Page 55 of A Billionaire for Christmas
Molly noticed Levi agreeing with both his sister and his mother even though they were on opposing sides. She was distracted by laughter from the end of the table. Toby, Lucca and Armand were all easiness and light. Tucking into the food with gusto and liberally pouring wine. She noticed Lucca had his arm slung casually on the back of Toby’s chair.
‘How’s your father?’ Armand was asking Toby. ‘Still golfing?’
‘Yes, sir. I don’t think he’ll ever retire from the club.’ Toby dabbed his mouth with a napkin. ‘He loves the power too much.’
‘And when do you think you’ll take over running the business?’
Toby shrugged, lifting his glass to his lips. ‘Not until I’m good and ready. And definitely not until I’ve cracked Le Grand Couloir.’
All three started laughing, and suddenly, Molly realised that Toby wasn’t simply the hired help; he was a friend of the family. Toby was from money. Toby was doing this job for fun.
‘Did you know Levi did it at five years old?’ said Armand, giving his son a proud look. ‘At the time, he was the youngest to conquer Europe’s most difficult ski run. No fear at that age.’
‘He has no fear at any age,’ added Toby, popping another of Molly’s delicious creations in his mouth.
‘Except for his fear of women,’ said Lucca, raising a glass to Levi stuck at the end of the table surrounded by women. ‘Isn’t that right, bro?’
Levi slid his eyes to the men enjoying his discomfort and shook his head playfully. ‘Only some women.’ Molly had not expected him to then pin her to the seat with a heated look.
Awkward.
She scraped back her chair. ‘Time for the next course, I think.’
‘Levi, you’re the nearest. Help Molly bring the plates in.’ Armand turned back to Toby. ‘I’m thinking of a golfing residential next year. The four-month one. Which professionals have you got lined up?’
This was clearly news to Valerie, who immediately began squawking at her husband. Levi gave a resigned-sounding groan and stood up to follow Molly into the kitchen. It was very dark except for a large torch that Toby had put on the bench. The atmosphere was tense, and Molly’s nerves were on end at Levi standing so close to her.
‘Can you put these warm plates on the bench while I take out the roast pork for you to slice as thinly as you can, please?’
Molly noticed he was avoiding eye contact.
‘The sharp knives are?—’
‘I know where my own knives are.’ Levi yanked open the cutlery draw and let out a monumental sigh.
‘If you’d let me finish a sentence for once, I could explain that I’ve put the block over there.’
‘You’ve put the block of sharp knives over there in the dark where I can’t see it? Genius.’
‘It wasn’t dark when I reorganised the kitchen, was it?’ Molly said through gritted teeth.
‘Nobody asked you to reorganise the kitchen, did they?’ Levi gave her a determined look. ‘Or was hiding things another box to tick off on your bucket list?’
‘Forget it, I’ll find it myself. And the salt and the garnish. I need to get them from the pantry.’ Molly felt her way in the dark to the other side of the kitchen. Within seconds, Levi was right behind her with the torch. She felt her body tingle. ‘What are you doing?’ she asked.
‘Give me the knife,’ Levi said, taking it from her as he shone the way to the pantry. ‘After all, I couldn’t help but notice you were more than a little psycho this morning. Plus, I’d hate to get stabbed in the back again.’
Molly swung round to face him. ‘How dare you! You deserved that drink in the face, and I did not stab you in the back. If anything, you’re the one who is at fault here,’ she snapped. She pulled open the pantry door and stepped into a wall of darkness. ‘Not giving me a chance to explain.’
Levi followed her in, almost standing on top of her in the tiny space. He placed the torch and the knife down on the shelf. ‘Do it now then.’
‘Do what now?’
‘Explain. Explain how you led me to believe you were a guest when we first met.’
Flashbacks to them making out in the lift sprung to her mind.
‘Explain how you waited for me in the sauna like a Venus flytrap.’
