rose and began moving the pile of presents around, Sarah’s stomach contracting when he selected a smallish rectangular gift, wrapped in sparkling gold paper that had Christmas trees all over it.
‘That’s from me,’ she said with false brightness when Jim handed it over to Nick.
Instead of Sarah feeling joyful anticipation at Nick’s opening her present, her main emotion now was anxiety over his reaction. Sarah knew he would like it. She just hoped he wouldn’t read anything into it. She would hate him to guess how she secretly felt about him. Hate the humiliation that would go with any such discovery.
Nick put down his coffee and ripped off the wrapping paper, frowning when confronted with the plain white cardboard box.
‘Not cologne this year?’ he said as he struggled to open the tight top, his short nails not helping with the task.
‘No,’ she replied. ‘Do you want me to open it for you?’
‘No. I’ll get it. Eventually. There. Done.’ Nick frowned some more as he upended the box and slid the bubble-wrapped gift into the palm of his hand. ‘I have no idea what this could be,’ he said with genuine puzzlement in his voice as he unwrapped it.
Sarah found herself holding her breath, rewarded when she saw pure, unadulterated delight fill his face.
‘I … I hope you like it,’ Sarah said, her cheeks colouring when his eyes lifted to stare over at her. Oh, goodness, she hoped he wasn’t jumping to any embarrassing conclusions.
‘What is it?’ Flora piped up before Nick could answer her. ‘Show me.’
Nick placed the miniature golf bag on the coffee-table for everyone to see before shaking his head at her.
‘Words fail me, Sarah,’ he said. But with amazement, not speculation.
‘Look at this, Jim,’ Flora said. ‘It’s a tiny little golf bag, full of the most beautiful little golf clubs.’
Jim leant over to take a closer look. ‘It looks expensive.’
‘Yes,’ Nick agreed. ‘It does. You shouldn’t have spent so much money on me, Sarah.’
‘Oh, it wasn’t too dear for a soon-to-be heiress,’ she replied airily. ‘I thought you deserved something special for having put up with me all these years. The clubs are made from real silver, you know. English silver. They have hallmarks on them.’
‘Where on earth did you get it?’ Nick asked.
‘I bought it on eBay. They have things you just don’t see in the shops.’
‘It’s an exquisite and thoughtful present,’ he said as he picked it up again. ‘I’ll treasure it always.’
Sarah’s heart swelled with pleasure. If nothing else, she’d pleased him with her gift today, his genuinely warm reaction lifting her spirits and making her realise that he did care about her. She’d seen the affection in his eyes just now.
If she could not spark his sexual interest, then she would settle for his affection. It was better than nothing. For a while there, over the last few years, she’d begun thinking he didn’t even like her any more.
But it was clear that he did. Maybe, once she grew up and got over this mad sexual obsession that had been tormenting her for far too long, they could even become friends again.
‘Now it’s your turn,’ Nick said. ‘Jim, give me that box with the red bow on it, please. Yes, that’s the one.’
Nick smiled as he handed Sarah the store-wrapped package. ‘Sorry it’s not quite what you asked for.’
‘What are you talking out? Oh, you mean the car. Well, I was only joking, you know. I can’t imagine what you’ve bought me,’ she said a bit breathlessly as she removed the bow then lifted the lid off the box.
Inside was a yellow car. A model of the one she’d mentioned to Nick. Not a miniature, but quite a large one. And not cheap, either.
Sarah laughed as she drew it out. ‘Look what the wicked devil bought.’
Flora clucked her tongue at Nick. Jim liked it, though, calling it a beauty.
‘If you open the driver’s door,’ Nick said, ‘you might find something of more use to a soon-to-be heiress.’
Sarah did as she was told, and discovered a small, rectangular-shaped box made in dark red velvet. She knew, before she opened it, that it contained jewellery, but what?
Nerves claimed her stomach when she started to lift the lid. Nick never bought her jewellery. So why had he this time?
The sight of what was inside took her breath away.
‘Oh, my God!’ she gasped before gazing with wide eyes up at Nick. ‘Tell me they’re not real diamonds. Tell me they’re zircons, or cut glass.’
‘Of course they’re real diamonds,’ Flora said, leaning over to gaze at Sarah’s present.
‘They do look expensive,’ Jim said, not for the first time that morning.
‘Don’t you like them?’ Nick said drily. ‘If you want to return them, I’m sure I still have the receipt somewhere.’
‘Over my dead body!’ Sarah retorted, snapping the box shut and hugging it to her chest.
Nick smiled. ‘I do realise that you have all your mother’s jewellery, but what suits one woman doesn’t necessarily suit another. I thought these were more you.’
Sarah opened the box again, then picked one of the earrings out of the box for closer viewing. It had a large diamond at the lobe, and two dangling drops of smaller diamonds that shimmered and sparkled with the slightest movement.
‘You think I’m a girl who favours flashy jewellery?’
‘Diamonds aren’t flashy, they’re classy. And they never go out of fashion. You can wear them with any outfit.’
‘Then I’ll wear them today,’ she decided immediately.
‘To the Christmas lunch.’ And I’ll make sure Chloe knows who gave them to me, she vowed with uncharacteristic bitchiness.
‘Yes, do that,’ he agreed, an odd glitter in his eyes.
Sarah wished she knew what was going on in his head. But he was a closed book when he wanted to be.
‘I’d like my present from Nick now,’ Flora piped up.
‘Oooh, did I get diamonds, too?’ she added when Jim handed her a beautifully wrapped gift that was almost as small as Sarah’s.
‘Sorry,’ Nick returned. ‘I thought you’d prefer sapphires, to go with your pretty blue eyes.’
‘Oh, go on with you,’ Flora said laughingly.
But he had bought her sapphires, in the form of an utterly stunning, sapphire-encrusted watch. Jim got a watch, too, a very expensive gold one. Both were thrilled to pieces.
Sarah had never known Nick spend so much money on Christmas presents. He couldn’t possibly be having serious financial worries, she thought with some relief, if he was throwing money around like this.
Flora and Jim seemed to like the gifts Sarah had chosen for them, Flora gushing over her favourite perfume and a cookbook, a new one that featured healthy meals. Jim was notoriously difficult to buy presents for, but a bottle of really rare port, plus a special glass engraved with his name, found favour.
In return, Flora and Jim gave Sarah a truly beautiful photo frame and a lovely feminine diary for the following year. It had pictures of flowers on every page, along with a special thought for the day. Nick became the proud owner of a new leather wallet, along with a very stylish gold silk tie.
‘For the rare occasions when you’re forced to wear one,’