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‘Here you go.’ Paul set a bottle of champagne on the table in front of Leo then handed him a glass.
Leo held the glass out while Paul filled it then he raised it. ‘Cheers!’
‘You OK, man?’ Paul asked as he sat next to Leo.
‘Yeah, you know.’ Leo gave a small nod, not wanting to be a party pooper.
‘It’s OK not to be OK,’ Paul said, turning his body so he was facing Leo. ‘You’ve had a tough time. Losing your mum recently and before that… well… you’ve been through more than most people in the space of two years.’
‘Yeah.’ Leo coughed to clear his throat. ‘Well, more than some but not more than everyone. Lots of people suffer loss.’
‘Don’t downplay what you’ve been through. You’re a stronger man than me. I’d struggle if I’d lost my partner and my mother.’
Leo took a gulp of champagne. He did not want to talk about this now. Not here with all these people around. It was hard enough thinking about it when he was at home, hidden from view, but now… he blinked hard and drank some more champagne then gazed around the club, trying to focus on what people were wearing, what music was playing and what colour the lights above the bar were because they kept changing.
‘Sorry, Leo.’ Paul patted his arm. ‘I know you probably don’t want to think about all of it right now. Not here, anyway. So… Are you still on for coming to Mum and Dad’s for Christmas with me?’
Leo put his glass on the table and folded his hands in his lap. Paul had asked him a few weeks ago if he fancied spending Christmas with him and his family in the Surrey village they’d moved to, and Leo had nodded but evaded answering. However, it seemed that Paul hadn’t forgotten about it.
‘Oh… Uhhh…’
Paul frowned at him. ‘Don’t tell me you forgot?’
‘No. Not forgot, I just didn’t think you were serious because you’d had a few drinks and I thought you were just getting sentimental.’
‘Me? Sentimental?’ Paul laughed. ‘Look, Mum wants you to come. She’s been worried about you. And what else are you going to do? Sit home alone with a microwave meal and pretend Christmas isn’t happening?’
That was exactly what Leo had imagined doing but when Paul said it out loud, it sounded even sadder.
‘Youweregoing to do that, weren’t you?’ Paul shook his head. ‘No way I can allow that. You’re coming home with me.’
‘But isn’t… uhhh… your lady going with you?’ Dammit! What was Paul’s latest girlfriend called?
‘Angelina?’ Paul cocked a brow. ‘Yes. Yes, she is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t come with me too.’
‘You don’t want me there. I’m not great company right now.’
‘I’m sorry, Leo, but I can’t take no for an answer. I need to know you’re OK and the only way I can do that is by taking you with me. You still have a week before we go so sort everything out in work and then we can head to Wisteria Hollow and have a good old-fashioned family Christmas.’
Leo sighed inwardly. He didn’t know how he could refuse when Paul seemed so set on it. Besides which, Leo did like Paul’s family and had spent a lot of time at their home when he was growing up. They’d treated him like a member of the family and just because he hadn’t seen much of them in recent years, it didn’t mean they’d have changed. Also, he knew that Paul’s dad had been very unwell a few months back and so it would be good to see him and see how he was. As much as he would have liked to ignore the holidays, he didn’t think that was going to be possible, so he’d take a deep breath and go with Paul. In fact, he would plaster on his polite smile and be as helpful as he could. After all, what could possibly be worse than spending Christmas alone thinking about his partner and his mum? At least he’d be busy and distracted by Paul’s family.
‘I guess I’m coming to Wisteria Hollow with you then,’ Leo said, reaching for his glass.
‘That’s my boy!’ Paul tapped his glass against Leo’s then they drank. ‘You wait and see… we’ll have a good Christmas. And if you play your cards right with Angelina’s friend, who knows… you could have something special in your Christmas stocking.’
Leo hid his grimace behind his glass. The only thing he wanted in his stocking this year was some peace of mind and he didn’t know if that was possible, so he’d settle for a change of scenery and some time with his best mate.
Chapter3
Erin
Erin yawned then shook her head. ‘Excuse me!’
‘Oh darling, you’re exhausted,’ her mum said from the other sofa.
After her parents had come back to their new home, they’d made dinner then the four of them — Erin, her mum, dad and Zara — had eaten at the table in the large dining area of the kitchen. The room had bifold doors that opened out onto the garden, and although they hadn’t opened them because it was too cold and, by that point dark, Erin had enjoyed knowing that just beyond the glass was a gorgeous garden and then those fields that stretched for miles.
‘I am. That delicious dinner and the drive here have finished me off. Plus the log burner makes the lounge so cosy.’
