Jonny couldn’t take his eyes off her. He was thinking about what Robyn had said about Rayah and how he looked at her. Was she right? Was there something under his nose that he’d been missing?
“I think so.”
This time her smile was one he was more used to, the one she wore regularly when she was with the kids or at work.
“You’re such a good guy.”
He wasn’t sure that was a compliment.
Chapter Six
“How will Santa take presents to Jemima if she’s in Australia tomorrow?” Sadie Grace looked up at her eldest brother with her huge eyes.
Rayah braced herself. Charlie would not tell her the truth, of that she was certain, but Charlie was also the world’s crappiest liar and Sadie Grace could smell a lie like a fart in a car. There was a good chance Charlie would need a hand here.
“Because he sees everything. Him and the elves double check who’s going on holiday or staying with a different family so they get the address right. So they know. Jemima will get her presents.”
Rayah smiled at him proudly. He was not a child who liked to tell lies but he understood the point of this one.
Sadie’s face shadowed. “I thought she’d miss out on her presents. And if Santa Christmas had left her presents at her house I might be able to have them. She wanted a bike. And a pony.”
Clearly, the honesty gene had skipped Jonny’s daughter.
“That isn’t how it works, Sades.” Rayah bent down and pulled up Sadie’s zip. It was a cold night with snow fluttering down, another white Christmas. They’d had a big Christmas Eve dinner at Sorrell’s hotel which was now closed for residents until after the New Year so she could have a break. The dinner had been a shared affair, with everyone bringing something, all a little pot luck. She and the kids had contributed a trifle and a huge gammon steak, done in the slow cooker in cola. There would be no need to eat anything else that evening. Or maybe even tomorrow.
“I’m not sure that’s fair.” Sadie’s expression was serious. “If she’s not at home, she shouldn’t get her presents.”
“What about me then? I’m not at home in the morning so should I not get my presents?” Rayah smoothed Sadie’s scarf, one of Gran’s handmade things. They were only a few minutes from home, but two of Severton’s pop-up choirs were having a carol-off in front of the town Christmas tree.
“Is Father Claus bringing all of your presents to our house?” Sadie looked hopeful. Rayah would’ve been touched, but she figured the enthusiasm was more down to Sadie suspecting she could eat some of Rayah’s Christmas chocolate.
“He is. I wrote it in my letter to him.”
She heard Charlie cough.
“Okay. Maybe that’s fair then. There’s Georgia. Can I go talk to her? I want to show her my glugs.” She meant gloves, but no matter what Jonny and the boys did, she wouldn’t say the word properly, probably because everyone else told her it was cute and Sadie Grace was an absolute master at being cute.
Like Rayah’s pyjamas.
Jonny hadn’t said anything about their conversation. He hadn’t mentioned anything about the rabbit PJs and neither had she, not sure how to deal with the change that there had been between them. Jake had informed her that Jonny had gone back to his hotel room alone, which she’d figured, because he’d sent her a message thanking her for babysitting just after midnight. If he’d had company, she doubted it would’ve been sent.
Their only conversation had been around Christmas Eve. He was worried about his shift ending later than planned, meaning she’d be up late. As she’d explained, she didn’t need to be up with three excited children on Christmas morning to see if the big guy had been, which had made Jonny’s face go to stone. Then he’d told her to stay; he’d take the spare room and then that way she could sleep over and enjoy watching the kids unwrap their presents.
One of her colleagues from school who knew about Rayah’s crush had suggested Jonny was taking advantage, that with her being there he could get a few more minutes sleep and use her to help out but that wasn’t him. Even if he didn’t get home until five in the morning and Sadie was up at the same time, there would be no way he would miss any part of their Christmas. It was too special, for him and the children.
Sadie ran over to her friend, a little girl that was likely to become one of Sadie’s minions. Harry spotted someone from his football team and gravitated towards them, leaving Rayah with Charlie. He stood next to her, becoming more gangly by the day, reminding her of Jonny at the same age, although Rayah saw Grace in him too.
“Can you help me wrap Dad’s present?” His voice was quiet, not wanting anyone to hear. “I’ve got something else for Sadie and Harry too, but when I tried wrapping them it well, looked a bit messy. Like something Sadie would do.”
Rayah turned to him, weaving an arm around his waist. He didn’t pull away as she’d expected – one of her favourite games was to find ways to embarrass Charlie, but this was becoming harder to do. “I thought we’d wrapped your dad’s gift?”
She saw a little colour in his face. “I had some pocket money and chore money from sweeping up the leaves so I bought Dad something else. He only has one or two things and I feel bad for him. And he always gets everything for us, so I thought if I buy Sadie and Harry something just from me that it might, I don’t know.” He shrugged, the awkward near teenage boy starting to show.
Rayah’s arm tightened around him. “That’s a really kind thing to do. Your dad will be made up.” She could’ve told him that it wasn’t necessary, that Jonny really wouldn’t care about having gifts to open, but that would negate Charlie’s motive.
“If mum was here she would’ve bought him presents. I know he gets us more because he’s trying to make up for mum not being alive and that, but who makes it up to him?” He looked up at her with eyes that were glazed and sad. The carollers had started their battle, some mash up between theHolly and the IvyandI Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday. They were far enough at the back of the crowd to be able to hear each other speak and both Sadie and Harry were in view – they knew well enough to make sure they could always see Rayah, that was the rule and they were in Severton – she knew everyone in the crowd.
“I don’t think that’s how he sees it, Charlie.”
