Page 37 of A Merry Irish Christmas
‘None of your business.’
‘It is if you were talking to my mum.’
‘Nope. That’s not how it works.’
He remained maddeningly tight-lipped as they put away the rest of the shopping. She’d been so preoccupied with the idea of him chatting to her mother that she hadn’t thought to be surprised that he was helping her.
‘Cup of tea?’ he asked her when they’d finished.
‘Good idea.’ She moved to switch on the kettle, but he waved her away.
‘It’s cool, I’ll make it.’
‘Oh! Okay.’ She sat and watched him suspiciously as he made tea and poured two mugs.
‘Thanks,’ she said when he placed one in front of her on the table. ‘I’ll take this up to my room.’
‘No need for that,’ he said, as she made to stand. ‘You can stay. You don’t have to go hide in your room.’
‘What’s got into you?’ she asked as he turned back to the counter.
‘What do you mean?’ He frowned at her over his shoulder as he opened a cupboard.
‘Why are you being nice all of a sudden?’
‘I’m always nice.’
She threw him a sceptical look, but he’d turned back and was rooting in the cupboards.
‘What are these?’ He turned to her, holding up a packet of Chocolate Kimberley biscuits.
‘You won’t have had one of them before, will you?’
He shook his head.
‘You haven’t lived, my friend. They’re a very important part of an Irish Christmas.’
‘What are they exactly?’
‘Soft ginger biscuits with marshmallow in the middle, covered in chocolate. It’s hard to describe – you’d have to taste it.’
‘Hmm. Shall we?’ He shook the purple packet, eyebrows raised.
She nodded, smiling. ‘Yes, please.’
He brought the packet of biscuits to the table along with his own mug, then sat beside her. They both took an individually wrapped biscuit from the pack. Evan unwrapped his and eyed it suspiciously before taking a bite.
‘Your first taste of a Chocolate Kimberley,’ Mary said. ‘This is a big moment in a young man’s life.’
She watched as he chewed thoughtfully, his eyes on her. Then his lips spread in a grin. ‘Oh my God,’ he mumbled out of the side of his mouth.
Mary smiled back at him. ‘Right?’ She peeled hers open slowly, savouring the moment, breathing in the chocolatey smell. Evan had finished his in two big bites and was already reaching for another.
‘Hey, don’t eat them all at once. This packet has to last us until the day after Christmas at least.’
‘I could go out and buy more? Are the shops still open? Maybe we should get some to bring to the O’Sullivans’ tomorrow.’
She narrowed her eyes at him. What had come over him? Why was he being so cheerful and talking about going to the O’Sullivans’ as if he wanted to? ‘You didn’t answer my question earlier.’
