The Country Village Winter Wedding by Cathy Lake

Author:Cathy Lake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

Chapter 16

Jack had been for a run, showered and dressed then gone over to Bella’s house to make breakfast for everyone. He’d picked up supplies from the village shop on his way back from the run because he thought it would be nice to surprise them with a cooked breakfast.

He’d been right. Sitting at the table in Bella’s kitchen with Aster’s head resting on his thigh, he looked around at his family. His family . . . That sounded so good. How could he have thought he was alone for so long when Bella and her family had been right there? Of course, he was conscious of not wanting to crowd them and that they needed their space, but Bella and Lee always made him feel so welcome and the girls had accepted him into their home with the same love and enthusiasm they’d had for Aster.

He sneaked Aster another piece of toast dipped in egg and she swallowed it down as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks.

‘She’ll get fat, you know.’ Bella shook her head. ‘You’re spoiling her.’

‘She has such beautiful eyes and whenever she looks at me I just want to make her happy.’

‘If you react like that towards every pretty female with beautiful eyes you’ll find yourself very popular in this village.’ Lee laughed then forked a piece of sausage into his mouth. ‘Great breakfast, by the way,’ he said when he’d swallowed.

‘I’ve only got eyes for Aster,’ Jack said, gazing down at the dog, who was gazing right back up at him.

‘You’ll have to stay forever now, Uncle Jack, because Aster loves you.’

Jack laughed. ‘I’m here for Christmas because your mum and dad have been very generous in inviting me to stay but after that I’ll have to get back to Swansea.’

‘What?’ Bobby slammed her knife and fork down. ‘You are never bloody leaving this house!’

Jack looked from Bobby to Bella and tried to swallow his laughter.

‘Bobby! What’ve I told you?’ Bella frowned at her daughter.

‘I know, stop saying bloody, but I don’t want Uncle Jack to go. He has to stay.’

Bella looked over at Jack and she didn’t need to say a word; he could see in her eyes how she was feeling. She didn’t want him to go back to Wales either.

‘Let’s have a smashing Christmas then we can see if we can persuade Uncle Jack to stay in the village.’ Lee gave Jack a brief nod, rescuing him from his family and letting him know that he wanted him to stay too. Lee and Jack got on well, but Jack knew it was more than that: Lee loved his wife and wanted her to be happy and he knew that she loved having her brother around.

‘What are your plans today then, Uncle Jack?’ Penny asked.

‘Oh, well, I’ve been for a run and cooked breakfast so I’ll probably take Aster for a W-A-L-K.’ They’d taken to spelling the word because Aster became incredibly excited if she heard the word itself. Her ears pricked up at her name though and she tilted her head as if trying to work out what Jack had said.

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