Page 69 of A Billionaire for Christmas
‘You can’t understand.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because Lucca did it on purpose to wind Levi up. They have a thorny relationship.’
‘You knew? Then why are you covering for him?’ Molly saw Toby’s cheeks redden. It was then that the penny dropped. ‘You and Lucca…?’
‘No. Lord no! But I do owe him a favour. He’s the reason I’m here.’
Why was he blushing?
‘Oh. You and Freda?’
Toby cleared his throat. ‘It was ages ago. It’s over. Ancient history. I just wanted one last chance to spend time with her. With them all. You can’t tell her you know.’
‘Why?’ whispered Molly. ‘You clearly still like each other.’
Toby winced. ‘Freda has a fiancé in case you hadn’t heard. And he’s very wealthy and very well-connected. Besides, it was a holiday fling. Nothing more. No one knows. Well, Lucca does but that’s it.’
‘So you’re carrying a torch for her but you haven’t told her how you feel?’
‘No. There’s no point. She’s getting married.’ Toby looked sadly at the floor, scraping his foot back and forth. ‘She’s not interested in me. And even if she was, Valerie would never approve. I’m fromnewmoney. I probably shouldn’t have come here, to be honest. It was a foolish hope.’
Molly raised her eyebrows. ‘Maybe you should talk to her.’
Toby seemed lost in thought for a moment.
‘You’re welcome to join us in the kitchen.’
‘Thanks, but I’ll leave you to it. I’ve got some laundry and cleaning down in the spa to do. Valerie has suggested a deep clean. See? She thinks of me only as the hired help. And she’s convinced someone has been up to no good down there,’ Toby said, closing the door.
* * *
Molly scurried back to the kitchen but the two siblings were still where she’d left them, quietly guffawing over some past childhood memory.
‘Sounds like it’s going well,’ Molly said, opening the fridge to get out an assortment of cream, eggs and fresh fruits to prepare the desserts.
‘Where’s Toby?’ asked Freda. ‘Didn’t he want to join us?’
Molly shook her head. She saw a look of disappointment creep into Freda’s eyes.
‘It’s about the wine, isn’t it?’ Lucca said quietly.
‘Partly.’
‘And why else?’ Freda asked. ‘Toby usually loves to join in. He’s almost part of the family. It’s why he comes to work here instead of helping his own family run their huge golfing empire.’
‘I’m not sure,’ Molly was quick to say. ‘He said he had lots of laundry and cleaning to do.’And a huge unrequited crush on you to hide.
‘Not like Toby to miss a chance to have you all to himself,’ Lucca said to Freda, who instantly coloured. ‘Talking of suitors, anything you’d like to share, dear sister?’ Lucca put his hands on his hips.
‘For the millionth time, we’re just friends!’
‘I meant about Reuben. And the lack thereof.’
‘No.’ Freda looked him squarely in the eye.
‘Christ, this family and their secrets.’ Lucca shook his head.
