AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Though Seth had played no part in getting the food ready, he couldn’t be more proud while everyone gushed about it. After all, if it weren’t for him, none of them would be able to eat anything Clary cooked.
He’d thought for sure they couldn’t eat up everything she’d prepared, but he was wrong.
Even Elton had found nothing he could complain about.
But while everyone chatted, asking Clary about dinner, Elton remained quiet.
“So you’ll be joining us for dinner, right?” Clary asked Elton.
Even before his brother opened his mouth, Seth knew it wouldn’t be anything nice.
“Yes, since you’ve already splurged on the food.” Elton rolled his eyes. “Steak. Lobster.”
So his brother had been listening after all.
“I couldn’t get turkey, so—”
“I heard what you said.”
Seth leveled a glare at Elton, but his brother stubbornly kept his gaze on Clary.
“You Eolenfelds are all the same. Christmas is just about spending in excess. Presents. Preparing way too much food, and—”
“That’s enough,” Seth said, and even Zane shot Elton a warning glare.
Clary put a hand on Seth’s leg. “You don’t have to eat anything you don’t want to,” she said to Elton. “And whatever we don’t finish, we can probably save and have for lunch or dinner over the next few days.”
“And how could there be too much food?” Andrea said. “Did you see how much you guys ate for breakfast?” She waved a hand across the empty plates on the dining table. “You ate quite a lot yourself.”
Elton pulled his back straighter. “That’s what they wanted me to do. Shut up and eat, so I did just that.”
Andrea arched a brow. “And then you forgot about the shutting up part?” She rolled her eyes. “Who complains about receiving presents anyway?”
“I didn’t ask her to get me any.”
“Do you know how stressed she—” Andrea’s lips disappeared between her teeth when she locked eyes with Clary.
“Andrea helped me wrap the presents last night,” Clary said. “So—”
“Wait.” Zane leaned forward. “You got us presents?”
“Yes,” Clary said hesitantly.
Andrea threw her hands in the air. “It’s what people do at Christmas. What’s wrong with you guys?”
“We’re just not in the habit of giving presents.” Oliver beamed at Clary. “I got you something.”
Zane ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t know we were supposed to—”
“I didn’t—and still don’t—expect you guys to get anything for me. I don’t need anything anyway.”
“I thought gifts were supposed to be frivolous,” Seth said, and she narrowed her eyes.
Elton shook his head. “In other words, the presents are a waste of money. You just want to show off how good you are to us, right?”
Andrea’s features twisted into a mix of confusion and disgust.
Clary cleared her throat and gave Andrea a subtle shake of her head.
