Page 75 of My Christmas Billionaire

The doorbell ringing tears my focus away and Robert seems worried.

“Um, I’ll get that. Stay here.”

He heads off at speed, telling me something is up and as I follow him, I stare in shock as he opens the door, and a huge burst of Silent Night fills the house.

As I race to his side, he peers at me with a sheepish expression, and I gasp when I see what appears to be twenty people all dressed in bobble hats with thick winter scarfs tied around their necks. They are wearing huge boots on their feet and are wrapped in winter coats while holding lanterns on sticks. They sing so beautifully and as Robert’s arm slips around me and pulls me close, he drops a light kiss on my cheek and whispers, “Happy Christmas, darling.”

My eyes mist with unshed tears as I sing along to The Holly and The Ivy and then I take pity on them and invite everyone in. They crowd into the kitchen and serenade us while I heat up some mulled wine and offer them a tray of homemade mince pies that have miraculously appeared and it’s as if the Christmas fairy has waved her magic wand and instantly delivered Christmas.

As evenings go, this one will live in my heart for eternity because I don’t believe I’ve ever been as happy as I am now and despite the sheer decadence and waste of money, I know that Robert’s heart was in the right place. He just needs me to manage his expectations and cap his enthusiasm in the future, and I’m more than happy to step up and bring him in line.

CHAPTER40

ROBERT

Bringing Jessica home for good was my proudest moment and we will never forget last night. However, in the cold light of day, there is a lot to do and as Jessica compiles a checklist while dressed in her pyjamas, she looks so adorable as she sips her mug of coffee across the breakfast bar.

I finally feel at peace. I have never been so happy and as we make our plans, one event I have forgotten makes me groan when she mentions we are babysitting tomorrow night.

“What is it?”

She looks concerned, and I groan. “I promised my grandfather we would go to his usual Christmas Eve dinner. Do you think your sister will be back by seven?”

“They are leaving at six, so I doubt it.” Jessica looks thoughtful.

“It’s fine. I’ll head over there, and you go to your family meal as usual. It’s the only way around it.”

“Or we could take them with us.”

“To your grandparent’s dinner.”

She appears horrified, and I shrug. “Why not? They wouldn’t mind.”

“Are you sure about that? I mean, they are rather loud and can’t be trusted to behave.”

“Who, my grandparents?” I chuckle as she rolls her eyes and I shrug, “I hope they don’t.”

I picture the usual stuffy, formal dinner we endure and hope that Brad and Angelina shake it up a little.”

“Run it by them first.” Jessica says firmly. “Then, if they agree, we’ll all go. If not, we stick to the plan.”

“Have you heard from your parents?” I’m interested to know, and she pulls a face.

“Only a text telling me they get back on Christmas Eve but won’t arrive home until past eleven. It’s alright for them. They are going to Sally’s for dinner and just have to show up.”

“I can’t wait to meet them.”

She fixes me with an agonised glare. “Just promise me you won’t judge me on my family. They do what they always want and expect the rest of us to fall in with their plans. Take Sally, for instance. She’s dining with strangers, and I mean that in the usual sense of the word and who knows what she learned in prison? I’m not even sure if Anton still has a job after his flouting of the rules and I guess a lot is riding on their dinner with the people they burgled, for want of a better word.”

“Did they ever find the ring?” I forgot to ask about that, and Jessica nods. “It turned out the owner of the house forgot she had sent it for repair a month ago. That’s where it was the entire time and if it were me, I would be boiling over with rage, but Sally just waved it away with a relieved smile and said that it was all a misunderstanding, and they were really nice people as it happened, and she hopes they will all be great friends.”

“When did she tell you this?”

“When we caught up the morning after, they, well, interrupted us.”

“Oh yes.” I laugh softly, enjoying the blush staining her cheeks and loving how she tries to disguise her embarrassment with a brisk, “Anyway, none of this solves the crime I was sent here for. I’m going to head over to Sam’s house again today and see if I can flush him out. Has there been any other deliveries in the last couple of days?”

Nodding, I head to my study and return with three cards, and she lays them out on the marble breakfast bar.

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