The Chocolate Lovers' Diet Read Online Free PDF Page A

middle of having a fat-bottomed Santa attached to one corner of it. Her boyfriend stared at it in amazement. ‘My Lord, I am. When did that happen?’
    Autumn burst out laughing.
    ‘So they won’t mind that I’m younger than you or poorer than you, but they might object to me being from an ethnic minority.’
    ‘I’m embarrassed to admit this, but they’re white, upper-class and very conservative. I’m worried how they’re going to react to you. I know that we’re supposed to be a fully integrated, multi-cultural society these days, but I don’t think anyone has told my parents.’
    Addison laughed. ‘You mean that they didn’t envisage their daughter hooking up with an impoverished black social worker specialising in crack addicts – and a toy boy to boot?’
    ‘I think they were rather hoping that I’d settle down with a middle-aged, spectacle-wearing barrister called Rodney, who would be able to curb the worst of my liberal excesses and introduce me to the joys of golf.’
    ‘Then they’ll be very disappointed in me.’
    Autumn took his hand. ‘I’m prepared to risk it, if you are.’
    His arm curled round her again. ‘I happen to think you’re worth a little parental scrutiny,’ her boyfriend said. ‘Perhaps even a little disapproval. I’ve spent my whole lifehaving to fight my own corner, so I’m sure I’ll be an adequate match for anything white, upper-class Mr and Mrs Fielding can throw at me.’
    ‘Thank you.’ Autumn kissed him tenderly. ‘I hoped you’d say that.’

Chapter Six
    ‘ H ey, Lewis,’ Chantal said. ‘Pass me over one more of those baubles, please.’ Nadia’s son’s interest had already waned and was drifting towards the
Chicken Little
DVD that was playing on the television. She smiled indulgently at the back of his head and folded her arms. ‘I thought you were supposed to be helping me?’
    ‘Sorry, Aunty Chantal.’ The child tore his attention away from the TV and dipped his hand into the box of tree decorations that she’d bought from Harrods. They were tin toys – soldiers, trains, trumpets and guitars fashioned in garish colours – all chosen to appeal to the tastes of her new four-year-old best friend rather than her own cream, minimalist leanings. Lewis pulled out a Jack-in-the-box. ‘Cool.’ He handed it over to her with a smile, handling it as if it were made of glass.
    Who could blame him for being a little bored with the build-up to Christmas? She’d had more than enough of it herself, but when you were four years old, the wait must seem interminable.
    Chantal had spent the last couple of months doing pieces on festive homes for the magazine that she worked for,
Style USA
. She’d had her fill of fake holly garlands and had seen enough red ribbon to last a lifetime. Her fellow Americans who were living over in Britain still went for dressing their homes for the Christmas period in a big way. If she were simply staying at this apartment by herself then she probably wouldn’t have even bothered to pretty the place up – all this was being done for Lewis’s sake. Not that her young friend seemed to appreciate her efforts. He was leaning against the sofa absently sucking his thumb and staring into middle distance.
    ‘That looks great,’ Nadia said, coming to join them. At least Lewis’s mother was more appreciative. ‘Do you do everything so perfectly?’ she wanted to know.
    ‘Yes,’ Chantal said. ‘Everything except relationships.’
    ‘You and me both.’ Nadia toyed with a jolly Santa. ‘I know that you’re only doing this for us.’
    ‘Don’t be so sure about that. This is fun – right, Lewis?’ Chantal sat back and ran her fingers through her glossy dark hair as she admired her handiwork. ‘That doesn’t look so bad.’ The apartment that they were currently sharing was comfortable, stylish and filled with fun now that Lewis was here. It wasn’t home, but it was certainly a close second.
    ‘I don’t know how we would have