Page 23 of A Surprise for the Holidays
“I meant with the parcels, but that works for me,” AJ played along.
The present behind the tree made a tiny mewling sound, which Bailey covered with a cough. Thankfully, the house was air-conditioned, and the kitten had water and food inside its box. It would be fine where it was for a few more minutes, but Bailey felt it would be inhumane to leave it there for too long. He just wanted to enjoy these few stolen moments with AJ first.
He snuck a quick, chaste kiss from the older man’s lips, then asked, “Can you help me get the pav and stuff out of the car? It’s not assembled yet. I’ll do that after the barbie.”
“You’re laying the Australian on a bit thick, aren’t you?” AJ teased him but started to lead the way towards the front door again. “I’ve already agreed to this travesty of a Christmas lunch. It doesn’t need the pageantry.”
Bailey smirked back at him. “Did you suddenly get posh? Words like ‘travesty’ and ‘pageantry’ seem a bit much for you. Oi!” he ducked the hand AJ aimed at his hair. “Watch the hair. It took me ages to get it just right today.”
He’d wound tinsel through his bun. It would be a bitch to get out later, but he was in the festive spirit.
AJ eyed him with amusement. “I’m sure it did, pet.”
The endearment warmed Bailey from the inside out. Still, he was feeling playful. “Are you implying it doesn’t look awesome?”
“No,never.”
Bailey snorted.
From his car, they collected the bags of groceries he’d brought with him, as well as the pavlova base he had baked from scratch. When he’d told his mum that he’d been planning on buying a pre-made one from Woolies, she had sent him her tried and true recipe and jokingly threatened to disown him if he ‘cheated’ with the store-bought version.
“They don’t have the satisfying chew of a proper meringue,” she’d complained. “Too much fluff on the inside.”
Bailey had never realised how very particular his mother was about pavlova until then.
But, after three attempts, he thought he’d mastered the art of a proper Peters pav.
Hey, that’s catchy. Proper Peters Pav,he thought to himself.If my soccer career goes arse up, maybe I’ll go into marketing.
They carried everything past the living room and into the kitchen, and Bailey put the large bowl of whipped cream and the containers of all the pre-cut fruit he’d prepared earlier into the fridge.
“Before I show you how to set up an Aussie Christmas the way my family’s always done it,” he said, “can you call Ava in? I want to give her her present.”
AJ’s eyes narrowed. “It can’t wait until after lunch?”
“Um…not really.”
“What have you done, Peters?” Even though the question was asked with a flirty tone, it was jarring to hear AJ use his surname off the pitch.
Nevertheless, Bailey was saved from having to confess as Ava barrelled in through the multi-fold alfresco doors that led to the outdoor dining area and the backyard beyond. AJ, it appeared, had gotten his daughter a trampoline for Christmas. Not a huge one, but one of those spring-free models with the safety net walls and a shade cloth over the top.
Ava’s hair was a tangled mess and her cheeks were pink from exertion as she raced over and threw her arms around Bailey’s waist, ignoring his startled ‘oof!’ as they collided. “Bailey! Bailey! Did you see what Daddy gotted me for Christmas? It’s a trampoline!”
“Oh, that’s from your dad and not Santa?” Bailey asked.
AJ scoffed. “No way was I lettin’ some old geezer take the credit for that stroke of genius,” he muttered.
Ava shook her head. “Nope. Santa bringed me—”
“Brought.” AJ corrected her.
“—broughtme a Barbie house.”
“Oh,” Bailey grinned, having helped AJ pick the gift out online, “that’s awesome, princess. You’re very lucky.”
“Uh-huh,” she agreed breezily. “But Daddy gotted me—”
“Got.”
