Chapter 21 December 21st
When my eyes open, I’m curled up on my side, my back to the edge of the bed, the duvet covering my naked body, expecting to see Dec. I don’t. I see Albi. Asleep.
He’s splayed on his back between us on top of the sheets, legs akimbo, his arms above his head on the pillow.
“Oh,” I breathe, naturally checking the sheets are covering me.
Inevitably, memories stampede through my mind mercilessly, the many mornings I woke up and found Noah had crept into bed with us.
My eyes instinctively squeeze shut, trying to push them back. But why? Why am I pushing them back?
Relenting to the power of them, I allow the memories to invade me, inhaling as if I can smell him close to me. My smile is sad, and my chest tight, and yet the visions keep coming.
And I allow them.
I peel my eyes open and lift my head off the pillow a little so I can see Dec.
He’s in the exact same position as his boy.
They both snore softly, both their lips parted.
It’s a quiet, peaceful moment, despite the heaviness of it.
Precious. It’s something I never appreciated when I had Noah.
This simple thing. I don’t know how long I stay still and quiet watching them, wondering if Dec realises just how precious this is.
As if he’s heard my silent question, his eyes open, his sleepy gaze finding Albi next to him. His frown is adorable as his waking mind slowly brings him up to speed. His eyes jump directly to mine. I smile a little, letting him know I’m okay.
He sighs and rolls gingerly onto his side to face me. “Sorry,” he murmurs.
“Don’t be.”
“Did his snoring wake you?”
I shake my head. “I’m naked.”
Dec’s eyes widen theatrically, his head craning to see over his sleeping son.
His nose wrinkles when he finds me covered, and I chuckle as he edges to the side of the bed and gets out.
He wanders across the bedroom. “And so are you,” I breathe, admiring him in all his naked glory as he pulls a T-shirt off the chair and brings it to me.
“I’ll go make coffee.” He bends and plants a kiss on my lips.
“Be careful. He tends to play football in his sleep.”
“He does?” At that exact moment, Albi’s foot boots me in the thigh, and he mumbles a few inaudible words as he rolls away from me.
Dec winces on my behalf. “Ouch,” I whisper, when I actually want to yell at the sharp stab of pain that travels down to my knee.
“I think I’ll get ready for work.” I glance at the clock on the nightstand.
Six thirty. “So much for being out for the count until seven.” I put my hand out for Dec to pull me up. “Mind if I use your shower?”
“Help yourself.” He pulls on some boxers and strides off as I wriggle into the T-shirt and take myself to the bathroom.
After showering, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed, I head downstairs, feeling distinctively different this morning. Lighter. There’s . . . a sense of quiet, subdued joy beneath my skin.
Dec’s at the island, coffee in one hand, his mobile in the other, talking. “I’ll be there at nine.” He hangs up. Takes me in. “When do you finish for Christmas?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Spend it with us,” he says out of the blue, making me pause halfway to setting my bag on the island to get my coat on.
“What?”
He gets up and takes my coat from my hands, holding it up for me to feed my arms through. “I said, spend it with us.”
A nativity play, albeit a fraudulent example, is one thing. So is a date to see Father Christmas. Spending Christmas with them? I don’t want to cast my shadows over what should be a magical day for Albi. And for Dec. He’ll be watching me constantly. Worrying sensitive nerves are being hit. “I—”
“Think about it,” he whispers in my ear, his hands on my shoulders. “That’s all I ask.”
“Okay,” I agree for the sake of it, if only to cut this conversation in its tracks. “I have to go.”
“Four more sleeps!” Albi comes dashing into the kitchen like a rocket, zooming around the island to the point I’m dizzy. “Four more sleeps, four more sleeps! He’s coming in four more sleeps!” He stops, out of breath after his mad dash. “Why’d you sleep in Daddy’s bed?”
“Over to you,” I breathe, grabbing my bag.
“Right, fella,” Dec says, sounding super enthusiastic. “We’ve got to go to work for a little while.”
“Yay!” Albi dashes back out, a total whirlwind. “I’ll put on my power suit.”
My eyebrows raise. “He has a power suit?”
“A policeman’s costume. It’s a step up from the prawn.” Dec walks me to the door and opens it, and I find Ron on the other side.
“Oh, hi.”
“Ron will take you.”
“I can get myself to work.”
“But you don’t need to because Ron can take you and then come back for me and Albi.” He motions outside. “Look at it, Camryn.” Then he points to my heels.
“Yes, but I have these,” I say, dipping and picking up my wellington boots from where I left them.
“They’ll look smashing with that dress.”
I point a half scowl half smile at him. “Talk later.”
“We will,” he says, full of authority.
Small talk is the name of the game on the drive with Ron, it seems. Where do I work, how long have I worked there, where did I meet Dec, when did I meet him?
I couldn’t help but think they were all questions he knew the answers to.
“Have you worked for Dec for long?” I ask, if only to relieve him of the pressure to think up any more pointless questions.
“Ten years.”
“Wow, that long?”
“It was a stopgap that lasted six years. Then Albi arrived, and I got attached to the little bugger.”
I laugh, and the sound is natural. “Not much hope for me then, is there?”
“You’re getting attached?” he asks.
“He’s adorable.”
“He is.” He must sense the endless questions I want to ask. The smile he gives me out the corner of his mouth tells me I’m right.
“Are you married, Ron?” I ask, dipping into my bag to find my phone.
“Divorced. She left me for a richer man.”
Wincing, I turn a sympathetic smile onto him. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He’s bankrupt now.”
I laugh. “Karma.”
“No, Dec Ellis.”
“Huh?”
“Dec bankrolled my new business that put him out of business.”
“Oh my God,” I murmur. “Does he get a kick out of avenging people who have wronged him?”
“Dec wasn’t wronged.”
I shake my head. He’s right. “What business are you in?”
“Chauffeur.” He smirks. “Dec hired me ten years ago to be his personal driver. Like I said, it was just a stopgap until I got myself back on my feet. Naturally, when one’s being driven daily by someone, they slowly get to know them.”
“And Dec got to know you, found out your story, and stumped up endless cash to bankroll a new luxury private chauffer business.”
“You got it. I bought a fleet of prestigious cars, hired some men, bought some suits, and away I went. We made a deal. He put in half a million for forty percent and if I paid him back within five years, he’d drop to twenty.”
“And did you?”
He smiles across to me. “Within three.”
I blow my cheeks out. “That’s amazing.”
“He’s amazing.” Looking at me, Ron studies me silently for a few moments, and I feel wholly scrutinised.
“You’re wondering what my intentions are,” I say, upfront, asking his question for him as he returns his attention to the road.
“He’s an honourable man. In the ten years I’ve worked for him, I’ve only every known one woman.”
“His wife.”
“She’s a sore subject.”
“Understandably,” I say, turning in my seat to face him, prepared to tell him what he wants to hear.
Because it’s true. “I love him. I loved him before I knew he was wealthy. I loved him before I knew about Albi. He’s saving my life one minute at a time, but what I’m struggling with is why he loves me.
” I don’t expect Ron to know or even tell me if he knows. “He said he doesn’t want to be lonely.”
“Being insanely rich is very lonely,” he muses. “But’s that’s not why he’s fallen for you.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” I quip, making Ron chuckle. “So why has he fallen for me?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Maybe it was your smile.”
“Maybe.”
“Your beauty?”
“He’s not that shallow. But thanks for the compliment.”
He laughs again. “No, you’re right. He’s not that shallow. Your comic genius?”
“Nope. Can you see why I’m baffled?”
“Why do we need to dissect it? Sometimes people fall in love and it’s unexplainable but beautiful. Accept it. Roll with it.”
“I half expected you to warn me not to hurt them.”
“I wouldn’t insult you.”
“What if he hurts me?”
“There are many things I know about Dec Ellis, and one of them is this. He doesn’t spend time on things that he’s not passionate about.”
“He spent time on his wife.”
He shakes his head as he pulls up outside my office. “Wrong. He spent time on Albi.”
And what can I say to that? “Well, thank you for the surprisingly insightful ride to work.” I smile and get out but stop, dipping to get Ron back in my sights. “If your business is flourishing, then why are you still driving for Dec?”
“Like I said, I’m attached.”
I nod my understanding. “Did your wife ever try to come crawling back?”
“She’s still trying. Have a great day at work, Camryn.”
I laugh a little. “Thanks, Ron.” Closing the door, I stand back and watch him drive off to go fetch Dec and Albi.
To take them to work.
In their power suit and policeman costume.
There are many things I know about Dec Ellis. And one of them is this. He doesn’t spend time on things that he’s not passionate about.
I chew my lip, very aware that I’m restraining my smile.
He spent time on his wife.
No, he spent time on Albi.
He really didn’t love her. And that feels like one weight lifted from the various weights on my shoulders.