Page 19 of A Scottish Love Story
The vegetables were almost cooked when Donald and Ciaran arrived, laughing together. Roxie happened to be crossing the hall from the dining room to the kitchen.
‘Dinner is almost ready,’ she told them. ‘Your mother and Jenny are in the living room, Ciaran. There’s a tray of drinks for you to help yourselves.’
‘Hey, not so fast, my fair Roxie!’ Donald chuckled, holding a sprig of mistletoe above her head. He kissed her cheek wishing her happy Christmas. Colour flooded Roxie’s cheeks as she escaped to the kitchen. She heard Don giving Amy a hug and a kiss — under that mistletoe — and telling her she was his favourite lady. She was putting the sprouts into a hot dish so she didn’t hear Ciaran follow her into the kitchen holding the pieceof mistletoe. He was close behind her when she turned. She could feel herself blushing... And that was before she noticed the mistletoe he held above their heads. ‘Well?’ he said quietly, with a raised eyebrow.
Roxie didn’t know what to say. She intended to opt for a dodge and get on with the vegetables. But then he said, with a grin, ‘I dare you. Didn’t you always say you rise to a challenge...’
‘That’s not playing fair,’ she said.
‘It’s Christmas and it’s tradition and . . .’
‘Fine, fine, get it over with so I can get on with th—’
He pulled her into an embrace and his kiss... was longer than a sprig of mistletoe merited.
‘You blush so delightfully, I am tempted to do it again,’ he said gently. ‘You didn’t think I would let you get away without a Christmas kiss, did you?’
‘I-I d-didn’t think about mistletoe.’
‘You look so Christmassy in your red outfit, and far too lovely to escape when I have a good excuse.’ She saw the wicked glint in his blue eyes and lowered her own gaze to his broad, manly chest, remembering the beat of his heart and how good it had felt when he’d held her close the day they’d got the Christmas tree.
‘You and Donald haven’t been at the whisky before you came, have you?’ Roxie knew her cheeks were far too pink, even before Jenny burst in on them to enquire if she could help.
Once everything was ready, Roxie removed the large white apron she had been wearing to cook. She wore a red skirt and waistcoat, and a snow-white shirt.
When she and Jenny went through to the dining room, Amy said, ‘Ciaran has just been remarking how lovely you look in your outfit. He’s right, Roxie. Now I see you without your white apron, you look beautiful and so Christmassy.’ The white shirt had three-quarter sleeves with deep, turned-back cuffs. ‘Are theygold cufflinks I see sparkling in your sleeves?’ She drew Roxie closer to her chair to peer at them. ‘They are lovely, so dainty, and I see they have your initials engraved on them. What a splendid idea.’
‘They were a twenty-first birthday present from my friend with the twins,’ Roxie told her with a smile. ‘I wear them whenever I have a suitable blouse to go with them.’
* * *
‘That was a delicious starter,’ Jenny said. ‘And so right for the huge dinner to follow — thank you! I will gather the dishes while you see to the next course.’
‘That’s really helpful. Those crystal bowls mustn’t go in the dishwasher, though. I will wash them by hand later. Ciaran, shall I bring the turkey in here for you to carve or would you rather do it at the kitchen table where there’s more room? I have a smaller meat dish already warmed.’
‘I’ll come through and do it in the kitchen,’ Ciaran said.
‘Well, no more dallying with the mistletoe,’ Jenny called with a laugh. Neither Roxie nor Ciaran heard Amy murmur, ‘I would be delighted to see Ciaran dallying a lot more in this case. It is ages since Amanda died, but he has never been serious about anyone else.’
‘I don’t think Ciaran was all that serious about Amanda,’ Donald said. ‘I mean they were good friends, but Amanda wasn’t cut out to be a farmer’s wife. She was forever playing one sport or another. Ciaran is not short of girlfriends when he is out with us, is he, Jenny?’
‘No, but none of them ever manage to interest him for more than a few dates.’
‘I suspect he’s already smitten with Roxie whether he admits it yet or not.’ Donald grinned. ‘She’s perfect for him.’
In the kitchen, Ciaran grinned wickedly at Roxie.
‘You’d better get to work,’ Roxie urged, placing the turkey in front of him. He looked anxious.
‘I’ve never carved a whole turkey before. My father used to do it. Mum always took away the legs and these bits,’ he said, pointing at the wings, ‘before bringing me the breast to carve.’
‘Oh, I see. My father always did the carving at our house, but I know he removed the leg and the wing on a bird before he set about the breast.’ She came to stand close to Ciaran. He couldn’t resist slipping an arm around her waist as she took the carving knife from him. She tapped his hand away, but smiled. ‘You’re supposed to concentrate on the carving. Look, you feel for the joint with the knife, as close as you can to the breast, then cut through.’ She did that for the wing. ‘Now, you do the same for the leg.’ Ciaran did as she instructed, then grinned triumphantly.
‘Now I see! That leaves the breast free.’
‘Yes. I do hope it has stayed moist. Don’t carve too thin so as to keep the slices juicy. If you think Don, or anyone else, prefers the dark meat, or fancies a joint, you could carve a few pieces off the leg and put it on the serving platter with the breast. My father always said it had more flavour so he had a bit of both. I will leave you to it while I load the hostess trolley with the vegetables, potatoes, stuffing and the bread sauce. I will come back to carry that hot plate through with the turkey slices if you will carry the gravy — without spilling any, mind.’
‘Okay, boss.’ Ciaran grinned and gave a mock salute. Roxie was still smiling when she pushed the laden cabinet through to the dining room.
