Page 85 of Cooking Up a Christmas Storm
The second part of the lights switch-on was outside around the Christmas tree. Saira showed the last child in to see Santa and whispered that she was going out to get ready for the lights. Jodie nodded, smiled politely at the last family: another set of platinum customers whose child already had the wrapping paper off the gift before they were out of the door. ‘Ugh. It’s not even the newest one.’
By the time Jodie made it outside, she could see that the five minutes out of Jodie’s sight had been enough time for Saira to corner their celebrity guest, who despite Fiona’s insistence that he was to be treated with VIP kid gloves was signing Saira’s T-shirt quite happily and asking if she knew which date on the tour her mum had gone to. He also happily let people take photos doing the Christmas bus song dance, and generally seemed like a good egg.
Fiona appeared at Jodie’s shoulder. ‘Is it going all right?’
Jodie nodded. People were mingling, drinking mulled wine, playing on the fairground games, which even as a staunch enemy of the whole McKenzie enterprise she had to accept was a good idea. ‘I think it’s going great.’
‘I…’ Fiona was skittish, more so than usual. ‘I’m trying to see it through John’s eyes.’
‘Why?’
‘He’s so much cleverer about things like this. He sees things I don’t see. Details I miss. I just want to get it all right.’
‘Everything is great,’ she insisted. ‘And you can see that. You need to trust your own judgement.’
Fiona looked around. ‘It does seem to be all right.’ Her shoulders relaxed for a fraction of a second. ‘Oh. Here he is.’
And right away she was rushing to John’s side as he surveyed the crowd from a safe distance at the edge of the clearing. Jodie couldn’t hear the conversation but she could see the body language. Fiona submissive and imploring. John imperious. He said a few words to his partner and then left. Jodie made her way over to her boss. ‘Everything OK?’
‘Yes. Perfect. Just need to keep an eye on time. I’m such an airhead. I lose track of things.’
Fiona, so far as Jodie could tell, had an organisational brain that processed plans more efficiently than any spreadsheet. What she didn’t have was one remaining iota of self-belief.
Before Jodie could say anything else another figure on the edge of the crowd took up her attention. Pavel Stone, a good three inches taller than anyone else around, and drawing her across the space like a magnet.
‘Hi.’
‘Hi.’ He looked down at her. ‘You look…’
Jodie was suddenly painfully aware of the freckles painted on her cheeks, her purple tights and jaunty pigtails. ‘I look what?’
‘You look happy.’
Oh. Jodie paused. ‘The grotto was fun actually.’ She waved her hand at the stalls and the expensively decorated tree. ‘This is all a bit much, but it’s made me look forward to…’ She lowered her voice. ‘Our switch-on tomorrow.’
‘I wasn’t sure if you’d need a lift back so I thought I’d come over.’
‘I have to stay until after the fireworks.’
He nodded.
‘You can stay too.’
‘Oh, I’m not sure I can afford a ticket.’
‘You can be my guest.’
He nodded silently.
She stood quietly next to him. There was a small stage set up at the far end of the recreation area. That was where, in about five minutes, John McKenzie would introduce Jay, and Jay would sing his festive medley and press the big red button. Jodie had seen the run-through and knew exactly how it would go. She could picture it in her head. John would be charming and play the host with the most and Jodie would vomit a little bit in her mouth.
Maybe she didn’t have to stay right here for the whole event. There were other jobs on her list. She had to get the grotto ready for Monday, when fortunately her elf role would be taken over by some cash-strapped teenager from Lochcarron.
On the other hand, abandoning Fiona when she was strung as tight as a guitar string felt unfair. Surely she could stick out John McKenzie’s smug, arrogant face a little while longer.
‘What are you thinking?’
‘What?’
