Page 64 of Christmas Romance Galore!
Gran smiled at me. “We should. But I don’t want to show Ellen up as being the dull sister, and that’s just what would happen.” She sat back and grinned at her sister.
“Dull? Who’s the one sitting around perfecting her Bridge game, while I’m touring the world?” Ellen crossed her arms and harrumphed at Gran.
It was Christmas as usual, with the Robinson sisters fighting for omnipotence. Having no siblings, I had no idea if this is what I’d be like with a sister, but it’d always fascinated me that Gran still quarrelled with hers into her 70s.
The front doorbell interrupted the family moment.
“Will you get that?” Mum asked.
I pushed back my chair. “Who the hell’s coming round at 2pm on Christmas Day?”
Mum just smiled at me oddly.
I could still hear Gran and Ellen’s chatter as I pulled open the door.
And when I did, my mouth dropped open.
Standing on the other side was Holly and her mum, loaded down with bags and presents.
“Special delivery,” Holly said, smiling so much she looked like she might burst at any second. She’d styled her jet black hair slightly differently, and it fell delectably across her face.
My heart leapt into my mouth and a thousand stars exploded in front of my eyes. I blinked and hoped I wasn’t about to faint. Holly was drop dead gorgeous.
“Are you going to let us in then, or is there a special password?”
I stood back and Holly stepped into the house, giving me a brief kiss on the lips. The world swayed back and forth in my vision.
“And close your mouth, drooling is not a good Christmas look,” she said.
I pasted a smile on my face as Holly’s mum, Gina, walked in.
“Happy Christmas!” she trilled, a little too brightly.
“You too!” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and heard a wave of greetings as Holly and her mum walked through to the lounge.
I checked my hair in the hallway mirror, took a deep breath and followed them in.
“I can’t believe you’re here, but I’m so glad you are.” I wrapped my arms around Holly’s waist and pulled her down for a kiss. My head swam, but I was getting used to that. I’d dragged Holly into the kitchen to have a minute alone.
“I really missed you.”
“Me too,” she replied, pulling back. “But believe me, keeping this a secret has been hard work.”
I stood back and pouted. “How long have you been cooking this up?”
She smiled. “Only since your mum called me on Thursday.”
“You’ve known that long! But I’ve been badgering you to come here all week. Why didn’t you say anything?” I was taken aback, albeit secretly impressed she’d managed to hold it in that long.
“Because then it wouldn’t have been a surprise, would it?” Holly grinned at me. “Plus, I still had to go home for this morning. But this was the perfect solution, so well done to your mum.”
“She’s a sly one, I’ll give her that.”
Holly laughed. “She’s a good one,” she said, kissing me again. “Then I just had to work on my mum. But when I told her she didn’t have to cook and that she’d have her own room for the night, she was surprisingly okay with it. Especially when I reminded her she liked your mum. It was almost like what I wanted on my birthday counted for something. Wonders will never cease.”
I pursed my lips. “And how was she about us?”
Holly let out a bark of laughter. “Pretty much like everyone else — at last, etc.”
