THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

Ten.

17th of December 2013.
08:00pm.

Silence descended on the kitchen with a breathtaking speed.

Fredo scanned the damage. The marble counter was littered with flour,several used bowls, an open butter, a yolk covered whisk,a spatula and several opened packets of sugar.

Kelsia's face was covered with flour,a smear of chocolate stained her right chin and in one hand she held a star-shaped cookie.

Her expression was alarmed, her eyes fixed on Fredo,but his argument was not with his daughter.

It was with the flushed green eyed blonde who held a tray filled with cookies in different shapes,her hands encased in oven mittens shaped like Randolph's head. Kate's hair was also stained with flour,same thing with the sweater.

His sweater. He noted with a frown.

The laughter he heard earlier was long gone from their faces. She looked softer and warmer and was without a doubt the most alluring woman he ever found in his kitchen. Fredo clamped down on his inappropriate response before it, too,could get out of hand.

"I believe I asked you what was going on." He repeated coolly.

Kate glanced around the kitchen,then summoned a defiant smile. "Baking Christmas cookies." She declared, then squared her shoulders.

There was a glint in those marvelous eyes that told Fredo that was ready to hold her ground and was apparently ready to fight for what she thought was right.

But Kate Donovan was dead wrong.

And he was going to make sure she understood that,right now.

"We don't bake Christmas cookies,much less celebrate it here," his tone was glacial. "Period."

A frown flickered across Kate's brow. "What's wrong with celebrating Christmas and baking cookies? I was even waiting for you to come back so that we could discuss about a tree. Since it's obvious that you don't have time to do so."

"I spend my time on things that matter," he retorted. "And spending time searching for tree's, isn't one of them?" He glared at her,willing her to take his word without an argument.

But Kate was not going to simply let it go.

"How can you say that?" She dropped the tray on the counter with a bang. "Do you realise that Christmas is supposed to be about celebrating? What happened to Christmas Carol's, hot cocoa's, Decorating trees and leaving socks for Santa?"

"We have one rule in this house,Miss know-it-all," he said icily. "We don't celebrate Christmas."

"That's cruel!" Kate propped her hands on her hips,eyes flashing. But she dropped her hands back to her sides immediately,when he shoulder protested about the abuse it was subjected to all day.

Fredo had to admire how she stuck to her guns. He folded his arms across his chest and summoned the fiercest glare he could muster.

Kate advanced on him,undeterred. "Mr Oliveira, I have to disagree with you on this. Surely there's no harm in enjoying the spirit of the season..."