“Use the Range Rover if you’re going to take Gael out on the property today,” Adrian says as he dips a hearty slice of village bread into his sunny orange egg yolk.
Tolly nods, fussing with his tea. “That Rover is almost as old as I am,” he tells me, “but Adrian takes meticulous care of the vehicle, and it has gotten us out of more than one rut.”
After breakfast we pile into the living room, spread out on the couches, chairs, and the floor. They exchange gifts and I’m touched when Dimitra hands one to me.
“This is for both of you,” she says, kissing my forehead, then Tolly’s.
It’s a bottle of Adrian’s table red and I hug it to my chest. “This is more valuable than a bar of gold,” I declare, kissing Tolly’s temple.
He takes the bottle from me and pretends to tuck it into his robe, setting off another round of laughter.
When I pull out boxes from my stash and begin to hand them out, Adrian shakes his head.
“How could you have presents for us? You didn’t know you were staying over.”
I raise my brow. “Mi abuelita would not let me back into the house if I showed up on Christmas without presents.”
I brought several pairs of the buttery soft slippers with me, and luckily I have enough of a variety to fit even the largest feet. Dimitra declares me an honorary son and Tolly’s eyes go misty.
As the family settles into lively conversation around the tree, Heli goes up to Tolly with a gift in hand. “This is for Bea. Would you mind giving it to her?” he asks, his cheeks slightly red.
“Of course,” he says, taking the present with careful fingers.
Definitely going to have to find out more about that. Later, though, because Tolly is about to take me on a tour of the estate before we go to his family’s Christmas lunch.
I have a sneaking suspicion that this breakfast and gift exchange was already the best part of the day.
9
TOLLY
We say goodbye to Heli and his brothers, then go back upstairs to get changed. I go out to warm up the engine of the Range Rover while Gael finishes putting on his boots and coat.
When Gael finally joins me, the engine is ready, the heater is blowing warm air, and the earth’s ice caps have melted.
“What’s so funny?” he asks as though he isn’t waddling over to the Rover like a stuffed penguin.
“Have you seen the classic American movieA Christmas Story?”
“Maybe?”
“There’s a kid they wrap up in so much clothing he can’t move. You look like that kid,” I say, pulling out my phone to show him the Google image of the character.
Gael narrows his eyes at me, and it’s hard to take him seriously when his thick eyelashes curl in the sharp winter weather. I should point out his eyes are the only thing I can see because Dimitra has wrapped an enormous sheet-sized scarf around his neck and shoulders, topped with a slouching beanie pulled down around his ears.
I stifle a snort as he walks toward the driver side of the Rover and opens the door, at first confused, then cursing under his breath.
“Fucking British on the fucking wrong side of the road.”
The laughter breaks free from my chest as I grab his hand and lead him around to the passenger side. He’s too mummified in his winter wear, so I boost him up into the seat, loving the opportunity to cup his cute ass.
“Why are you laughing at me?”
“Because you look like a very colourful, very delicious mummy.”
“Dimitra said to dress in layers!”
“Yes. Like, two layers. You’re currently wearing at least six.”
