Page 86 of A Chef's Kiss for Christmas

Warren rolled his eyes. “Really? You actually think I’m going to pull you both back up this hill?”

“Idothink so,” she said teasingly. “Because I’m fairly sure you’re going to take this as a masculine challenge, and you’ll do it just to prove that you can.”

Warren cocked his head. “I think you’re overestimating my need to prove my masculinity.”

Josh looked at Anna. “He can’t pull both of us. He’s not Superman.”

Anna almost choked on her laughter – knowing she couldn’t have come up with a more perfect line to stir Warren’s ego.

“What did you say?” Warren demanded, glaring at his nephew.

“Superman could pull both of the sledges easily, but you’re just a normal man, so you’re not strong enough.”

“That’s a very good point.” Anna got up from the sledge. “I didn’t think of that, Josh, but you’re absolutely right — he’s definitely not strong enough.”

“I can see what you’re doing,” Warren said, turning his glare on Anna now. For a moment, he was silent. Then he nodded at the sledge. “Sit back down.”

“I just don’t think you’re strong enough,” she said sweetly as she took a seat.

He shook his head at her teasing, then turned and pulled both sledges up the hill, seemingly without too much exertion. Josh exclaimed delightedly the whole way, pronouncing that Warren was Superman. At the top of the hill, he hopped off and bounced around, slapping Warren’s hand when he reached out to high-five him.

“That was a very impressive display of masculinity,” Anna said, getting off the sledge.

“Do me a favour…” Warren took her elbow and led her a little away from Josh. “If I collapse, can you distract Josh so I can keep up the pretence of being insanely strong in his eyes?”

She laughed. “You made it look like no effort at all.”

“Because I’m a good actor!” He heaved in a breath and sank his head to her shoulder. “I may need to go to bed for the rest of the day.”

Biting back a suggestive remark, Anna looked over at Josh.

“Come on,” she called. “Superman says it’s time to go home.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Warmth gradually seeped back into Anna’s toes while she sat at the kitchen counter with Josh, sipping Warren’s luxury hot chocolate. He stood beside the counter, smiling at his nephew’s chocolate moustache, which grew bigger with every sip he took.

“I hope you’re not messing the place up,” Rachel muttered, giving Warren’s arm an affectionate pat as she walked into the kitchen.

“Uncle Warren made hot chocolate with real chocolate,” Josh said, then dragged his arm across his mouth, smearing chocolate milk all over his sleeve.

“Hopefully not with the chocolate I was about to use to bake biscuits,” Rachel said, eyeing Warren with a mock-frown.

“I didn’t use it all,” he said. “There’s plenty left.”

“You’re making biscuits,” Josh said excitedly.

“And mince pies.” Rachel opened a cupboard and began collecting ingredients.

“Can I help you?” Josh asked.

Her hesitation signalled she wasn’t at all keen on the idea. “I suppose so,” she said eventually. “If it’s okay with Tamara. Andas long as your uncle doesn’t hang around telling me where I’m going wrong.”

“Warren makes the most amazing mince pies,” Anna said idly.

She tried to catch his eye, but he moved to help Josh bring a chair from the dining table into the kitchen. Parking it at the counter, Warren looked uncertainly at Rachel.

“Would you mind if I did the baking with Josh?”