Read Online Love You Better by Natalie K Martin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natalie K Martin
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heart from Lou, the feather from her mum and the angel from Mickey. She’d never taken it off before, but when she looked at Oliver, holding the shiny Tiffa ny bracelet, she could see how it would look mismatched to wear them both.
‘This,’ Oliver said, taking her wrist and working the clasp of her charm bracelet, ‘will look so much better.’
Effie didn’t say anything as she watched the charm bracelet fall from her wrist and onto the floor. It was only a bracelet, and it wasn’t like she was throwing it away. It was simply making way for something else. Besides, she was a married twenty-five-year-old, not a teenager. She was finally growing up into the life she’d always wanted. What was the point in hanging on to things from the past? Oliver fastened the new one around her wrist, and she picked up her charm bracelet off the floor and put it on the coffee table. She’d put it away somewhere safe later.
‘Thanks,’ she said, remembering to smile. It really was beautiful , and while it didn’t have the sentimental value of her old one, it held the promise of so much more.
‘You’re welcome. You know I only want the very best for you, baby .’
He kissed her lips again before giving her a glass of champagne. The bracelet felt heavy on her wrist, surely a sign of its worth and hopefully a sign that the thunderous mood Oliver had been in for the last few days was finally gone. He’d got a new client who was up for fraud to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds, and she’d been worried that his short, snappy temper would carry on through the Christmas break, but he’d practically bounced out of bed that morning to shower her with gifts: perfume, jewellery, an e-book reader and a new pair of Uggs to replace her old ones. Add that to the presents from his family, and she’d been totally overwhelmed.
‘Who’s this one from?’ Oliver asked, stretching behind the tree to pick up the last of the presents. ‘There’s no label on it. Must be yours.’
He didn’t need to say why; it was obvious. The newspaper it had been wrapped in was written in Hindi. It was obviously from her mum. She must’ve hidden it there before she’d left.
Effie frowned, but after opening the parcel, her throat choked. Inside the box was a long gold necklace with five peacock feathers hanging from the end. She’d seen one like it once when her mum had taken her to France for the summer holidays and had pointed it out. She’d remembered all these years later.
‘Who’s it from?’ Oliver asked.
‘Mum.’
‘Bit OTT, isn’t it? Sweet of her, though.’
Effie shrugged and put it back in the box. It was lovely, but really, when would she ever be able to wear it? Halloween, maybe.
‘I’ll call her later and say thanks,’ she said and sipped her champagne. ‘Have you called your mum yet?’
‘I’ll do it later on,’ he said and leaned over, his mouth inches away from hers. ‘For now, I want to get my last present.’
Effie looked under the tree. It was empty, but when she saw the twinkle in his eye, she grinned. She loved Christmas .
‘I’ll just call Izzy,’ Oliver said, hitting ‘Pause’ on the remote. ‘She’ll go mad if I don’t.’
Effie nodded and uncorked yet more wine, as if they hadn’t had enough already. She hadn’t anticipated that they’d spend Christmas day alone, but Izzy had taken her husband, Tom, to spend the day with their dad, and when Effie had suggested that they do the same, Oliver wasn’t having any of it. Still, it had worked out nicely. They’d had a quiet but romantic morning, and being at home meant they could settle down and watch It’s A Wonderful Life . Clichéd maybe, but it was something Effie had always wanted to do, and Oliver seemed happy to indulge her.
She looked over at him as he leaned against the kitchen island while he spoke with his sister on the phone. He looked back and shook his head, holding his hand up and tapping his thumb against his fingers.
‘This,’ Oliver said, taking her wrist and working the clasp of her charm bracelet, ‘will look so much better.’
Effie didn’t say anything as she watched the charm bracelet fall from her wrist and onto the floor. It was only a bracelet, and it wasn’t like she was throwing it away. It was simply making way for something else. Besides, she was a married twenty-five-year-old, not a teenager. She was finally growing up into the life she’d always wanted. What was the point in hanging on to things from the past? Oliver fastened the new one around her wrist, and she picked up her charm bracelet off the floor and put it on the coffee table. She’d put it away somewhere safe later.
‘Thanks,’ she said, remembering to smile. It really was beautiful , and while it didn’t have the sentimental value of her old one, it held the promise of so much more.
‘You’re welcome. You know I only want the very best for you, baby .’
He kissed her lips again before giving her a glass of champagne. The bracelet felt heavy on her wrist, surely a sign of its worth and hopefully a sign that the thunderous mood Oliver had been in for the last few days was finally gone. He’d got a new client who was up for fraud to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds, and she’d been worried that his short, snappy temper would carry on through the Christmas break, but he’d practically bounced out of bed that morning to shower her with gifts: perfume, jewellery, an e-book reader and a new pair of Uggs to replace her old ones. Add that to the presents from his family, and she’d been totally overwhelmed.
‘Who’s this one from?’ Oliver asked, stretching behind the tree to pick up the last of the presents. ‘There’s no label on it. Must be yours.’
He didn’t need to say why; it was obvious. The newspaper it had been wrapped in was written in Hindi. It was obviously from her mum. She must’ve hidden it there before she’d left.
Effie frowned, but after opening the parcel, her throat choked. Inside the box was a long gold necklace with five peacock feathers hanging from the end. She’d seen one like it once when her mum had taken her to France for the summer holidays and had pointed it out. She’d remembered all these years later.
‘Who’s it from?’ Oliver asked.
‘Mum.’
‘Bit OTT, isn’t it? Sweet of her, though.’
Effie shrugged and put it back in the box. It was lovely, but really, when would she ever be able to wear it? Halloween, maybe.
‘I’ll call her later and say thanks,’ she said and sipped her champagne. ‘Have you called your mum yet?’
‘I’ll do it later on,’ he said and leaned over, his mouth inches away from hers. ‘For now, I want to get my last present.’
Effie looked under the tree. It was empty, but when she saw the twinkle in his eye, she grinned. She loved Christmas .
‘I’ll just call Izzy,’ Oliver said, hitting ‘Pause’ on the remote. ‘She’ll go mad if I don’t.’
Effie nodded and uncorked yet more wine, as if they hadn’t had enough already. She hadn’t anticipated that they’d spend Christmas day alone, but Izzy had taken her husband, Tom, to spend the day with their dad, and when Effie had suggested that they do the same, Oliver wasn’t having any of it. Still, it had worked out nicely. They’d had a quiet but romantic morning, and being at home meant they could settle down and watch It’s A Wonderful Life . Clichéd maybe, but it was something Effie had always wanted to do, and Oliver seemed happy to indulge her.
She looked over at him as he leaned against the kitchen island while he spoke with his sister on the phone. He looked back and shook his head, holding his hand up and tapping his thumb against his fingers.
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