warned her about New York cabbies clearly hadn’t met this one, because he was so kind that he handed her a wad of kitchen roll to wipe her eyes.

‘Christmas makes it that much harder...’ he said.

‘It does,’ Naomi agreed, and his insight just made her cry some more.

Then he told her about his wife, and how much he missed her, so much so that he chose to work through the nights. He was the nicest cab driver in the world.

‘You work for the Devereuxes?’ he commented, as they pulled up at the huge grey house.

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