The Officer's Runaway Wife and Secret Son novel Chapter 461

The atmosphere at the dinner table was lively.

Emily and Simon bickered back and forth across the table, with Daniel and Clara occasionally chiming in.

Only Rhys remained quiet.

He calmly ate the few light dishes in front of him, occasionally helping Felix get a piece of food he couldn't reach.

Clara glanced at him from the side.

The feeling was surreal.

After all the turmoil they had been through, to be able to sit at the same table and share a Christmas Eve dinner like normal friends.

After dinner, the group moved to the living room sofa for fruit.

Rhys quietly cleared the fruit peels from the table and glanced at his watch.

Ten past eight.

He turned to Clara. "It's about time. It's still snowing outside. Should we get going?"

Emily, sitting nearby, immediately caught on and said in an exaggerated tone, "Oh, what's the hurry to go back so early? That's no fun! Felix, why don't you stay here with your godmom and god-uncle tonight? Godmom has a super big Christmas present for you!"

Felix's eyes lit up. "Really?"

His little head swiveled back to Clara, his face a mask of conflict. "But Mommy said Santa is going to put my presents in my red stocking at home tonight."

Clara knelt down. "Godmom's house has red stockings, too. Santa knows you're here, so he'll deliver your presents to Godmom's house. Why don't you stay here tonight and play with Daddy Simon, okay?"

Simon leaned in, pinching Felix's cheek. "I just sent Santa our location. He said he's changing his route to come here first tonight. I bought a new race car track. Daddy Simon will race with you tonight, and whoever wins gets to eat two sausages for breakfast tomorrow."

Felix thought about it. The promise of a gift from his godmother, plus playing with Daddy Simon, was a powerful temptation.

"Okay, then," Felix finally conceded to the race cars. He opened his short arms and hugged Clara. "Mommy, you and Daddy have to remember to pick me up tomorrow morning."

"Okay, Mommy will come get you first thing in the morning," Clara said, kissing her son on the forehead.

Rhys had already taken Clara's overcoat from the rack and was walking up behind her.

As Clara stood up, he draped the coat over her shoulders and then helped her tie her scarf.

"Let's go."

They went downstairs. Rhys opened an umbrella, holding it over both their heads.

The umbrella was just big enough to cover one and a half people.

He tilted it toward Clara, shielding her almost completely, leaving his own right shoulder exposed to the snow.

The only difference was that before, he would quietly put himself in the line of fire. Now, he was quietly maneuvering himself closer to her.

Rhys said, "I was afraid you wouldn't go, so I asked them for help, to find a good reason to ask you out. That way, there'd be a higher chance you'd say yes. But then I thought about it and decided I should just ask you first."

Clara was silent for a moment. "Even if we do it over, it won't feel the same."

"Yeah, I know. But I still want to make good on the things I promised you, one by one. This is just the first one."

He turned his head to look at her.

"Clara, I hope you'll let me finish all the things we never got to do, with you."

There was so much weight in his eyes.

It was as if he had poured all his strength into that single sentence.

Clara's heart tightened. She quickly looked away, staring at the windshield wipers.

"Is there parking at the theater? It's Christmas Eve, it must be crowded."

Rhys heard the change of subject but didn't press her for an answer.

"I already checked. There's an underground garage behind the theater with spots still available. If that's full, the mall at the next intersection has parking too. It's only a five-minute walk from there."