Page 42 of The Duke Who Saved Christmas
“It’s really not the kind of thing you’d expect, is it?” Thomas chuckled. “Then again, this is Castleton, so it’s not that weird at all.”
“No, it’s weird.” I stared at him. “If you don’t think that’s weird, you need to get out more. Travel a bit. Meet some other people. That sorta thing.”
His chuckled transformed into a full-blown laugh and, my God, the man had a wonderful laugh. Deep and rough and from the heart, the kind that built slowly in the pit of his belly and existed solely to cause goosebumps to prickle up and down my arms.
I was woman enough to know what that meant.
I was, unfortunately, attracted to Thomas.
Veryattracted to him.
Hm.
That was inconvenient to say the least.
Thomas raised his eyebrows. “You’re staring at the waffle stand again. Are you hungry?”
I felt the tell-tale gurgle of an empty stomach—seriously, was this a movie I’d wandered into?—and almost blushed before I realised it was far too loud for him to have heard it.
A stage had been erected by the huge Christmas tree in the centre of the village square, and it was surrounded by speakers that were currently playing a thumping rendition ofRockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.It was contributing to the goodmood most people seemed to be in anddefinitelycovered up my little grumbling belly.
“It’s looking at me,” I admitted, glancing in the direction of it again.
“I have to get Beth ten million of them,” he said, lips quirking up on one side. “With that many, she probably won’t notice if you eat one.”
CHAPTER NINE – SYLVIE
Did he just offer to buy me a waffle?
Crikey, that sounded like quite the euphemism when I put it like that.
“Offering up a pregnant lady’s food? That’s rude. Or bold. Or maybe both, although stupid is the one I’d go for,” I said, sidestepping to let a woman with a pram past me. She gave me a grateful smile, and I returned it before I started walking in the direction of the waffle stand.
I was on the other side of the square and could see the sizable line. It was only ten minutes until the lights were due to be switched on, and I wasn’t too fussed about watching a pig hit a big red button to switch on some glorified fairy lights.
All right. I wanted to see the lights, but the pig? After it pooped in my bed? No, thank you.
There was a good chance that I was very much in the minority, though. I could see the novelty in the pig turning on the lights. It was a little strange, kind of cute if you were into that, and something to make a cute video of for TikTok or something like that if you liked that sort of thing.
I, however, was merely hoping those things would entice some of the people out of the waffle line so I could get to the front a little quicker.
Thomas stepped up beside me in the line. “I wasn’t so much offering up her food as I was offering to buy you a waffle.”
“First, it’s cute that you think I only want one.” I glanced at him. “Second, what for? Some kind of peace offering?”
“Not some kind of peace offering.Apeace offering.”
I pointed a gloved fingertip at the scar above my eyebrow. “Will it make up for twenty years of a scar?”
His eyes glanced there. “I’ll buy you three waffles.”
“Then you’d still owe me seventeen.”
“What is it? One per year?”
“You’re lucky I’m not bartering with one a month.”
“If you ate that many, I doubt you’d fit into your dress for the wedding.”
