Page 38 of The Duke Who Saved Christmas
“We all have to work together here, you know.”
“That is how you got the outdoor lights up. Working together with Julian,” I pointed out. “From the safety of the ground.”
Gramps sniffed. “I’m too old for those ladders.”
I wasn’t going to disagree there. “What about the tree? I’m surprised Nana hasn’t had a fit about the baubles not being on yet.”
“I don’t see her getting them out of the attic,” he replied.
“They’re in the dining room,” I replied. “Julian got them out two days ago.”
Gramps grimaced. “I was hoping nobody would notice that.”
“I’ll do it tomorrow when she’s at lunch with Veronica and Audrey.” I rolled my eyes, then slid my gaze towards him. “If you make dinner.”
Gramps inclined his head in interest. “What do you want?”
“Your beef stew.”
“Are you buying the ingredients?”
“I’m decorating the tree for you,” I retorted. “You can buy them when you drop her off.”
He eyed the seven-foot-tall tree for a moment before turning back to me. “All right. Deal.”
I reached over and held out my hand, which he shook, and the deal was done. “I’m glad you don’t spit on your palm these days.”
“You should count yourself lucky spit was all you had to shake. Your cousin had a habit of shoving his hand down his pants before making a deal.”
I shuddered. “That’s why I never made a deal with Simon. I was smarter than that.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s why your sister didn’t invite him to the wedding.”
“I can’t lie and say I wasn’t happy when I didn’t see his name.”
“Your aunt was furious.”
“Aunt Shelly is always furious. You should have heard her on the phone when she received the invitation. When I stopped answering her calls, she emailed me no less than eight times demanding to know why my heathen of a sister was sullying the birthday of Christ with her impure wedding.”
Gramps stared at me for a moment, then slowly shook his head. “I knew I shouldn’t have let her go out with that bloke who thinks he’s a priest. He’s no priest. He’s just a nutjob.”
“Yeah. Someone should have Mum check the wedding gifts before Hazel gets at them. There’s probably a voucher for their so-called spiritual retreat to cleanse her and Julian of their sins,” I warned him. “Aunt Shelly made it very clear she wasn’t buying off the registry.”
“Now do you understand why I insisted you and your sister get this house? God knows what she’d have done with my money. She’d have set up a cult.”
“Gramps,youstill have plenty of money. She’s going to get it anyway.”
He grinned. “That’s what she thinks.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m not funding that ruddy pyramid scheme of a religion that charlatan is running, and that’s all you need to know about it.” He stood up with a little, “oof,” and headed in the direction of the dining room. “Right. I’ll get you those Christmas balls.”
I stared after him for a moment, then shook my head as I turned my attention back to my work.
The man was a mystery.
***
