Chapter Sixteen

Melissa woke up on Christmas morning to the sight of William’s small body standing next to her bed. When he clambered up next to her, excitedly telling her there were presents in his stocking, the worries and loneliness of the previous night began to recede. Here in this bed, she had all she wanted in life. Sure she might wonder how it would feel to share in the excitement of watching William unwrap his presents, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. She would look forward to seeing Daniel tomorrow, but today … today she had all she needed.

This was going to be a good Christmas.

‘It’s not snowing,’ William complained when he ran to the window, though his disappointment was soon forgotten as he attacked his presents with all the exuberance a seven-nearly-eight year old should. Amid the tearing of wrapping paper she heard the occasional exclamations of, ‘wow, a Lego bulldozer,’ or, ‘chocolate rules’.

When he unwrapped the inflatable chair she’d bought on impulse, he snorted with laughter. ‘I’ll get Simon to sit on it and pull out the stopper.’

His favourite present was his racket. Daniel had managed to obtain a smaller version of the racket he’d won Wimbledon with. Melissa knew William didn’t understand the significance of it, but she’d realised it immediately and had barely been able to choke out a thank you when he’d smuggled it into the house for her.

‘Did Father Christmas get you everything you wanted?’ she asked finally as she stuffed all the discarded wrapping paper into a black bin bag.

‘Almost.’ He grabbed at a ball of paper and started hitting it with his racket.

She peered closely at him. ‘What was the thing he didn’t bring then?’

‘Oh, he couldn’t bring it. Just …’ he swatted another ball of paper. ‘Make it happen.’

‘I see,’ which was a stupid thing to say because she didn’t. ‘And has it happened?’

‘Not yet, but maybe.’

As tiptoeing round the subject was getting her nowhere, she went for the direct approach. ‘What do you want to happen?’ He either didn’t hear her because he was having too much fun playing paper tennis, or he was ignoring her. ‘William? What did you ask Father Christmas to make happen?’

Mid-way through picking up another paper ball, he paused and shot her a cheeky grin. ‘I told you. That’s between me and him.’

Melissa had no option but to laugh. Whatever it was, it clearly wasn’t upsetting him, so she decided to let the matter lie.

The phone rang just after they’d finished Christmas lunch. She didn’t need to look at the caller ID to know who it was. He might not have been there in person, but Daniel had been in her mind all day. By the look on William’s face when he dashed to talk to him, he’d been in her son’s, too.

She let them talk while she cleared up the dishes, then took the phone back as William settled down to watch Ice Age.

‘Regretting not inviting me yet?’ Daniel asked when she told him what film they were about to watch. ‘You could have been cuddling up to me while you watched the mammoth and the sloth squabble.’

‘You’ve watched it then?’ she asked, slightly surprised.

‘You can’t beat a good film animation. Plus I do have a nephew.’

‘Of course.’ In her more cynical moments, when she wondered if Daniel was just being kind to William to get to her, she conveniently forgot the bond he already shared with Simon. ‘What are you doing now?’

‘Recovering from the monster turkey Alice forced down my neck and trying to duck out of the game of charades she seems determined to make us all suffer. Dad’s fallen asleep, so I guess that’s one way out.’

Melissa felt a pang of longing. His Christmas sounded so normal. The type of Christmas she’d always longed for but never had. Siblings, parents, love and laughter. Her eyes slid to William, his small body focused on the television. She had a lot to be thankful for.

‘Hey, are you still there?’

His voice brought her back. ‘Sorry, yes, I’m here.’

‘Are you nodding off like my dad? Maybe it’s not the turkey. Maybe it’s me.’

‘Serve up something different from cold turkey tomorrow and we’ll find out.’

She could almost hear him smile. ‘Is that a culinary challenge Ms Stanford? If so, I gladly accept it. I’m even more glad to hear you’re still coming.’

‘I don’t think William would speak to me again if we didn’t.’ His silence told her he’d hoped for something else, so she added. ‘I’m looking forward to it, too.’

She heard the slight whoosh of exhaled breath. ‘Not as much as I am. Come as early as you want. And stay as long as you want,’ he finished softly, before putting down the phone.

It was a while before her heart rate returned to normal.

Boxing Day arrived sunny and crisp. An overnight frost covered the ground making everywhere look silver and magical in the weak morning sun. Whether it was that causing her spine to tingle with anticipation, or the fact that they were on their way to see Daniel, Melissa didn’t dare to guess.

Though the frost certainly added a sparkle to everything, she suspected the sight of Daniel’s house would still have left her overawed on a dull, rainy day. She knew he was wealthy – he’d been a major tennis star so his winnings and endorsements must have run into millions. Then there was his tennis academy, which Alice had proudly informed her he was planning to repeat in other centres around the country. Even so, she hadn’t been prepared for this. An elegant Georgian mansion house, nestled down a quiet leafy lane in the best part of town. As she edged her car towards the wrought iron gates they opened regally and she turned into the long gravel drive. Words like classy, handsome and immaculate sprang into her mind. They remained there as she stared at the man walking down the steps to greet them.

Daniel opened the door for William, who scrambled out of his seat with the enthusiasm of a dog knowing it was going for a walk. After giving him a few hearty high-fives, Daniel turned his attention to Melissa, taking her hand as she stepped out of the car.

‘Did you find it okay?’ he asked, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

‘Thanks to the powers of satellite navigation, yes.’ She glanced up at the house. ‘It’s stunning.’

‘Thanks. I bought it after winning my first grand slam. Figured it was a nice way to spend the prize money.’ He gave her a searching look. ‘Any bags?’

She smiled coyly. ‘Perhaps.’ But then put him out of his misery by clicking the boot open.

He eyed up the luggage with a satisfied smile. ‘Excellent.’

With a bag in each hand, he led them up the marble steps and into the hallway.

The decor was a mixture of traditional and modern. He’d kept faith with the period of the house, making the visitor very aware they were in a Georgian home, but he’d furnished with a view to comfort and modern day necessity. As William darted off to explore, Daniel dropped the bags on the floor and took her in his arms.

The kiss was hungry and proprietary. ‘Are you going to tell William about us, or shall I?’ he asked when he finally drew back.

His eyes sent her a clear message. Tonight he wanted her in his bed. She’d learnt he was an easy-going man, but push him too far and he dug in and pushed right back.

‘I’ll tell him.’ And though she resisted being pushed, she was coming to understand there was a difference between Daniel’s determined nudges and the bulldozing approach taken by Lawrence.

‘Good.’ Daniel led the way upstairs, calling for William so he could show him his room.

‘Here it is, buddy.’ He placed the small holdall in a pretty blue room that wasn’t fussy enough to offend a boy but was stylish enough to please the designer in her.

William rushed inside and jumped on the bed. ‘Awesome. And I get my own bathroom.’

Tactfully Daniel slipped out and Melissa moved to join her son on the bed. ‘I’m going to be sleeping in Daniel’s room tonight,’ she told him, and braced herself for the avalanche of questions.

There was a moment’s pause while he studied her, and she held her breath. ‘Where’s that?’

The air left her lungs in a rush and she laughed softly. ‘Let’s go and find it shall we?’

They walked past two further bedrooms, neither of which looked lived in, so they carried on down the corridor. The final bedroom was dominated by two things. A massive walnut bed and a sixty-inch plasma screen television on the wall. Daniel emerged from the bathroom and swung William up, throwing him onto the bed. ‘What do you reckon, Will? Springs bouncy enough for you?’

William shrieked, scrambling to his feet so could he throw himself onto the bed again. ‘It’s a trampoline.’

Daniel slipped behind Melissa and put his arms around her waist. ‘Do you think it’ll see that much action tonight?’ he whispered in her ear.

She smiled, enjoying the feel of his strong arms around her. How lovely to lean back and know she would be supported. It made her wonder, what if that support wasn’t just physical, but emotional, too? She knew Daniel was capable of supplying both, yet still the doubts niggled. The more she relied on someone, the more vulnerable it made her.

Behind her, Daniel drew back. ‘If you’ve finished wearing out my bed springs, Will, why don’t we go and see what we can find under the Christmas tree?’

He flopped back onto the bed, eyes wide with delight. ‘You got a tree?’

‘Of course I did. This year I have someone to share it with.’

Daniel couldn’t explain to anyone how he felt watching William and Melissa scramble under the gigantic tree he’d lugged from the garden centre. It was the first he’d ever bought for the place and as he surveyed the poignant scene – baubles dancing on the branches as the two people he’d come to love tried to find their presents – he realised the place didn’t feel like his house today. It felt like his home.

‘You shouldn’t have bought us so many,’ Melissa exclaimed as she sat back on her heels, shaking pine needles out her hair.

‘Oh sorry. I didn’t realise there were rules about that.’

She put her hands on her hips and gave him a mock glare. ‘As if you’d have stuck to them anyway.’

‘Don’t listen to her,’ William declared, coming out from under the tree with his arms laden. ‘I like lots of presents.’

‘Spoken like a true Christmas lover. Hey, I almost forgot, did the big man bring you what you wanted?’

‘I had loads of things.’

‘Including both the things you put on your list?’

‘Nearly.’

Daniel met Melissa’s eyes and she shrugged, giving him an I haven’t a clue either look.

‘Well you need to say if you’re bored with opening presents now.’ William shot him a look of such disgust, Daniel burst into laughter. ‘I guess you should open these then.’

William sat cross-legged on the floor and poked at the red and gold wrapped gifts, clearly deciding where to start.

‘I hope you haven’t spent too much money on him,’ Melissa whispered as she slid onto the sofa next to him, her face turning anxious before his eyes.

Irritation pricked. ‘Will you just relax and trust me?’

Sure he’d eyed up all the toys he’d wanted to buy William. A digital Scalextric set had been first on his list, closely followed by the full Star Wars Death Star Lego set, complete with Superlaser control room and Imperial conference chamber. While he’d had no problem picturing the glee on William’s face as he opened them, it had been just as easy to picture the horror on Melissa’s. She was already wary of their relationship; bombarding her son with expensive gifts would only scare her more.

Regretfully he’d toned down his shopping list.

As William tore his way through the presents he’d painstakingly wrapped, grinning as each one was revealed, Melissa noticeably relaxed. There was the compulsory football, a sports bottle with William’s name on it, a tennis shirt with the tennis academy logo sprawled across the back. Jumbo tennis rackets for the garden.

‘There seems to be a theme,’ Melissa murmured next to him.

He shrugged. ‘I’m a guy. We do sports or cars.’

‘Awesome!’ William exclaimed when he ripped open the final present. ‘It’s just like yours.’ As he eyed up the gleaming red remote control Ferrari, Melissa giggled beside him.

‘Something funny?’

‘Nope. It’s just that you weren’t wrong with the sports and cars thing.’

‘There was a ton of other stuff I’d rather have bought,’ he returned a trifle sulkily.

He was rewarded with a soft kiss on his cheek. ‘I know, and I’m grateful as much for what you didn’t buy as for what you did. Thank you.’

Mollified, he pointed to the presents she’d found with her name on them. Two smaller ones, one that still looked suspiciously racket shaped, and one large rectangular one. ‘Feeling relaxed enough to tackle yours now?’

He’d had restless nights deciding what to buy her. His instinct had been a fat diamond ring – even now he broke into a sweat thinking about it. Not the ring, but the implications. This was the woman he wanted to marry.

‘Look how fast it goes!’ William’s squeal knocked him out of his trance and he watched as the Ferrari raced across the floor and careered into the skirting board.

‘William!’ Melissa scolded. ‘Be careful. I don’t think the sitting room is the right place for you to be playing with that. It should be outside.’

Immediately William looked contrite and Daniel’s heart went out to him. ‘It’s only a skirting board,’ he reminded her gently. ‘They’re there to be knocked. It’s their purpose in life, like car bumpers. Besides, it’s cold outside.’

William mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile and Melissa sighed. ‘Okay. Carry on, but if all your furniture has dents in it after this, don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

William picked up the car, turned it round, and shot it down the hallway. At the inevitable sound of car crashing against another solid object, Melissa flinched.

‘Hey, lighten up.’ He ran a finger down her tense face. ‘No harm done.’

‘No.’ Her breasts rose and fell as she let out a long, slow breath. ‘Sorry. It’s a hang-up from my marriage. Lawrence went mad if William played with his toys anywhere but in his room. And if he knocked anything over …’

‘I’m not Lawrence.’ Bloody hell, didn’t she realise that already? ‘I won’t shout at William for knocking chunks out of my furniture. But I will shout at you if you keep implying I’m anything like your damn ex.’

‘Okay.’ Her lips curved. ‘Point well made.’

‘Now open your flipping presents.’

With her expression relaxed again, she bent her head and set about tackling her gifts with all the decorum and neatness William had lacked. After carefully peeling back the sellotape she slid off the paper, folding it neatly before her eyes focused on the contents.

Having gone through the torture of watching her open two this way – some Molton Brown shower gel, and a Jo Malone scented candle – Daniel grabbed at the next one and tore the wrapping off himself. ‘The phrase they ripped open their presents, exists for a reason.’

She giggled at the tennis racket he presented her with. ‘I had a suspicion I knew what this was. I guess now I’ve got no excuse not to play.’

‘Please open the last one quickly. I’ve watched paint dry with more excitement than you opening your presents.’

In truth he was a little nervous about the last gift. Not the large one, but the small one he’d taped to it.

‘Oh Daniel, that’s perfect,’ she exclaimed as she studied the large black and white print of William playing tennis that he’d had framed. ‘Thank you so much.’ Her eyes fell on the small envelope attached to the frame. ‘What’s this?’

‘Open it and find out.’

His heart thumped in his chest. While it wasn’t the ring he’d wanted to give her, he hoped it conveyed the sentiment.

‘Oh my goodness,’ she gasped. ‘It’s stunning.’ Her face paled and she started to shake her head. ‘But it’s too much Daniel. I can’t accept this.’

‘Why not?’ He could feel himself getting annoyed. ‘Don’t you like it?’

‘Of course I do.’ Her slender fingers trailed over the brooch he’d had made. It was of a needle and thimble and was covered with diamonds.

‘Then please accept it.’

Melissa saw the rigid way Daniel was holding himself and knew if she did anything other than thank him for his beautiful, and incredibly thoughtful, gift, he would be really hurt. So she pushed away her concerns about how much it must have cost and flung her arms around him. ‘It’s absolutely gorgeous. I love it. Thank you so much.’

Beneath her hands, his shoulders relaxed. ‘My pleasure.’

But now she had another problem. ‘It makes my gift to you look terrible though.’

He bent to pin the brooch to her blouse and then drew back to admire his handiwork. ‘If it’s from you, I’ll love it. Guaranteed.’

‘Remember that when you’ve opened it.’ Rummaging in her handbag she retrieved the small parcel she’d lovingly wrapped in gold paper, tying it with a gold and silver ribbon. At least it looked good from the outside.

In under a second he’d shoved the bows aside and torn off the paper. ‘Hey, wow, a tie. That’s great.’

‘It’s not just any tie.’ She turned it over so he could read the label. Melissa designs.

He seemed genuinely chuffed. ‘I shall wear it with the utmost pride.’

Their eyes caught and he raised his hand to her face, trailing his fingers sensuously over her cheek. ‘Thank you.’ He was bending down for a kiss when the sound of a radio-controlled car shattered the peace.

Ruefully Daniel drew back. ‘Anyone for cold turkey?’

Melissa let out a small shriek of horror. ‘You promised—’

‘It was a joke,’ he interrupted, helping her up. ‘You know I always deliver on my promises.’