𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟏

**outfits are posted at the bottom BUT DO NOT SKIP AHEAD!!**

HARPER HAYES POV:

December 23rd

I stumble a bit, catching myself on the bannister because our Christmas drinkies always get out of hand. I manage to make it downstairs in one piece and into the kitchen where I root around in the fridge for another bottle of champagne.

A pair of hands then clamp down on my waist. I smile to myself, slowly turn around to see George standing behind me. I take the bottle of champagne and put it on the side next to me, wrap my hands around his neck.

"Time for them to go home, I think," He flicks his eyebrows up, giving me a once-over with his eyes. I don't blame him, I do look really cute and Christmassy in the Retrofete Regina crystal-embellished mini dress, Christian Louboutin Degraqueen metallic leather and crystal-embellished pumps and Robinson Pelham Tsar Star 14-karat white gold diamond earrings.

"Hm," I hiccup. "Maybe ten minutes—I have just taken another bottle out."

He snatches it off the side, puts it back into the fridge. "A bottle you don't need."

I roll my eyes, slip past him and make my way into our living room. We never hold Christmas Day in the Holland Park house because this is our space, for us as a family when we want to pretend that we're all normal.

After presents, we go to the Knightsbridge house for dinner and all the rest of it—that's where everyone else joins us. That's where George and Albie sneak off to talk 'business' and where Fern isn't allowed in certain rooms.

So that's why we always have Christmas drinks here, two days before so we can all just relax and be average (kind of). Astrid sits in Charlie's lap in the corner, by the fireplace. Carter and Phoebe sit huddled up on the couch by the Christmas tree. Alb sits on the other end of the couch. Alone. Mia too.

"George says no more champagne," I frown, throwing myself down onto the sofa. It's hot in here and not because of the roaring fire in front of me. But because George pulls me into his lap and he smells so fucking good and the kids aren't home and—

"Boo!" Astrid blows a raspberry at him.

"Yeah—boo! Scrooge!" Mia pokes her tongue out.

"You can all fuck off to your own homes then," George smiles, pinches my hip.

Phoebe giggles into Carter's neck and he presses his lips to her head and he hasn't been drinking so I can only imagine how she feels right now. He's sober and clean and has never looked better—has never been better. Everything about him is new and old like we lost him for a few years but he's coming back.

It makes me smile (and keep an eye on his glass of Coke to make sure it stays Coke).

I finish the rest of my champagne, laugh at a few more of Carter's story—they're always funny. He could make a story about someone dying sound funny.

"Let me go," I whisper into George's ear a few minutes later. "If you don't I will piss on you."

"You always need to piss when you drink champagne," He huffs.

"Well," I shove his arm off my waist. "It's a taste of what I'll be like in fifty years."

I quickly jump off his lap and run to the downstairs toilet. When I'm finished, I kick my heels off by the front door, steadying myself on the coat rack. I wiggle my toes for a second and then George's coat falls on the floor.