Page 106 of The Twelve Dates of Christmas
“You spoke to my date, didn’t you?” said Kate. “Frightened him off.”
For a moment Richard’s face was a mask. Kate could imagine his thought processes:Laugh it off? Play it cool? Be honest?But he recovered his composure.
“It was just a bit of fun,” said Richard. “I didn’t mean anything by it!”
“By what?” asked Kate. “It wasn’t a bit of fun to Edward; he looked bloody terrified to be near me!”
Kate thought she saw Richard’s mouth twitch and repress a smile.
“Tell me the truth or I leave right now,” said Kate.
“Babe!” he exclaimed. “Honestly, it was just a bit of a laugh.”
Kate got up and started to put her coat on.
“All right! All right,” Richard said. “I might’ve told him I’d rough him up if he got near you... or words to that effect.”
He must have seen Kate’s expression darken because he hastily added, “I didn’t think he’d take me so seriously!”
“Well, he did,” said Kate. “How dare you! How dare you presume the right to threaten a person on my behalf. You have no claim on me. None.”
Kate was livid. She finished putting her coat on and left, despite Richard’s pleading and calling after her. At one point he caught up with her on her the street; he blocked her path but one look from Kate and he stepped aside and let her pass.Just you try it,she thought.
She determined to write an apology email to Edward as soon as she got home. Hopefully the Lightning Strikes team would forward it along to him. Above all she felt embarrassed. What must Edward have thought of her? She was not some damsel who needed protecting, nor a gangster’s moll to be possessed.
Kate walked through the town center with its Christmas windows and strings of lights, which looped back and forth above the shops from one end of the precinct to the other. There was hardly any snow here at all. She found a convenience store open and purchased several chocolate bars and a family-sized bag of kettle chips before jumping into a taxi at the rank and going home. “Two more weeks,” she said to herself. “Just two more weeks.”
THE TENTH DATE OF CHRISTMAS
•••••
Gingerbread Tantrums and Secrets Outed
Kate cradled her coffee mug as she checked her emails the next morning. The printers had sent her a photograph of the winter fabric. She wouldn’t get an actual sample until after the holidays, but she was happy with what she could see. They had a little more grace on the second phase of spring fabrics, so Kate didn’t expect copies of those until maybe the second week of January, by which time, she thought, she’d be back in London.
The thought reminded her that she’d done nothing yet to facilitate such a move. She fired off a couple of emails to some friends who had spare rooms and wouldn’t mind a bit of rent money coming in. She would need to tell her dad and Laura soon. Finding the right time wasn’t going to be easy.
Also in her inbox was a reply the Lightning Strikes team had forwarded along from Edward. Kate had emailed a sincere apology as soon as she’d gotten home the night before.
Hi, Kate,
Thanks for your message. I guess we got off on the wrong footing.
I probably didn’t handle the situation as well as I might have, but I’ve never been threatened like that before and it took me by surprise. I was also unsure as to whether you might have been a party to it in some way (I’ve had some strange experiences on this Twelve Dates merry-go-round). I am relieved to know that you weren’t.
If you’re ever in London, give me a call and we’ll meet for a drink.
This probably isn’t my place but I would advise caution where Richard is concerned. I don’t think he’s what he appears.
All the best
Edward
Kate decided to ignore Edward’s parting comment. He’d only met Richard once; if she’d judged Edward against first appearances, he wouldn’t have come out too favorably either. She probably would like to meet up with him for a drink sometime, though;I’ll be in London sooner than you think, Kate mused.
It had snowed again last night and it was still snowing. Kate checked her phone. Several messages from Richard. Two from Laura. One from her dad. None from Matt. She looked out through the French doors to where her Christmas tree still sat in its bucket.Can’t put it off forever, she thought.
Half an hour later the tree was in the bay window in the sitting room, screwed into its stand with a good glug of water in the bucket. Kate cut through the mesh, and the bendy boughs gently bounced down into their natural positions. It was a lovely tree. Matt might not like her at the moment, but at least he hadn’t punished her with a shoddy tree. The branches were full with soft olive-green needles, and a smell of fresh pine perfumed the room.
