Page 50 of Kiss Me at Christmas
Bless his misguided life.
“I’m not singing,” said Billy.
“Me either,” added Isabel.
“You don’t have to. Nobody needs to do anything they don’t want to,” Harriet assured them.
“Except put on a play,” Billy grumbled.
“Precisely.”
“Excuse me.” A short woman in a leopard-print hijab stood at the bottom of the stage steps. “I’m looking for Harriet Smith.”
“That’s me,” Harriet said, standing. “Can I help you?”
“I’m rather hoping you can. Could I possibly steal you away for a few minutes? It’s a community matter.”
“Oh, um…”
James stood and said, “I ought to leave now anyway, I’ve got some work to do.”
“Me too,” said Isabel. “My mum’s working nights this week, I’ve got to put my brothers to bed.”
“I’ll walk you home,” said Billy. And then to dispel the catcalls from Carly and Ricco, he added, “It’s on my way anyway.”
“I didn’t mean to break up your meeting,” said the woman. “We can arrange a time that suits you better.”
Harriet smiled at her reassuringly.
“No need, we were about done here anyway. Would you like to get a drink? There’s a bistro along the way that serves coffee all evening.”
“Sounds perfect.” The woman smiled broadly back at her.
“I’ll just grab my coat from the dressing room, and I’ll be with you.”
James followed her backstage. “Why do you always side with them?” he asked as they walked the corridors.
“I don’t.”
She did.
“Demonstrably, you do.”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. “Well, somebody needs to be in their corner.”
“What about my corner?”
“I think you fill your own corner just fine.”
They reached the dressing room, and Harriet wrapped her scarf around her neck.
“But it undermines me, and it only succeeds in further pitting them against me. How am I supposed to build any sort of rapport with them when you behave like their gatekeeper?”
“To be honest, James, I’ve seen very little evidence of you trying to build any sort of connection with them.”
“I saved their bacon last night!”
“Yes, you did, and I am grateful to you for it, but I’m talking about personal connections, letting them know that you’re on their team.”
