They went about their normal chores of setting up the tables and displaying the sandwiches and scones, except that everything was transformed – it just wasn’t showing yet.
At eleven, the phone in her back pocket buzzed.
Where the F did you go last night?
Long story ?? meet you Los Banditos tomorrow early bird?
OMG you didn’t??????
?? ?? ??
Knew it!!!!
Chapter 26
They pulled up outside the high privet hedge.
‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ She smiled shyly.
Pete stroked the side of her cheek. ‘They’re your family, why would I mind? Wait, before we go in, I’ve got something for you.’
She felt a surge of emotion from him. ‘But you already got me a little diver for my aquarium .?.?. The fish love it.’
‘That was a joke present.’ He grinned. ‘There you go.’
He produced a tiny white Saint Laurent bag tied with a black silk ribbon.
‘Pete, what is this?’ she gasped.
‘It’s for you. Open it.’ He laughed, clearly enjoying her amazement.
‘I can’t, it’s too beautiful to spoil .?.?. Oh well .?.?.’ With shaking fingers, she undid the packaging and opened the dark-blue velvet box to reveal a wide gold bangle with a dark-blue stone set into a petal shape. She gasped.
‘Pete, my God, it’s perfect. It’s so .?.?. me. How did you guess?’
‘Try it on.’
She slipped it on to find that it fitted perfectly on her slender wrist. Suddenly, she began to feel self-conscious about her long-overdue manicure and hands in need of some TLC.
‘Oh my God, Pete, I adore it. It’s so beautiful .?.?. I’m going toneed to dress up for it a bit.’
He touched her chin and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘You don’t ever need to be anything other than you are.’
* * *
Mum flung open the door in her fluffy white Christmas jumper and slacks.
‘Darlings, there you are! Excuse me, we’re on a Christmas Day go-slow, come in! You’re lucky we’re not in our pyjamas!’
‘Mum!’
‘Goodness, you’re very tall .?.?. isn’t that great. Raymond, two gin and tonics,’ she squealed.
‘Cheers, Mum, it’s only eleven thirty.’
‘But eleven thirty on Christmas Day, when the clocks are officiallyon holiday.?.?. Isn’t that right, Paul?’ she chortled through some sort of festive fug, probably caused by the lovely jug of mimosas they’d had over breakfast.
Pete grinned good-naturedly.
