“Come through.” Sylvie took her by the hand, their connection reinstated and pulsing through Ade’s arm.
“Here, boy.” Ade knelt on the floor, allowing Henri to notice her and make his way over. He took his time, his old bones quivering as he steadied himself. “Look at you.” As she locked eyes with the canine, a calm took over. The rush of blood slowed around Ade’s temples, and her endless list of clarifying questions muted. The pair of them didn’t need a shared language to understand each other’s needs.
She patted his back with a firm stroke worthy of a dog ofHenri’s breed and stature. She may not be great with humans, but she was a real gem with the animal kingdom. Her regret at not quite connecting with Sylvie’s British friends faded a little as Henri inched closer and laid his head on her shoulder. Having gained his trust, she stroked his silky ears, and their smoothness brought an immediate quiet to her racing mind.
She lifted herself from the floor and beckoned Henri to follow her. “Here you go,” she said, taking the food bowl from Sylvie. The pull to remain in Sylvie’s family home was stronger than anything. If only she could stay here all night in the simple domesticity and the peace of Sylvie’s embrace.
Closing the door, Ade held out her hand. “Charlie and Elda are settling the boys down,” she said.
Sylvie bit her lip. “And Henri is busy eating his food.”
Ade stepped forward, no longer feeling on the periphery of human experience but right in the middle of her own adventure. Her skin tingled with the anticipation of the kiss. Nothing existed except Sylvie, the flutter of her eyelashes, the arch of her brow, the softness of her cheek, and then…her lips. Ade trembled. A moment passed, and her world shrunk to their lips meeting. She held her breath, pausing in the beautiful tenderness that she’d dreamed of but never expected.
The promise of a kiss had been kept. And now she’d known its awesomeness, there was no going back, was there?
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Sylvie caught Elda’s eye,and they shared a silent, knowing glance of the festive joy to come. The door opened, and a shaft of light stretched across the oak floorboards.
“Go on in, boys,” Charlie said.
Arlo held Elda’s hand and followed his older brother into the room. The floor creaked with each of their tiny footsteps.
“Has he been?” Sylvie whispered, knowing full well the tree was barricaded with gift boxes.
“He’s been,” Eli said, his tiny voice full of excitement.
Sylvie flicked the lamp on, bathing the room in the warm light that was usually reserved for the evening.
Wide-eyed, the boys rushed to the gifts which had been stacked like boulders against the Christmas tree. Tiny bows peeped above the boxes, glistening in the glow of the Christmas tree lights.
“I still don’t know why we had to wait for the morning.” Sylvie yawned. “No wonder the children can’t sleep for excitement.”
“Because that’s what we do in England, Sylvie. It’s tradition for Father Christmas to only come down the chimney once everyone is asleep.” Elda glared at her, obviously not wishing to explain to her little ones why Santa might arrive earlier across the Channel.
“But you’re all here, in France. You should be following my rules.” Sylvie huffed, grabbed Eli and tickled him. “You’re lucky I love you guys so much.”
Charlie had arranged two indistinguishable piles of gifts overnight, sat at either side of the tree.
“Eli, it looks like these ones are for you.” Charlie pointed at the left-hand side. “And these are yours, baby boy.” She led heryoungest son toward the first layer of wrapped boxes.
Arlo’s face beamed, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“Want to see what’s inside?” Elda asked. “Try this one.”
He stroked the paper with just enough reverence before tearing it apart and bouncing with unbridled elation. “I wanted this one.” Arlo’s smile reached his bright blue eyes, and everyone in the room caught it like a common cold, unable to resist the contagious cheer. “Thank you, Father Christmas.”
A lump of happiness stuck in Sylvie’s throat, and she excused herself to make coffee. Having spent countless Christmas holidays in the company of adults, she’d forgotten the sheer magic of it all when seen through the eyes of small children.
The pot spluttered on the stove top, and her thoughts drifted to Ade and Steph enjoying their gift-giving this morning. An image of Ade in her pajamas, her long limbs stretched on her sofa, filled her mind and quickened her pulse.
Christmas morning, surrounded by the innocence of childhood, was no time to be humoring her wildest fantasies, but a huge part of her had wished that Ade had woken next to her in bed. What a Christmas gift that would have been. Their kiss, when it had finally come, had been everything. But she’d gone home last night because she’d made a promise to Steph.
“Earth to Sylvie?” Elda leaned against the door frame. “What are you thinking about?”
“Just enjoying the moment, that’s all.” Sylvie sniffed, caught in her reverie.
“Daydreaming about Ade, by any chance?” Elda asked.
