Maxine Morrey - The Christmas Project

‘But he did?’

‘Yes. Apparently he understood that when he said he wanted my company to do the job, that also meant me doing the job. It didn’t really come up that I had someone else working for me. We didn’t exactly get chatty.’

‘No. He said it was a little tense.’

Tense was an understatement. At least he’d had the grace not to tell my friend that I’d called her brother an arsehole.

‘Does you sending Bernice along instead have anything to do with the fact you called my brother an arsehole within five minutes of meeting him?’

Oh crap . Yet another reason why I don’t like doing favours for friends.

‘He told you that then.’

‘He did.’

I covered my face with my hands. ‘Janey I’m so sorry. If I could take it back, I would. I don’t know what came over me. I’m not like that normally, you know that! It had been a really long day and I was soaked and freezing. I know that’s no excuse and I’m so sorry. Really.’

Janey wrapped her hands gently around my wrists and moved my hands away from my face.

‘I’ll tell you what came over you- Mikey O’Farrell. He has a knack for getting under people’s skin. Normally it’s in a good way. Or at least it always used to be. But since the divorce, he’s been known to…let’s say, ruffle a few feathers.’

I’d felt less like I’d had my feathers ruffled and more like I’d been entirely plucked.

‘Are you upset with me?’ I asked.

‘Me?’ Janey replied, laughing. ‘God, no. I grew up with him! I know exactly how bloody annoying my big brother can be, believe me. He’s had plenty of kicks in the shin, and anywhere else I could reach, over the years.’

‘Yes, but you’re family. I’m supposed to be a professional.’

‘Ah, don’t worry. It’s a good thing. You showed him you’re not a pushover. It’s set some boundaries.’

‘I couldn’t believe I’d said it.’

‘Well, between you and me, he found it funny so don’t go worrying yourself over it any more.’

‘He did?’

‘Incredibly. It tickled him that this super professional, conservative-looking woman suddenly just lost it at him.’

‘Well, I’m glad it amused him, at least.’ I rolled my eyes and sat back as the waiter brought our food and placed it front of us, his appearance thankfully distracting us both from the subject of Michael.

After we’d finished dinner, Janey sat back, her hands resting on her bump.

‘I feel as stuffed as a Christmas turkey.’

‘Full to the brim,’ I agreed.

‘I’m sorry I questioned you about Calum earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you.’

‘You didn’t upset me. I know you’re just looking out for me. And I really appreciate that. It’s…nice.’ And I meant it. Having someone looking out for me was a relatively new experience in my life and it had taken a little getting used to initially, but Janey’s care meant so much to me. More than I could ever put into words.

‘OK good. Then it’s probably all right for me to tell you I’m not really sorry. And I still don’t think he’s good enough for you.’

I shook my head, laughing. ‘You are just as impossible as your brother sometimes.’

‘You wouldn’t be taking my name in vain there, would you Katie?’

I jumped as Michael appeared beside me, his voice close to my ear in order to be heard over the din of the crowd.

‘Mikey! I didn’t know you were coming out tonight.’ His sister smiled up at him.

‘Neither did I. I was just on my way home from a meeting down on the coast. Thought I’d stop in.’

That explained the slightly more formal appearance. Although he still looked to be favouring the rumpled look.

‘Didn’t fancy ironing those clothes then?’ Janey said, running her eyes over him.

‘Lovely to see you too, sis,’ he said, ignoring the jibe. ‘How are you both?’ he asked, his eyes taking in the bump as he bent and kissed her on the cheek before balancing himself on the edge of the bench seat I was on. I shuffled along a little so that he had more room and he did the same. As he did so, the fresh citrusy smell of his aftershave tingled my senses.

‘We’re fine, thanks.’

‘Good. And you?’ he asked, turning to me as he took a swig from his beer bottle. ‘Had a good week?’

‘Yes, thanks. Busy.’

‘No difficult clients, I hope?’ His eyes danced with laughter as his smile disguised itself around the top of the bottle.

‘Only one. Thankfully. Huge pain in the backside.’

Janey laughed. ‘I knew you wouldn’t be able to get one over on this one Mikey. She’s got your number.’

‘Oh, I’m always happy for a pretty girl to have my number,’ he countered, grinning.

I made an ‘ugh’ noise which caused Janey to laugh even more.

‘Oh God. Stop it. I need the bloody loo again now.’ And with that she stood and made her way through the crowd once more.

Mikey stretched out his long legs in front of him, giving a glance around as he did so.

‘No boyfriend tonight?’

‘No, not tonight. He’s working.’

‘Tomorrow?’

I turned towards him. ‘I don’t know. Probably not. He’s very busy at the moment.’

‘Too busy to take his girl out on a Friday night?’

I squared myself against him. ‘I’m not “his girl” and yes, he’s busy on a Friday night. It’s not the end of the world. And, as it is, I’ve had a very nice evening. So, it’s absolutely fine.’

Mikey tilted his head. ‘Have you been drinking?’

‘No.’

Yes .

‘I’ve had one glass of wine.’

One very large glass of wine .

‘Glad to hear it. It clearly loosens you up.’

I made the ‘ugh’ noise again, mostly because I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Annoyingly, I knew I’d have a humdinger of a witty retort ready in about an hour’s time. He gave a chuckle and leaned in.

‘I meant it as a compliment.’

‘Then you need to work on your compliments.’

He nodded. ‘You’re probably right.’

I looked up at him. There was something in the tone of his voice when he said it, and his eyes had taken on a faraway look.

‘Are you all right?’ I asked, unsure why I was bothered as to whether he was all right or not. But I was.

He pulled his gaze from the middle distance and focused the full force of it on me. I really wanted to look away but right now that was proving harder than it should be.

‘Of course. I’m sat next to a pretty girl who’s nicer to me the more alcohol she has inside her. So how about I buy you another drink?’

I sat up straighter. ‘Really? You really think that’s going to happen?’

He shrugged and took another swig from his bottle, clearly not bothered as to whether it happened or not.

‘Well, it’s not.’

He turned his gaze back on me. ‘I didn’t think for one minute that it would.’

My mouth dropped open.

‘So why even say it?’

‘Because you’re incredibly sexy when you’re all worked up.’

‘And you’re…’

He quirked an eyebrow, waiting to hear exactly what I thought he was. The problem was I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d been going to say.

‘I’m what?’ he prompted me.

‘I don’t know,’ I said, admitting defeat. ‘But it definitely wasn’t anything good!’

He grinned and I took a vicious swig of my drink, just as Janey returned to the table. She looked from one of us to the other.

‘Oh, for the love of God Mikey! What did you do now?’

Chapter Five

I waited at the door, huddled against the biting wind that was barrelling along the avenue and insinuating itself into every fibre of my body, despite all the layers I’d equipped myself with. A few moments later, Michael opened the door, dressed as usual in his beaten-up jeans and a T-shirt that looked like it had never been introduced to an iron in its entire lifetime.