Page 115 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘Hi, chilli bean!’ I said, hugging him and dropping to my knee. ‘You all packed for your holiday?’
George gave me a quizzical look, looked up at his Dad, then back at me. ‘We’re not going to Antigoo, Lexi. Didn’t Daddy tell you?’
‘Oh!’ I said, standing back up. ‘How come?’
Cal pointed outside. ‘That has cancelled our flight.’
‘Oh dear. That’s awful,’ I said,feeling the biggest grin I owned slide onto my face.
‘I know. It’s really terrible,’ Cal replied, his smile as wide as mine.
‘George, why don’t you take Apollo into the living room. I’ll be there in a second.’
George charged off calling the dog who loped lazily beside him. Moments later, peals of childish laughter rang out from the other room. George popped out of the doorway, his face shiningwith laughter. ‘Apollo just farted really loudly!’ He informed us with glee before disappearing again, more giggles drifting out almost immediately.
Cal smirked. ‘It has to be said that the level of humour bar is set quite low in this house.’
‘That’s OK. When it happens while we’re at the table, you’d think we were all George’s age. And that includes my parents.’
Cal grinned.
‘I really hopeit’s just noise and that my dog isn’t actually gassing your child.’
We walked up the corridor and stuck our heads into the living room. Apollo seemed unfazed by his behaviour and, luckily, hadn’t seemed to have left too much of a pong.
‘All clear.’ Cal chuckled and led me through to the kitchen side of the bright, open-plan room.
‘Coffee?’
‘Thanks,’ I accepted and Cal started moving aroundgrabbing mugs and coffee pods from the cabinet. ‘So, I hope you don’t mind but I called your mum earlier to see if that offer for Christmas Day dinner was still on.’
‘I’m guessing by George’s happy little face that it is?’
Cal stepped towards me, closing the gap until there was none, his large, warm hands resting on the curve of my hip as he drew me closer still.
‘It is. And George has beeninvited to go and help Harry and the gang make iced biscuits to hang on the tree. Matt’s coming to collect him in about half an hour. And then I’ve got some ideas that might lead you to getting to see my happy little face …’ His smile was an enticing combination of desire, teasing, and pure mischief. And I loved it.
