Page 20 of Healing Hearts on Thistledown Lane: Part 2
Maura shook her head. Jamie was something of a wine buff and she knew Pouilly-Fumé was not the kind of wine to be left unfinished. ‘You might have to roll me home but we’re definitely drinking it all.’
Fraser laughed. ‘Maybe we’ll get you a cab.’
The scallops in Maura’s main course were as exquisite as those in Fraser’s starter, although she thought the chorizo enhanced their salty goodness. She savoured each mouthful, marvelling at how well they paired with the crisp dryness of the wine he had chosen. He offered her a taste of his lemon sole and that was delicious too, the white flakes melting into the beurre blanc sauce. He made her laugh with tales of his golf-mad father, and she countered with stories of her mother’s obsession with uncovering the identity of the mystery yarn bombers. It wasn’t until they had almost finished eating that Maura saw Fraser’s expression shift. ‘I think that’s Jamie, isn’t it?’
She followed his gaze to the entrance of the dining room and her good humour evaporated. It was Jamie, and she knew in an instant that he was drunk. The signs weren’t obvious – a casual observer would have no idea – but there was a looseness about the way his arms hung by his side, a barely perceptible sway as he glanced around the room until he found her. He wasn’t unsteady but she knew with cold certainty the reason he was so unforgivably late. ‘Oh god.’
Fraser’s eyes immediately returned to her. ‘What’s wrong?’
She ran a hand over her face and tried not to watch as the waiter led Jamie towards them. ‘He’s been drinking.’
Fraser smiled. ‘That’s okay. So have we. He can help us finish the wine.’
The smile she summoned up felt brittle. ‘You don’t understand. He can be a bit—’
And then Jamie was beside them, with the waiter hovering nearby, as though asking the unspoken question about whether they knew this man. ‘Maura,’ Jamie said, and bent down to kiss her. ‘I’m so sorry. It was Richard’s leaving drinks – I only meant to stay for one.’
A waft of fumes washed over Maura as she turned her cheek to divert the kiss. She detected hops and the unmistakeably sour scent of whisky. ‘It’s almost nine o’clock. You’ve missed the meal.’
Jamie looked down at the plates. ‘Shit. Sorry.’
Fraser stood up and held out a hand. ‘It’s no bother. I’m Fraser Bell. Nice to meet you at last.’
For one awful moment, Maura thought Jamie would ignore him. Behind Jamie, the waiter also seemed to be holding his breath, although his face was implacable. But after several long seconds, Jamie took Fraser’s hand. ‘Good to meet you too. Maura’s told me all about you.’
Fraser smiled. ‘Will you have a seat? Join us for a glass of something?’
Jamie nodded. The waiter pulled back the chair and he sank into it, slumping against the back in a way that made Maura want to groan. ‘Whisky, on the rocks. Make it a large one.’
‘Thanks, that’s all for now,’ Fraser said, when the waiter turned a politely frozen look his way.
Once he’d gone, Jamie eyed the empty seat beside Fraser with a frown. ‘Maura says you’ve got a girlfriend. Where is she?’
A sudden spike of anxiety stabbed through Maura. Most of the time, Jamie was an amiable drunk, but whisky sometimes brought out the meaner side of his personality. He’d never been the jealous type but she suddenly didn’t want him to know that Fraser and Naomi were no longer together. Her eyes met Fraser’s and she gave the faintest shake of her head, hoping he would get the message.
‘At home with the flu,’ Fraser said smoothly. ‘She’s spent most of the day asleep, poor thing.’
Jamie raised his eyebrows. ‘And she doesn’t mind that you’re out wining and dining another woman? She sounds like a rare breed.’
‘Jamie!’ Maura objected, her face flushing as the couple at the neighbouring table turned to look. ‘How many times do I have to remind you that this is a business meeting?’
His gaze came to rest on the bottle of wine. ‘Looks like one.’
The waiter placed a tumbler of whisky on the table in front of Jamie, who snatched it up and took a large swig. ‘Good stuff,’ he said, baring his teeth. ‘I’ll have another.’
The waiter glanced at Fraser, who nodded. Maura felt her mortification rising. Other diners were glancing their way now and leaning towards each other to whisper.
‘We were about to get the bill, actually.’
Jamie studied the plate in front of her. ‘You haven’t even finished your main course. You wanted me to come and support you, now stop being such a killjoy and eat your food.’
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fraser’s expression harden. She picked up her cutlery and began to eat what remained of her now cold scallops. Thankfully, he took his cue from her and did the same with his fish. With a bit of luck, if they forewent dessert and coffee, they could leave before Jamie embarrassed her any further.
‘I hear you used to be an actor,’ Jamie said, after another gulp of whisky. ‘Have you been in anything I would have seen?’
Fraser reached for his wine glass. ‘No.’
‘Nothing?’ Jamie said. ‘That explains why you’re making a living peddling ghost stories to tourists.’
