On A Night Like This

Chapter Twenty-One

Breakfast with the Sagars was hearty and basically an all you-can-eat, because of the guests as Lydia had put it when he asked. Croissants, pots of coffee, OJs and piles of pancakes with two types of jams and syrups; cranberry and blueberry, golden French toasts browned to perfection and fluffy scrambled eggs lay spread on the table with strips of bacon and rows of sausages.

“My God.” Ambrose muttered under his breath in bewilderment as laughter, chatter and light arguments floated around him. Lydia sat next to Martin, Etta and Lucien sat at opposite sides. Maya sat near Luke who sat next to Dyana and then Ambrose.

Lydia noticed Ambrose's confusion over her cup of coffee. “Just eat what you can. You only come this life once.”

He chuckled. “Alright, ma’am. I’ll try.”

Etta spoke up. “Martin, I was wondering…”

Martin looked up from his food with a concerned frown. “Yes?”
“I was wondering if my niece could spend the holidays here. Maybe attend violin classes in this place I’ve been looking into.”

“Rachel?”

“Oh, no. Gemma.”

Martin looked at his wife who gave a slow nod. “Okay. When will she be arriving?”

“A week from now, I think.”

“Do you have a recent photo of her? It's been so long.” Luke asked.
“Yes, I do.” Etta replied with a smile, reaching for her phone,  fishing out a picture then passed it to Luke.

He looked at the brunette with a smile. “She’s cute.”

“Let me smell you near her.” Lydia threatened smoothly with a meaningful glare at her son.

Luke chuckled, raising a hand in surrender. “Relax, mom. She not my type.” He passed the phone to Maya and whispered, “Maybe she’s yours.”

Maya glanced at the picture over her cup of coffee with a slight smile. “She cute. Quite lovely.”

Ambrose glanced at Dyana from the corner of his eye, watching her spread more jam on her toast than necessary and used his mug to hide a smile.

“And when will Gemma be arriving?” Dyana asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

Etta made to reply but Maya cut her off, “Didn’t you hear her say a week from now.” Maya interrupted smoothly with a hint of scorn in her voice.

Dyana gave her a dry smile ladened with equal scorn of her own. “I don’t remember asking you, Maya. I asked Etta.”

Maya smiled slightly studying Dyana with mild disinterest yet rapt attention over her cup of coffee and commented offhandedly. “My, such prickly personality.”

“I can easily attribute it to the person of blame if you wish.” Dyana shot back.

Ambrose glanced at the older people and saw the curiosity on their face, though they couldn’t comprehend what Maya and Dyana were bickering about.

His eyes met Luke’s who had a mischievous glint in them and quickly averted his gaze back to his almost empty plate. He wasn’t in the mood to give Luke any sort of attention.

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The following week Luke wouldn’t stop pestering Ambrose the littlest chance he got, no matter how much effort Ambrose made to avoid him. Either Luke was insanely dense or was intentionally ignoring the hints and body language Ambrose gave him.

Gemma Bryun, a straight-haired brunette a year younger than Ambrose had been his constant companion since Dyana made it point blank she wanted nothing to do with her friendship.