WARM WINTER KISSES a feel good Christmas romance novel (21 page)

The tears that had been gathering in my eyes began to trickle down my cheeks. I threw my arms around Rocco’s neck.

‘Oh Rocco, darling!’ I cried, feeling more certain about this than anything in my life. ‘Of course, I’ll marry you.’

Chapter 30

The rest of Christmas passed in a warm blur of contentment. I can’t really remember the details. Only that we spent the long hours of those days eating wonderful food, drinking good wine, curled up on the sofa, legs and arms entwined, watching repeats of old movies and sitcoms, flicking through books, sharing kisses and occasionally venturing out to walk Millie through the snow-drenched countryside.

‘I think we should keep it quiet for a while, don’t you?’ I said to Rocco one day as we pottered in the kitchen, brewing coffee and making muffins for breakfast.

‘The engagement? Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts.’

‘No, it’s not that. It’s just with everything else going on, the funeral, Pandora’s wedding, the new business venture; we’re going to be so busy. I thought it might be prudent if we kept it under our hats for a while.’

‘And you think you’re going to keep that under wraps from your sister?’ Rocco pointed to the gorgeous sparkling diamond sitting on my finger as if it had always been there.

I smiled, lifting my hand up for a closer inspection. The huge crystal twinkled at me in collusion. It was still hard to imagine it was all mine.

Lexi had taken no persuading when I’d rung her yesterday and asked if she’d like to come and spend a few days with us in the country. She and Mitch were due to arrive tomorrow and I had so much to tell them.

‘I suppose not,’ I sighed, relieved that Rocco hadn’t jumped at my offer of a let-off clause.

‘Besides, it’s such good news, why should we keep it to ourselves? It’ll be good to share it with our friends and family.’

Our
friends, our family! That was something else I still hadn’t got used to. Suddenly I felt I belonged and it was a good feeling.

‘Look at you!’ screeched Lexi when she arrived with Mitch the next day, throwing her arms around me in a bear hug. Loosening her hold, she held me at arm’s length, looking me up and down, her eyes appraising. ‘You look so at home here — Lady of the Manor, no less.’

I giggled, joining in with Lexi’s infectious enthusiasm.

‘Talk about getting your feet under the table,’ she whispered in my ear, as Rocco took Mitch off to find him a beer.

‘Stop it,’ I said. ‘God, it’s lovely to have you here. You look fabulous and we are going to have such a great time, I can’t tell you. Rocco has got loads of culinary delights in store for you both and then of course there’s Pandora’s party to look forward to.’

‘I can’t wait.’ Lexi screwed up her face in a picture of excitement. ‘It’s all I’m here for, you know that. Hobnobbing with all those celebrities. I’ve been practising my louche, just got out of bed look, in four inch stilettos and a little black number, naturally.’

‘Of course.’ I threw my arms around her again, not really believing that she was actually here with me.

‘Oh my God!’ she cried suddenly at the top of her voice.

Startled, I braced myself, thinking I’d trodden on her foot. She pushed me away as Rocco and Mitch turned to view the commotion. ‘What is THAT?’ she demanded.

She grabbed my hand, her eyes wide as they zoomed in on my none-too-subtle gorgeous Christmas present that I’d obviously done a bad job of concealing. Trust Lexi not to miss a single trick.

I nodded at her unasked question.

‘Christmas Day,’ I explained. ‘We got engaged on Christmas morning.’

‘Wow! You should have told me sooner!’

I’m sure our nearest neighbours, who were two fields away, must have heard Lexi’s delighted screams that morning. Rocco looked on fondly wondering, I’m sure, whatever had he done getting himself involved with such a peculiar family.

He grinned broadly. ‘I think this would be the ideal time to break open the champagne.’

I’d come to learn that you didn’t need much of an excuse for cracking open the bubbly at Whitefriars, but at that moment, on that occasion, it seemed the perfect thing to do.

‘Cheers and congratulations!’ came Lexi and Mitch’s collective call.

‘Cheers!’ we all cried together, as Rocco slipped his arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze. I’d never felt happier in my life.

Epilogue

The year that followed was the
Year of the Wedding
. You know how it is. You can go for ages and ages not being invited to a single wedding and then, like buses, a whole bunch of them come along at the same time. That’s how it was that year.

First and most spectacular was that of Pandora and Zak. It took some planning to organise the three hundred guests who descended on Whitefriars and made use of the two huge marquees that set up home in the grounds. And the entire arrangement of the celebrity event of the year had been passed onto me! Talk about stressful — well, mainly it was Pandora who was stressful, but it was still an incredibly satisfying and enjoyable event to be involved in.

Zak had the best idea, disappearing off on tour for six weeks, returning just a week before the big event to participate in his stag night celebrations and take up his position in the wedding pictures.

Thankfully, the whole thing went without a hitch and the glossy pictures that were spread across the pages of
Hello
were stunning.

Though I must admit to a huge feeling of relief when we were able to finally wave the happy couple off on their honeymoon to Vancouver. A six week break from the demands of my new best friend Pandora was just what I needed after all that.

Lexi and Mitch’s big day was next. After wangling an invite to Pandora’s wedding, Lexi, in her none-too-subtle way, kept dropping hints about Whitefriars being a truly magical place to get married and did I have any suggestions as to where I thought she should have her wedding. Bless! Still, it was a much quieter affair than Pandora’s do and having all our relatives and friends there, and most importantly, Mum and Dad, who’d returned from their travels the previous month, looking tanned, healthy and gloriously in love was really wonderful.

Martin and Sue got married in the summer. It was a grand church affair in Sue’s home village in the North of England. Martin was almost unrecognisable in his top hat and tails, beaming with pride and happiness.

I was pretty proud myself; it was like looking on as a much loved older brother got married.

‘Mad fool,’ Rocco whispered in my ear as we stood before the newly betrothed couple, while a whole array of cameras flashed in their direction.

I looked up at him.

‘Letting you go like that. Still, his loss is my gain,’ he said, kissing me gently on my forehead.

Rocco was on his best behaviour that day and even managed to act in a civil and friendly way towards Martin. Later that year, Mum and Dad announced, after a few months back home, that they were unsettled and bored with the life they’d returned to and wanted to take off again, this time touring Europe in a camper van. Before they went, though, they wanted to renew their marriage vows as they’d been together for thirty years.

They wanted something intimate and personal with only close friends and family invited. After a blessing at the local church, we all went back to the
Painted Lady
, which had been festooned with ribbons and balloons. We shared champagne and canapés, expertly prepared by me and Rocco. I was beginning to pick up a few tips after my months with him.

And this was my very favourite wedding of the year. Poignant too, knowing that we would be saying our goodbyes to Mum and Dad again, as they disappeared off on their travels.

Our own wedding, which we’d planned for Christmas of that year to coincide with the first anniversary of us getting together, never actually came to fruition. I thought long and hard before calling it off, but really under the circumstances I had no other choice. Rocco was disappointed and tried to persuade me otherwise, but in the end he knew that opposition was futile.

Throwing up half a dozen times a day isn’t really conducive to the blooming bride look I’d so wanted to achieve.

One year on, in the following December, after losing my pregnancy pounds and gaining beautiful twin girls, Phoebe and Mary, we finally married at Whitefriars with our six-month-old daughters in attendance as flower girls.

It was the most lovely, beautiful sunny day. All our friends and family were there. Mum and Dad interrupted their grand adventure to come home, Martin and Sue came down from Yorkshire, Pandora and Zak added more than a dash of the necessary glamour, Sylvia fussed around everyone, Millie included, adopting the role of the groom’s mother and Lexi, blooming in her heavily pregnant state, with Mitch in attendance, made it a day to remember.

Really, was it any wonder that we all had every intention of living Happily Ever After?

THE END

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About the author
Jill Steeples lives with her husband, two children and a high maintenance English Pointer called Amber in a lovely house, surrounded by Monkey Puzzle trees, in the English countryside. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with family and friends, and enjoys reading (of course) films, musical theatre, walking, baking and eating cakes, and drinking wine.

She is the author of four romantic comedy novels and her short stories have appeared in anthologies and women’s magazines around the world.

www.jillsteeples.co.uk

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