Page 32 of A Billionaire for Christmas

It was while Molly was lighting the last of the candles that a loud banging sound plunged the whole house into darkness.

Her festive table together with the roaring fire in the huge stone fireplace, however, shone brightly with twinkling lights.

It looked even more magnificent in the dark.

She raced over to the kitchen using the torch on her phone.

She could just make out where she was going and when she opened the oven door, she saw with relief that the roasting pork joint was sizzling away cooked to perfection, as were the vegetables.

She checked the sauces in the pans and quickly placed lids on them, turning the gas down to its lowest setting.

She would have to serve dinner more quickly without electricity.

Toby raced into the kitchen holding a torch. ‘You okay?’ he asked. ‘There’s been a power outage. I’ll go see if I can get it back on.’

‘Toby!’ yelled a gruff voice in a heavy French accent. A man emerged from the darkness into the fading light of the kitchen. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Monsieur LeRoux. I’m just about to check the generator. We should be able to get the power back up.’

‘Good, I’m in the middle of an important game of golf.’

‘You and that bloody golf. God forbid you end up spending the evening with your wife and family. Toby, I forbid you to put the power back on.’ Valerie was click-clacking her way across the wooden floorboards towards them.

‘Dinner is ready. I say we eat. Molly, did you prepare my meal exactly as specified?’

‘Yes, Madame LeRoux.’ Molly pointed to a selection of covered dishes. ‘Even down to the sauces, entrées and desserts.’

Valerie arranged her face to look slightly impressed. While the men were discussing electrics and Toby was instructed by Armand to go check the generator regardless, Valerie leaned in. ‘Not bad,’ she said, pointing to the table display. ‘And was that spinach artichoke dip I saw?’

Molly had added crispy bacon crumbs, Valerie’s favourite. ‘And a selection of your favourite crudités.’

Valerie’s eyes widened as she clapped her hands. ‘Let’s sit down, everyone. We’ll get started on dinner. Lucca, you sit there. Freda next to me. Levi? Where’s Levi? He can’t still be working. Not in the dark.’

Molly was desperate to escape before Levi came to join them. She looked a right mess.

‘Now, Molly, talk us through this feast. Starting with that huge pile of horse dung over there. I’m sure I said no to avant-garde. Or did you drop it by accident?’

Freda cleared her throat. ‘Mother. That’s my chocolate fondant. It took me all afternoon to make.’

Valerie eyed Molly. ‘And then she threw half of it over you, did she?’

Molly wiped her cheek. ‘Freda is a very fast learner. She was brilliant.’ She had not expected to be regaling the entire family with a culinary breakdown, especially not dressed as a squashed trifle, her jogging bottoms covered in chocolate sauce, her hair in a topknot covered in cherry glaze and icing sugar on her cheeks. She’d looked better.

‘Actually, I was just about to change into some clean chef’s whites and?—’

‘Nonsense. You look fine,’ said Valerie. ‘Besides, who have you got to impress here?’

Was no one in this family ever going to let her finish a sentence?

Molly ground her teeth. ‘I’d rather not. I’ll let you eat alone seeing as it’s your first…’

‘Join us,’ boomed Armand LeRoux. ‘Sit down. Can’t have you sitting in the dark on your own.’

Lucca scraped out a chair and sat down. ‘Well, I’m starving.

I’d be happy to eat that pile of chocolate horse muck any day of the week, Freeds.

I say, Molly, this looks spectacular.’ Lucca’s gaze roamed the table, back and forth, before settling on one of the silver platters.

‘Are you responsible for these amuse-bouches, or did you have them sent up from the resort before the avalanche?’

‘She made everything from scratch. I watched her. She’s very clever.’ Freda slung her arm around Molly’s shoulder, causing her to stiffen. She hated being the centre of attention.

Lucca picked up one of the hors d’oeuvres and inspected it.

‘These are like those aphrodisiacs everyone was raving about at the Cigar Lounge.’ He popped it in his mouth and groaned.

‘ Merde! They’re delicious.’ Then, as though a penny was dropping, his eyes widened.

‘Do you work for the catering company that my brother has been looking into buying?’

Everybody turned to her.

‘It’s not just a catering company. We have Le Petit Ange restaurant too. We cater lots of different events as well as for the ski resort.’

‘Who trained you? Who’s in charge? Who is the executive chef?’ Valerie demanded.

Molly looked at them. They all assumed she was the hired help.

‘I don’t work for anyone. I am the company. I own it.’

‘Wait. You own Le Petit Ange?’ Lucca asked.

‘Yes.’

‘My brother has been after that restaurant for years. It’s where he earned his nickname, Angelo. Mother, do you remember?’

‘I used to take you all there every morning during the holidays,’ Valerie mused. ‘They called him Little Angel, after the place, because he always helped tidy up. In fact, when he was ten, he promised to buy it for me when he was rich enough.’

Molly was struggling to see the angelic side of Levi. So far, he’d turned into more of a devil.

‘It’s the only restaurant in the whole of Val D’Amore he doesn’t own.’ Lucca looked beyond her, to Levi approaching. Molly sat up straight. This was not what she had anticipated. Especially not looking such a mess.

‘Just in time, Levi.’

‘Just in time for what?’ Levi gave Molly a cold, hard stare. He was probably wondering why she was there when he’d specifically instructed her not to be.

‘You owe me a finder’s fee.’

‘Do I?’ Levi was still glaring at Molly.

‘You know how you were struggling to track down the owner of the restaurant who makes all that yummy food and these delicious canapés? Well, you’re looking at her.

’ Lucca tore his gaze from Levi back to Molly, a frown creasing his brow.

‘You’re also looking at her in the same way I would look at someone punching a dolphin in the face or trampling a baby kitten. ’

Silence.

‘Levi,’ Freda injected. ‘What on earth is going on between you two?’

‘Nothing,’ Levi and Molly replied in unison.

Levi shook his head slowly, giving Molly a sour look.

‘And you didn’t think to mention this to me, even though I spent an awful lot of time at the hunting lodge asking about your catering business?

You let me divulge sensitive information and didn’t think it appropriate to tell me you’re its CEO? In my world that’s very underhand.’

Molly bit her lip. She would find it hard to come up with an excuse under normal circumstances, never mind with the entire family watching her like a hawk.

‘You told me you never mix business and pleasure. I was… I was waiting for a good time.’ She had other things on her mind during her stay at the hunting lodge, or had he forgotten?

Levi looked thunderous at Molly quoting him. He yanked at the chair opposite her. ‘How about now? Is this a good time? Seeing as you’ve decided to join us.’

Molly put a hand to her chest. He had such a forceful air. No wonder he always got what he wanted.

‘That’s enough. Leave the poor girl alone,’ said Lucca. ‘Let’s just enjoy the food. And for your information, it was Papa who insisted she stay.’

‘Don’t be mean, Levi. Molly’s been an angel to me all afternoon. Look what she taught me to bake.’ Freda pointed to the huge lump of deflated chocolate slop sitting proudly on the counter.

Levi gave Molly a quizzical look.

The shame.

‘It took me all afternoon, and a few goes, but we got there,’ Freda said, lifting up her third glass of champagne in celebration.

Molly smiled weakly at her. It wasn’t Freda’s fault she had two left hands and a serious drinking problem.

‘And I’m hoping to discuss the canapés for the wedding.’ Valerie picked one up and inspected it. ‘I hadn’t realised how good they would be. I must swing by the restaurant some time. Let her stay.’

As Levi glared at Molly across the candlelight, she had a sinking feeling. This was going to be bad. Very bad.