Christmas Eve Marriage. Jessica Hart
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seen so little of her.’ Rhys drank his coffee morosely. ‘My job kept me in Morocco for another five years. Whenever I had leave and could get back to the UK, I saw Sophie, of course, but it wasn’t that often, and I guess I am pretty much a stranger to her.’
‘That must be hard,’ said Thea carefully.
His mouth turned down as he nodded. ‘The last time I came home, I realised that I didn’t know my daughter at all, and I didn’t want it to be like that. I want to be a proper father to her, not just someone who turns up with presents every now and then. So I got myself a job in London, where I could live nearby, and I’m trying to see her more regularly now, but…’
‘But what?’ she prompted. ‘It sounds to me as if you did exactly the right thing.’
‘I’m just afraid I may have left it too late,’ said Rhys reluctantly. ‘I know I only came back a few weeks ago, but it’s as if Sophie is determined not to be won over.’
‘It might take a little time,’ said Thea, hearing the hurt in his voice. ‘It’s probably confusing for her too, to suddenly have a full-time father.’
‘I suppose so.’ He sighed and raked a hand through his hair in a weary gesture. ‘I was hoping that coming away on holiday together would be a good chance for us to get to know each other properly and get used to each other, but it hasn’t been a great success so far. I imagined us going for long walks together and talking, but Sophie doesn’t like walking and half the time she won’t talk to me either. She says she’s bored.’
‘Aren’t there any other children here?’ ‘Yes, there are two boys staying in the other villa.’ Rhys nodded across the pool. ‘Unfortunately, they’re very well behaved. Sophie says they’re boring, too.’
‘I’m sure Clara will sort them all out,’ said Thea comfortably as Sophie came back out on to the terrace, looking marginally less sullen.
She thrust a cup at Thea. ‘Here.’
‘Thanks.’ Thea took it with a smile. Clara would have known that her aunt was desperate for coffee, she thought gratefully, but Rhys was frowning at his daughter’s gracelessness.
‘What about a saucer?’ he asked, but Sophie was already on her way back to the kitchen.
‘Honestly, this is fine,’ said Thea quickly before he followed her. It was all she could do to contain herself as Rhys poured coffee into her cup.
‘That smells wonderful.’ She sighed, breathing in deeply. ‘Mmm….’ She took a sip and closed her eyes blissfully. ‘God, that tastes good!’
Lowering the cup, she smiled at Rhys, a wide, warm smile that lit up her face and left him looking oddly startled for a moment. ‘I’ve been fantasising about this all morning!’
He raised a brow. ‘Nice to meet a woman whose fantasies are so easily satisfied!’ he said dryly.
His eyes were an unusual greenish-grey colour, their paleness striking in his brown face. Thea was surprised that she hadn’t noticed them before, and, distracted, it took her a moment to register what he had said.
A faint flush stained her cheeks when she did, and she made herself look away. ‘Some of them, anyway.’
There was a pause while Thea drank her coffee and gazed studiously at the view, wishing she could think of something to say.
The sudden silence was interrupted, much to her relief, by Sophie and Clara, bearing breakfast. Bread and jam were laid carefully on the table, along with some ripe peaches, a pot of Greek yoghurt and some honey.
‘This looks wonderful, Sophie,’ said Thea, although she was fairly sure that her practical niece had taken a leading role in procuring the lavish spread. Sophie had that pale, thin look of a child with no interest in food. ‘Thank you so much.’
Sophie hunched a shoulder in acknowledgment and resumed her slumped posture on the chair, but Thea noticed that, beneath her fringe, her eyes were alert as she watched them tucking into breakfast with relish.
Rhys watched them too, with quiet amusement. ‘It’s a pleasure to see girls with such healthy appetites,’ he said as Thea poured honey over a bowlful of yoghurt, handing it to Clara before preparing one of her own.
‘We’re very hungry,’ she said a little defensively. ‘We haven’t eaten since the meal on the plane, have we, Clara?’
Clara shook her head, her mouth full. ‘This is so good,’ she said when she could. ‘Can we have yoghurt and honey for breakfast every day?’
‘Sure,’ said Thea. ‘We’ll get some when we replace everything we’ve eaten now.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Rhys, resigned. ‘I bought most of it for Sophie, anyway. I thought it would be good to have a real Greek breakfast, but she won’t touch it, will you?’ he added to his daughter.
Sophie’s lower lip stuck out. ‘Mum doesn’t eat dairy products, so why should I have to?’
‘No dairy products?’ Thea stared at her, appalled. ‘No cheese? No milk? No butter?’
‘Or red meat or potatoes or bread or salt…’ Rhys said, sounding tired.
That was Thea’s entire diet out of the window then. ‘Chocolate? Biscuits?’ She didn’t even think it was worth mentioning alcohol.
His smile twisted. ‘You’re kidding, aren’t you? Lynda’s permanently on some faddy diet or another. She’s obsessive about every mouthful.’
No wonder Sophie had looked so surprised when she saw them guzzling breakfast. Imagine having that kind of self-control.
‘She must have a lovely figure,’ said Thea, wishing she hadn’t had quite such a large bowl of yoghurt.
Sophie nodded. ‘She does.’
‘I think she’s too thin,’ said Rhys.
Thea tried to imagine anyone saying that about her. The thing about Thea is she’s just too thin. No, it just didn’t sound right. Totally unconvincing, in fact. A bit like saying, The thing about George Clooney is he’s just too ugly.
On the other hand, it sounded as if Rhys might actually prefer his women to have a few more curves than a stick insect. That was good.
Whoops, where had that thought come from? Thea caught herself up guiltily. She wasn’t the slightest bit interested in how he liked his women.
‘I wish I had that kind of self-discipline,’ she said with a sigh. ‘I’m always trying to diet, but I’m lucky if I make it to lunch without devouring a packet of Hob Nobs to make up for just a grapefruit for breakfast.’
‘You don’t need to diet,’ Clara leapt in loyally. ‘Mum says you’re silly to worry about your weight. She says you’ve got a sexy figure and men much prefer that to thin girls.’
‘Clara!’ Mortified, Thea tried to kick her under the table.
‘Well, she does,’ insisted Clara, and then made things a million times worse by turning to Rhys. ‘It’s true, isn’t it?’
‘Clara…’
Unperturbed by the directness of the question, Rhys had turned and was studying Thea. ‘I think your mother’s right,’ he said, straight-faced, and Clara sat back, satisfied.
‘See?’ she said to Thea, who was blushing furiously.
‘If you’ve finished your breakfast, maybe you’d like to go and have a swim?’ she suggested through her teeth.
‘Cool!’ Clara leapt to her feet. ‘Come on, Sophie.’
Sophie looked warily at her father. ‘Can I go?’
‘Of course,’ he said, and she slid off her chair and ran after Clara.
Thea