Chapter 33 #2
‘He is,’ Bella agreed. She paused before adding, ‘He’s been through a lot, these past few years, but he finally seems to be moving his life on.
It’s not been easy for him, with the boys, but being here will be great for them all, I think.
’ Her curious gaze made Lauren feel as though she could open up to Bella about what was beginning to happen between herself and Marc, but she still wasn’t quite sure herself.
She wanted to keep that moment between her and Marc for now, however lovely Bella was being.
‘Why don’t you drop me a line with what you’d like for the cake, and we’ll see if I can make it work?’ she said, kicking herself for changing the subject so obviously. She had never been very good at conversational transitions.
Bella beamed, however, obviously not feeling the need to pry any further.
‘That would be great.’ She looked serious for a moment.
‘Noah’s not used to celebrating his birthday.
I found out recently that he hasn’t really marked the occasion since he was a kid.
After their dad died, their mum dialled everything down, and the boys just stopped celebrating anything.
’ Glancing back over her shoulder towards the house, she added, ‘That’s why it’s really special that all three of them are together for Christmas.
It’s the first time in ages that’s happened. ’
Curious, Lauren wanted to see what Marc would be like with his two brothers, but she knew she couldn’t intrude on their celebration. Perhaps, if the kiss turned into something more, she’d experience that for herself.
‘Boys, don’t go outside without your coats!’
Lauren’s heart did an extra beat as she heard Marc’s voice and then saw him standing in his socks on the doorstep.
‘We’re coming in now,’ Bella, grinning, called back. ‘He’s a bit overprotective,’ she stage-whispered to Lauren. ‘Thinks the twins will catch pneumonia if they’re out, unwrapped, for five seconds!’
Lauren smiled back, feeling included by Bella’s conspiratorial tone. She opened her mouth to say goodbye and hurry off before Marc spotted her at the gate; she didn’t want him to think she’d been lurking about outside his house.
‘Lauren, is that you?’ Marc called. ‘Hang on – I’ll come out.’
‘It’s fine. I’m just on my way home,’ Lauren, flustered, answered quickly. ‘I just fancied a bit of fresh air before the next round of food and movies.’
‘Don’t rush off…’ His voice was a little muffled as he bent over and pulled on a pair of muddy green Wellington boots. Lauren saw Bella suppressing a smile as Marc stumbled out of the porch and hurried towards them down the garden path.
‘I’ll, er, get the Twister mat set up, shall I?’ Bella, wrapping paper now deposited, gave them both a knowing look. ‘Come on, lads, back into the house. Give your dad a couple of minutes’ peace to talk to Lauren.’
Bella’s tone clearly brooked no arguments, and Luca and Liam trotted after her obediently.
‘I don’t know how she does that.’ Marc grinned. ‘They’re good as gold whenever she’s around.’
‘I think I’d be pretty scared if Bella was my aunt! Not that she’s scary; she’s lovely, but…’ She trailed off, embarrassed that Marc might think she was slagging his brother’s girlfriend off.
‘No, she can be scary. But don’t ever tell her I admitted that!’
They looked at one another, and Lauren noticed the silvery grey streaks in Marc’s hair that shone brighter in the last of the afternoon sunlight. She had to resist the urge to brush a stray lock back from his forehead.
Marc cleared his throat. ‘I’m glad I saw you,’ he said. ‘I meant to ask you something before I left last night, but what with the rush to get back to relieve the babysitter, I didn’t get the chance.’
‘And maybe the bang on the head didn’t help.’ Lauren flushed. She looked more closely at Marc’s eye. ‘There’s a bit of a bruise there, but it seems to have gone down a lot.’
‘The ice helped,’ Marc replied. ‘And I found a bag of frozen peas when I finally got home – spent the night with them taped to my face!’ He raised an eyebrow before adding, ‘Don’t tell the family, but I added them to Christmas dinner.’
Lauren giggled. ‘Your secret’s safe with me.’
Marc, seemingly nervous, rubbed the back of his neck in the same familiar gesture from last night. ‘Um, would you like to come in for a cuppa? I’m sure I can get you out of Twister if you don’t fancy it.’
Lauren wanted to; she really wanted to, but the thought of being an impromptu party crasher, and having to make small talk with the confident Bella, the handsome and self-assured Noah, another brother she hadn’t yet met and two sugar-crazed six-year-olds made her nervous.
She wouldn’t have the ‘armour’ of the café and the shield of the shop counter to hide behind, and she didn’t know any of them particularly well yet.
As she was pondering this, she saw the hopeful expression on Marc’s face, and her defences melted. How hard would it be to hang out with Marc and his family for a little while? He obviously wanted her to say yes. She drew a deep breath. ‘I’d love to.’
‘Great!’ Marc’s smile did ridiculous things to her pulse. ‘But before we go in…’
Lauren looked quizzically at him. ‘Hmm?’
‘Can I, er kiss you again? It’s not that I won’t want to later, but…’
‘You’re a bit wary in front of your boys?
’ Lauren took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
‘I get it.’ She moved towards him and they both glanced back towards the house.
The living room was on the other side of the building, so they were out of sight.
Lauren looked up at Marc as he moved towards her, and as their lips met in a kiss that was deeper and more passionate than the one they’d shared on Christmas Eve, Lauren’s knees grew weak.
She drew him closer, wrapping an arm around his waist, and the blissful sensation of their bodies touching, a warmth against the cold, made her senses reel.
After a moment or two, they drew back.
‘Wow,’ Marc breathed. ‘Merry Christmas.’
‘You too.’
‘I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold a proper conversation after that!’ Marc joked. ‘But I’m happy to try if you are.’
He reluctantly let her go, and Lauren walked beside him back into the house, their hands brushing gently as they went through the front door.