Read Online Winter Wishes (The Play #1.5) by Karina Halle - Free Book Online Page A

where Jessica hands us mugs of mulled wine with cinnamon stick stirrers.
    “No thanks, I’m okay,” Lachlan declines, his shoulders stiffening.
    “It’s non-alcoholic,” she says brightly. “From IKEA.” She picks up a bottle of the stuff from beside a simmering pot on the stove and waves it at us.
    Lachlan visibly relaxes and takes a sip. Honestly, I’m so jumpy and nervous right now that I’d love to spike mine with something but if Lachlan can handle it, so can I.
    “Where’s George?” Lachlan asks.
    Jessica nods upstairs. “He says he didn’t sleep well last night. He’s taking a nap.”
    I have to admit, I breathe out a sigh of relief at that.
    “Come on, let’s go into the drawing room,” Jessica says. “You two must be starving. I spent the last two days baking but only one batch wasn’t complete rubbish.”
    We head into the drawing room, which is warm and welcoming with Christmas music, a giant, gorgeous tree, and an ancient-looking stone fireplace complete with stockings and a roaring fire. Lachlan and I settle into a worn leather couch, adorned with throws while Jessica shows off the spread on the coffee table. Christmas cookies that look so unbelievably perfect that I can scarcely believe she made them, mini crustless sandwiches and scones with clotted cream adorn the table, along with a pot of tea and fine china.
    “Jessica,” Lachlan says to her. “It’s just us. You really shouldn’t have.”
    “Oh, it’s all for Brigs,” Donald quips and we laugh.
    “When is he coming here?” I ask.
    “Not until tomorrow,” Jessica says. “He’s driving up in the afternoon.”
    “Well he better get that car of his prepared,” Donald says. “If it snows again, he’s going to be in some trouble.”
    “What kind of car is it?” I ask, having never seen Brigs’ car.
    “It’s gorgeous is what it is,” Lachlan says to me. “Though far too high maintenance for me. After all, I already have you,” he adds slyly.
    I love it when he puts his brooding attitude away and starts to joke. I manage to refrain from smacking his arm. “You jerk.”
    “Brigs has had the car forever,” Donald says, adjusting his glasses. “It’s a 1978 Aston Martin.”
    “That’s a James Bond car!” I exclaim.
    “Yes, well, James wouldn’t drive this one,” Lachlan says. “It’s a V-8 but it runs like a tired old horse. It gets him around and looks pretty but the thing ends up in the shop once a week. He rarely drives it now.”
    “Though I do think if his new teaching position falls through, he can always get work as a mechanic at this point,” Donald says.
    “So you know now,” Lachlan says to them. “That he’s moving to London.”
    Jessica and Donald exchange a look before Jessica says quietly, “He told us the other day. It will be a shame to not have him so close but…he needs this. He really does. He needs to put everything behind him and I just don’t think he can do that until he moves on, even if just to another city.”
    Donald nods. “Besides, we love London. We might end up taking the train down every weekend. Poor boy might see us more than he does now.”
    Watching them talk about Brigs and all he’s gone through, not to mention everything that Lachlan has had to endure, really hits home that this family has walked through their share of fire. It makes me realize that perhaps the last thing they are judging is me and I shouldn’t be so worked up over it. I think Jessica and Donald are just happy that their two sons are doing so well now, crawling out of the mounds of ashes and into the light. At least, that’s what I’m going to keep reminding myself.
    “So, Kayla,” Jessica says, turning her bright eyes over to me. “How are you finding the transition over to Scotland? Does it feel any different now that you’re going to stay?”
    “Definitely,” I tell her. “Of course, I can only stay here for six months and then I have to figure out a visa.”
    “But we’ll figure